Chapter 304) Fans, Friends & Fun

Once settled into the penthouse in San Myshuno, the Camerons moved yet again. This time though, neither of the kids complained. One night, Liam woke up to someone in their bedroom. An obsessed fan of Vivien’s, who rounded them all up at gunpoint. Luckily Aria-Grace had gone to bed with her cell phone, which she still had hidden in her pj’s, so she was able to alert the police secretly. The crazed fan never knew what hit him when the S.W.A.T. team took him down.

A building security guard had been paid off to allow the obsessed fan access. When the Camerons found out there was no way to install their own security systems in the building, they just didn’t trust what was there anymore, least of all building security personnel, they packed up and stayed with family until they could find a new home.

Luck was on their side, the day they started looking for a new place a home in the Arts District went up for sale.

The move happened fast, quiet and uneventful. Nick even found an upside to it, they now lived just minutes on foot away from his best friend Rohan Sharma. Nick and Rohan had been friends for many years, after they met during one of the many teen parties at Everett Heights. Sitting in Rohan’s room the boys talked about the events and future plans.

“I think it’s great. You living even closer, I mean.” said Rohan, purposely upbeat, knowing his best friends tendency for temper outbursts.

“Well, this is great, sure. But dude, I finally want a home that is a home and stays that way. Ever since I can remember, back to when I was a toddler, I was always moving. I swear I have lived at a dozen or more different places by now and I am not even 17. Enough already! Except, I already know I will be moving again in just over a year. Graduation, then off to college. Moving again. Yay. NOT!”

“Yeah, I get it. The price you pay for having famous parents. That must have been scary A.F. Man, I can’t even imagine … makes you appreciate being just a regular Joe.”

“Trust me, it was damn scary! Nothing like getting your ass woken up in the middle of the night by your mother screaming, then having some crazy dickwad yell at your little sister because she is scared and crying and not being able to punch his teeth down his throat like I normally would, but couldn’t, because we are all staring down the barrel of a gun while the completely crazy fuck goes on and on with some barely coherent BS about how he is gonna off dad, my lil sister and me and then marry my mom. Poor mom and Aria-Grace are seeing a shrink because of it. Dad and I are just still pissed. And dad’s not famous, neither are Aria-Grace and me. Just mom is.”

“That’s so crazy. I am just a nobody, and now I am really glad of it. And yes, you are all famous, if only by association. And don’t take this personal, but your mom’s still really hot, and not even in the usual MILF way, she has a lot of fans even in our age group who like looking at her as much as listening to her, so I am not really surprised some nutjob went crazy trying to get her. I still can’t even believe we are friends and I have sat at your table and ate food ViVa cooked and served. That’s a total brain explosion. Someone like me isn’t usually friends with someone like you and gets to meet all your famous relatives.” Rohan said.

“Trust me bruh, you haven’t met them all, barely scratched the surface. There are a LOT of them. But you will. I have an idea! How about I tell my parents while they still feel super-happy everyone is all right, but also super-guilty for making us move again, that I want you to come with us to Sulani during Fall Break? All-inclusive trip, so don’t give me the ‘no money’ lecture again.” Nick suggested.

“Me? I don’t know, man. That’s a lot of money to spend on someone else’s kid. Even if your parents would go for it and not hate my guts thinking I am some mooch, and even if I were able to handle your parents doing that, grandma and grandpa would never allow it. And I don’t exactly have a beach bod, so there is that too.” Rohan told him, shaking his head.

“Beach bod? Oh jeeze, bruh. You’re fine, I have seen you in your swimwear before, at Everett Heights, remember? And your grandparents would want you to have fun. We’re only young once, enjoy it while it lasts, isn’t that what the old people are constantly telling us? They will for sure allow it, if I ask them. Just say the word.” Nick’s voice became pressing.

“Nick .. really, that’s at least a few thousand bucks. That’s just too much.”

“I want my best friend there. Come on man. Let me try.”

“Why don’t you take Adrianna?”

“Because her father is still pissed at us for the last time she supposedly went to stay with her older sister Giulia for a week, but instead was living with us. Addy was so happy to see me, she totally forgot to let Giulia know to cover for her … and then her dad called there to check up on Addy and … well … Giulia didn’t put two and two together right away, she has two toddlers running around and shit hit the fan big time. Luckily that was on our last day together, but he is now watching her like a hawk. If I want to see her, I have to get my ass to Tartosa and deal with daddy Auditore circling our heads the entire time. He seriously told my dad, if Adrianna were to wind up pregnant, he would demand I marry her on the spot. What a mental freakshow, that dude. I mean, I already said I would marry her one day and she and I are smart enough to understand how birth control works. As if we wanted to have a baby now. Seriously, that dude! Oh well. I will see her sometime around Christmas. My birthday gift this year, parents are taking us there for another week, hopefully by then Addy’s old man chilled the fuck out again. But for Fall Break it has to be Sulani, because Aria-Grace wants to go there, not Tartosa.”

