Skinny Boy ✔

Chapter 37: the camera incident

Pulling open my desk drawer, I reached for the rolled up measuring tape, but quickly retracted my hand when I heard the door click open. Walking through the doorway was my mom, pile of folded clothes in arms. She flashed a warm smile my way, eyes shining warmth from behind a loose strand of blonde hair. 

"Hey sweety," she greeted. 

I forced a tight-lipped smile back at her. "Hey." 

Acting as though I was putting something back in the drawer, I carefully slid it closed, grabbed my phone and my shirt, and hoped that mom wouldn't question why I was shirtless in the middle of March. 

I should get a snack anyway, I thought to myself as I left her to put my clothes on the bed. I felt her gaze follow me out the door, and heard the unsaid questions that she didn't get the chance to ask. 

A moment later, she came downstairs, passing through the kitchen with something in her hands. When she sat on a bar stool opposite me at the counter, I saw what it was that was in her hands.

My camera.

Why would she have that? That's not the problem though. What was she doing looking through my stuff?

I swallowed the lump forming in my throat. I did nothing wrong, I reminded myself.

When she started pulling it out of its case and turning it on, that was when I decided to pipe up.

"Is that my camera?" I asked.

"Yes," she answered. Her clipped answers did nothing but annoy me.

"Why do you have it?"

"I saw it when I was hanging your coat up."

She stayed silent for a second as she pressed through some of the buttons, and I busied myself with finding something to go with my crackers.

"I don't see you using this very much anymore," she observed.

Not having an answer or excuse for that one, I decided it best to stay silent for now.

"Nate," mom said. 

"Hmm?" I glanced in her direction before moving my attention back to the fridge. She was rubbing her thumb against the camera's leather case. 

I just need a few more grams of protein...maybe some meat, or cheese. 

"How come you have photography classes everyday this year, instead of twice a week like last year?" 

I grabbed the cheese from the fridge, cautiously grabbing a glance at her in the process. I had to think of an excuse, and fast. "The other days are focused on photo editing--I wasn't all that interested in it last year, but I decided to give it a shot." 

Perfect. Believable and blameless. 

Relief washed over me as she nodded her head, staring at the camera in her hands. She bought it...or so I thought. 

"So you used it yesterday, right?" she asked. 

I stopped in the middle of my actions, the knife stuck halfway into the cheese block. "Well, a few days ago, yeah." 

"So why's there so much dust on the cover?" 

"I don't know, I don't control the dust," I said, the words coming out harsher than I'd intended. I kept my eyes trained on the knife as I answered, grateful I had an excuse to avoid eye contact. 

She held her hands up slightly in surrender. "I was just asking; no need to get defensive." 

"I'm not," I growled.