Princess Ikea Cameron: Getting Away [Chapt.25]

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* Chapter 25 *2

Anna and I fell silent for the rest of the ride, neither one of us looking at each other. I had never in my entire life been more happy to see Anna. Never more happy to be happy to see her, and yet neither of us speaking. About an hour and a half later we pulled into a drive way. I saw a small cottage sitting at the end of the drive way. She saw Ross, who's hair was now dyed red and Eriksson, who's long hair had been chopped and dyed brown, walk out from the front door to greet them. I squealed and jumped out of the cab. Anna paid while I jumped on my brothers. They both looked confused. They didn't recognize me.3

"Hi…" Ross said, uneasy.4

"Who are you…?" Eriksson had said when I hugged him. 5

"Well, that's a nice surprise. My own brothers don't recognize me!" I said, cheerfully. I was happy to be home. Home, with my brothers and sister. That's where home was. 6

"Wait…what…? IKEA??" Ross exclaimed, stepping back to look me over.7

"No way…" Eriksson said, smiling. "IKEA!"8

We hugged again, now that they knew who I was. I was baffled that they didn't recognize me, but I had changed. I was still kind of baffled on why they'd runaway just because I did. I decided to wait to ask questions later. I had a lot of explaining to do. Yet, so did they. We walked into the little cottage, that they'd been staying at for quite sometime apparently. It was cute.9

I did not understand why they'd run off, but they hadn't understood why I did. I just couldn't think for a moment, so I sat down on the couch.10

"Okay, Ikea. I do believe you owe us your story first." Ross said, smiling. We gathered around in the living room. The couch was soft and comfy. I admired the cottage for a moment.11

It was small, but homey and really cute. I knew Anna must have decorated it because it had her soft and her hard colours. She knew how to put softs and hards together and make them work. I glanced around, feeling my eyes bounce from a corner of the room to the next. I looked back down, I saw Eriksson smiling up at me. I looked at Ross then Anna. I began my story. Telling them every detail, as Ross, Erik and Anna, even myself, made jokes. I told them about Farid and my mouth went dry after I told him how we'd parted. Then Anna filled them in.12

"Well, you know how I was going to go make my appearance in L.A. well, I'm at the air port and I saw Ikea. I didn't think it was her but I followed her anyways. She turned around and recognized me immediately. So, I brought her home." Anna said, cheerfully.13

I noticed they called this home. I smiled. To me, home was where ever family was, right? I mean, thinking of Farid hadn't done anything had it? Had it? Maybe "home" was with Farid. He made me feel safe and I did love him. Did. Key word. But I still do, right? Right. 14

"Where's home?" I asked softly. My voice didn't need to be raised. No one spoke for a moment. Then I looked up to see Eriksson smiling.15

"Home is where ever you make it." He said, and I stopped any coming tears. My brothers and sister had never seen me cry and I wasn't about to do it now. I felt Ross's arms and hands wrap around me. Just like Farid had once done. I sighed and the tears were unstoppable. Once one was free, the millions were following. I closed my eyes and leaned against Ross.16

"Maybe this isn't your home anymore." Anna said, softly. She took my hands and rubbed them gently. I shook my head. This had to be home.17

"No, my home's where ever you guys are." But as I said the words, I knew they were a lie. Eriksson had sat there thinking. Then a cell phone went off and he rushed to get it. Holding the phone out, he passed it to me.18

"For you sis." He whispered. My mouth went dry and I silently prayed it wasn't Farid but then, a part of me prayed it was.19

"Hello?" I said, drying my tears, or at least making the attempt to.20

"Where are you? You left without saying good-bye!!" Izzy's shrieking voice came. "Farid was closed as a clam saying, "She's gone." And neither Carson nor I could get anymore out of him. Izzy's voice calmed me, even though I was getting yelled at. I looked to find myself alone in the room.21

I started to laugh, and then the information about Farid made the familiar gut flippy-flop come back. I spoke, "Izzy, it's okay. I haven't been kidnapped or anything. I went home. My sister and bros left home not too long after I did, I think. They ran-away protesting I was the only thing making them go back. Or at least, that's what the news said."22