“Well .. I don’t know. If I am honest, I kinda do want to see what it’s like. Sulani, I mean. I have never been anywhere and all those photos you always show me from all the places you guys go do look incredible … I don’t know though …” Rohan shrugged.

“But I do. That’s all I needed to hear. You wait here. I will go butter up grandma, and then set her on grandpa. Just leave it to the expert.”

“That will never work, Nick. Not with my grandparents. They’re old-school.”

“Trust me, I am a pro. Just stay in here. I’ll have grandma and grandpa Sharma eating out of my hand in no time, and they will help you pack, just you watch.” Nick winked and left Rohan’s room.

About 10 – 15 minutes later, he came back, by his big, self-righteous grin Rohan could tell it really had worked.

“No way!” Rohan exclaimed, unable to hide the excited smile which crept onto his face.

“Start packing, bitch. Yo ass is going to Sulani with mine next week! I’ll show you how to vacation Cameron-style! And you get to see where my uncle lives. And after we get back from Sulani, I am going to work on my parents regarding you coming with us to Tartosa. I’ll make a well-rounded person out of you yet, plus, Auditore senior might feel better about me seeing Addy with you there too, unless he thinks we are planning to gang bang his little girl. With that fool you just never know what he’s absurd shit he’s thinking.”

Fall Break came and always quiet Rohan was excited and nervous like a little boy, his face almost permanently attached to the window of the plane during the entire flight and he nearly fainted as they stepped off the ferry that had brought them to the final destination. Normally the quiet type, Rohan talked more than in all the years they had known him combined.

He sent his grandparents some Selfies in front of the rental cabin, when Nick told him chuckling, they were going to see his uncle now.

By the time they had arrived at Blake and Mila’s island mansion, Rohan’s eyes were big as saucers, he looked ready to have a heart attack when world famous actor Blake Cameron himself opened the door for them, lead them to the living area where his daughter Sheridan was, Nick’s cousin.

“BLAKE CAMERON IS YOUR UNCLE?!!? And she is … a goddess!” Rohan exclaimed, wide-eyed.

“Dude, chill, that’s my cousin Sheridan. Sheri, my best friend Rohan Sharma.” Nick introduced, but really thought this time Rohan would have a heart attack. He nodded, produced what was likely supposed to be a smile, then ran off. Sheridan giggled.

“Oh man. He’s a bit shy. Sorry, he’s really cool once he gets all that out of his system. Trust me.” Nick shrugged.

“I got this. His name was Rohan, right? He’s cute. Shy boys are my specialty. Hey, how about I give him the tour, house and beach and all. Yeah, I’ll do that. Leave him up to me.” Sheridan smiled a well-trained camera-ready smile, which then turned into a devious one.

“Knock yourself out, Sheri, but be gentle, please don’t break him. I need him, his my dude, keeps me sane.” Nick chuckled.

Winking at Nick, she walked off, her father just grinned, shrugged, shaking his head.

“Yup, I raised that. For what it’s worth, she is really personable, and I know she is a good and decent girl. Gives me some comfort.” Blake said.

“Hopefully he doesn’t dig himself into the sand now, just to get away. Rohan’s not good with girls, gets worse the prettier they are.” Nick worried.

“Nah, he’ll be fine. She loves watching boys drool over her and she has a way with them. He’ll be putty in her hands.” said a voice behind Nick.

“Reed, you old sock! How goes it!” Nick turned and greeted his other cousin, Sheridan’s twin brother who looked more like a younger twin brother of their father rather than the son, a fact he recently liked to underline by getting his hair cut and styled just like Blake’s.
It had made for some interesting headlines, which was the idea, and now Reed was on the map of the Del Sol Valley Who-Is-Who, perfect for an aspiring actor. And it had already gotten him some roles.

“Ah, ya know, Nick, livin’ the rough life here. Did you watch the movie trailer I sent ya? Yeah, that’s me in my first lead role and I am not even 18 yet. Whatcha think?”

“Looked good.” Nick shrugged.

“Good? GOOD?! That’s all?”

“Dude, whatcha want me to say? It’s a chick flick, bruh, I am not your target audience, dudes like me only ever go see shit like that if a girl we like wants to see it and we think it increases our chances of getting laid by said chick. Besides, we grew up together, I am not gonna stand here fangirling over my own damn cousin. It’s cool, great job. Aria-Grace loved it. Talk to her.” Nick defended himself.

“I think I will! At least SOMEONE in your family has taste. You two staying for dinner? Assume the rest of your family is on the islands too? I just can’t see uncle Liam letting you two slapnuts come here unsupervised.” Reed smirked.

“Nah, they’re all here, and no dinner tonight, Rohan and I have to get back soon, mom and dad are gonna wanna kumbaya as a family plus Rohan, like they always do on our first evening here, but I am sure soon we’ll do that big hap-hap-happy family thing tomorrow or something. Grandpa Blaine texted me, he is gonna be in Sulani Wednesday to see Kai, so at the latest that’s when the big party will happen. You know the drill.”

