Lag

7.

"Do you think Camille likes spaghetti? Or do you think we need to do something more special?" Mom asked me for the hundredth time running around the kitchen like a crazy person.

"Speghetti is fine mom. This isn't like a date or anything. Please stop making this weird." I rub the back of my neck agitatedly.

Although she had promised she wouldn't tell anyone but dad everyone could tell she was in happier spirits.

"Did I just hear you say spaghetti?" Vanessa enters the kitchen with a yogurt cup in her hand. I roll my eyes. Oh my god, here we go. "Can't eat that. Its pasta, mom."

Mom glances at her with her eyebrows raised. "Vanessa, you're not even going to be here."

Vanessa shrugs unenthusiastically, "that doesn't mean I won't want any left overs when I get home."

"There is still salad in the fridge. Just make it up when you get back." Mom turns back towards the fridge ending the conversation. I take that as my cue to leave.

I quickly shove the pile of dirty clothes into my closet and make a weak attempt at straightening up. No matter how hard I tried to concentrate on the mess the focus just wasn't there. So many things were buzzing through my brain that I couldn't even settle on one thing.

I'm learning to dance today. I didnt get beat up this afternoon. She wants me to sit with her at lunch.

Oh boy, if only she knew how mean highschoolers really are. Camille is too sweet to be targeted like me, and that's the only thing she will be if I do show up at lunch. A target.

Come to think of it I couldn't remember the last time I even ate in the cafeteria. I hadn't been back in there since I got thrown head first into the salad bar in 9th grade. That was the beginning of the end for me and the first of many of moms trips up to the office.

A light tap on the door caused me to jump and spin around to see mom standing in the doorway peeking at me with a small smile. "Shes here."

Camille

"Do you have anywhere I can plug this up?" I ask keenan shyly brandishing my mothers ipod that she so generously let me borrow.

We stand awkwardly in the living room looking uncomfortable. "Um. Yeah, we can blue tooth it through the sound bar. But it's out back near the patio if you dont care to go outside."

I let out a small breath. I would feel much more comfortable taking this experiment outside where we couldn't possible hurt anything expensive. And much less attention. "Oh, yeah that'll be good."

I follow him down a long wide hallway that is plastered with family portraits and school photos of the Timberland children. They were all arranged neatly and beautifully.

The right wall was fully dedicated to the family photos, all starting from Keenan was around five. I looked from picture to picture watching each of the Timberlands kids's little chubby, round faces grow and mature into the ones that I recognize to day.

My curious gaze came to an abrupt stop when walking straight into Keenans tall frame.

"Sorry. Just give me a second." He says embarrassly gritting his teeth.

I chuckle, "Take your time. I'm just enjoying your wall gallery."

He let out an unexpected chuckle and a moment later we were moving again. I briefly take note of that being the shortest lag I've witnessed.

Keenan opened up a large mahogany door that revealed a very large and beautiful back patio followed by a very spacious open back yard that extended out into a grand horse pasture.