Ghetto Wear (Power Rangers Ninja Storm)
Aug. 10th, 2007 06:57 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
estinose"Ghetto Wear" came about because I wanted to write a fic from the POV of someone other than the Rangers (or for that matter, any of the regulars). Yes, it has an OC, and yes, there is an OC dating a regular, but not all is as it seems. The OC in this story is totally clueless and I love her for that.
The title refers, of course, to CyberCam's choice of clothing.
Disclaimer: Characters belong to BVE and VRP. Except for Wendy. She's mine. And she doesn't have kittens.
Rating: PG to PG-13. Nothing that's not been on screen.
Author's note: This came out of a discussion on Rangerboard. (Wyndstorm will be familiar with which one.)
Ghetto Wear by Selma McCrory (EstiRose) c. 2003
She looked up as the bell rang. Since her family owned and ran an electronic store, she saw all kinds of customers. She got the casual browser, like she'd had this afternoon, and then she got her regulars, and then everybody inbetween.
Other than a young woman browsing the CAT-5 cables, the store seemed to be empty. She craned her head, and then a figure came into view. She smiled a bit; the current visitor to the store was Cameron Wantanabe, one of her regulars and one of at least some interest. He was one of the few guys who realized she did know most of what the store sold.
"Hey, Cam," she said as he came up to the counter. "What you need this week?"
Cam reached into his pocket and retrieved a list. "I've had a bad week; have you got any of these in stock?"
She perused the list. "Most of 'em. Some are going to have to be special order, though. What did you do? Fry your daughterboard?"
"Kind of," Cam said, shrugging. "Put in the order for me, please, Wendy."
"And call you as usual. Got it." She went to the wall and picked out his components. "Anything interesting you've got up the pipeline, Cam?"
"This, that, and the other," Cam told her. She got the rest of his components out and laid them on the counter.
"That what you're looking for?" she asked.
Cam smiled, getting out his credit card and his photo ID. "Perfect."
She grinned back at him and began to ring up the sale. "That'll be 50.12." She swiped the credit card through the machine, knowing it would be good. Even if it wasn't, he was such a regular that she'd cut him some slack. "Dad'll probably put the order in on Wednesday and it'll be a couple of days after that. Can you hold on until then?"
"I'll try," Cam said. He let her bag the purchases and hand them to them. "Have a nice day."
"You too," she said, waving and garnering an odd look from the shop's other customer. The bell above the door rang as he left.
* * *
"Hey, Dad," Wendy said as her father headed behind the counter. "Got a special order. Three, in fact."
Her father shook his head. "I see our regulars are hitting their creative streaks again," her father said in amusement. "I'll put an order in on these. You might want to call Mr. Watanabe, some of these components are going to be hard to get a hold of."
"Right," Wendy said, picking up the phone and punching up Cam's name in their computer. She dialled the phone.
"Hello?" a familiar voice asked.
"Hey, Cam," she said. "It's Wendy from Behrman's Electronics."
"Yo, whassup?" he asked. The tone was odd but she put it down to him just being different at home than he was when he came in.
"Dad wants to tell you that some of your order's going to be a little hard to come by."
"Okay," Cam said, sounding a little bit more like the Cam she knew. "Thanks for letting me know."
"You're welcome, Cam. Thanks for shopping at Berhman's." She put the phone back on its cradle. "That guy must be a party animal," she said. Cam didn't seem the type, but her mother said that it was the quiet ones that were the most dangerous. She smiled, shaking her head, and went back to manning the counter.
* * *
She heard her name being called. "Yo, Wendy!" She spun around. "What'cha doing away from the store?"
"Cam?" Wendy managed. "You... you...." Every time Cam Watanabe had been in her store he'd been dressed "Nice Casual", but today, he was in what could best be described as "Ghetto Wantabe".
"Yeah, I sometimes like to go out like this," he said. "Let my wild side out." He seemed amused by her reaction.
"You certainly are! What were you at, yesterday? A party?"
Cam smiled goofily. "Like, not really. I just like to let my hair down around the computers. So to speak."
"I... see." She looked at him. "You definitely look different."
He shrugged. "Hey, sister, this is how I am. I just like to play nice sometimes for the normal folks."
She blinked. "Okay. Anyway, see you later. Dad says the order should be in the shop in two or three weeks."
The figure in green smiled mischeviously. "Got it. See you in two to three. Bye!"
"Bye," she said. She shook her head as he made his way down the street. "That guy definitely has one *interesting* life." She closed her eyes and shook her head in amusement. When she opened her eyes again, he was gone.
* * *
"Hi, Cam," Wendy said as he entered the store. "How's it going?"
Cam looked briefly confused at her cheerful greeting. "All right, I suppose. Except I'm going to need more stuff." He shook his head. "Some of my stuff had a collision with a skateboard."
"I guess you have a pretty exciting life," Wendy said, smiling. "What'cha got for today?"
Cam ran his fingers through his hair. "Could you see if you've got any of these in stock?" he said, producing one of his usual lists.
"Right," she replied, accepting the list. "How'd your stuff have a collision with a skateboard?"
"I have a friend who's into skateboarding and... you don't want to know." His words and stance held a tiredness that didn't jive with the guy she'd talked to the other day.
"Probably not... but sounds interesting." She retrieved the stuff off the list. "That friend tires you out?"
"Well, I'm not precisely a party animal." Cam grimaced.
Wendy raised an eyebrow at that. "You do seem pretty quiet." Maybe he wanted to maintain decorum at the store. She'd have to talk to him about that later, if and when she saw him outside work.
Cam nodded as she rung up his order, and wordlessly paid. As he was walking out the door, she called, "See you soon! Nice meeting you on the street!"
She could have sworn he looked confused as he left.
* * *
A few days later, the phone rang. "Behrman's Electronics."
"Hey, Wendy," Cam warmly greeted her, "Whassup?"
"Well, um, nothing. We don't have your order in yet, if that's what you're asking. Dad said it would be another week or so."
"Nah, I understand. Hey, wanna go out on a date?" His voice was full of mischief, that she couldn't help but smile.
"Um...." she said, dropping the smile as her father walked into the room. "Anyway, yes, you can pick those up between now and five P.M."
"Gotcha," Cam said, his tone still smiling. "Got it. Catch you later, sister."
She hung up the phone. "Customer?" her father asked. She nodded wordlessly.
After he left, she wondered if Cam would call again. She never thought she'd like a customer... none had ever attracted her before. But this one....
Maybe this one might.
