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 Posted: Mon Sep 14, 2009 4:36 pm
Prologue So, hi. I'm Cameron Hess, no my name has nothing to do with 'Hess' the gas station so don't ask. My main topic right now is love. I've always had problems with it. Me, the love-phobic human. No, it was more so that I was afraid of affection. I hate hugs and I've never kissed a boy in all of my seventeen years of living. But oh, I could only briskly explain how deeply in love I am. I don't want to sound obsessive, but I've liked him for a long time. Unfortunately, I suck at getting the message across.
It started with Myspace. Stupid, stupid Myspace. In 7th grade you could have called me emo, scene, f**, whatever. It was a faze distorted with drama, eyeliner, and skulls & crossbones. I'd been over a friend's when she was skimming over her online friends and he was there. I hadn't thought much of it at the time, but I thought he was uber cute despite wearing American Eagle and Aeropostle, he was one of those lanky hot boys. I'd seen him in school with all the A.T. (academically talented) kids (being he had been one at the time).
I thought he was cute and maybe someone I could try and be friends with eventually. He slipped my mind until I started having dreams about him. Nothing hot and heavy, but more so becoming true good friends with him. In my dreams he had seemed funny, heroic, kind, and liked me for who I was. In real life he was somewhat phobic of people who liked dying their hair (not that I did that) and wore extensive black eyeliner like a raccoon, while topping that with punk clothing. Which had made my approach towards him near to impossible.
My friends had known of my mega crush and pressed me to go on full. Being the timid girl I had once been, I couldn't have approached him in real life without freezing up. So I started with AIM. Slowly beginning random small talks about music and our favorite bands. I was good at that. But my friend Brandy (slightly preppy, and was friends with everyone) screwed that up because she wanted to 'speed up our relationship' if we even had one then. So she's told him 'Cameron loves you! Cameron loves you!' about a gazillion times and the rest of the school year I moped about never getting a chance. He'd gotten a new AIM screen name because of his fear of my almost stalker-likeness I had back in 7th grade. (I wouldn't include just wanting to talk to him stalkerish, but my friends did.)
Over Summer vacation I'd slowly convinced myself I had gotten over him. I had. Even though he was placed into the same homeroom as me, I hadn't felt much towards him. After all he'd sit with the populars (he was somewhat of a jock. One of good baseball players) and I sat with the skaters where I belonged. I was a skater after all. Devon would bug me with his common pervertedness and made fun of my natural dark red hair that stuck out horribly. I would sit near the front of home room, I was somewhat of a nerd despite looking like a punk. I could never get in trouble despite looking like the troublesome kid I wasn't.
I got Bs and As without trying, but since I didn't try I usually got placed in average classes. That year I had been in the smaller classes, but probably the most mischievous ones. I would usually sit with Chris & John (John was more of a gangster, but still fun to hang around. Chris wore mostly PacSun, but he was strange and my kind of guy to hang around) as well as my old best friend Ariana who was similar to me, not a skater but a laid back person who had a short temper and was good with words and cocky to other people but not teachers. Then there was also Stephenie who didn't fit in in our little semicircle of friends, she'd been one of those mega preps who was going to a rich privates schools for high school, she'd been smart and was bad with teachers because she had a no patience and sometimes got a little angry with them when they tried to give her constructive criticism. Me? I'd been the lazy skater who got good grades, teachers liked me and my friends dubbed me as a geek. Favorite band? Paramore since I looked a bit like Haley with my bright red hair.
Band had always been my favorite class. It was a performance band, which meant that we didn't have anything like guitar or a strings section. Mainly just percussion, brass, and woodwinds. I'd taken my spot on the snare drum and had worked hard to earn tittle as one of our band director's favorite students. Being the best drum player had its ups. I'd hang down in the band room with my best friend Tiffany (who player flute, and was probably the best student in the band, who our teacher loved to death) an Asian girl who took Kung Fu and was far from gentle. Hardcore, she usually shopped where she could get regular blue jeans (sometimes skinny jeans) and dark tank tops with a boy friend fit shirt she'd wear open over her tanks. Her favorite pair of shoes? Her completely black Converse Chucks.
Tiffany was apart of the A.T. students and was in the Honors classes with him. He'd been in band too playing French Horn (originally trumpet, but he'd moved up a step). When our director was absent Tiff and I would sit together with a few other A.T. kids who I'd come to like and befriend and we'd joke around. Sometimes he came over and joined us, joking around and acted like the moron he was. Turns out the guy I'd seen in my dreams wasn't him. He was funny yes, but he was also a clown and could be a moron at times doing stupid and completely oblivious things. I'd also found out he was extremely annoying. Although he could make me laugh, like one time he had passed sticky notes around asking people to marry him and then someone would ask and he'd give them a completely odd look that only he could probably make (and maybe Chuck Norris too).
Yeah, so we had become somewhat of friends, actually his best friend Alex seemed to like me a lot more than he did most of the time. A tall heaping six feet maybe even more, with dark curly messy hair and dark tanned skin, most of the preppy girls loved him. He was funny, and somewhat like him. The Vice Principal would call the two Bert & Ernie. The two morons who had gotten in Honor classes somehow, which surprised the Vice Principal beyond words. One thing Alex had that he didn't most of the time was charm which got most of the teachers to love him.
High school was another story. When I entered I still hadn't cared too much for him at the time, but in 8th grade my teachers had assigned me to all Honors classes for High school since I claimed I was actually going to try. When I had gone for the presentation for the Freshmen of the high school, I'd high fived Alex who had made it as our class's Vice President. He had been hanging around Alex, but I hadn't thought much of it, after all I was over him right?
