Wait for you

My heart started to slow down as the fear loosened its grip on my chest. God only knows what I could’ve been saying when I slept. Glancing at the clock, I saw it was past three in the morning. “Holy crap, you suck at your special ability at telling the time.”

Cam shrugged as he slid forward. “I guess I should be going home.”

I opened my mouth and then closed it. What was I about to do? Ask him to stay? Like have a slumber party on my couch? Real smooth. I doubted he was interested in PG-13 couch parties. “Be careful when you drive,” I finally said.

He stood, and I stared at the spot he’d occupied. “I will.”  And then he swooped down, moving faster than I could figure out what he was up to. He placed his lips to my forehead. “Goodnight, Avery.”

I closed my eyes and my hands balled into fists. “Goodnight, Cam.” He made it to the door before I sprung up, clutching the back of the couch. “Cam?”

He stopped. “Yeah?”

Taking a deep breath, I forced the words out. “I had a really good time tonight.”

Cam stared at me a moment and then he smiled. The dimple appeared in his left cheek, and my own lips responded in kind. “I know.”

Chapter 12

Tossing my history text onto the edge of my bed, I flopped onto my back and smacked my hands over my eyes. It was only Thursday afternoon and I already felt like I was about to crawl out of my skin.

I guess I could clean something.

Yawn.

My cell chirped from the nightstand, and I rolled over, grabbing it. Half afraid to look at the screen, I did so with one eye closed. Like that somehow made things less shittier if it was the friendly, neighborhood asshole.

It wasn’t.

Sitting up, I opened the text from Cam. Two words and I was gri

I responded back with a: No.

The response was almost immediate. If u were Pinocchio, ur nose wld span the state.

Crossing my legs, I leaned against my headboard. Pinocchio? Sounds like your reading level.

Ha. U wound me. Deeply.

Thought you didn’t have feelings?

I lied. I have so many feels for u.  Before I could respond, another text came through. When I lie something else grows on me.

I laughed out loud. Thanks for sharing.

Ur welcome. Just keeping u updated. 

You can keep that to yourself.Biting down on my lip, I texted back: Did you make it home?

A few minutes passed while I stared at my phone. Yeah. Fam showering me with affection. U cld learn frm them.

I think you get enough attention.

I’m needy.

Boy, don’t I know that.

There was another span of minutes. What r u doing?

Lying on my back, I crossed my ankles. Reading.

Nerd.

Jerk.

Bet u miss me.

My grin had reached embarrassingly epic proportions. Bet you have better things to do right now.

Nope. A few seconds later, who is this???I frowned as I sat up. And then, Sorry, my sister just stole my phone.

I relaxed. Sounds like a pretty cool sister.

She is. Sometimes. She’s needier than I am. Gotta run.

I texted back: TTYL

The rest of the afternoon dragged and by nine o’clock, I briefly considering taking some NyQuil just to go to sleep. From the living room I heard my cell chirp again. Throwing my toothbrush into the sink, I made a mad four feet dash to my living room and then slowed as I approached my phone.

Go out with me.

Laughing, I forgot I had toothpaste in my mouth and ended up spewing white, foamy gunk all over my chin and shirt.  “Jesus, I’m a dork.”

I cleaned myself up and then responded to Cam. Asking me over text is no different from in person.

Thought I’d give it a try. What r u doing now? I’m beating my dad at poker.

Picturing him with his family, I smiled. Getting ready for bed.

Wish I was there.

My eyes widened. What the what?

Wait r u naked? 

No!!!I sent back. Perv.

Damn. At least I have my imagination

That’s all you will ever have.

We’ll c.

No you won’t.

I choose to ignore that. Ok. Gotta go. Dad is kicking my ass.

Night Cam.

Goodnight, Avery.

I held onto the phone for an indecent amount of time after that and then took it into my bedroom. Lately, I’d taken to the habit of turning my ringer off at night, because I never knew when I’d get the UNKNOWN CALLER messages. But tonight, I left it on.

Just in case.

#

Sunday morning didn’t feel right without Cam, his obsession with hard-boiled eggs, that damn little skillet, and all those yummy baked goods. I woke up early, as if some internal clock was expecting him to knock on my door. Of course, it didn’t happen and he hadn’t texted all day Saturday. I imagined that he was hanging out with his family and friends that were still living up there.

I tried not to miss Cam, because he was  just a friend, and while I wished Brit and Jacob were around, it wasn’t like I missed them, missed them. It wasn’t the same. Or maybe it was.

Pulling out a box of cereal, I made a yuck face. I really could go for some blueberry muffins. I ate my cereal, feeling all kinds of grumpy. I’d just finished washing the bowl when my phone rang.

I hurried into the living room and drew up short when I saw the name on my caller ID.

Mom.

Ooooh fuck.

The phone kept ringing while I debated on picking it up and tossing it out the window. I had to answer, though. Mom and Dad nevercalled. So it had to be important. Answering the phone, I winced. “Hello.”

“Avery.”

Ah, there was the voice—the cultured, clipped, highly impersonal, and cold voice of Mrs. Morgansten. I bit back a string of curses that would burn her perfect ears. “Hi, Mom.”

There was a huge gap of silence. My brows rose as I wondered if she misdialed me or something. Finally she spoke. “How is West Virginia?”

She said ‘West Virginia’ like it was some kind of venereal disease. I rolled my eyes. Sometimes my parents forgot where they came from.  “It’s really good. You’re up early.”

“It’s Sunday. Theo has insisted on doing an early brunch with your Father at the Club. Otherwise I would not be up at this time.”

Theo? I plopped down on the couch, my mouth hanging open. For the love of little babies everywhere, Theo was Blaine’sfather. My parents, they were such… fuckers.

“Avery, are you there?” Impatience filled her tone.

“Yes. I’m here.” I grabbed a pillow and shoved it in my lap. “You’re going to have brunch with Mr. Fitzgerald?”

“Yes.”

And that was all she said to that. Yes. Like it was no big deal. The Fitzgerald’s paid the Morgansten’s off and I was labeled a lying whore, but it was all good in the hood, because they all could still have brunch at the club.

“How is school?” she asked, but she sounded bored. She was probably surfing the Internet for her next cosmetic procedure. “Avery?”

Oh, for fuck’s sake. “School is perfect. West Virginia is perfect. Everything is perfect.”

“Don’t you take that tone with me, young lady. After everything you put us through—”

“Everything I put youthrough?” I was living in an alternate universe.

“And still putting us through,” she continued as if I hadn’t spoken a word. “You’re clear across the country, going to some little university in West Virginiainstead of—”

“There’s nothing wrong with this school, Mom, or West Virginia. You were born in Ohio. Not that different—”

“That is something I try not to remember.” Her huff was pretty epic. “Which brings me to the point of this call.”