* * *
"Hey, Wendy!" Cam called as she stepped out for lunch break the next day. "What's up?" he was leaning against a low brick wall, looking unrepentantly like he belonged there. He was wearing similar clothes to what she'd seen before.
"Cam. You been waiting, or...." She didn't know if she should feel flattered if he'd been waiting there a while, or threatened.
"Just a minute. I was going to go in and shock everyone when I saw you coming out," Cam said. "Old, staid Cam coming in dressed like *this*." He indicated his shirt and baggy pants and grinned even wider.
"You're not old," Wendy protested. "Compared to some of my customers, yes. But not that old!"
"So, you never answered my question about the date," he said. "I guess the parental unit kinda walked in the room and you didn't want to get in hot soup."
"Well, I'm not sure it would be proper," Wendy said. "Of course, I...."
"Wanna go on a date?" he interrupted her.
"I guess so," she said. She paused, remembering what he'd told her before. "It it going to involve skateboarding?"
Cam laughed. "Only if you want it to." He cocked his head. "Look, if the parental unit looking over your shoulder has got you worried, why don't I take you out to lunch on Saturday? That way, they'll never know."
"Well, Dad thinks I should start seeing someone...." Wendy thought out loud. "Okay. That sounds good. Dad'll be thrilled."
"Got it. See you at Morton's Cafe?" Cam asked.
"It's a date," Wendy said. "See ya!"
Cam smiled and pushed away from the low wall. "You bet." He walked off, away from the store. Wendy shook her head and headed towards the nearby community college's cafeteria.
* * *
"You've got a skip in your step," her father said, half-grinning. In fact, she was literally skipping.
"I met someone," Wendy admitted. "One of the guys I run into every so often. He wants to take me to lunch."
"Is he going to get a four-year degree?" her father asked.
"Oh, he's got that, he's not beyond continuing education, though." Wendy grinned. "I think he has a master's."
"Just as long as you're sure he's okay."
"He's okay, Dad," Wendy said, standing on her toes to kiss her father's cheek. "And it's been a while since I dated."
"Just be careful, call if you have any trouble, okay?" her father asked.
"Dad, I have a cell phone. And I took self-defense in college," Wendy said, settling back behind the counter.
"Just don't date any wild boys, okay?"
"Try not to," Wendy said.
* * *
Wendy showed up at the appointed time at the appointed place, craning her neck to look for her date. At least she thought it was a date. None of the guys or gals who had frequented her father's electronics store had treated her as anything more than a cashier. At least until Cam. He'd been going there for years and years, and now, she was finally starting to get to know him.
"Yo, Wendy!" Cam announced. He wasn't quite in the gear that he'd been wearing before; it was similar, but slightly more respectable. Kinda halfway between what he normally wore in the store and what he wore when he was letting down his hair, so to speak.
"Cam!" Wendy said, and hugged him. She wasn't sure if it was the greatest idea, but he didn't seem to resist it. "You made it!"
"Like, when would I ever let you down?" he said. "You look good, babe. That blouse looks really good with your eyes."
Wendy smiled tenatively.
"I mean it," Cam insisted. "It's got the right amount of blue, it goes with the green look."
Wendy smiled again, but she started to feel nervous. "I get the impression that I'm not the first girl you've said that to."
"The first girl didn't tell me she had a boyfriend," Cam said, shrugging. "I wouldn't be here if I was involved."
"Really?" Wendy asked, skeptically. Her stomach clenched a little, though.
"Yeah, there was a girl I met named Tori, and I found out later she was somebody's girl." He paused, cheeks reddening. "Hey, it was all a mistake, but I wanted to be honest with you. I've dated before. Just not someone... not someone as normal as you."
"All right, I guess I probably put my foot in my mouth on one or two dates as well," she allowed.
"Yeah," Cam said. He returned to his usual grin. "Hey, if you want to go in and talk, I'm not hungry. Or we can go next door...."
Wendy looked at the tall building next door. "Library. Okay. Not quite what I had in mind, but...." It'd be safer. If something went wrong, there were always the librarians.
"Hey, I gotta pretend I'm my old boring self sometimes," Cam said, winking at her. "Or, if you want, we can just do coffee."
Wendy nodded. "That sounds... good." She cursed inwardly as her voice wavered. Did she want him to think she was a total paranoid?
"Coffee then library?" Cam asked, still looking like he'd rather just slack out on the lawn.
"Sounds good to me," Wendy agreed. She offered him her arm, and somehow wasn't surprised when he took it.
* * *
"So, how was your date, hon?" Wendy's father asked.
"He was very nice, Dad," Wendy said, bouncing in through the door. "And not boring at all!"
"Well, that's always good. What's his name?" her father asked, working on some electronic device or other.
"Cameron. It was just nice to be with a guy who really seemed to like me for who I am." She leaned on the wall near where he was working, knowing that he wanted to know all about what she'd done.
He smiled. "And when am I going to meet Cameron?" he asked.
"He's been to the store once or twice, so you might have met him," Wendy said. "But we didn't connect until I ran into him on campus."
"Ah," her father said, still smiling. "And the fact that he's been in our store before didn't scare you off?"
Wendy's mouth quirked into a grin at her father's teasing. "Hey, even computer geeks are human. I think."
"You can never tell with them," her father acknowledged. "Heaven help me, before I die I'll be seeing holographic avatars come in here to order stuff."
Wendy kissed her dad on the cheek and drew back. "Anyway, we had a good time. We went out for coffee, and then we went to the library. He was actually funny! I really liked him."
"Good. Bring him into the store," her father said. "I'd sure like to meet the guys who make you laugh."
"I will, dad," Wendy promised. "Trust me, you'll be surprised about what lies under the surface of some people."
"Honey, after years in the business, I'm not surprised about anything," her father said. "Boot up the machine on the way up, will you? I gotta do some taxes."
"Right, dad," Wendy said. "Will do."
* * *
But she didn't get to fulfill her promise of letting her father meet her newest boyfriend until two weeks later, when Cam appeared, no doubt for his special order, which had come in the day before.
"Hi, Cam," she said, greeting him with an enthusiastic grin. "Here for your order?"
Cam nodded, giving her a small smile as she retrieved the order. "Yes. Tell your father he's got good suppliers."
"Tell him yourself," Wendy said, remembering what she'd promised her dad. "He'd like to meet you."
Cam blinked. "Why? We've met. He's known me for years."
She nudged him a little. "Our date, silly."