About a week later when school started I'd found out he was in the same homeroom with me. Saying that the homerooms were usually mixes of Freshmen to Seniors we hang together to keep ourselves from feeling completely lost in the middle of the older students. We'd joked during homeroom and we even had most of the same classes together since he'd scored some Honors classes. I'd gone from mega punk to average skater. I'd finally found a good normal sense of style, which Chris had guided me to with PacSun. I usually dressed like Tiffany, I wore skinny jeans, Chucks, tank tops, and then a fitted boyfriend top. It was more casual and comfortable and most of the time I didn't wear eyeliner making my sea foam green eyes not seem odd against my pale skin.
I'd started hanging out more with Tiffany, Alex, and him except during Soccer (or Football, whatever you call it) season. I was on Varsity in my Freshmen year and took the position of Goalie or Keeper. I told Alex and him if they came to my home games I'd go to their home games. After that became a deal our little group slowly extended over those next two years. Brandy my old friend I'd met in 6th grade (she was friends with Alex, Tiffany, and him since 6th grade also. We all went to the same middle school), her boyfriend who she commonly broke up with the extremely popular (since he was out class's President) Jimmy or James (whom I've known since 5th grade), Paige, Michelle, Matt (who I call Marshmallow since he's big and says he buff and scary when he's kind and squishy), Hailey (who I really don't like), Vanessa, and Kim. It was out Senior year, most of us had been friends since sixth grade or earlier (Vanessa, Tiffany, Jimmy, Brandy, Kim and me). All I have to say is that emotions suck, because I've actually become friends with him, good friends. But I don't know where to start and I only have one year left (not even anymore school started a few months ago). So what if I loose?
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Posted: Mon Sep 14, 2009 4:48 pm
Chapter 1 Alex came up on my left, still tall and making me feel short in comparison. What wasn't to feel short about? He was a heaping six foot something compared to my sheepish 5'2". He flashed me a perfect toothed smile before looking around and then back to me. "Where's Tiffany? Usually she finds you before I do," he seemed clearly in a pleasant mood. But wasn't he always? I'd never seen him truly mad, only in a sour mood at some times, and that was extremely rare.
I shrugged usually Alex was adorned with at least one girl. Well, besides me that is and as I looked around I couldn't find anyone who would be trying to get on his good side around. "Don't know, but when I find her I'll let you know," I rubbed my hands together. Despite the heated building I was still cold. Being the moron I was, I took my skateboard to school (saying that it was clearly nice out and hadn't snowed yet making me mobile still in the dead of winter) and was freezing from the above zero temperatures. Maybe it was just too cold to snow. I was only wearing a long white peacoat which highlighted my red hair that had been put snugly under a blue hat. I also had thin gloves, my casual pair of skinny jeans, and a pair of DCs on. Definitely more of a Autumn wear than a Winter.
"Cam you look cold, do you need a hug?" Alex asked clearly amused by my chattering and need to rub my stiff gloved fingers together in the school. I hated hugs, but I was so cold that I didn't refuse. The only person I actually liked hugging was Matt who I called the Marshmallow and other people called him the Polar Bear during the winter since he was so hardy and cold withstand the cold winter in a sweatshirt and jeans.
I was a child compared to Alex as my chattering subsided. "Hey don't get used to this. I'm not giving out free hugs every day you know. I just needed help fighting a case of hypothermia off before it started," I obliged as Alex squeezed me tighter like a doll.
"That's what you get for needing to look so fashionable," Alex chastened as he released me looking over me skeptically. "Although I do like that coat. If only your DCs didn't mess up the whole sheik look of your outfit."
I pulled my hat off stuffing it into my backpack with my gloves and laughed. "When did you start watching What Not to Wear?" I teased, my long red hair was pulled up into a high ponytail, but it still reached down to the square of my back. My cheeks were cold and probably rosy red against my extremely white skin. I picked out my locker and peeled off my peacoat and hung it on one of the hooks. I shoved my skateboard onto the bottom, but kept my backpack. It had my books and everything I needed for class.
"Hey what's up guys?" it was the voice of him that guy I had been telling you about. His name was Ryan and Hailey was hanging around his shoulder as Alex slapped him a high five. My gaze shifted on the cold heartless prep who was in the Honor classes with us. (she wasn't cold to everyone else, just me) I don't know what I ever did to her to make her hate me, but I'd never liked her. Especially the way she looked at me like a mite, and hung around Ryan trying to make Alex jealous. She'd dated the both of them, yes. Not that I cared (ok maybe I did), but she needed a serious attitude adjustment.
"Hey Ryan," I gave him one of those quick hugs that guys usually did to exchange hellos. It was more of a small hug where you usually patted the other person on the back and backed away so it didn't seem awkward. I gave a half hearted smile as Hailey gave me a sour look, gritting my teeth slightly I held myself back from sticking my tongue out her.
"Oh good morning Cameron. That's a cute shirt," Hailey quickly sucked up in front of the boys as I stared giving a brief fake smile. This was how it always was. She'd compliment me, even though she was more so mocking what I was wearing. She wore her perfect Abercombie & Fitch clothing, while I stuck myself in more comfortable and casual clothing. I mean, not only was Abercombie super expensive, a lot of it made me feel extremely self conscious since most of their colors consisted of blues.
