first. If Turner likes it, then I can submit them." Those
last words are heavy on my tongue. Saying it out loud makes my
dream seem a little less like a fantasy. I squat so I can get a
different angle, and Trace drops the ball and rests one foot on top
of it.
"Oh, babe, that looks so great!"
I ignore Amelia and concentrate on the
composition. The sun must've been behind a cloud because with the
shift in the breeze his features suddenly seem to glow. Please let these turn out as good as I think they
will.
A movement from the other end of the
bleachers catches my eye. I adjust the zoom so I can look without
being obvious, and my eyes narrow as I snap a picture. "Hey, Trace, is that your dad over there?"
They both turn. The man continues watching
us.
"No, my parents don't usually come to
games."
"That's weird. I wonder who he's waiting
for."
Amelia moves to Trace's side and laughs.
"Maybe he's as impressed with your moves as I am." Trace slips his
arm around her waist and the three of us start walking towards the
gym.
An unsettled feeling sweeps through me as we
near the man. He's sitting on the lowest row, playing with his cell
phone. He looks up as we pass by.
"Nice game, Trace."
My stomach lurches but Trace just lifts his
hand in thanks.
Chapter 16
I'm still weirded out on the car ride home.
He was probably someone's dad, but why was he still sitting there
after everyone left?
The thought continues to bother me when I
get home, but I push it away. I need to sort out Trace's answers
and more importantly, I want to find out what happened to Cameron.
"I'm home!" I call on my way up the stairs. The phone's already in
my hand. I hit send the second my bag hits my bedroom floor.
Cameron answers on the third ring. His voice
is scratchy and he sounds exhausted. "Hey, how was the game?"
I get the impression he's just asking out of
obligation, and it stings. "It was fine. I almost got trampled but
I think I got some good shots. Plus the interview with Trace." My
tone falters, I can't help it. I suck at interviewing.
"I'm sure it went better than that. You
don't give yourself enough credit."
"Yeah, well, I'll have to take your word on
that." I pause. He's sounding a little more normal and I don't know
if bringing up his afternoon will change that. "So… where were you?
I thought you were coming to the game?"
There's a rustling over the phone, followed
by a thump. "I was planning to, then my mom called and asked me to
come home."
I sit up, my nerves singing. "Is everything
okay? Did something happen?"
"No. Well, nothing new." He sighs. "There's
been more updates about that little girl. The one who was
kidnapped. The police don't have any leads so…" he trails off.
My stomach lurches. “Did they call you?”
“ They called my dad. Said they were
just following up on leads, but they asked him where I was when she
disappeared.”
“ Are you kidding me? How could they
think—” I stop. I know why they think that. Everyone knows. Cameron
is the closest thing to a suspect the police ever had, so of course
they’re going to want to know if he has an alibi.
He lets out a long breath. “At least this
time I was at school.”
"Shit, Cam. I'm sorry. Why didn't you tell
me to shut up when I was going on and on about the game?"
"Because I don't want to think about it.
That's all we do here. Think about Katie. And now this other girl."
His voice breaks and I can't tell if he's simply talking, or
repeating his parents' reminders to not ever forget his sister.
I don't know what to say. Anything will
sound trivial. "Can I do anything?"
He sighs, a slow, painful expelling of
breath. "No."
We hang up shortly after and I'm left
staring at my phone. He says I can't help, but there has to be some
way I can do more.
My camera calls to me. I remove the card and
slip it into the reader that's always connected to my computer. The
photo app comes up and I click the button to download. A little
voice scolds me for
last words are heavy on my tongue. Saying it out loud makes my
dream seem a little less like a fantasy. I squat so I can get a
different angle, and Trace drops the ball and rests one foot on top
of it.
"Oh, babe, that looks so great!"
I ignore Amelia and concentrate on the
composition. The sun must've been behind a cloud because with the
shift in the breeze his features suddenly seem to glow. Please let these turn out as good as I think they
will.
A movement from the other end of the
bleachers catches my eye. I adjust the zoom so I can look without
being obvious, and my eyes narrow as I snap a picture. "Hey, Trace, is that your dad over there?"
They both turn. The man continues watching
us.
"No, my parents don't usually come to
games."
"That's weird. I wonder who he's waiting
for."
Amelia moves to Trace's side and laughs.
"Maybe he's as impressed with your moves as I am." Trace slips his
arm around her waist and the three of us start walking towards the
gym.
An unsettled feeling sweeps through me as we
near the man. He's sitting on the lowest row, playing with his cell
phone. He looks up as we pass by.
"Nice game, Trace."
My stomach lurches but Trace just lifts his
hand in thanks.
Chapter 16
I'm still weirded out on the car ride home.
He was probably someone's dad, but why was he still sitting there
after everyone left?
The thought continues to bother me when I
get home, but I push it away. I need to sort out Trace's answers
and more importantly, I want to find out what happened to Cameron.
"I'm home!" I call on my way up the stairs. The phone's already in
my hand. I hit send the second my bag hits my bedroom floor.
Cameron answers on the third ring. His voice
is scratchy and he sounds exhausted. "Hey, how was the game?"
I get the impression he's just asking out of
obligation, and it stings. "It was fine. I almost got trampled but
I think I got some good shots. Plus the interview with Trace." My
tone falters, I can't help it. I suck at interviewing.
"I'm sure it went better than that. You
don't give yourself enough credit."
"Yeah, well, I'll have to take your word on
that." I pause. He's sounding a little more normal and I don't know
if bringing up his afternoon will change that. "So… where were you?
I thought you were coming to the game?"
There's a rustling over the phone, followed
by a thump. "I was planning to, then my mom called and asked me to
come home."
I sit up, my nerves singing. "Is everything
okay? Did something happen?"
"No. Well, nothing new." He sighs. "There's
been more updates about that little girl. The one who was
kidnapped. The police don't have any leads so…" he trails off.
My stomach lurches. “Did they call you?”
“ They called my dad. Said they were
just following up on leads, but they asked him where I was when she
disappeared.”
“ Are you kidding me? How could they
think—” I stop. I know why they think that. Everyone knows. Cameron
is the closest thing to a suspect the police ever had, so of course
they’re going to want to know if he has an alibi.
He lets out a long breath. “At least this
time I was at school.”
"Shit, Cam. I'm sorry. Why didn't you tell
me to shut up when I was going on and on about the game?"
"Because I don't want to think about it.
That's all we do here. Think about Katie. And now this other girl."
His voice breaks and I can't tell if he's simply talking, or
repeating his parents' reminders to not ever forget his sister.
I don't know what to say. Anything will
sound trivial. "Can I do anything?"
He sighs, a slow, painful expelling of
breath. "No."
We hang up shortly after and I'm left
staring at my phone. He says I can't help, but there has to be some
way I can do more.
My camera calls to me. I remove the card and
slip it into the reader that's always connected to my computer. The
photo app comes up and I click the button to download. A little
voice scolds me for
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