“I do. Your poor shy friend’s head will explode, cos I was talking to Chase earlier and he is coming too, maybe Colton as well, was still undecided. That’s a lot of VIP for that Rohan guy.” Reed smirked.

Later that day, it was late afternoon now, the boys were hanging out by the beach.

“Nick, this is SO crazy cool. I know this is only day one of the vacation, but I am in a total daze. I have never been anywhere, never flown before, never touched sand before. Well, maybe the one in Windenburg when you guys lived on that island there. I don’t know what to do with myself. And in the few hours I have been here I have met THE Blake Cameron, THE Mila Sheridan, who is really Mila Cameron, their daughter is more beautiful than anything I have ever seen, and their son looks like someone cloned Blake. Later I’ll go back to the rental cabin to have dinner with pop icon ViVa, and in two days THE Blaine Cameron will join us for a little party. Cos, ya know, it’s what you do when you are nobody like me and apparently died and gone to heaven. Thanks for taking me. I could never afford anything even close to this without you and your family. I still can’t believe this is real, that I am really here.”

Nick laughed.

“You’re my brother from another mother – and father. So, of course, you’re coming. You are still very much alive. Not to pour oil in your fanboy fire here, but Chase from 2Dark 2C may join us. I don’t think Colton can get away too, but if he can, you get both of them too. Speaking of fanboy, how did it go with Sheri?”

“Dude, I didn’t do ANYTHING! I swear I never touched Sheridan! I would never!”

“Relax, I don’t care. She can handle herself and she clearly likes you. She’s just my cousin, not my sister. If that were Aria-Grace, we may have some serious words. But you are a great guy. I’d probably let you date my sister, too. I trust you.”

“No worries. Not a cradle robber here. Really? Did she say that? Sheridan Cameron likes me? REALLY?!” a stupid smile appeared on Rohan’s face, making Nick chuckle.

“Oh man. If you couldn’t tell, then we have a LOT of work to do. Have you ever even had a girlfriend? Like before we started hanging out, cos I know you haven’t been dating since we’ve been friends.”

Rohan just shook his head, then turned his head, but said nothing.

“But you are into girls, right? I mean, if you bat for the same team, that’s fine too. Just need to know what to help you look for.”

Rohan turned his head back to Nick and gave him a stink eye.

“Seriously, Nick?”

“Sorry, just saying. I don’t know how to tell. But then again, you wouldn’t have had your boxers in a bunch over Sheri if you were into dudes, I guess.”

“Ya think? No, I like girls all right. The problem is that they just don’t like me back, at least not THAT way. I am the epitome of the ‘friendzone’.”

“With that attitude for sure. You need to tell the world you’re someone, you’re important, not wait for them to validate you.”

“Says the guy with the famous mother.”

“Says the guy who is not his mother but his own person. SHE is famous. I am not. Most people don’t even know who I am when they meet me. I don’t lead with the ‘ViVa’s son’ bit. I tell them I am someone. And they eat it up. I’ll teach ya. And – no offense – but if you want to have game with the ladies, we need to fix your outfits, bruh. Your outfits say friendzone.”

“Nick, I don’t how to say it in a way that you finally get it. I do not have the money for the designer crap you always wear. Just not happening.”

“Oh, it’s happening. And if I have to dress you myself. I can’t have my best friend, my brother, looking like WalMart! What would that say about me. I mean, that was cool before, just high school. We’re about to be High School seniors. Everything will change BIG time! Our last year, we have to make it count and make them all remember us for classes to come. 17 will be our magic number. As will 18 be, but that’s far away. One step at a time.”

“I am already 17, hate to break it to you Nick, but nothing changed at all. Especially not for the better. The only change is that my grandparents are pushing hard for college applications now. They want me to be a doctor.” Rohan sighed.

“Like I said, the one, the only, the amazing Nick will take you under his wing. And doctor’s good. I mean, why not, right? You gotta do something with your life. What else you gonna do? I am already gonna do law, we can’t both do that, cos I would never want to have to fight you in court. Anything in Arts is out for you, my man, I don’t want to be that guy, but you can’t carry a tune in a bucket with a tight lid on it and I have seen you trying to draw. Let’s just not. Maybe business or IT, but then again, not something you can impress chicks with and sounds kinda boring. But the future Dr. Sharma could be a real panty dropper if you play your cards right.” Nick grinned.

“Yeah, sure. Leave me out from underneath your wing. I am okay being a nobody. Besides you are gonna have your birthday all planned out anyway. Aren’t you going back to Tartosa like the day after Christmas to see your girlfriend?”

“I am coming back, ya know. That’s when the school of Nick Cameron starts for you. Maybe I’ll get you a girlfriend for the New Year! Start it all out right for ya. I know a lot of chicks AND I have a lot of cousins, not all of them have boyfriends and as you can tell by looking at me, good looks run in the family. Maybe someone who lives closer to San Myshuno than Sheri though. And my uncle Chase’s wife Hailey has a little sister, Michelle, obviously not a Cameron, but she might do in a pinch … I’ll get you hooked up. Wait and see.”