Heart Pangs

Chapter 6 - Crush

Middle school years go by. Some things change. Some things don't.

One thing that changes is that Felix and Benji spend less time together. Not through any fault of their own, rather they're at separate schools now. They're making new friends, friends that are more like themselves. And they're finding new hobbies and activities to do apart from each other.

One thing that doesn't change is that they remain friends. Not the same kind as before, but still friends.

Felix starts coming around to Benji's less and less. Once he reaches 8th grade, he hits a growth spurt and suddenly Benji barely comes up to his chest. At this point, Felix has to duck to enter Marotta's front door and Brandon always gives him an icy glare when they're in the same room. Felix doesn't like the increasingly wary looks Benji's mother also gives him, especially when Stephanie is around, so it's just as well he doesn't come over as much.

Instead they ride their bikes places. Felix and Benji old enough to leave the neighborhood now. If they stick together, they should be fine. However, if they don't want to go far, their usual spot is still back at the playground. On the weekends, they can be there until late into the night.

Once Felix gets too big for his old bike, he passes it down to Benji, meaning Camille gets the older one. On days she catches Benji slipping quietly out to meet Felix, she begs to be included. She's in 5th grade now. Her last year before she learns the truth about preds and prey. Both Benji and Felix have been careful not to mention it in front of her the past three years.

As summer goes by and the days tick down until Camille starts middle school, Felix wonders what she'll think of him after her first day. Sometimes he still can't believe that Benji had been able to trust him after learning about consuming. But Benji is far different than Camille. He's quiet, reserved. He watches and waits, always thinking things through.

Camille is far more outspoken. If she latches onto an idea, she holds on tight no matter the opposition. Felix worries for what her first impression of consuming will be. If preds are presented to her class as uncontrollable monsters, if her class suddenly starts viewing and fearing them like enemies, who knows what small prejudices will creep into her mind and manifest as repulsion for Felix.

So Felix has been holding on to every moment she's with him and Benji as something special, just in case things change as school starts. This isn't hard to do as Camille has been pressing more and more to join them, specifically Felix.

She's always at his side, asking him questions, wanting to show him something. Benji constantly tells her to give him space, but Felix doesn't mind. He enjoys the attention and he enjoys the matter-of-fact way Camille describes her day to him.

She doesn't seem to mind in the slightest how tall he's gotten. In fact, she takes advantage of it whenever she can. She throws things into trees just to make him get them back down for her. She asks if he'll pick her flowers from the tall bushes in the park. She'll complain about being tired until he offers her a ride on his back. Benji seems annoyed by Camille's never ending requests, but they only amuse Felix. Most of his other friends are preds, and really none of them are so impressed with his height. He also believes that Benji is secretly intimidated by his quick growth, although he doesn't dare say as much out loud. He knows Benji would never admit to it. So it's nice to at least be appreciated by Camille.

"She likes you, you know," Benji tells Felix once during their increasingly rare times alone together.

Felix blinks. "She what?"

Benji rolls his eyes. "Camille. She has a crush on you."

Felix freezes. That doesn't sound right. "How do you know that?" he splutters.