Remembering Cameron

Chapter 3

I had been nineteen years old. Cameron and I had gone to college at the same school. We shared an apartment that her parents mostly paid for, as I tried to pitch in as much as I could. It wasn't too shabby, and it was conveniently near campus.

We were sitting on our little couch, watching Aladdin. I can't exactly remember why.

I guess you could say I wasn't really watching the movie. I was mostly focused on Cameron.

I thought about how we had closed the small space between us as the movie progressed. I thought about how her legs were across my lap and how my arm held her tightly by my side. I thought about how her beautiful head rested on my shoulder. I listened to her melodic laughter and how her breath caught when something sad happened.

Was I in love? I wasn't sure. I'd like to think so. I'd like to think the butterflies that erupted in my stomach whenever I saw her meant something. I'd like to think that she felt the same electricity whenever we touched. I'd like to think she felt the same.

I still remember our first kiss.

I was walking through the halls at school. Cameron and I had been friends for about a month and a half. Things were starting to get a little awkward between us. We had strange silences and weird eye contact moments that hadn't happened before.

It was morning passing period. I hadn't seen Cameron all day. I was wondering if she was upset with me or something else equally terrifying. She usually texted me if she was sick or if she wasn't going to be at school. I wasn't sure what I was supposed to think of this.

I was so deep in thought, I ran into a huge kid.

"Um, oops. Sorry," I said, trying to scuttle away before he could react. I had almost made it out of his reach whenever he grabbed my backpack and yanked me back in front of him.

To say the least, I was terrified. I hadn't gotten bullied much anymore since Cameron was usually by my side. Even though I was quite tall and easily towered over him, he seemed to be looking down at me in a very intimidating way.

"You got a problem?" he asked, his face very close to mine.

"Not exactly, no," I replied.

He shoved me into the lockers. Silence fell in the hallway. Everyone was waiting for me to retaliate.

"I don't fight, bro," I said casually, as everyone eyed me expectantly.

"Yeah! Because you'd lose!" he said stupidly.

"Your mother must be very proud," I muttered under my breath.

"Yeah! She is! Because I'm not a freaking dorky ass loser like you!"

I sighed. This was starting to become annoying.

"Look, if you're-" I was interrupted when he punched me in my stomach.

"Shut up you dork!" he yelled.

I put a hand to my stomach and fought the urge to keel over. I heard everyone laughing and cheering. My face flamed with embarrassment.

"Quit it you asshat!" I recognized Cameron's clear voice over the chaos.

Silence once again fell over everyone.

"What are you gonna do about it?" the stupid kid taunted.

Without hesitation, Cameron confidently strode up to him and racked him.

"OH MY FFFFRRAFKK!!" he cried out gibberish, falling to his knees. "GODDAMMIT!!"

I started to laugh, but immediately stopped when she looked up at me, completely serious. I swallowed hard. Was she going to rack me, too?