"Date?" Cam asked, gently moving her elbow out of the way, looking at her as if she were crazy. "We've never dated!"
"What?" Wendy blurted out. "But the coffee place... the library... we spent hours together." She took a deep breath. "Okay, Wendy, calm down. Calm down." She'd dated Cam. He probably just didn't want to admit it in there, that's all. The implication probably should have disturbed her, but it didn't.
In the meantime, Cam shifted from a confused look to a look of dawning... something she didn't comprehend. "Wendy, how was I dressed?"
"Well, um," Wendy said, not expecting the question. "The first time I met you... I mean, the first time I met you... er, the time I met you outside the college, on the sidewalk, you were wearing this green knit hat, this green t-shirt, and these green camo pants. You were kinda wearing the same thing the second time, and when we went on the date, you were wearing a green striped shirt and green jeans. Though they looked more casual on you than what you wear in here. You were real friendly, too."
Cam took this in quietly. Too quietly for Wendy's tastes.
"So, why are you pretending that we didn't go on a date?" Wendy pressed.
"Because you didn't go on a date with me," Cam said, his voice quiet. "You dated my... cousin. C.C."
"What?" Wendy asked, feeling like she was on the edge of understandingÊ something. Maybe even something profound. "Your *cousin*?"
"My cousin." His cheeks colored the same way they had when they'd been on the date, when she'd said something that had slightly embarrassed him. "We look a lot alike."
"Yeah, just slightly!" she exclaimed. Was he playing a joke on her, or was the joke played on him? And to be exact, both of them?
"He thinks I don't have a life," Cam explained, looking apologetic. "And a lot of people can't tell us apart. Even some of my friends have been fooled."
Wendy could only nod, as if the whole situation, the whole store, was part of something she was watching on TV. "Right."
"Look, I'm sure he didn't do this to hurt you... Or me," Cam said. "I'm sure he had his reasons."
"Right," Wendy said. "So? what happens next?"
"I bring C.C. here, he apologizes, he gets out of your life, end of story," Cam said. He seemed to be talking to himself rather than her.
"Oh," Wendy said. If this was a joke, then... she'd... she'd... she didn't know what she'd do.
"Let me give him a call," Cam said. "Could you hold my order for me?"
"Sure," she said as he withdrew a cell phone from his pocket and headed out. Like she wouldn't hold his order, given the circumstances?
So she put the order behind the counter and waited.
A few minutes later, Cam came back. "He'll be coming in a few minutes. Why don't I pay for the order?"
"Um, sure." This was something she knew how to handle. She took the credit card in the outstretched hand and mindlessly looked at the ID, ringing up the sale.
"Thanks. Let me get this in my car, and I'll be back."
So she obediently sat and waited until Cam came back, leaning on the counter. There were no other customers in the store at the moment, and so there was nobody to distract her. And she desperately, desperately needed a distraction right now. Something that would save her from Cameron Watanabe and his cousin. What was his cousin's surname? Real name?
But every time she opened her mouth to say something, no words came out. She was stuck waiting. Hoping that something would prove to be a lie. She didn't know what, but *something* had to be a lie. It had to be.
The side door's bell tinkled to indicate a new customer, and she straightened up. Finally! A customer!
But it was only C.C. Which meant that Cam wasn't C.C., and that she'd gone out with a guy pretending he was another guy. C.C. was probably laughing behind his miffed expression. Though *miffed* might not be the right word for it. He looked... kinda upset that he'd been found out. Like she probably wouldn't have found out eventually anyway?
But his gaze met hers, and his look changed... as if he didn't care a thing about Cam. She had his attention. All of it.
"Apologize," Cam said, his voice hard. He folded his arms.
"Sorry," C.C. said, and she was amazed she couldn't distinguish between him and Cam earlier. Sure, they looked the same, but she could see the way both of them moved now, and CC did *not* move or act like Cam. "I really didn't mean to hurt you. It's just that... he doesn't have a life, and well...."
That earned him a glare from Cam. "So you decided to play matchmaker with him and me?" Wendy interrupted, not liking the explanation one bit.
"Well, yeah," C.C. said. "I mean, you're pretty, and you're not like most of the other girls he talks to. Can you say major *boring*?"
"Tori," Cam pointed out to his cousin.
"Tori's interesting, but she's taken, Cous, and I'm not, like, suicidal enough to get in a fight with Blake." C.C. spread his hands and arms out, looking at Wendy and obviously ending the side discussion. "Anyway, I wanted you to be happy."
"It didn't work," Cam said to his double.
"Out," Wendy said, finally deciding she'd seen far too much of the impostor, and wondering if her Dad minded if she took a break and cried. She wiped her eyes. "Out, C.C. I don't want to see you again."
"But...." C.C. looked pleadingly at her, with an expression that would have melted her heart if she hadn't been on the verge of crying.
"Get out of here, and the next Cam Watanabe that I see better be the real one," she warned, glaring at C.C.
"Okay, okay," he said, holding up his hands again. "I know where I'm not wanted. See you later, Cous." With that, he turned around and left, the door ringing behind him as he closed it with a lot of force.
Wendy wiped her eyes again, wishing for a tissue.
"He really did mean well," Cam said to her.
"That's the scary part," Wendy replied. "Hey, get out of here. Just because you have a stupid idiot for a cousin doesn't mean you have to hang around this boring place."
"Right," Cam said. "Don't worry, he won't come in here again."
Wendy sniffled. "Thanks." She paused. "And thank you for shopping at Behrman's Electronics." It was the best she could do to make something sound normal.
Cam gave her a smile... the first that she'd seen in the real Cam, and followed his cousin's path out the door.
*Ê *Ê *
"Hi, Cam," Wendy said quietly as her customer came to the counter. "How's C.C.?"
It was an unexpected question, she could see that. But she wanted to have some closure, and heck, did she want closure on the big gaping hole that C.C. had left in her emotions. "Home, and told that he should *stay* there."
"So, he's back with your aunt and uncle?" Wendy asked idly.
"No, he's at my place," Cam said. "Dad's keeping an eye on him." He paused, and studied her. "Why do you want to know?"
Wendy favored him with a grin, weak as all get out. "Closure. Maybe wanting to know that this isn't going to happen again."
"It won't," Cam said with certainty. "I've made sure of that."
Wendy nodded. "Thanks. 'Preciate that. I know you said he didn't mean it, but...."
"C.C. is the kind of person who is always being taken places twice."
"The second time to apologize?" Wendy guessed.
Cam nodded at that.