"Thanks," I said in a sickeningly sweet tone. All I was wearing was a black and white plaid boyfriend fit shirt, with a slim gray cami that had pink, blue, and purple splattered flowers running down the right side (or left however you look at it) and a pair of regular blue skinny jeans. I hadn't masked my face with the loads of makeup Hailey did. Just a little mascara since I had long thick lashes, yeah so I could be bland, but so what? At least I didn't over do it.
"Yo Cam, you ready for class?" Tiffany saved me from the stare down with Hailey as I turned graciously. I was about to thank her profusely as we walked away from my locker leaving Hailey with the boys in the dust when she gave me a hard punch in the arm. Despite being shorter than me she still had a way of hurting extremely badly. "You owe me for saving your butt from the cat fight with Hailey. You're lucky I got there before anything serious happened."
"Sure, sure. But can you stop punching me, it's always the same place. I swear there's a huge purple bruise there by now," I whined rubbing my arm like a child.
Tiffany rolled her eyes and punched my arm again before the bell rung and we headed for our first class.
Ryan had spent most of our classes mumbling things behind me keeping my mind unfocused as I stared blankly at the board. Tiffany was quiet as well as Alex who listened intently. I'd practically missed my chance of copying notes as well as listening to audio of the teacher due to distraction. During lunch I'd asked Tiffany to catch me up, when she refused I'd asked Vanessa who was more than welcoming enough to share notes. It had been the same lunch, besides the fact that Alex had bragging rights of getting a real hug from me for more than three seconds.
Ryan had seemed upset about that and had tried giving me a hug, he'd asked a few times despite me declining he tried anyways. He failed due to fact that I was a master of dodging hugs (despite this morning, my muscles were frozen so I couldn't evade Alex). Tiffany had invited me to go ice skating at the local rink with everyone since it was Friday (she did every Friday but I was too lazy to go). I'd decided I would go, since I was in a pleasant mood today, at least until I stepped outside to leave school.
My face fell in awe. Snow was falling down harshly and the buses had already left leaving me stranded. If only I'd taken my freaking car! The parking lot was cover in a light froth of snow, but more was coming down quickly. My peacoat was quickly covered as I shook it off. My home was only two miles from the school easily a half an hour walk without being able to use my skateboard. I shivered and turned to start my walk as a truck pulled over and a window rolled down.
"Wanna come over? Alex is meeting up at my house, and it seems you don't have a ride," it was Ryan who was generously offering a ride. I wonder why he'd stayed later... Probably his girlfriend or something.
Hey, if it would get me out of the snow I was all in for it. "Yeah. Thanks," I opened the passenger seat and hopped in feeling the difference of warm heat blasting from the vents. I pulled my hat and gloves off lying them on my lap before leaning back. Ryan's truck was nothing new, it looked more like a 2007 model of some kind of Toyota, I wasn't a specialist so I couldn't tell you what kind of truck it was.
"Alex and Jimmy were thinking of creating a Winter Ball for the Juniors and Seniors," Ryan suddenly blurted out as I blinked my eyes lazily open trying to bring them back to focus. It took a moment to realize the white fuzz I saw outside the wind shield wasn't my eye sight, but the snow storm.
"That'd be cool," I admitted as I squinted out the windshield as Ryan drove on cautiously. There weren't many people on the road, and there was good reason for that. "Maybe you should use four wheel drive. It'd be safer," I advised feeling my chest swell at the fear of swerving off the road.
Ryan looked over quickly. "I have snow tires, but ok. If it makes you feel better," he switched gears carefully as the truck moved more steadily on the snow blanketed road. Guiding the truck towards his house we sat in silence watching the scenery slowly passing by, anticipating for something to go bad. As he pulled into his house's drive way I could see Alex's car. I breathed a sigh of relief that he made it over safely as well. Turning off his car Ryan looked over at me. "Ready to run?" he asked breathlessly as I nodded. "Go!" he exclaimed as the two of us quickly opened the truck doors and jumped out. I slammed the door behind me and ran for the slight safety of his farmer's porch as he fished for his keys.
Ryan unlocked the door and the two of us entered. My DCs were soaked as well as my peacoat. Alex was sitting near the roaring fireplace with Ryan's mother. The two looked over as I stood shivering in the doorway closing the door behind me. Ryan's mother Darleen sighed heavily. "I'm so glad you two made it here safely," she sounded relieved as she looked over at me her eyes lighting up. "It's nice to see you again Cameron. You're welcome here anytime, you might want to call your folks and tell them you're here and safe. Don't want to scare them."
I nodded as I reached for my cellphone, sliding it up and dialing home numbly. "Hello? Cameron?!" my mother's voice was full of worry as I drew in a deep breath. "Are you ok?!"
"Yeah, Ryan gave me a ride to his house. I'm here with his mother Darleen and Alex. I took my skateboard to school this morning, I didn't know it was going to snow, but I'm fine. Sorry I hadn't called sooner," I apologized weakly.
"As long as you're fine. May I speak with Darleen?" my mother asked.
"Um, sure," I turned to Darleen with a weary expression. "My Mum wants to speak with you Darleen, do you mind?" I asked.
Ryan's mother motioned for me to bring my phone as I handed it over and the two started to chat like old friends. I turned to Alex who wasn't as tired looking as I was. Instead he looked ready to accomplish anything. "Cameron do you want me to throw your jacket and shoes into the dryer? They look soaked," Ryan quickly offered bringing my eyes from his best friend to him.
