After moving to a small town for a semester and a half, Camilla Adams is relived about how great the new place and school seem to be, and how nice some people were.
But then she notices the way students treat one particular quiet guy, some horribly...
It's been two days since Ethan left my house the next morning after the sleepover to go 'take care of something' at home. And I haven't seen him or heard from him since that morning that I started to worry.
Kaylee's been sleeping here since then as well, and I've been monitoring her every meal, making sure she ate properly or that she ate at all. But Ryan had gone home the same morning Ethan did. More like afternoon. After he woke up late and said he had plans with his friends that night.
"I didn't know Ryan had any friends," I said to Kaylee the next day as we sat in the living room watching a rerun of Friends.
She chuckled, "He has a few. But he's been hanging out with these new friends he met at this place that's like maybe two hours away from here. There's a big lake where they can boat and kayak and, " She waves her hand in the air, "And draft, I think, whatever that is. He's had this sudden interest in watersports for a few weeks now. It's surprising to see him going out and...and doing stuff."
I smile, nudging her in the side with an elbow. "Are you afraid he might leave your side and start to live his own life?" She scrunches up her face and looks at me. "He does that, doesn't he? He's always tailing my ass." She shrugs, "Well, I guess he should make new friends and get his own life. Makes it easier when I leave."
I study her face as she looks at the television screen. The color had gone back into her face as she's been eating well. And I know she isn't paying attention to the show and is thinking about Ryan instead. I let out a breath and take her hand in mine and squeeze lightly as I turn to look at the screen.
"I'm gonna miss him." She says quietly after a minute.
"I know. And we'll miss you, too."
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Kaylee left later that afternoon, wanting to check the mail and see if any of the colleges she applied to responded yet. And told me to say hi to Dad when he woke up.
He'd come back from his business trip last night and was so exhausted that he barely greeted me and Kaylee before he disappeared into his room and passed out. And he hasn't woken up since then.
It's only when it's dinnertime and I'm making grilled chicken with vegetables and garlic sauce that Dad materializes in the kitchen and takes in a deep sniff of the air. He sighs appreciatively and rubs his belly.
"It smells like a cooking show in here." He says and comes over to wrap me in a bear hug and plant a kiss on my head. "I didn't get to see you last night, I was too brain dead and all I was thinking about was my bed."
"I missed you, too," I tell him after he lets go. "And how do you know what a cooking show smells like? Did you secretly go to one without telling me? Because if you did, I'm not forgiving you."
Dad fake gasps and holds his hands up to cover his mouth, "You caught me. I ask for forgiveness, your Muff-Majesty." I laugh. And he grins and squeezes my shoulders. "Do you need help?"
