Thirteen Summers

fifty-three

THIRTEEN SUMMERS

tw: homophobia, bullying, violence, mentions of eating disorders

It was Cameron's belief that when one secret unfolded, others inevitably followed - unless you were him, and knew precisely how to keep your skeletons locked away.

When you were a child, oblivious to how the world truly worked, naïve and still painfully immature, it was only a matter of time before everything came spilling out.

"I just want to understand why."

Cameron had been sitting in Josie's room for the last ten minutes, trying to approach the matter in a way that might allow her to feel comfortable.

Well - as comfortable as she could be, given the circumstances.

She sniffled and shrugged. "I don't know."

Cameron kept his face neutral, careful not to expose how he really felt in that moment.

"It was just one time." Josie lied, but he wasn't buying it.

"Was it?" Cameron asked, holding her gaze. "This was really your first time doing something like this?"

Josie looked away. She neither confirmed nor denied it, and that was answer enough.

"I already said I won't do it again." Josie told them. "I promise. I won't."

Cameron remained silent, taking a moment before speaking. "How long has this been going on?"

She shrugged again, avoiding his eyes.

Cameron let out the breath he'd been holding.

Her lack of an answer frightened him.

Had it started when she lived with their mom?

After she died?

Or was it recent - something that began at school? Or truly a first-time mistake, like she claimed?

No. It couldn't be.

How long had she been doing this to herself?

"How often do you do it?"

She hesitated before answering. "Here and there. It's not like... a thing."

She tried to sound convincing, as though stating a fact, but Cameron didn't believe her. Not for a second.

"Josephine, I'm going to need you to be honest with me." Cameron's tone hardened.

He knew this was delicate, but this was her health. Her mental wellbeing.

"How long?" he repeated.

Josie didn't answer. Her hands shook, her legs restless as the questions mounted.

Cameron realised too late that this wasn't working.

This wasn't an interrogation and she wasn't going to open up like this.

"I'm going to have to book a doctor's appointment." Cameron murmured, more to himself than her, but Josie heard.

She sat up abruptly, shaking her head. "No. No. Cam, I'm fine."

"If you were fine, you wouldn't be doing this." His voice was firm as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "Do you even understand what you're doing to yourself?"

Silence.

"Do you?" He pressed. "Do you know how much this could destroy your health?"

Josie shrank in on herself, fresh tears welling in her eyes.