"Anyway, why are you letting him hang about, anyway? Your aunt and uncle not letting him come back home?" Wendy asked.
Her customer shrugged. "He ended up with us because my Dad's sick and I can't be there 24/7. He's supposed to be keeping an eye on my dad and helping keep the place up."
"Oh," Wendy said, understanding dawning. "So, he decided to pick me up in his time off."
"Exactly," Cam said grimly.
"Thanks, Cam. I'm glad to know that all this is a bored teenager with cabin fever. Not that I'm not angry at him, but...."
"He won't trouble you any more," Cam promised.
She watched as he walked out of the store.
* * *
Wendy bit back a yawn as she finished her lunch. Normally, she'd have gone across the street to campus to eat, but Cam's visit that morning had bothered her. Was she going to have problems every time he came to shop here because of C.C? She hoped not.
Maybe it was time she got to know the *real* Cam, now that C.C. was out of the way. Just so that she wouldn't associate him with C.C. Well, other than the obvious. He couldn't help being related to C.C., and if she got around that geeky shell of his....
"Hi," a very quiet voice said, causing her to jump.
"C.C.," she said crossly. "I thought you'd had enough of being in trouble." She crossed her arms. She would *not* cry.
"Hey, just wanted to come back and grovel. You know how much trouble I had getting around the restrictions dishwater-dude put on me?"
"I can guess," Wendy said, crossing her arms. "And if you leave *right now* I won't even tell your cousin you were here."
"But, Wendy...." C.C. looked at her pleadingly. "I, like, didn't mean to upset you."
"Well, you did, you idiot!"
C.C. shrugged. "Haven't you ever made a mistake before?" he asked. "I mean, like major dumbo mistake?"
"This was way more than a mistake," Wendy stated. "You played with my emotions! You made me believe you were somebody else, who isn't even in love with me, and doesn't even see me as anything more than a store clerk!"
"He would if he'd give you half a chance," C.C. pleaded. "I mean, you're a wonderful person. You're pretty, you're intelligent...."
"I couldn't pass pre-calc in high school," Wendy pointed out.
"I like you," C.C. said, racing in front of her and kneeling. "I really do."
"You know, that's a really good way to get kicked," Wendy said, ignoring the pleading look.
"Hey, trying to apologize here!" C.C. exclaimed defensively.
"What part of 'no' don't you understand? What part of 'go away' don't you understand either?"
C.C. sighed. "If that's what you want."
He disappeared into thin air. Or thick. Wendy blinked, and then ran into the store.
"Hon, you all right?" her father asked, doing something at the counter.
"I just broke up," she said. "Breaking Up" was an understatement. Maybe she belonged in the looney bin. Obviously she'd imagined C.C. Watanabe coming over and then disappearing.
"With Cameron?" her father asked. "I hope that wasn't Cameron Watanabe you were dating?"
"Cam Watanabe?" Wendy laughed, but it sounded hollow, even to her. "I don't even *know* Cam Watanabe. At least as anything other than a customer."
"Oh," her father said, sounding uncomfortable. "So, who was it?"
"A guy named Cameron who wasn't Cam Watanabe," Wendy said. "Do you see me dating Cam Watanabe?"
Her father shrugged. "In all honesty? No."
"Good," Wendy said, wiping away a tear.
"Hon, why don't you go and just take a little bit more of a break, I'll cover for you," her father said.
"Thanks, Dad." She fled.
*Ê *Ê *
Wendy paced in the small sculpture garden. Who should she call? If she called Cam's place, C.C. was sure to answer, and she wasn't ready to deal with the non-reality of her imagined encounter with him. Of course, her thinking she was crazy would make him go away for sure. Well, unless he could teleport... but that was impossible and only underscored that she'd gone crazy.
"Cam, come in soon," she muttered. "Please. So I have someone to talk to about this."
And what would he say? That she needed to be sent to the funny farm? Probably. She had no idea what to do. But she should. "Maybe I really just need to get to know him. And then see my doctor about a chemical imbalance." She pulled out her cellphone, thanking herself for memorizing Cam Watanabe's number.
"Hello?" a male voice answered.
"Is this Cam or C.C.?" she asked warily.
"Hey, Wendy!" the voice answered cheerfully.
"Okay, C.C. I want to speak to *Cam*."
"Well, he's kinda not here at the moment. I'll tell him that you called."
"You'd better," Wendy said, hoping she had the right tone of voice.
"Okay," C.C. said cheerfully. "Stay safe, bye!"
Wendy shook her head as C.C. hung up. She headed back in, just to see her father locking up.
"Hi, hon, there's a monster attack," her Dad said.
Wendy nodded. Maybe it would keep her mind off C.C. Watanabe... and Cam.
* * *
About an hour after the Power Rangers finished destroying the monster, the bell above the door tinkled. Wendy looked up, mentally preparing herself for the first customer in an hour.
"Hi, Wendy." It was Cam. Or at least the person in front of her moved and dressed like Cam.
"Cam or C.C.?" she asked.
"Cam," he responded.
Wendy's shoulders sagged in relief. "Hi, Cam. I suppose C.C. gave you my message?"
"Made a big production about it," Cam said wryly, "But yes." He studied her. "He wants to know how you are."
"Okay, but... I still don't want to see him again."
Cam nodded. "So, what did you want to talk to me about?"
"I'm not even sure it's something I can talk about," Wendy said. "I probably should have told him to not have you call me back, but...."
"Wendy, what happened?" Cam asked firmly.
"I... hallucinated him coming back to beg for mercy," she said haltingly. "I knew he was a hallucination when he disappeared in front of me. Maybe I belong in psychiatric care or something...."
She sniffled. "Maybe," Cam allowed. She looked away, at the special orders shelf.
"Thanks," she said. "Maybe I do. I mean, maybe I can't tell the difference. Maybe I *want* you to be C.C. and you're not C.C."
"No," he said. "I'm Cam."
"Makes sense," she allowed. "So...."
"I don't know what to tell you," Cam said.
She looked at him and smiled. "If you did, I'd be suspicious." She looked towards the door to where her father was no doubt working on the business's account. "I guess I do need to see a psychiatrist. Do something for me, though?"
"What?" Cam asked.
"Maybe... let me get to know you?" she asked hesitantly. He was a total stranger, and she'd just admitted she was crazy, but she had to. "Maybe if I knew who you were in the first place...."
"Right," Cam said, and she swore she saw a blush color his face. Of course, given the circumstances, she was probably just imagining it. "All right."
