The In Between

12: Something In The Way

Underneath the bridge, the tarp has sprung a leak

And the animals I've trapped have all become my pets

And I'm living off of grass and the drippings from the ceiling

It's okay to eat fish, because they don't have any feelings

Something in the way.

Monday morning. I woke up at 6, to find that grandma had already gone off to work. Whatever. I woke Annie up and started getting ready for school. I'd showered, brushed my teeth, and got dressed before Annie had gotten up and dressed (she showers around dinnertime, usually, which I find odd, but I guess it works). I made breakfast while she was brushing her hair, and then I thought back to my realization from last night. It didn't make sense, but then, it also kind of did. I feel like I haven't known him long enough to like him like that, but it feels like we've known each other forever, when it's not even been a full week yet. This was crazy. It was 123% crazy, but was it bad?

Yes, though, it could be. Because I doubt he feels the same way. How could he? It's been less than a week.

I pushed the pessimism out of my head long enough to finish making bowls of cereal. Annie came downstairs moments after I put her bowl on the table, and then I grabbed mine and sat with her. "Hey. Annie. Um..."

"What's up? Juicy gossip? Is my hair messed up?"

"No. Umm..." Why am I telling her this? This is a bad idea. "Do you remember, yesterday morning, you said you had a crush on Cam?"

She giggles. "Yeah, I was just playing around, though. Why?"

I sigh. "I think I do, too."

Her eyes widen. "No way, that's adorABLE!!!!" She started jumping around and stuff.

"Annie, sit down and eat breakfast. Come on, man, it's not... that big of a deal." I pause. "Is it?"

"Oh my god, you're my new OTP. I ship it."

I stare at her. I know what she means and all, but I'm still stunned, staring at her. "Annie, what the hell?"

She laughed, but was silent otherwise. We finished eating and then went to grab our backpacks. When I was grabbing my stuff to go, I grabbed my notebook from the floor; what are the odds that inspiration will strike in an unconventional place? I don't get inspired too often, but when I do, it's intense and random over about a week or two, so I should take full advantage of it.

When I walked into the building, the energy felt weird. Something was wrong, or would be. I was pretty cautious, as I walked to my locker. I walked past Cam, at his locker, on the way, and stopped to talk. Now, had Cam not been standing in front of his open locker, I probably wouldn't have known it was him. He was wearing a hoodie that covered his hair and a good portion of his face, if you looked from the side. "Well. You are alive," I say, joking around.

"Yeah," he says, "Sorry I didn't reply sooner or much longer, I was a bit... preoccupied."

"I just wanted to know if you were okay," I say. His voice was so flat when he'd replied, and it was a bit odd, since his voice is usually pretty full of life. Then he turns to me and I see why.

"Does this answer your question at all?" He's got a black eye, for one thing, but now that I'm examining him, I see bruises (and more cuts) on his arms, too.

"Oh my god, Cam," I say, completely shocked at how bruised he is. That's just where I can see with the hoodie on, never mind if he wasn't wearing a hoodie.