Cam Cameron // Summer Again

1

The start of summer again. Only everything is different. Susannah is gone. Cam and I broke up. Belly and Conrad are done. Shayla and Steven are over. It was like we were losing people left and right yet the only one that really mattered was Susannah. Liam and I get out of the car and bring our stuff into our summer house. Quincy jumps out of my arms as soon as we're inside and I head upstairs. I don't have enough energy to unpack. This is where Susannah woke me up for the ball. This is where Cam took my innocence. It's all just a memory now. I don't know if the Fishers are planning on returning. My mom calls us all down.

"I know it's hard being here now that Susannah is gone but, we're all still here," my mom tries to cheer us up. I smile.

"You're right. Can we order in tonight and watch a movie?" I offer.

"That sounds good," Liam nods.

"How about the place by the book store? What's it called again? Dominoes? PizzaHut?" My dad makes us laugh.

"Romanos," Liam reminds him.

"You weren't even close," I laugh at him. My dad calls and I go with Liam to pick it up. I decide to bring Quincy with us. He sits on my lap for the ride while I shower him with all the petting he could ask for.

"Are you okay?" I check on Liam.

"I mean, I'm as okay as I can be, i guess," he answers. "What about you...? Are you okay after... everything?"

"I don't know. Maybe. Maybe not," I shrug. Liam parks and goes inside to pick up the pizza. When he gets back he lets me play music. I just play some Zack Tabudlo to remind us of home aka what all the Filipinos at school would listen to. On our way home, we pass the Fisher house. I see a sign in front of it. "For Sale..." I read out loud.

"What?"

"Wait Liam stop!" I yell out.

"What?!" he yells back.

"Look!" I point back. He reverses until we're in front of the house again and we see the sign.

"Shit," he mutters.

"How could they..."

"The house must be under their dad— they— they might not even know..." Liam and I look at each other worried. We have to call them.

We decide on calling tomorrow. Tonight is family night. We put on Blended and laugh while having pizza. It reminds me of the first movie night I had with Cam. We watched 50 First Dates. Another Adam Sandler movie. I wonder how many things I can connect to Cam. Probably anything if I tried. But I wouldn't have to. I just would. He's everywhere. Yet nowhere anymore.

I toss and turn in bed and ultimately I can't sleep. I get up to get some water and suddenly there's a knock on my door. I open it and it's Liam. "Hey I uh— I can't sleep. Do you wanna watch something?" he asks. It's dark but it looks like he's been crying.

"Rick and Morty?" He simply smiles and nods. We head downstairs and watch it on the couch. We fall asleep and wake up with blankets on. It's 12pm so mom must've put them on us before she left for work. Our dad works in and out of home so it's a 50/50 chance he's home.

Liam and I get up and get ready and sit at the kitchen island.

"Should you call or should I?" Liam asks.

"I don't know. I haven't spoken with either of them in a while. Anytime I text or call the answers are so brief."

"Same," Liam sighs.

"I'll call." I grab my phone and pull up Conrad's contact. I hit call and put it on speaker. It rings 3 times and before I give up and end the call myself he picks up.

"Hey Gracie, is everything okay?"

"Hi Connie. Yeah Im okay. I just— I need to ask you something..."

"What is it?"

"Are you guys selling the summer house?"

"What are you talking about?" I hear the worry in his voice rise.

"Liam and I— we saw a for sale sign outside of the house. We didn't know if you knew..." The line is silent.

"What the fuck?" I don't know how to respond. "Um— Im gonna call my dad. I'll call you back." He hangs up before I can respond.

"Shit," Liam frowns.

"What do we do now?" I ask.

"We wait I guess," he shrugs.

—

Liam and I end up chilling in our rooms. What was 30 minutes becomes an hour. An hour becomes 4. There's a knock at the door. Liam and I open our doors at the same time and look at each other confirming it was real. There's another knock. We head downstairs and he opens the door.

"Hey guys, long time no see," Conrad says blankly.