"Oh." Izzy fell silent, and after a couple minutes of dead silence she said, "What happened between you and Farid? I mean the past 2 weeks had been so awkward for me and Carson. You two barely said, "Boo." I mean, you know what I mean."23

She'd asked the one thing that I didn't want to tell. I had to tell her though. So, in a whisper I said, "2 weeks ago we kissed. Then we got into a fight. I don't remember what about anymore."24

I lied. I knew exactly what the fight was about; well it wasn't really a fight. I remembered it so clearly. He had been so close to my face in the elevator, he was going to kiss me and then he had pulled away saying, "I can't. I can't do this." 25

Izzy didn't say anything for a long time. We both fell silent and I prayed she wouldn't see through me. But she did. She always did. "What really happened?"26

I told her, the truth and nothing but the truth. I was blubbering like a little baby and Izzy didn't say anything. After the phone went silent, I realized I hated silent phones. Once again, Izzy spoke softly.27

"Ikea, he's no better than you. In fact, he worse." Izzy told me. I wasn't sure if this was supposed to make me feel better or what. "He's packed up and is going home. He's going back to Italy. Says that’s where he feels at home. He's mumbling stuff and neither Carson nor I can understand him. He's in a deep dark pit of confusion, loneliness and I think, fear."28

I stopped crying to listen to what Izzy had to say. I sighed; knowing he wasn't doing any better than I was gave me peace. A knock came at the door. I stood; my legs were shaking.29

"It's the door." I muttered. I walked over and opened it. Izzy, who had tears in her eyes, stood hand-in-hand with Carson. "Izzy!" I screamed with joy. I threw my cell phone aside and hugged her. Carson, who was looking a little a taken back by surprise, hugged me too.30

"Girl, we gotta talk." Carson told me. He grabbed my hand and pulled me outside away from Izzy. Izzy walked in and made herself at home. Carson pulled me to around the corner of the house. He spoke in a whisper, "What happened between you and Farid? Izzy wouldn't tell me a thing."31

"Two weeks ago, we kissed. Then we were on the elevator, about to kiss when he pulled away saying, "I can't. I just can't do it." Then, he got off. Haven't really spoken a conversation since, unless you count our good-bye encounter."32

It didn't hurt saying it, not like when I told Izzy. I felt safe with Carson after all he was one of my best friends. I don't know. Maybe it really "getting-it-out" that counts. Maybe that actually helps. I hugged him before he could respond.33

"How hard is it to whisper, 'I love you.' Carson?" I whispered into his ear. I felt his arms wrap around me.34

Carson didn't reply right away. He just held me. That's all I needed. I cried softly in his shoulder, afraid to speak. Carson squeezed me and then let go. He dried my tears, my last tears. 35

"Honey, if you love him, you should let him know." Carson whispered. "And it's really hard to say, 'I love you.' But, once you do, it's the best."36

I nodded, my mouth was too dry to speak. We walked around to the other side of the house to see Media. I screamed and ran to the back of the house. Carson followed on my heels. We saw Izzy, Anna, Ross and Erik sitting on a little deck.37

"Media!" I hissed. "How do they know we are here?" 38

"Media?" Anna had taken a sip of a drink and spat it out at the news. Lucky nobody was in her line of direction.39

"Yes." Carson confirmed. They glanced around and all dashed into the house, locking the door behind them. Izzy closed, locked and shut the curtains in the kitchen and living room. Carson ran to the front door, locking it. Erik had closed, locked and shut the blinds in two of the bedrooms; Ross did the same in the bathroom and the third bedroom. Anna grabbed food from the fridge. I rushed upstairs and opened the hall closet and found some sleeping blankets. I threw them down the stairs and stripped the three beds, throwing the blankets down the stairs. Izzy, Carson and I brought them down the stairs to the basement. Anna followed with lots of food. 40