And for the first time since she'd found out the truth about C.C., she relaxed. "Thanks. I appreciate it."
Cam smiled, and went out the door. Smiling, Wendy leaned on the counter. Maybe it would be a good day, after all.
-end
The title refers, of course, to CyberCam's choice of clothing.
Disclaimer: Characters belong to BVE and VRP. Except for Wendy. She's mine. And she doesn't have kittens.
Rating: PG to PG-13. Nothing that's not been on screen.
Author's note: This came out of a discussion on Rangerboard. (Wyndstorm will be familiar with which one.)
Ghetto Wear by Selma McCrory (EstiRose) c. 2003
She looked up as the bell rang. Since her family owned and ran an electronic store, she saw all kinds of customers. She got the casual browser, like she'd had this afternoon, and then she got her regulars, and then everybody inbetween.
Other than a young woman browsing the CAT-5 cables, the store seemed to be empty. She craned her head, and then a figure came into view. She smiled a bit; the current visitor to the store was Cameron Wantanabe, one of her regulars and one of at least some interest. He was one of the few guys who realized she did know most of what the store sold.
"Hey, Cam," she said as he came up to the counter. "What you need this week?"
Cam reached into his pocket and retrieved a list. "I've had a bad week; have you got any of these in stock?"
She perused the list. "Most of 'em. Some are going to have to be special order, though. What did you do? Fry your daughterboard?"
"Kind of," Cam said, shrugging. "Put in the order for me, please, Wendy."
"And call you as usual. Got it." She went to the wall and picked out his components. "Anything interesting you've got up the pipeline, Cam?"
"This, that, and the other," Cam told her. She got the rest of his components out and laid them on the counter.
"That what you're looking for?" she asked.
Cam smiled, getting out his credit card and his photo ID. "Perfect."
She grinned back at him and began to ring up the sale. "That'll be 50.12." She swiped the credit card through the machine, knowing it would be good. Even if it wasn't, he was such a regular that she'd cut him some slack. "Dad'll probably put the order in on Wednesday and it'll be a couple of days after that. Can you hold on until then?"
"I'll try," Cam said. He let her bag the purchases and hand them to them. "Have a nice day."
"You too," she said, waving and garnering an odd look from the shop's other customer. The bell above the door rang as he left.
* * *
"Hey, Dad," Wendy said as her father headed behind the counter. "Got a special order. Three, in fact."
Her father shook his head. "I see our regulars are hitting their creative streaks again," her father said in amusement. "I'll put an order in on these. You might want to call Mr. Watanabe, some of these components are going to be hard to get a hold of."
"Right," Wendy said, picking up the phone and punching up Cam's name in their computer. She dialled the phone.
"Hello?" a familiar voice asked.
"Hey, Cam," she said. "It's Wendy from Behrman's Electronics."
"Yo, whassup?" he asked. The tone was odd but she put it down to him just being different at home than he was when he came in.
"Dad wants to tell you that some of your order's going to be a little hard to come by."
"Okay," Cam said, sounding a little bit more like the Cam she knew. "Thanks for letting me know."
"You're welcome, Cam. Thanks for shopping at Berhman's." She put the phone back on its cradle. "That guy must be a party animal," she said. Cam didn't seem the type, but her mother said that it was the quiet ones that were the most dangerous. She smiled, shaking her head, and went back to manning the counter.
* * *
She heard her name being called. "Yo, Wendy!" She spun around. "What'cha doing away from the store?"
"Cam?" Wendy managed. "You... you...." Every time Cam Watanabe had been in her store he'd been dressed "Nice Casual", but today, he was in what could best be described as "Ghetto Wantabe".
"Yeah, I sometimes like to go out like this," he said. "Let my wild side out." He seemed amused by her reaction.
"You certainly are! What were you at, yesterday? A party?"
Cam smiled goofily. "Like, not really. I just like to let my hair down around the computers. So to speak."
"I... see." She looked at him. "You definitely look different."
He shrugged. "Hey, sister, this is how I am. I just like to play nice sometimes for the normal folks."
She blinked. "Okay. Anyway, see you later. Dad says the order should be in the shop in two or three weeks."
The figure in green smiled mischeviously. "Got it. See you in two to three. Bye!"
"Bye," she said. She shook her head as he made his way down the street. "That guy definitely has one *interesting* life." She closed her eyes and shook her head in amusement. When she opened her eyes again, he was gone.
* * *
"Hi, Cam," Wendy said as he entered the store. "How's it going?"
Cam looked briefly confused at her cheerful greeting. "All right, I suppose. Except I'm going to need more stuff." He shook his head. "Some of my stuff had a collision with a skateboard."
"I guess you have a pretty exciting life," Wendy said, smiling. "What'cha got for today?"
Cam ran his fingers through his hair. "Could you see if you've got any of these in stock?" he said, producing one of his usual lists.
"Right," she replied, accepting the list. "How'd your stuff have a collision with a skateboard?"
"I have a friend who's into skateboarding and... you don't want to know." His words and stance held a tiredness that didn't jive with the guy she'd talked to the other day.
"Probably not... but sounds interesting." She retrieved the stuff off the list. "That friend tires you out?"
"Well, I'm not precisely a party animal." Cam grimaced.
Wendy raised an eyebrow at that. "You do seem pretty quiet." Maybe he wanted to maintain decorum at the store. She'd have to talk to him about that later, if and when she saw him outside work.
Cam nodded as she rung up his order, and wordlessly paid. As he was walking out the door, she called, "See you soon! Nice meeting you on the street!"
She could have sworn he looked confused as he left.
* * *
A few days later, the phone rang. "Behrman's Electronics."
"Hey, Wendy," Cam warmly greeted her, "Whassup?"
"Well, um, nothing. We don't have your order in yet, if that's what you're asking. Dad said it would be another week or so."
"Nah, I understand. Hey, wanna go out on a date?" His voice was full of mischief, that she couldn't help but smile.
"Um...." she said, dropping the smile as her father walked into the room. "Anyway, yes, you can pick those up between now and five P.M."
"Gotcha," Cam said, his tone still smiling. "Got it. Catch you later, sister."
She hung up the phone. "Customer?" her father asked. She nodded wordlessly.
After he left, she wondered if Cam would call again. She never thought she'd like a customer... none had ever attracted her before. But this one....
Maybe this one might.
* * *
"Hey, Wendy!" Cam called as she stepped out for lunch break the next day. "What's up?" he was leaning against a low brick wall, looking unrepentantly like he belonged there. He was wearing similar clothes to what she'd seen before.