I looked down at my long jacket which was drenched. I kicked off my shoes and pulled off my jacket. "Yeah, thanks. Be careful though if you dry them together my jacket will get dirty," I sounded more like I was talking to myself than Ryan as I handed my wet clothing to him and the blonde male skirted off towards the laundry room.
Darleen clapped her hands together as she slid my phone closed. "Looks like Cameron's sleeping over. There's no way any of you are going out in that storm. Not you either Alex, I insist you sleep over as well," she concluded as she handed me my phone and went back to reading her book.
I looked over at Alex. "I guess that cancels ice skating," I joked as Alex nodded a sheepish reply looking away from the fireplace to me. I plopped down on the rug in front of the fireplace feeling the warmth dry my colored socks. I pulled the elastic out of my hair letting my red hair fall down messily.
Ryan returned as I turned to look. "Hey you guys want to head up to my room and play some games?" he asked, when he referred to games he meant video games. Probably something like Guitar Hero, maybe Halo (which I sucked at), and he probably still had my Star Wars II game which I was good at and always beat him at.
"Sure," Alex and I chimed in at the same time as I stood up and turned leaving the warmth of the fire behind as the two of us followed Ryan to his messy bedroom. It was adorned with posters of models (which any other girl would have been appalled by, but I was used to it) and clothes littered his floor. His bed sat near the corner his TV at the foot of his bed.
I headed towards the window and looked out it only seeing a white fuzz. It looked bland and impossible to see through, it wasn't odd to see it so bad, but usually I had warning before a storm. I wiped my eye which had gotten all crusty and icky, my nose was also the same. I hated how it got all crusty despite it still leaking. Ryan and Alex were already sitting against the foot of his bed setting up his X-box 360. I quickly dragged myself over wedging in between the two as they began playing one of the Halo games leaving me completely lost as I watched silently.
Time passed by slowly. Or at least it seemed to go by rather slowly, but you know 'Time flies when you're playing games'. Well, I wasn't quite playing and watching wasn't as fun as playing. Eventually it got bored watching you kill people over and over again without getting a chance to do it yourself. Ryan and Alex would yell at each other when something would happen making my sensitive ears burn. Eventually, along some time I had fallen asleep. I'd been told many times never to fall asleep at a boy's house, but that was only at parties right? It wasn't like they were my boyfriends either, we were all just good friends and I was sleeping over anyways so what would it matter? Darleen would definitely kill them if they did attempt to do anything.
Blinking my eyes open numbly I realized I was lying on the ground at the foot of Ryan's bed. Alex and Ryan weren't in the room, probably downstairs eating something if I didn't know any better. I shrugged off the blanket that had been tossed over me and left Ryan's messy room behind me and headed for the bathroom. One look in the mirror and I nearly jumped out of my skin. My hair was sticking up in odd directions and matted from the snow. I raked my fingers through the mess getting the knots out, leaving my red hair is a wavy mess. It was bed head (even though I'd been on the floor) and I couldn't fix it without a hair brush, which I didn't have.
Heading downstairs I scouted around for anyone, but no one was around the fireplace. I at least expected Darleen to be there, but she wasn't in sight. A warm welcoming scent drafted into my nose, soup? The boys were probably eating if I didn't know any better. "Look who's awake!" Alex picked me up and threw me under his arm like I was a small dog making me gasp sucking for breath as he carried me towards the kitchen. "What no fight? You still must be tired."
I kicked my feet. "I'm hungry," I grumbled sourly wriggling in his sturdy grasp. I wasn't sure if hunger also deprived you of happiness, but that's what it seemed like. If Alex wasn't like one of those guys who seemed like an older brother, I probably would have went ape s**t on him.
Escorting me to the kitchen (which I knew where it was, this wasn't the first time I'd been over Ryan's) he sat me down in a seat and looked over to Darleen brightly. "Cam's awake. She just about passed out while we were playing games," he said cheerfully lightening my sour mood somewhat as I eased back in the chair the smell of soup making my stomach twist. "She's probably starving, after all she probably hasn't eaten since lunch at school," he added taking a seat across from me at the table.
Ryan sat down with a drowsy expression elapsed over his face. He reached for the steaming pot on the center of the table when Darleen swooped in and slapped his hand away with a wooden spoon. "Hey that hurt," he moped giving his mother a weary blue gaze.
"You feed guest first. You can wait until we serve Alex and Cameron," Darleen chastened as Ryan stared at him mother blankly before looking down tapping the table mumbling.
Alex quickly reached for the soup as I patiently sat waiting until no one was making an attempt to reach for the soup. Darleen slapped his hand with the spoon too making me wince. I wasn't even going to try getting the soup now. "Ow! I'm a guest, I get served before Ryan. Why did you slap me?" he asked frowning slightly despite the bright shine in his dark brown eyes.
"Ladies first. Cameron gets first servings," Darleen quickly handed me the ladle as I grabbed it waiting for her to slap my hand.
"Thank you for dinner and a place to stay for the night," I spoke politely as I poured the soup into my bowl and Darleen smiled brightly.
"So polite! You look just like a doll I had when I was little. You're much better than most of the other girls Ryan brings home, unlike them you were raised to be polite and act like you should at other people's houses. I don't know why he can't find a nice girl like you," Darleen huffed as I handed the ladle to Alex who was arguing with Ryan about nonsense while I listened to Darleen.
Ryan slowly drew his attention back to his mom to catch the last bit. "Mom, Cameron can't be really included as a gir-" he started as I brought my foot quickly to his shin as he cringed in pain Alex stifling giggles on the opposite side of the table.