This had happened so many times, each knew what had to be done. We all gathered in the basement. It was dark, and Ross was the last one to come down, with lights. Since there were no basement windows, we set out the blankets. We each made their own beds and Anna showed us the scads of food. The basement had carpet, a old, old couch, and a small black and white t.v. They lay on the "beds" that were sprawled out in front of the t.v. I got up and turned the t.v. on. Only two channels came in, so we chose the clearest one. People passed around chips and all the stuff Anna had brought down. There was a knock on the door and we looked at each other. Something told me to go look.41

"I'm going to see how many t.v. networks are out there." I told them, walking up the stairs. I opened the basement door and saw Cola pounce down the stairs. She must have noticed me, because she ran back up and went to the front door. I followed her and walked over to the living room's windows. I peeked through the curtains. Some one was shouting. I gasped. Farid was standing out there shooing the media away. He was yelling and pushing people back to their vehicles. He turned the doorknob. Realizing it was lock; I dove for it. I unlocked it and hid behind the door, as I opened it. I couldn't breathe.42

"I thought I told you to get off my property!" Farid shouted, angrily. "Get! There aren't any fancy, snobby rich people for you to take pictures of! GO!"43

Farid backed into the cottage, yelling. The others must have heard him, because I saw them all peeking out of the basement door. He grabbed the door, slammed it, which made me jump and locked it. He turned to see me, with his mouth open. He took a step back. I was smiling. 44

"Farid!" I whispered, putting my arms around him. After a moment, he placed his arms around me. I squeezed him and started crying. "What are you doing here?"45

"I… This is my cottage." Farid whispered back. I smelled him and realized what he said. I let go of him and backed up. I hadn't heard their story yet. I had forgotten about it while I was thinking about Farid. I looked over and saw Ross, Erik and Anna exchange looks.46

"Your cottage…" I asked, closing my eyes. He looked around and I heard the basement door close. I put my hands up to my face and sighed. I held my face, and held back any forth-coming tears. I looked up at him. Confusion was marked all across his face.47

"Yeah. What are you doing in my cottage?" Farid asked me, looking at me. He didn't seem mad. 48

"My sister…and brothers… they've been using this cottage. Anna, Ross and Erik have been living here for…I don't know!" I let out a breath. I took my hands away from my face. I looked at him, "They haven't had a chance to explain themselves. Today, within 4 hours, my world has gotten more complicated, more confusing, more painful, more happier, easier…." I looked at him and said, "See? It's so complex."49

"Mmhmm…" Was Farid said, he took a step forward. I held my hands together and put them up to my chin. He put his hand to my cheek. "I'm an idiot." He whispered.50

"Yeah, I'm a Princess after all." I said, and he smiled. His smile made my heart melt all over again. He step closer.51

"Don't mind me, Princess Ikea Cameron." He whispered and I dropped my hands. He put his other hand around my waist, pulling me closer. He took his other hand and ran in through my hair. He leaned in and kissed me. Fireworks were the first things I thought of. The pretty ones, that explodes with passion. Next I thought of my glass heart that was now wrapped around my ankle. It was love. It's what it meant. We broke away.52

"I don't mind at all." I whispered back. He smiled. I started to laugh. I saw my sister, brothers and two best friends all sigh at the basement door. They smiled. Farid looked over and laughed too. Realizing we'd caught them, they shut the door, whispering loudly.53

"Ikea?" Farid said, making our eyes lock. "I'm sorry I bailed."54

"Bailed?" I asked, feeling a happy type of confusion swarm over me.55

"Yes. When I said I couldn't do it in the elevator." His voice was soft. I nodded. "I just wanted everything to be perfect."56

"Perfect?" I asked, looking around. "There's no such thing as perfect." I smiled, "Nothing but perfect timing. Perfect place, perfect situation, perfect conversation, perfect…" I paused, kissing him and I said under my breath, "…kiss."57

"Mm…" Farid said, smiling. 58

"Can we come out now?" Carson's voice came.59

"Carson!" I heard Izzy hiss.60

"What? I have to go to the bathroom!" Carson had replied and we both started to laugh. 61

"Come out!" I said, and the door burst open. Carson ran out, and up the stairs. The others walked out, grinning. Farid wrapped his arms around my neck, standing behind me. He brought Pepsi in and later we found Cola and Pepsi sleeping together.62