"Cam. You been waiting, or...." She didn't know if she should feel flattered if he'd been waiting there a while, or threatened.
"Just a minute. I was going to go in and shock everyone when I saw you coming out," Cam said. "Old, staid Cam coming in dressed like *this*." He indicated his shirt and baggy pants and grinned even wider.
"You're not old," Wendy protested. "Compared to some of my customers, yes. But not that old!"
"So, you never answered my question about the date," he said. "I guess the parental unit kinda walked in the room and you didn't want to get in hot soup."
"Well, I'm not sure it would be proper," Wendy said. "Of course, I...."
"Wanna go on a date?" he interrupted her.
"I guess so," she said. She paused, remembering what he'd told her before. "It it going to involve skateboarding?"
Cam laughed. "Only if you want it to." He cocked his head. "Look, if the parental unit looking over your shoulder has got you worried, why don't I take you out to lunch on Saturday? That way, they'll never know."
"Well, Dad thinks I should start seeing someone...." Wendy thought out loud. "Okay. That sounds good. Dad'll be thrilled."
"Got it. See you at Morton's Cafe?" Cam asked.
"It's a date," Wendy said. "See ya!"
Cam smiled and pushed away from the low wall. "You bet." He walked off, away from the store. Wendy shook her head and headed towards the nearby community college's cafeteria.
* * *
"You've got a skip in your step," her father said, half-grinning. In fact, she was literally skipping.
"I met someone," Wendy admitted. "One of the guys I run into every so often. He wants to take me to lunch."
"Is he going to get a four-year degree?" her father asked.
"Oh, he's got that, he's not beyond continuing education, though." Wendy grinned. "I think he has a master's."
"Just as long as you're sure he's okay."
"He's okay, Dad," Wendy said, standing on her toes to kiss her father's cheek. "And it's been a while since I dated."
"Just be careful, call if you have any trouble, okay?" her father asked.
"Dad, I have a cell phone. And I took self-defense in college," Wendy said, settling back behind the counter.
"Just don't date any wild boys, okay?"
"Try not to," Wendy said.
* * *
Wendy showed up at the appointed time at the appointed place, craning her neck to look for her date. At least she thought it was a date. None of the guys or gals who had frequented her father's electronics store had treated her as anything more than a cashier. At least until Cam. He'd been going there for years and years, and now, she was finally starting to get to know him.
"Yo, Wendy!" Cam announced. He wasn't quite in the gear that he'd been wearing before; it was similar, but slightly more respectable. Kinda halfway between what he normally wore in the store and what he wore when he was letting down his hair, so to speak.
"Cam!" Wendy said, and hugged him. She wasn't sure if it was the greatest idea, but he didn't seem to resist it. "You made it!"
"Like, when would I ever let you down?" he said. "You look good, babe. That blouse looks really good with your eyes."
Wendy smiled tenatively.
"I mean it," Cam insisted. "It's got the right amount of blue, it goes with the green look."
Wendy smiled again, but she started to feel nervous. "I get the impression that I'm not the first girl you've said that to."
"The first girl didn't tell me she had a boyfriend," Cam said, shrugging. "I wouldn't be here if I was involved."
"Really?" Wendy asked, skeptically. Her stomach clenched a little, though.
"Yeah, there was a girl I met named Tori, and I found out later she was somebody's girl." He paused, cheeks reddening. "Hey, it was all a mistake, but I wanted to be honest with you. I've dated before. Just not someone... not someone as normal as you."
"All right, I guess I probably put my foot in my mouth on one or two dates as well," she allowed.
"Yeah," Cam said. He returned to his usual grin. "Hey, if you want to go in and talk, I'm not hungry. Or we can go next door...."
Wendy looked at the tall building next door. "Library. Okay. Not quite what I had in mind, but...." It'd be safer. If something went wrong, there were always the librarians.
"Hey, I gotta pretend I'm my old boring self sometimes," Cam said, winking at her. "Or, if you want, we can just do coffee."
Wendy nodded. "That sounds... good." She cursed inwardly as her voice wavered. Did she want him to think she was a total paranoid?
"Coffee then library?" Cam asked, still looking like he'd rather just slack out on the lawn.
"Sounds good to me," Wendy agreed. She offered him her arm, and somehow wasn't surprised when he took it.
* * *
"So, how was your date, hon?" Wendy's father asked.
"He was very nice, Dad," Wendy said, bouncing in through the door. "And not boring at all!"
"Well, that's always good. What's his name?" her father asked, working on some electronic device or other.
"Cameron. It was just nice to be with a guy who really seemed to like me for who I am." She leaned on the wall near where he was working, knowing that he wanted to know all about what she'd done.
He smiled. "And when am I going to meet Cameron?" he asked.
"He's been to the store once or twice, so you might have met him," Wendy said. "But we didn't connect until I ran into him on campus."
"Ah," her father said, still smiling. "And the fact that he's been in our store before didn't scare you off?"
Wendy's mouth quirked into a grin at her father's teasing. "Hey, even computer geeks are human. I think."
"You can never tell with them," her father acknowledged. "Heaven help me, before I die I'll be seeing holographic avatars come in here to order stuff."
Wendy kissed her dad on the cheek and drew back. "Anyway, we had a good time. We went out for coffee, and then we went to the library. He was actually funny! I really liked him."
"Good. Bring him into the store," her father said. "I'd sure like to meet the guys who make you laugh."
"I will, dad," Wendy promised. "Trust me, you'll be surprised about what lies under the surface of some people."
"Honey, after years in the business, I'm not surprised about anything," her father said. "Boot up the machine on the way up, will you? I gotta do some taxes."
"Right, dad," Wendy said. "Will do."
* * *
But she didn't get to fulfill her promise of letting her father meet her newest boyfriend until two weeks later, when Cam appeared, no doubt for his special order, which had come in the day before.
"Hi, Cam," she said, greeting him with an enthusiastic grin. "Here for your order?"
Cam nodded, giving her a small smile as she retrieved the order. "Yes. Tell your father he's got good suppliers."
"Tell him yourself," Wendy said, remembering what she'd promised her dad. "He'd like to meet you."
Cam blinked. "Why? We've met. He's known me for years."
She nudged him a little. "Our date, silly."
"Date?" Cam asked, gently moving her elbow out of the way, looking at her as if she were crazy. "We've never dated!"