"I don't know why either, but when I find out what's going in on the inside of his head I'll tell you. Deal?" I brought my voice to sound more cheerful like Alex did hoping it would make Darleen happy like the way Alex charmed people. Ryan's mother just gave me a smile and an appreciative nod as she turned and disappeared from the room. I brought my eyes to glare at Ryan. "Not included as a girl, what's that suppose to mean?"
Ryan looked caught off guard by my hostility. "Well, I meant that I don't look at you like other girls because we're just friends right? I wouldn't want to screw that up by liking you, isn't that what happens with most good friends who decide to date?" his words weren't making too much sense.
Processing them quickly I blinked before adjusting my light green orbs back on Ryan. "What? What are you saying? That you think I don't look good?" my face was burning, I could feel the heat radiating off of it as I awaited his answer.
Fumbling for words Ryan tried to pick them carefully. "What!? No! It's just that, um, you're not like other girls. It's just--"
"I'm not like Hailey. I'm a short midget with really red hair that plays soccer and doesn't go obsessive compulsive with makeup and decides to wear comfortable clothing rather than extra tight t-shirts and mini skirts. That's it isn't it?" my eyes narrowed as I glared down into my soup, Alex hadn't even tried to stop us. Instead he stared bewildered at the two of us as I began eating my Chili, declaring that the fight was over.
"Sorry-" he started
"Too late. Should of thought about that before you opened your trap about me anyways," I hissed through clenched teeth refraining myself from flinging a soup full of Chili at Ryan. It was tempting, but I didn't want to cause Darleen any casualties. I didn't want to be like those 'other girls' that Ryan brought home sometimes.
"Hey, hey you guys. You know what? We should watch a movie, ok? Loosen up, there's no need to fight. A movie should fix everything," he assured the two of us as the hot soup scorched my throat. It felt good hitting my empty stomach as I grunted in reply to Alex. I guess I could watch a movie, as long as Alex sat in the center between Ryan and me. I didn't want to start yet another cat fight during the movie.
Although somewhere deep inside my heart burned. I was friends with Ryan, but he had just admitted there was no way that we could ever be in a relationship together. I toyed with my soup swirling the spoon around in it. After liking him more than any other guy I had had a crush on, it hurt to be told down. I wasn't going to press further, that'd only worsen our current relationship of good friends. I wondered what his true reason was, he didn't seem to be telling all of it.
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Posted: Mon Sep 14, 2009 5:00 pm
Chapter 2 "You know you could have suggested a comedy movie instead of something scary!" I hissed through clenched teeth. Alex's idea of watching a movie had seemed great at the time, it'd lighten up the mood between Ryan and I (who I was feeling rather angry with). Alex had taken a seat in between us as the peacemaker as I had a pillow clutched in my hands tightly watching the TV screen, not capable of peeling my eyes from it. Closing my eyes just made it worse, not knowing what was happening. For some reason it just made me feel uneasy.
xxx
"Scary movies make everything interesting. It's boring to watch comedy movies without watching a scary one first," Ryan piped up sitting on the far left of the couch. I hated scary movies. The way that things would pop out, that wasn't even the worst part. You could and probably would see grotesque scenes either filled with sex or killing sprees that were never at all edited so you saw every little bloody tear that fell from the victim. It always made me sick to my stomach. Reaching in front of Alex I batted Ryan with the pillow.
The blonde quickly swiped the pillow from my grasp sending me flailing and tumbling onto the ground in front of the TV with an 'Oof!'. I peered over at the TV where a large scary face reared into the screen screaming, blinking stunned I let out a small gasp of surprise clearly scarred for the next few days with the Exorcist's face fresh in my mind. "a*****e," I mumbled pulling myself up too numb to move from back onto the couch. Instead I sat on the ground curling my knees up to my chest. I could Ryan still snickering behind me, he was clearly amused by my fear that paralyzed me as began to edge backwards toward the couch.
Feeling a firm grasp on the suede couch I hopped back on next to Alex who looked at me with a sort of mixed look of amusement and the bright look he always had. After being face to face with the Exorcist there probably wasn't much more of the movie that could make me feel like passing out. As I continued watching Ryan got up to go to the bathroom leaving Alex and I watching the movie. As another part scared me I leaped up, surprised and caught off guard. Despite how old the movie was this was still the first time I had seen it.
"Hey you ok?" Alex asked, it was the first time he'd asked during the whole movie. So why would he pick now? I nodded reluctantly hoping he wasn't going to offer me a bear hug to make me 'feel better'. I was beginning to think all the hugs he got were more for his benefit rather than mine. As his hand brushed mine he quickly drew back flashing an apologetic look. "Sorry," he said sheepishly.
I blinked in the darkness trying to understand why he was being so shy at the moment. "It's ok--" a hand grasped on my shoulder hard shaking me.
"ROAR!" Ryan hollered as I jumped practically jumped out of my skin, the blood drained from my face leaving me an unnaturally pale color.
"Holy crap!" I stammered my voice had gone up uncontrollably high as I turned punching him hard in the chest. My hand throbbed as I stared at him flustered. He was a moron. A stupid mean moron. I mean, yes I was being a child by calling him every single name not including profanity I could think up of, but that was just the way I was. I couldn't really think straight when I was upset, and I was very upset. My stomach churned as I shakily stood up. "I'm going to the bathroom!"
