Is It Really Worth the Fight?

5. i'm elizabeth. i'm cameron.

Nash opened the door and yelled out for his mom.

"In here honey!" she called back, from the living room I'm guessing.

Nash was still holding my arm as he dragged me into the room.

"Mom, this is Elizabeth." Nash said, pulling me closer to the couch.

"Hi Elizabeth, I'm, well, Elizabeth!" She grabbed me into a hug and chuckled.

"Hello!" I said hugging her back.

"Make yourself at home!" she sat back down on the couch and continued her show.

I followed Nash upstairs to his bedroom and sat down in a chair beside his dresser. He sat down on the edge of his bed and twiddled his thumbs.

I pulled out my phone and checked the time. 7:05PM.

I texted my mom and let her know I was hanging out with a friend after work.

"What do you want to do?" Nash asked, causing me to look up from my phone.

"I dont care! I have an hour before I need to leave." I stood up from the chair.

Nash patted on the bed, signaling for me to sit beside him.

"Lets watch a movie." He laid down on the bed and gestured for me to lay down beside him.

"Any suggestions?" he looked at me with remote in hand.;

I nodded my head 'no' and laid down beside him.

Nash ended up choosing Hunger Games and halfway through I could feel myself falling asleep.

**

I woke up with my ear glued the sound of a heart pounding like a bass drum and I could feel a chest rise up and down with every intake of oxygen.

The movie was over and the time was bouncing slowly around the TV screen. 10:28PM.

Shit.

I had 3 missed calls from my mom and about a billion texts.

I jumped out of Nash's bed and quietly tip toed to his bedroom door. Every step I took the wood below would creak. I reached his door and looked behind me only to see Nash passed out cold on his bed. I glanced up to his window and saw daylight had fallen and the only light outside of his house was the street lights. I crept down the stairs trying to keep quiet. Everybody in his house was asleep. His mom and brother had crashed on the couch and the big Netflix logo beamed extra light for me as I crept to their front door.

Shit shit shit. My mom is going to be so mad.

I finally reached my car and quicklky sped home to my probably worried mother.

When I got home, my mom was alread asleep in her bed, so I went off to bed as well.

**

8:15AM.

As I woke up, I thought back to yesterday at orientation and work and the movie at Nash's house. It was all so amazing and I wanted nothing more than to relive it.

"Lizzy!" a yell from my mom trailed through the crack between my door and the floor. "Lizzy!" this time it was closer and footsteps were added. My door flew open and my mom was standing in the doorway with arms crossed.

"Why weren't you home by 8 last night? And why didn't you answer your phone?" She started to tap her foot.

"Mom," I said and stood up. "I was at work and I went to my friend Nash's house and watched a movie. I fell asleep and woke up at 10:30. I texted you and told you where I was going to be." I walked to my closet and grabbed two towels for a shower. "And 8 o clock, really mom? I am finally making new friends after a long work-filled, friend-less summer and I think 8 o clock is a little early, especially on a Friday." She opened her mouth to protest, but I cut her off. "I am a junior in high school mom and I think you need to let me grow up a little. I am not your little girl anymore." I smiled with an 'I'm-sorry' smile and made my way to the bathroom.

After my shower I put on a pair of lightwash high waisted shorts, a black tank top, and a beige cardigan. I straightened my long brown hair and did very light makeup. I slipped on some white keds and headed down the hall to the kitchen. I grabbed the last two remaining granola bars from the pantry and a bottle of water.

'good granola bars' I wrote down on the 'To Get' list that hung on the fridge.

I ran out to my car, slipped on my sunglasses, and drove to the mall. I got there at 10:45, so I had 15 minutes until I needed to open shop. I slid my sunglasses into my hair so it would sit like a headband and walked inside.

At 11:00AM I opened the store and not even 5 minutes later, a guy walks in, with a beanie and sunglasses on.

What is with these boys and disguises?

"Hi, are you Elizabeth?" said the disguised boy as he looked me up and down.

"Yes?" I answered, cautiously.

"My friend Nash said you worked here, I was just coming to check it out. I've never even heard of this place." He took off his hat and slid his sunglasses into his shirt pocket.

"It's pretty cool here." I said sarcastically. "What's your name?"

"Uh, my name is Cameron." He smiled and walked around the store.