"What?" Wendy blurted out. "But the coffee place... the library... we spent hours together." She took a deep breath. "Okay, Wendy, calm down. Calm down." She'd dated Cam. He probably just didn't want to admit it in there, that's all. The implication probably should have disturbed her, but it didn't.
In the meantime, Cam shifted from a confused look to a look of dawning... something she didn't comprehend. "Wendy, how was I dressed?"
"Well, um," Wendy said, not expecting the question. "The first time I met you... I mean, the first time I met you... er, the time I met you outside the college, on the sidewalk, you were wearing this green knit hat, this green t-shirt, and these green camo pants. You were kinda wearing the same thing the second time, and when we went on the date, you were wearing a green striped shirt and green jeans. Though they looked more casual on you than what you wear in here. You were real friendly, too."
Cam took this in quietly. Too quietly for Wendy's tastes.
"So, why are you pretending that we didn't go on a date?" Wendy pressed.
"Because you didn't go on a date with me," Cam said, his voice quiet. "You dated my... cousin. C.C."
"What?" Wendy asked, feeling like she was on the edge of understandingÊ something. Maybe even something profound. "Your *cousin*?"
"My cousin." His cheeks colored the same way they had when they'd been on the date, when she'd said something that had slightly embarrassed him. "We look a lot alike."
"Yeah, just slightly!" she exclaimed. Was he playing a joke on her, or was the joke played on him? And to be exact, both of them?
"He thinks I don't have a life," Cam explained, looking apologetic. "And a lot of people can't tell us apart. Even some of my friends have been fooled."
Wendy could only nod, as if the whole situation, the whole store, was part of something she was watching on TV. "Right."
"Look, I'm sure he didn't do this to hurt you... Or me," Cam said. "I'm sure he had his reasons."
"Right," Wendy said. "So? what happens next?"
"I bring C.C. here, he apologizes, he gets out of your life, end of story," Cam said. He seemed to be talking to himself rather than her.
"Oh," Wendy said. If this was a joke, then... she'd... she'd... she didn't know what she'd do.
"Let me give him a call," Cam said. "Could you hold my order for me?"
"Sure," she said as he withdrew a cell phone from his pocket and headed out. Like she wouldn't hold his order, given the circumstances?
So she put the order behind the counter and waited.
A few minutes later, Cam came back. "He'll be coming in a few minutes. Why don't I pay for the order?"
"Um, sure." This was something she knew how to handle. She took the credit card in the outstretched hand and mindlessly looked at the ID, ringing up the sale.
"Thanks. Let me get this in my car, and I'll be back."
So she obediently sat and waited until Cam came back, leaning on the counter. There were no other customers in the store at the moment, and so there was nobody to distract her. And she desperately, desperately needed a distraction right now. Something that would save her from Cameron Watanabe and his cousin. What was his cousin's surname? Real name?
But every time she opened her mouth to say something, no words came out. She was stuck waiting. Hoping that something would prove to be a lie. She didn't know what, but *something* had to be a lie. It had to be.
The side door's bell tinkled to indicate a new customer, and she straightened up. Finally! A customer!
But it was only C.C. Which meant that Cam wasn't C.C., and that she'd gone out with a guy pretending he was another guy. C.C. was probably laughing behind his miffed expression. Though *miffed* might not be the right word for it. He looked... kinda upset that he'd been found out. Like she probably wouldn't have found out eventually anyway?
But his gaze met hers, and his look changed... as if he didn't care a thing about Cam. She had his attention. All of it.
"Apologize," Cam said, his voice hard. He folded his arms.
"Sorry," C.C. said, and she was amazed she couldn't distinguish between him and Cam earlier. Sure, they looked the same, but she could see the way both of them moved now, and CC did *not* move or act like Cam. "I really didn't mean to hurt you. It's just that... he doesn't have a life, and well...."
That earned him a glare from Cam. "So you decided to play matchmaker with him and me?" Wendy interrupted, not liking the explanation one bit.
"Well, yeah," C.C. said. "I mean, you're pretty, and you're not like most of the other girls he talks to. Can you say major *boring*?"
"Tori," Cam pointed out to his cousin.
"Tori's interesting, but she's taken, Cous, and I'm not, like, suicidal enough to get in a fight with Blake." C.C. spread his hands and arms out, looking at Wendy and obviously ending the side discussion. "Anyway, I wanted you to be happy."
"It didn't work," Cam said to his double.
"Out," Wendy said, finally deciding she'd seen far too much of the impostor, and wondering if her Dad minded if she took a break and cried. She wiped her eyes. "Out, C.C. I don't want to see you again."
"But...." C.C. looked pleadingly at her, with an expression that would have melted her heart if she hadn't been on the verge of crying.
"Get out of here, and the next Cam Watanabe that I see better be the real one," she warned, glaring at C.C.
"Okay, okay," he said, holding up his hands again. "I know where I'm not wanted. See you later, Cous." With that, he turned around and left, the door ringing behind him as he closed it with a lot of force.
Wendy wiped her eyes again, wishing for a tissue.
"He really did mean well," Cam said to her.
"That's the scary part," Wendy replied. "Hey, get out of here. Just because you have a stupid idiot for a cousin doesn't mean you have to hang around this boring place."
"Right," Cam said. "Don't worry, he won't come in here again."
Wendy sniffled. "Thanks." She paused. "And thank you for shopping at Behrman's Electronics." It was the best she could do to make something sound normal.
Cam gave her a smile... the first that she'd seen in the real Cam, and followed his cousin's path out the door.
*Ê *Ê *
"Hi, Cam," Wendy said quietly as her customer came to the counter. "How's C.C.?"
It was an unexpected question, she could see that. But she wanted to have some closure, and heck, did she want closure on the big gaping hole that C.C. had left in her emotions. "Home, and told that he should *stay* there."
"So, he's back with your aunt and uncle?" Wendy asked idly.
"No, he's at my place," Cam said. "Dad's keeping an eye on him." He paused, and studied her. "Why do you want to know?"
Wendy favored him with a grin, weak as all get out. "Closure. Maybe wanting to know that this isn't going to happen again."
"It won't," Cam said with certainty. "I've made sure of that."
Wendy nodded. "Thanks. 'Preciate that. I know you said he didn't mean it, but...."
"C.C. is the kind of person who is always being taken places twice."
"The second time to apologize?" Wendy guessed.
Cam nodded at that.
"Anyway, why are you letting him hang about, anyway? Your aunt and uncle not letting him come back home?" Wendy asked.
Her customer shrugged. "He ended up with us because my Dad's sick and I can't be there 24/7. He's supposed to be keeping an eye on my dad and helping keep the place up."