Ryan rubbed his chest. "Damn, that's going to bruise. You punch like a boy for someone so small," he moaned as I kicked him in the shin and kept strolling towards the bathroom. Those few kick boxing lessons I had been suggested to get were a good idea (thanks John), they paid off when I was angry at Ryan. "You can punch me, but don't kick me. You almost shattered my shin!" he shouted from the living room probably down on one knee with Alex laughing at him.
I headed for the lav as the lights flickered the howling of the storming becoming more apparent. Nothing was really quite loud when you were watching a scary movie waiting to be freaked out. I hated how guys could just sit there and watch it without jumping or screaming (not including my friend Chris who screamed on purpose to freak other people out). I was a sissy, I had to admit it. I hated scary movies, but loved gory ones. I could watch movies like Sweeney Todd or any of the Saws and laugh when someone died.
I flicked the bathroom light on the faint flicking of a Yankee candle sitting on the marble sink of the bathroom. It had the welcoming scent of home baked cookies, and the bathroom had a nice sudden warm feeling to it that I couldn't help but smile as I looked in the mirror and grabbed the elastic from my wrist and pulled up my messy hair. I posed once puckering my lips, I didn't look as great as all the other girls like Hailey and Michelle (Michelle's pretty and I like her, she does the perfect puckering lips). It made me feel slightly jealous since when I puckered my lips it made them look swollen.
I looked to the toilet and frowned. I didn't have to use the bathroom, I just came here to escape the boys for a moment. I was already getting tired of the two of them. Alex, who kept picking me up and down and then Ryan who thought it was hilarious to scare me. Those two could sometimes act like fifth graders when given the chance. As I swung the door open the lights flickered and the power cut. "Ah stupid storm," I grumbled turning back into the bathroom grabbing the candle that was on the sink.
I headed back towards living room, everything encased in blanket of darkness. I couldn't wait until the band field trip down to Miami. We'd get to go to Disney World (and Sea world & Universal) in Orlando and then spend time at the beaches in Miami. It would be nice to get away from this horrible weather. I took a seat near the fireplace that was still roaring casting a dim light over the parlor. Alex was sitting near the fireplace, he turned to see me and smiled patting the spot beside him.
The candle in my hand was growing rather warm. I set it down on the coffee table and took a seat next to Alex. "Hey, when are we going to Florida? I just can't wait to get out of this frozen hell hole and miss a week or two of school."
Alex pondered for a moment. "Few more weeks Cam. In February. Then we'll be in the sunshine. Why don't you like the cold? You never wear any winter clothing besides a hat and gloves, and sometimes snow boots," he looked at me and I frowned. A few weeks was too long. I wanted to go now. "Anyways we won't be going anywhere in this storm. If this keeps up we might have to cancel the trip."
"What?" I asked exasperated. I looked up at the ceiling putting my hands together. "Please, please god! Please don't let it snow on the day we leave for Florida. Make it snow here when we are trying to return from Florida so we're stranded there longer. Please," I begged as Alex gave me a playful shove.
"When did you start praying?"
"Um... Since forever," I lied through my teeth. I was a Darwinist. I didn't believe god made the world, sometimes I didn't believe in him with the luck I had. I had CCD a few years back for my Conformation so I could get married in a church (if I ever get married) when I was older. "Hey where'd Ryan go anyways?"
"To fix the circuit breaker and see if he could get the power back on. And to get blankets, we're going to sleep out here in the living room tonight instead of in his room."
In his room? Where would we have slept in his room? It was littered in clothes and his bed was the only clean thing (despite not being made). He had a full sized bed, which would not fit two guys and one girl. It would either break or I'd be sleeping at the end with the boys' feet in my face (or i'd sleep on the floor and make them look bad). "Ok," I replied quietly taken in by the warmth of the room, the howling of the wind, and silence other than that.
"Hey, um Cam? Can I tell you something?" Alex asked breaking the soothing silence. I looked over at him his features lit up by the flicking light of the fire in the fireplace. I nodded nonchalantly awaiting for him to tell me whatever he had wanted to say. Thud! I cringed and turned away to see Ryan who had tripped carrying the three blankets he had wrapped around him and trying to carry towards us.
"A-are you ok?" I babbled as Ryan sat up rubbing his chin which was saved by the comforter he had wrapped around him. He nodded sheepishly handing out the blankets to us. Wrapping mine around me I was already starting to feel sleepier. I turned back to Alex, "You wanted to tell me something, go on then," I ushered.
Alex blinked and looked down. "Ah never mind. Why don't we all just get some sleep, if it's still snowing tomorrow we're going to have a long day."
"Hey Jimmy, what are you handing out?" only a few weeks had passed and I'd gone in and out of student counsel helping since quite a bit of people were out with Swine flu and couldn't come to school without infecting everyone else. Some of those people were student counsel members, and being friends with members of it I'd been asked to help. I mainly helped with sports (I was one of the soccer team captains) and band ordeals. Although recently we'd been speaking of the Prom that was happening in late spring, and maybe hosting a formal Winter ball.
"Notices to kids in band. You're leaving soon for Florida, and each kid needs to know where they're staying in the hotel we've decided on renting. The section leaders get to all stay in one room together in the Penthouse of the hotel, which includes you Cameron. So get packing! We're saying goodbye to the frostbitten weather. Just make sure to bring at least $1,000 in spending money and for theme part entrance fees. We get discounts but we don't get in free," Jimmy answered.
