Cameron and the Girls by Edward Averett Read Free Book Online

alone.
    â€œWe can be alone here.” I kiss the tip of my finger and place it on the lips I drew.
    You know what I mean, Cam, don’t you?
    â€œI get it,” I say. “I’m ready.” And my body agrees.
    I fold the paper even tighter this time and lay it on the floor. I feel buoyant as I slide into the covers. I have a secret that everybody only thinks they know about. And having it makes the world open up a little wider to make room for me.

Nine
    I am both happy and scared on the bus the next morning. I’m happy because of my time with The Girl. It looks like she is here to stay. But I’m also scared because The Other Guy is still unfolding and pushing my guts around.
    Beth’s friends are not on the bus today, so she sits across the aisle, her arms tight against her chest. She stares out the window, but once in a while she glares over at me. She thinks I ratted her out to Mom and that’s why she had to endure the humiliation of having Mom come pick her up at the café by the high school where she was sharing an energy drink with Dylan. And then this morning we both had to sit down at the end of the driveway in Mom’s car and wait for the bus to come. It looks like Mom is on a divide-and-conquer mission. I worry that Beth might spill the beans about my medicine.
    â€œIt’s not my fault,” I whisper hoarsely.
    But Beth only turns her head slowly and frowns at me again.
    â€œI didn’t say anything. Honest.”
    She turns back to the window. Her fingers clench into a fist and then relax.
    When I get off the bus, Nina is there, waiting. She takes me by the arm and drags me over by the side of the school. “What’s this I hear about a girlfriend?” she asks. Her face is fiery red.
    I can only grunt as I fight to get loose from her.
    â€œAnd another thing. I’m not invisible. I exist. And my name is Nina. You spell it
N-i-n-a.
” She pushes me away, but then grabs on to my shirt again and pulls me closer.
    â€œI don’t know what . . .”
    â€œAnd you’re welcome for the Valentine card,” she adds. “Not that it makes any difference to you.” This time she lets me go for good and walks away, smoothing down the sleeves of her shirt. I decide I don’t understand any girls except for The Girl.
    I start heading for the classroom door, but walk more slowly the closer I get. I feel jumbled and nervous. I want to crawl inside myself and hide. The weird unfolding in my guts is now tapping on my skull. I look around for a place to hide, but:
    She can’t talk to you that way.
    I freeze in place. “What way?” I ask.
    You know. Like she owns you.
    â€œOh.”
    Are you in?
    I don’t know what to say, so I just stand there.
    It’ll be fun. We’ll cause a little trouble.
    Confused and scared, I take off running. I head toward the shop class, make a quick sidestep, and disappear behind the building.
    Wait up, Mr. Renaissance man.
    I speed up. Sometimes I think if I set my mind to it, I can get enough speed to outrun the voices. I hope it works with this one. I don’t want him here. Not now.
    Pant, pant, pant, big boy. I’m right behind you.
    I actually think I can feel The Other Guy nipping sharply at my neck. I try to go even faster. My lungs burn; my heart hammers against my ribs. My legs turn doughy. I race across the football field. Walking students stop and stare at me.
    Don’t run away. I’ve got a plan to make you the coolest guy on the planet.
    The voice is right at my ear. My legs hurt. I can’t catch my breath, think I’ll never be able to catch my breath again. I tumble into the woods at the end of the football field and lie gasping in the wet brown needles beneath the evergreens.
    Â 
    I feel a huge fullness in my head with every breath. I’m sure I’m going to explode from the inside out. Parts of me will splatter against the tree trunks, and no one will find