"Oh," Wendy said, understanding dawning. "So, he decided to pick me up in his time off."
"Exactly," Cam said grimly.
"Thanks, Cam. I'm glad to know that all this is a bored teenager with cabin fever. Not that I'm not angry at him, but...."
"He won't trouble you any more," Cam promised.
She watched as he walked out of the store.
* * *
Wendy bit back a yawn as she finished her lunch. Normally, she'd have gone across the street to campus to eat, but Cam's visit that morning had bothered her. Was she going to have problems every time he came to shop here because of C.C? She hoped not.
Maybe it was time she got to know the *real* Cam, now that C.C. was out of the way. Just so that she wouldn't associate him with C.C. Well, other than the obvious. He couldn't help being related to C.C., and if she got around that geeky shell of his....
"Hi," a very quiet voice said, causing her to jump.
"C.C.," she said crossly. "I thought you'd had enough of being in trouble." She crossed her arms. She would *not* cry.
"Hey, just wanted to come back and grovel. You know how much trouble I had getting around the restrictions dishwater-dude put on me?"
"I can guess," Wendy said, crossing her arms. "And if you leave *right now* I won't even tell your cousin you were here."
"But, Wendy...." C.C. looked at her pleadingly. "I, like, didn't mean to upset you."
"Well, you did, you idiot!"
C.C. shrugged. "Haven't you ever made a mistake before?" he asked. "I mean, like major dumbo mistake?"
"This was way more than a mistake," Wendy stated. "You played with my emotions! You made me believe you were somebody else, who isn't even in love with me, and doesn't even see me as anything more than a store clerk!"
"He would if he'd give you half a chance," C.C. pleaded. "I mean, you're a wonderful person. You're pretty, you're intelligent...."
"I couldn't pass pre-calc in high school," Wendy pointed out.
"I like you," C.C. said, racing in front of her and kneeling. "I really do."
"You know, that's a really good way to get kicked," Wendy said, ignoring the pleading look.
"Hey, trying to apologize here!" C.C. exclaimed defensively.
"What part of 'no' don't you understand? What part of 'go away' don't you understand either?"
C.C. sighed. "If that's what you want."
He disappeared into thin air. Or thick. Wendy blinked, and then ran into the store.
"Hon, you all right?" her father asked, doing something at the counter.
"I just broke up," she said. "Breaking Up" was an understatement. Maybe she belonged in the looney bin. Obviously she'd imagined C.C. Watanabe coming over and then disappearing.
"With Cameron?" her father asked. "I hope that wasn't Cameron Watanabe you were dating?"
"Cam Watanabe?" Wendy laughed, but it sounded hollow, even to her. "I don't even *know* Cam Watanabe. At least as anything other than a customer."
"Oh," her father said, sounding uncomfortable. "So, who was it?"
"A guy named Cameron who wasn't Cam Watanabe," Wendy said. "Do you see me dating Cam Watanabe?"
Her father shrugged. "In all honesty? No."
"Good," Wendy said, wiping away a tear.
"Hon, why don't you go and just take a little bit more of a break, I'll cover for you," her father said.
"Thanks, Dad." She fled.
*Ê *Ê *
Wendy paced in the small sculpture garden. Who should she call? If she called Cam's place, C.C. was sure to answer, and she wasn't ready to deal with the non-reality of her imagined encounter with him. Of course, her thinking she was crazy would make him go away for sure. Well, unless he could teleport... but that was impossible and only underscored that she'd gone crazy.
"Cam, come in soon," she muttered. "Please. So I have someone to talk to about this."
And what would he say? That she needed to be sent to the funny farm? Probably. She had no idea what to do. But she should. "Maybe I really just need to get to know him. And then see my doctor about a chemical imbalance." She pulled out her cellphone, thanking herself for memorizing Cam Watanabe's number.
"Hello?" a male voice answered.
"Is this Cam or C.C.?" she asked warily.
"Hey, Wendy!" the voice answered cheerfully.
"Okay, C.C. I want to speak to *Cam*."
"Well, he's kinda not here at the moment. I'll tell him that you called."
"You'd better," Wendy said, hoping she had the right tone of voice.
"Okay," C.C. said cheerfully. "Stay safe, bye!"
Wendy shook her head as C.C. hung up. She headed back in, just to see her father locking up.
"Hi, hon, there's a monster attack," her Dad said.
Wendy nodded. Maybe it would keep her mind off C.C. Watanabe... and Cam.
* * *
About an hour after the Power Rangers finished destroying the monster, the bell above the door tinkled. Wendy looked up, mentally preparing herself for the first customer in an hour.
"Hi, Wendy." It was Cam. Or at least the person in front of her moved and dressed like Cam.
"Cam or C.C.?" she asked.
"Cam," he responded.
Wendy's shoulders sagged in relief. "Hi, Cam. I suppose C.C. gave you my message?"
"Made a big production about it," Cam said wryly, "But yes." He studied her. "He wants to know how you are."
"Okay, but... I still don't want to see him again."
Cam nodded. "So, what did you want to talk to me about?"
"I'm not even sure it's something I can talk about," Wendy said. "I probably should have told him to not have you call me back, but...."
"Wendy, what happened?" Cam asked firmly.
"I... hallucinated him coming back to beg for mercy," she said haltingly. "I knew he was a hallucination when he disappeared in front of me. Maybe I belong in psychiatric care or something...."
She sniffled. "Maybe," Cam allowed. She looked away, at the special orders shelf.
"Thanks," she said. "Maybe I do. I mean, maybe I can't tell the difference. Maybe I *want* you to be C.C. and you're not C.C."
"No," he said. "I'm Cam."
"Makes sense," she allowed. "So...."
"I don't know what to tell you," Cam said.
She looked at him and smiled. "If you did, I'd be suspicious." She looked towards the door to where her father was no doubt working on the business's account. "I guess I do need to see a psychiatrist. Do something for me, though?"
"What?" Cam asked.
"Maybe... let me get to know you?" she asked hesitantly. He was a total stranger, and she'd just admitted she was crazy, but she had to. "Maybe if I knew who you were in the first place...."
"Right," Cam said, and she swore she saw a blush color his face. Of course, given the circumstances, she was probably just imagining it. "All right."
And for the first time since she'd found out the truth about C.C., she relaxed. "Thanks. I appreciate it."
Cam smiled, and went out the door. Smiling, Wendy leaned on the counter. Maybe it would be a good day, after all.
-end
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