I took the paper looking at it. I was mainly interested in who was in the penthouse. It was me (the percussion leader), Alex (the Trombone section leader), Tiffany (the flute section leader), Ryan (the Trumpet and French horn section leader), Jamie (the saxophone section leader), and Vanessa (clarinet section leader) who would be staying there. Smiling happily to myself I couldn't believe how close we were to leaving. "I'm so excited! I saved up all of my birthday money for this. I can't wait, thanks Jimmy for the paper. See you later!" I sounded like an over excited child who had been told they could buy the toy they had always wanted. As the years before we had gone to places like Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, and North Carolina. Nothing had been as great as Florida, especially in this weather! I'd be able to get out of the slush and into the sun. I had heard the weather down there was looking great and we'd be looking for more sunshine and warmth in the 80s and maybe higher.
"Cam-- Ah never mind, see you after your vacation then," Jimmy brushed me off as I clutched the paper in my hands. He was right, I wouldn't see him until after my vacation. He might have been the Seniors' class president, but he didn't get to go on all the trips, especially if he wasn't in band. He had been in band in middle school, but he had dropped it when we came to high school when we really started having fun. I had ushered Ryan in joining the band again, since he had also dropped it as well until I had forced him to come back in strong.
"WOOHOO!" the sound suddenly echoed from out of me and as I looked at the people who had stopped dead in their tracks to stare at me bewildered I lowered my head and shoulders to scoot into the band room. I was just a bit too enthusiastic about this trip, but who wouldn't be? I pulled out my drumsticks ad flicked the one in the right hand into a spin. There were other band students, but they seemed as if they were too preoccupied in talking about the trip than setting up their instruments.
"Um, Cameron... We have our permission slips for the trip, Mr.Lamont told us to give them to you," I turned to look up as one of the Junior percussionist. I hated being so short that even underclassmen looked down at me. He and a few of the other younger percussionist were waiting for my answer. Being the percussion leader took responsibility, and trust me... I had it. I always had my hands full and never had too much time to myself between, soccer, band, and school work and projects.
"Ok, ok. Hand them over, since Mr.Lamont is being a lazy a** and is making me collect these I will. Now, have you guys gotten the sheets from Jimmy about what rooms you will be staying in?" I asked taking their slips checking them for parent signatures. Each had them, even if they weren't very readable.
A few of them exchanged glances and headed towards the exit, probably to seek out Jimmy. "Yeah, I've got mine," Chris waved his paper in my face. He was one of the other Senior percussionists, but due to the bad tendency of acting up and getting in trouble, he wasn't eligible to become percussion leader.
I nodded reading over the names on the permission slips, checking that I had the whole percussion section. "Good, I have everyone," I muttered to myself before looking back up to Chris. "Hey you excited?" I asked, Chris had been one of the friends that I had a problem with talking to a lot. He was funny, random, awkward, moody (at times), and just about one of my few good guys friends. I'd known him since eighth grade, and he had my Science Honors class.
"Duh stupid head," I was used to his common criticism, it was just... Chris. If he didn't say something mean, or talk like a child at times you would think that there was something incredibly wrong with him.
"Hey Chris can I hit Cameron with this chair?" Caleb asked, the two used to be three. John a good friend of mine had switched high schools back when we were about to go in. So Caleb and Chris had become the 'C&C trouble duo'. When Chris usually got angry he would pick up a chair and make it seem like he was smack someone with it. Usually he didn't, but there were times that he was accidentally hit someone when he was really angry. Caleb was just trying to be stupid.
"Naw, you can hit Stephenie. Cameron's cool," Chris waved him away as Caleb left carrying his chair with him.
"CALEB YOU ******** HIT ME WITH THAT CHAIR AND I'LL KILL YOU," I could hear Stephenie's menacing warning from the other side of the room.
"Fine, fine. God, I'm sorry!" Caleb put the chair down and backed away hands up in defeat. "Man, you're so mean Stephenie, I only wanted to sit next to you," Caleb stuffed his dark hands into his jean pockets and stalked back over to the percussion section where he belonged. "Woo, I'm so excited. We get to go swimming at a beach in the middle of the winter. I want to meet Shamu! I love him."
I did a quick drum roll on the snare drum before turning to Caleb. "Shamu's dead, it's Shamu II now," I told him as I turned back to the drum finding a good beat and then practicing the music we would be playing in Miami.
Caleb's jaw dropped like a small child who had found out Santa didn't exist. "I want to take a picture with Goofy! And you can't say Goofy is Goofy II, because he isn't!" Chris huffed as I rolled my eyes tucking my drum sticks under my arm.
"Goofy's just a man in a costume, he's not real just like the toothfairy," I forewarned.
"THE TOOTHFAIRY'S NOT REAL?!" Chris and Caleb exclaimed in unison. I stared dumbfounded by their reaction. "No wonder why she ******** jipped me with 10 cents a tooth when everyone else got five dollars!" Caleb howled, he turned to me. "But I don't blame you even though you ruined my life Cameron. It's just natural for you to be a smart a** pessimist."
"You're welcome," I flashed a quick cheeky smile hoping to tick him off even more. Of course it wasn't like Caleb to get mad, just pissed and exasperated.
Caleb frowned and picked up his snare drum as if emphasizing how pissed he was. "Now guys, we can't fight over something as small as the toothfairy. Ok? Everyone knew that, just like Santa and the Easter bunny," Chris stepped in, acting like the peacemaker he usually wasn't.
"They're not real either!?" Caleb flipped his drum angrily adjusting the bottom of the drum.
"Of course they're not real you dumbass," Chris said sourly.
