I'll See You When I Fall Asleep

Chapter 40

The rest of summer passed them by as many summers do: much too quickly. The friends gathered together as much as possible between shifts at work and other obligations, but they all understood their time together was rapidly approaching its end.

It was understood that Cammie and Virgo would be leaving together at the end of summer. Beyond that, the group of friends began to solidify their plans; they all soon learned that this next year would bring about big changes.

Shea and Levi planned to leave LA now that they were married. They weren't quite sure where they wanted to move, but the East Coast was calling to them.

Though it had been a short time since they started dating, Savannah was planning on moving in with Jackson at the end of summer when Cammie left, dramatically explaining that there was no possible way she could live alone. Savannah also reasoned that moving in with Jackson wasn't a big deal—they were Soulmates after all. Jen teased Savannah incessantly that she was behaving more like a lesbian than any of the actual gay women in their group.

Jen was probably the only person who had no plans to change anything. She would continue to live at her same place with her same roommates until she graduated. After that, she had no idea. But none of them really knew what to do after their graduation.

Despite impending despair of the end of summer—trying to cram every free moment with each other's company—Cammie prepared for her move across the ocean. As her time dwindled down to next to nothing, Cammie finished all of her preparations except the dreaded final trip home.

When the semester officially ended, Cammie sent both of her parents a text explaining that she would stay at her apartment with Savannah the rest of summer and would not be returning home. She also explained that she was accepted into a study abroad program and would be attending. Almost as an afterthought, Cammie sent them the information to look into the program. Though they weren't on speaking terms, Cammie still felt obligated to let her parents know the full details of her trip.

Afraid to ask for fear of her parents denying their assistance, Cammie had yet to broach the topic of paying for her education. She made it clear the last time she was home that she would not be attending law school and refused to take over for her father. When Jess had made that proclamation, it ended badly, so there really wasn't a doubt in Cammie's mind her parents would react the same way, it was just a matter of when. They hadn't brought it up, but then again, they hadn't brought up anything in the last few months. It was complete radio silence. Perhaps they were waiting for Cammie to break and come home, but the revelation of her study abroad had to be the final nail in the coffin.

Plus, she was still gay.

So, no, she hadn't exactly asked her parents if they would continue paying for her school, but in a very un-Cammie-like fashion, she decided to worry about when her parents actually stopped paying for school. When that happened, well, she would figure out some other way to pay for the remainder of her education. She promised herself that she would go to France, no matter what. An inexplicable tug pulled on the strings of her soul, leading her to cross the ocean and settle on the shores of France.

Now, with only two weeks left before she flew abroad, Cammie decided it was probably time to make that fateful journey home and face not only her parents, but the realization that she might never return to that home again.

Jess spent the last week with Cammie at her apartment and would be staying the next two until her sister left, wanting to spend as much time as possible before the big departure. Despite never having the conversation, Jess sensed that Cammie wouldn't be returning to California; she couldn't explain it, but just knew she needed to spend as much time with her sister now, when it was still an easy two-hour flight. She didn't tell this to Cammie.

"Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?" Jess asked, laying on Cammie's bed and watching her pace.

"Yeah, I'm sure." Cammie chewed on her lower lip. She turned to Virgo. "Are you sure you want to come with me?"

"Of course. I want to meet your parents."

"I don't understand why."

"Me either," Jess added. The sisters exchanged a worried glance, imagining the worst possible scenarios playing before them.

Virgo smiled, but declined to answer.

"You're sure?" Jess asked again.