The Callahan Archives (In The Shadows)

fourteen.

"How is it?" Cam asks, resting an elbow on the car window. We went through the drive through, and she insisted on paying.

"Good enough." I shrug. I eat fast food too often it's lost its significance. The drive through was pretty vacant, since it's quite late at night. The parking lot is even more bleak.

"You really didn't have to pay." I sigh, and speak though bites of a burger.

"Well I wanted to do something nice for you.. so." She blinked, and gazed out the window. Cam didn't buy anything for herself, and claimed she wasn't hungry, which made my stomach hurt a bit.

I finished my burger in silence, and gazed out the window just as Cam was doing, and noticed the stars.

"Hey what time is it?" I question, still looking outside the car window. Cam turns and adjusts a watch on her wrist.

"It's almost 9, why?" She peered in my direction, and followed what I was doing.

"The stars are out." I say, finally looking back to her. She furrowed her brows and crossed her arms.

"You wanna star gaze..?" She gave me a puzzled look, and then smiled when I nodded in reassurance.

I opened my car door and Cam followed in suit.

———

We walked up a large hill to a weird tower that sat on the outskirts of the sector we lived in. Ever since I was a kid I always wondered what it was. We climbed up the tower and we sat on the top. It must be some kind of watch tower.

"It's pretty nice up here, huh?" I ask Cam as she readjusts her sitting position to be sitting back on her hands. She looked up at the sky, a small breeze blowing both of our hair around.

"Yeah it is.. I just hope this old thing won't break." She giggles and glimpses down referring to the watchtower. "I'm glad the sky's clear tonight though."

"Me too." I lay down on the old wood, listening to it creak as it holds my weight.

"Where'd you find this place?" Cam breathes, almost whispering.

"Me and my sister would come here sometimes, when my mom was busy working." I rested my head on my arms behind my head.

"What was it like growing up then?" She scooted closer, our thighs touching. My heart skipped a beat and I questioned it..

"It was either me and Lianna, or I'd be busy or with Soren and she'd be with her friends." I blink and she breathed deeply.

"What about you? I'm sure growing up wasn't easy for you." I ask, as she fidgets with her hair for a moment.

"My parents couldn't work for themselves or refused to, so I took on boxing as a way to make money. I've been boxing since I was ten and only stopped when I was recruited."  She sighed, looking almost angry. She then looked over to me and smiled her classic smile. It was only then I realized I was staring so I turned away.

"If only your parents acted like adults." I added, briefly clearing my throat.

"I can only wish." She touches her fingers against the wood grains and brushed my leg as she does so, although it seems she doesn't notice. "My question is, why do they recruit so young.. like I was 13 and you were 12, right?"

"It's a bit odd, yes. But they'd only choose people who display a lot of strength. Why do you think you were chosen." I nod to her and she gets my point.

"I get i-," Cam cuts herself off with her own gasp as she points to a shooting star travelling past earth.

"Wow.." She says in a hoarse whisper.

"See why I love stars.." I mutter lowly. I look over to Cam. She smiles brightly like she always does, taking her eyes off the sky to look back to me.

"I really like your smile.. y'know that." I almost whisper. She still hears it and smiles. I feel the tips of my ears go red as I realize I said that out loud.

"Well I like you're eyes.. a sky blue." She gave me a soft look as she placed a hand on my cheek. She then leaned in and gave me a small kiss on my other cheek. My eyes widened and she giggled.

We talked about stars for a few more minutes after I realized what had just happened. I drove her home after and went home myself.

Yeah i'm pretty sure friends don't do that normally, so then.. what are we?

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