Rolling my eyes at the only other two Senior percussionists who were fighting. Caleb with his slightly Mexican accent, and Chris with his slurred childish way of talking. It was fun to watch or listen to them, because it was always a show even if they were in the hall, or in a class together with me. Chris and Caleb well deserved their spots in band as much as I did, Chris had started percussion in ninth grade, while Caleb and I started in sixth grade. He had been one of those few exceptions that didn't have to waste $20 an hour for lessons, scratch that, he didn't even have to take lessons. But, still I was fine with that, lessons came with their ups. Which included being where I was today.
"Hey Cam, I've having problems with my French Horn can you help me?" Ryan had come up while I was twirling my drum stick in my hand quickly. I looked over, his hand in the horn and his mouthpiece in his other hand which was holding up the other side of the brass instrument.
"When did I become the band's mechanic?" I narrowed my eyes at him.
"You're like Tinker Bell, you can fix anything without even trying. And since you listen without looking, maybe you heard what Lamont said about how to fix the sound of my French Horn," he looked away slightly, as if admitting that he never listened in band, besides when to set armature.
Sighing I snatched the French Horn from his hands and looked into the horn. I reached in as if hoping to pull something out, but instead my hand did graze something that wasn't suppose to be there... I think. "I think there's something stuck in it, here give me your mouthpiece," I held my hand as Ryan dropped his mouthpiece in my empty hand. I quickly wiped the mouthpiece off hoping to get some of Ryan's germs off of it (which probably didn't work too well) and put it where it belong. Tightening my cheeks like I had seen trumpet players and french horn players do I blew on the mouthpiece grabbing at what was inside of it. The horn made such a retched sound as I pulled out the object.
"Boxers?" I asked holding up a red plaid pair of boxers as Ryan blinked in astonishment. "Ew!" I threw them at him and shoved his french horn into his arms. "There done, now don't ask me for anymore favors for a long time, that was you birthday present."
"So that's where they went!" he muttered in amazement as my nose wrinkled in disgust. Not only had I put my mouth of his mouth piece but I had also pulled boxers out of his French horn. Things definitely weren't happening correctly. He turned giving a quick thanks before playing a piece of music he had memorized making happy faces as if I had solved all of his problems. I brushed my hands on Caleb's arm.
"What the hell? Why you gettin so much in my personal space Cameron?" Caleb asked backing off slightly.
"I was wiping Ryan's boxer germs all over your arm," I replied as Caleb made a face.
"You stuck your hand in Ryan's pants?" Caleb boomed as I swallowed choking on my gum. Coughing loudly I couldn't help but grab onto my snare drum for stability. "I never thought you were that bad Cameron," her touched his lower lip with his index finger trying to strike that girly pose as I spluttered a half laugh half cough. "You whore."
"I-I helped him take something out of his French horn, and it was his boxers that were stuck!" I quickly sufficed swallowing the gum finally having a dry taste in my mouth.
"Is that some kind of nasty code talking so you're not saying what really happened, or are you being literal?" Caleb rose a brow.
"Literal!" I hollered.
"God, why you yelling at me? You're so mean," Caleb quickly scooted away. You could always rely on him to go spread the word quickly, it was one of the things that made me hate him at times. I felt myself as the class grew quieter and Mr.Lamont stepped up, he had no stand, no seat. He simply just stood at the head of the class. I twirled my drumstick waiting for the class's B flat concert scale to start. Being a drum we didn't really take part in the scales. Usually we would go out into the auditorium (which was right in front of the band room) and practice our solos.
"Ahem!" his half cough silenced the chattering in the room. "As you all know, we're going on a trip to Florida to play in Miami for the National. This is a treat, and we'll be staying for a week and a half. Normally we wouldn't stay that long, but since your band leaders spoke to me, they've decided it would easier to do everything in a spread amount of days. Your section leaders are the bosses as well as me, if they tell you not to go somewhere and not to do something you listen, other Seniors I expect you to help the section leaders with the rest of the band. Everyone has a responsibility, we do not have chaperons this years, so everyone needs to everyones cell phone number just in case someone gets separated they may contact their section leader or someone else you were with when you got lost. Now, you've all come far and most of you are responsible enough that I trust you enough to let people go their separate ways in Florida. As long as you let someone know where you are going. Your cell phone must be on at all times so if you aren't accounted for your section leader can call you and make sure you're ok. Any questions?"
I raised a hand silently as Mr.Lamont rolled his eyes and pointed to me. "Where are we allowed to go? Are we fixed to one area or is the whole state accessible for when we go?" I already knew the answer, but there were students who probably wouldn't speak up. So I'd get it over with and ask right now.
"Good question Cam. Well, you are allowed anywhere within in Miami, ad I know a lot of you want to go to Orlando, but it's about a four hour drive from Miami. So if you really want to rent a hotel you may, but let someone know. I've also decided you may catch a Ferri to Key West as well, but once again it may take a few hours to get there, so I'd advise that you would plan to stay the night when going. Any more questions?" no one raised a hand. "Ok so--"
"I have a question," Chris interjected his hand high. "I wanted to know if we're allowed to go in the ocean. Like scuba and snorkeling."
Mr.Lamont looked taken aback. Maybe he hadn't thought of a question like that. "I guess, just don't get yourself ship wrecked out there. And as most of you should know, you need a scuba diving license to dive anyways. Which I doubt any of you have."
"I have one," I cleared my throat hoping he could hear. "After all wasn't it my 'dream job' to become a Marinebiologist?"
"Ok, ok. Let's just get started."
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