The Past, Present, and Future of Alexa Morgan

Part 12

PART 12

Chapter 22

(Alexa)

Cameron and I went to the Rec. Center early the day before the party. We started decorating, but eventually we ended up just sitting around and talking.

"You know," Cameron began, "I don't know what it is, but I feel a terrible pull toward you." This made me chuckle. "I'm serious. It's your looks, your smell, the way you walk with so much confidence..." His voice trailed off.

We sat in silence for another minute or two, since I had no way of replying to what Cameron had just admitted.

Finally, he continued. "I have the overwhelming urge to always be there to save you from the trouble that seems to follow you wherever you go. Even though you've proven multiple times that you can handle yourself. I know I said that I wouldn't bring this up, but I can't put it off any longer- we're leaving in less than two months. I know it seems like it's a long way away, but it really isn't. Pretty soon I'll be gone, so what's going to happen to us?"

"Can't we work that out when we get there?" I really hated the thought of Cameron leaving.

"We could, but I doubt we could come up with a reasonable solution on such short notice." Cameron had a good point. He absentmindedly ran his fingers through my hair with one hand, while he held my hand in his other. Everything felt so right, I never wanted to get up.

"I suppose we'll just have to get by on phone calls, texts, emails, anything we can until we graduate. Then we can take some time to get ourselves collected before deciding what we're going to do with our lives."

"That really seems like the only option." Cameron sighed sadly. "I'll call you every day, text you during any spare minute I can find." I smiled; he was really trying to make this work.

"Or maybe we could just try to move on." I spoke so quietly that I wasn't sure if Cameron even heard me.

He had. "No." He replied immediately. "No way, I could never forget about you that easily."

"I didn't say it would be easy. But maybe it would be easier than trying to maintain a long-distance relationship."

"You might be right," Cameron whispered, "and that's what I'm afraid of." He chuckled half-heartedly.

"What?" I asked, wondering what part of this conversation was funny to him.

"It's nothing really. I was just thinking that a month ago, I would never act like this. You've made me soft, Lex. Even the guys are noticing it."

"Is that a bad thing?"

"Not necessarily, but the guys are still angry. I think most of them are on the verge of replacing me. Hunter understands what I'm going through, since he's going through the same thing. Most of the other guys think that I've forgotten about them; the drills are getting easier, the punishments lighter."

"Maybe you just need to toughen up. I could even help you."

"Oh yeah? How do you plan on doing that?" Cameron looked at me skeptically, but I just grinned. If Cameron's guys wanted tough, I could give them tough.

***********

I convinced Cameron to take me back to his camp, a plan taking shape in my head the whole way back.

I asked Cameron to take me to the center of the camp, but not before I made him change into something that he wouldn't mind getting dirty in.

Cameron called everyone out to gather around me. I grabbed a bench to stand on, and addressed the whole camp.