Meet You Halfway

Richard Cameron 2.

   After Friday night, things were starting to get back to normal. Mostly, at least. The boys were still iffy about Cameron, but I'd try my best to put in a good word when possible. As I began to spend more time with the red-head, the others gradually followed in suit. Charlie took the lead in restoring old habits. Teasing and bickering between the two seemed like a divine gift.

   The other Dead Poets went out to play soccer and what-not, leaving Cameron and I to do whatever we pleased. Which happened to be him studying for college courses he wasn't even a part of yet, and I playing a lonely game of solitaire. It's not an old people's game, I promise.

   I was stuck, unable to find a visible match for the nine of spades facing upright atop the deck. In frustration I frantically slid my hands back and forth across the table sending card flying. I'll admit, it was a bit of an overreaction. But in all fairness, I had to start over four times already. Cameron pushed a card toward me that I had flung onto his textbook. "Sorry…" 

   "Why don't you just stop playing?" He asked as if I was wasting my time. Maybe I was. "I don't have anything else to do." His hands pushed his textbook closed and he met my eyes. "Then let's do something." This kid doesn't just stop studying. "Richard Cameron. Doing something other than schoolwork? You've managed to surprise me." He rolled his eyes at my cocky grin and started gathering the dispersed cards. "Sometimes you're just as bad as Charlie. Go-fish?"

   "What? I am not. And, yes. Go-fish." He shuffled the cards and dealt seven to each of us, placing the remaining thirty-eight facing down in the center of the table. "I dealt. You go first." I looked over my cards, fanning them in front of my face. "Do you have any…three of hearts?" 

   "Hmm…Go-fish." Off to a bad start. I pulled a card from the deck and added it to my hand. "Do you have 6 of spades?" I peaked over the edge of my cards, narrowing my eyes. "Yeah." I handed him the card and he put down his pair. The game lasted about 30 minutes, ending when Cameron's last card was matched. "I win! What's my prize?" 

   "The satisfaction of victory." I gathered the cards and put them back in their box. "Victory prize, Y/n. Victory prize." He tapped his finger against the table with each syllable. "Okay, fine. What did you have in mind?" 

   He leaned back in his chair and thought for a moment. "I haven't got all day, Cameron." He threw his hands up. "I can't think of anything." Now it was my turn to think of something. "I've got a couple snacks stuffed away in my room. I'll let you take your pick." His face lit up at the thought of that.

   I got down on my hands and knees and pulled a cardboard box out from under my bed. Once the box was out, I sat down on the floor and Cameron sat down next to me. His hands quickly flew forward to open the box. I smacked them away. "Cool your jets, Cameron." I opened the box and slid it closer to him. "Have at it." He started pulling out various treats.

   He didn't bother waiting to get them back to his room. He peeled away the wrapper of a Cup-O-Gold and shoved the candy in his mouth. "How old did you say you were?" He mumbled his response, pieces of chocolate falling from his mouth. Gross. The sight of him getting all excited over something was amusing.

   After the devouring of three chocolate bars, 2 pez packets, and a cookie, Cameron let out a pained groan. "Why'd you let me eat so much?" He wrapped his arms around his stomach. "I'm not your mom." Ironically though, I started picking up his trash and throwing it away. "I feel so…vulnerable." That's awfully dramatic. Are these symptoms of a sugar coma?

   "How so?" He lazily looked me in the eyes. "I feel like I could tell you anything." I let out a soft snort. "I've got to be honest, that's a worrying statement." He shook his head and took my hand. "No, really. Anything. Everything. You're real pretty, you know." If I hadn't just watched him eat all those sweets, I'd think he was high. "Maybe you should lie down." I lifted him up onto my bed with some help from him. "I'm fine."

   "You were just complaining." I sat down next to him. "That's just the stomach ache." I'm not so sure. "I've been meaning to tell you…" He met my eyes. "I've been a real piece of shit. And you forgave me regardless, so…thanks." I couldn't help but smile.

   "Even if you act like a piece of shit, you're my piece of shit." The corners of his mouth upturned slightly. "When you say 'my', what does that mean exactly?" I kind of hoped he wouldn't notice the emphasis I put on the word. "Well, whatever you want it to mean, I guess." He nodded, his smile growing. "I like the sound of that."

Authors note:

No kissy kiss for Cameron? Oh, no. It's there. I promise. I just liked the way it sounded if I ended here. The kiss does happen, I just didn't write about it. Anyways, I forgive you, Cameron♡