Cameron and the Girls by Edward Averett

stretches.
    â€œMrs. Owens had me out in the hall and wanted me to go see Mrs. Roosevelt.”
    â€œWhy?”
    â€œBecause I’m independent now and she can’t handle it.”
    â€œSo you ran away from school? And no shirt? Wow, Cam.” She puts her hand on my chest, drums her fingers, and then plays with her hair again. I feel goose bumps all over my body.
    â€œIt’s what happens when you take control of your life,” I say.
    â€œWhat does your mom think?”
    â€œShe doesn’t like it. But she has to live with it because it’s the law.” I narrow my eyes. “I thought you were depressed today,” I say.
    â€œI was until I saw you.”
    A shiver goes through my body and takes a place very near my heart. “You mean that?”
    She nods and stretches again, then plops down on the end of the bed. I look at her bare feet, then hear:
    Hello, Cam.
    â€œOh, hello.” At last.
    I love you.
    â€œI love you so much,” I say without thinking. It’s real and so automatic. Then I wake up to the voice. “You don’t know how much,” I add.
    Nina bunches up her face. “Really?”
    I’ve missed you.
    I feel my body hum. “Oh, I’ve missed you too.”
    â€œHow cool,” says Nina.
    â€œI can’t get you out of my mind.”
    Nina turns into something different. She stretches out her legs, and they’re like beasts. Her toes curl and uncurl, her head bends to the side. Crisp red spots dot her cheeks. “I’m so surprised,” she says.
    I was so worried I’d never speak to you again. I know there is no greater love than what you and I have. I’ve been waiting so long to talk to you again.
    â€œLet’s talk, then,” I say. “I’ve been waiting too.”
    I spiral down to the floor and lean against Nina’s bookcase. I no longer feel a chill. I hold my knees and press my bare chest against them. I’m so happy, I feel like crying.
    â€œWhat should we talk about?” Nina says.
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œI said what do you want to talk about?”
    You’re just the boy I need. I get so lonely, Cam. And there’s no one else I can talk to the way I can talk to you.
    â€œOkay. Let’s talk about anything we want to. I’m not going anywhere. I don’t want to lose you again.”
    Nina smiles as if she were made of sugar. “I didn’t know you felt this way,” she says. “I mean, I hoped you felt this way, but I wasn’t sure, and I didn’t want to push it.”
    She leans in closer to me. My eyes finally focus on her but then briefly turn inward before they clear again. “And I’ll try so hard not to scare you off,” she says. “I promise.”
    I close my eyes and my lips pucker just the slightest. I suddenly feel another presence; something is getting closer. I can sense warmth next to my lips.
    Uh, wake up, Cammy, you don’t want to miss this.
    â€œBe quiet,” I whisper.
    Knock, knock, fool. Your manhood is waiting.
    I blast open my eyes and there is Nina, her face so close, I see her everywhere. I feel her lips against mine. It makes my head whirl with pleasure.
    â€œI guess that was pretty good, huh?” she says, leaning back.
    I close my eyes again.
    Where were we?
    â€œWe have all the time in the world,” I say. “You and I forever.”
    â€œDo you think anyone else feels this way?” Nina says.
    â€œNo one,” I say. “There’s nobody else in the world.”

Seventeen
    I t’s easy to slip onto the bus after school. Nina and I both wait across the road until the line of buses starts coming, and we use them to shield ourselves. While we wait for the door to open, we concoct a plan. It’s good, but complicated and maybe hard to put into action. Nina waits for me to get on and then cocks her head as I leave. I feel ecstatic because The Girl is in my life again.
    Beth