Chapter 26

okay, i massively struggled with starting this chapter for some reason, but here’s chapter 19. i swear I’ll be updating more after finals week (next week)

ugh i really wanna just jump to the folklore era and beyond cause i need my babies to get together :((

(when the slow burn is so slow that the author herself is dying)…

oh also the vibe of this chapter is wasteland by royal & the serpent so… aka i listened to that song the whole time i was writing this so get ready for a bit of angst and a bit of fluff at the end

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“this world is a wasteland where nothing can grow, if it weren’t for you i’ll be here all alone”

There is nothing more heartbreaking than watching a loved one fall apart, and Cameron found herself at a loss of what to do next. She gripped the wheels tightly as she drove down the quiet road, glancing at Taylor every once in a while.

They had landed in London a few weeks ago, and after watching her best friend drag her feet around the house, Cameron couldn’t take it anymore. She booked an air bnb in the outskirts of london, dragged Taylor out of bed, rented a car, and now here they were, on the road to a small town. Cameron may have had an ulterior motive as blogs online claimed that it was the best Christmas town around and maybe, just maybe, the holiday cheers could lift Taylor’s spirit.

The blonde was looking out the window, her fingers picking at her fingernails on her lap. Cameron reached over and took one of Taylor’s hands in hers. Snow had started falling, and the only sound that accompanied them was the soft radio in the background. Even the cats were curled up in their carriers, fast asleep in the backseat.

“Are we almost there yet?” Taylor’s voice was timid, and Cameron looked over and gave her a smile.

“Five more minutes.”

“That’s what you said five minutes ago,” Taylor recalled, and Cameron shrugged.

“Well then, you can blame Google maps,” Cameron started to slow as they approached the town. A smile stretched across her voice when she saw the various Christmas decorations. With string lights strung along the top connecting the builds on both sides of the roads, and trees decorated with ribbons and ornaments. “But now we’re actually almost there.”

Taylor glanced out the window. “Did you bring me to the North Pole? Is Santa Claus going to cure all of my problems?”

“Haha,” Cameron replied dryly, turning a corner at the intersection, bringing them away from the festive town center and toward the quieter neighborhood, where rows of cabins stood. Cameron squinted at her phone as they drove along the road, before she finally found the number she was looking for and turned into the driveway. “Okay, we’re here.”

She put the car into park, and Taylor stretched out her arms. “So what drew you to this town if not for Santa Claus?”

Cameron pouted and reached to the backseat for her puffer jacket. She was not braving the snow in only her sweatshirt, as comfortable as it is. “They have a great lake to skate on…”

Taylor laughed. It was short but it was the first laugh Cameron had heard from her best friend in weeks, and it brought a smile to her face. “You cannot drag my ass onto that lake if my life depended on it.”

“You know, the blog review stated that it was the safest frozen lake she had skated on,” Cameron protested, opening the car door and shuddering as a blow of strong wind blew in. “And it’s one of the must do activities in this town!”

“Yeah, no, I’ll be on the shore with nine-one-one on standby,” Taylor got out of the car as well, closing the door behind her before opening the door to the backseat to grab Meredith and Olivia. Cameron opened the trunk, grabbing their two suitcase and one duffle bag full of food and kitchen essentials.

“It’s actually nine-nine-nine in England,” Cameron called out from the back, and Taylor scoffed, each hand holding a carrier for the cats. She closed the trunk and started to drag their suitcases towards the door, where a roof hung over the door, blocking out the falling snow. Cameron dug into her pocket for the key that was mailed to her a day ago (as the owner didn’t live in town and claimed mailing was easier. Which Cameron thought was an unnecessary waste of mailing money but whatever).

“Okay, Miss Know It All,” Taylor rolled her eyes, as Cameron pushed the door open. The place was clean, and the fresh scent of wood greeted them as they walked in. “You know, this place isn’t half bad.”

“Do you not judge my taste or something?” Cameron protested, dropping the duffle bag on the floor as Taylor opened the carrier and Meredith immediately jumped out, sniffing around and exploring the area. Olivia on the other hand poked her head out slowly, before trotting towards Cameron and jumping onto her back. “Ow, ow, Liv.”

Taylor sniffled a grin as Cameron struggled to get Olivia into her arms. Cameron glared. “Your daughter is abusing me.”

“Oh, so she’s my daughter when she’s misbehaving?”

“Yes,” Cameron walked further into the cabin, where a kitchen lay on the left and a staircase on the right, leading up to the loft, where two beds laid. “Hey, this could be like a sleepover everyday. We’re going to have so much fun!”

Taylor glanced around the room but didn’t say anything.

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“I guess the town isn’t half bad,” Taylor muttered under her breath, her hand clasped in Cameron’s as they walked down the street. Cameron grinned.

“I’m sorry, can you repeat that?”

“I say this town isn’t half bad,” Taylor grumbled as Cameron hummed in satisfaction. “I can’t believe you just left Meredith and Olivia at the house. They’re going to destroy everything.”

“Have some faith in your daughters,” Cameron swung their joined hands, and Taylor sighed. “Now, how about that skating rink I keep hearing so much about?”

Taylor scoffed and pressed herself closer to Cameron as they started to approach more people, many of whom are taking pictures under the large Christmas Tree. “The people here need to stop indulging you in your dangerous dreams.”

“All I’m getting in more proof that the lake is one of the safest to skate on,” Cameron squeezed Taylor’s hand. “Hey, want to take a picture under the tree?”

Taylor glanced around uncertainty, and Cameron could hear the rejection at the tip of her tongue. But in the end Taylor nodded, and Cameron excitedly wove down a group of girls, who took their photos for them. Not one gasped in shock and no one recognized Taylor, but Cameron could notice how uncomfortable she was as more people started to pour into the town square.

They smiled together in the first photo, and Cameron pressed her lips to Taylor’s cheeks in the second one. One of the girls handed the phone back to Cameron. “You two are so adorable.”

“Thank you,” Cameron grinned. reaching over and pinching Taylor’s flushed cheeks teasingly. “Aren’t we adorable?”

“Ignore her, she’s always like this,” Taylor apologized, but the girl wove her worries away.

“Don’t worry about it, I wish I had a love like this,” the girl smiled wistfully. “Happy Holidays!”

“Happy Holidays!” Cameron wove after them excitedly, turning to her best friend. “See, safe! No one’s going to recognize you, trust me.”

Taylor only gripped Cameron’s hands tighter. “Can we go back to the house?”

Cameron nodded, her heart dropping. “Yeah, let’s go.” 

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cammierulestheworld • Following ⋮

Liked by abby4513, emma.luv and 20 others

cammierulestheworld there was no santa but i saw a pretty girl 🥺

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abby4513 ugh i’m so jealous, where am i?

          cammierulestheworld reply to @abby4513: sorry, it’s a girl’s trip and you aren’t invited cause you let me get murder by Meredith

          abby4513 reply to @cammierulestheworld: THAT WAS SO NOT MY FAULT

thechristmaseve girl can you be any more obvious

          abby4513 reply to @thechristmaseve: it’s cause tay tay isn’t following this account

          thechristmaseve reply to @abby4513: that makes so much sense

          cammierulestheworld reply to @abby4513: @thechristmaseve i don’t know what you’re talking about…