Cameron Jones is a young boy, who is slightly awkward around nearly everyone, except his friends, parents, and his little sister Abigail. When he gets paired up with Tyler, the outgoing and friendly guy from his class, things get... Weird. After a p...
The next morning, I wake up early. My head hurts a bit, and my breathing isn't very smooth. Maybe I've caught a cold. I get dressed and go downstairs, where I can already see my dad. 'Hey son, I'm going to the hospital to take it over from your mother. She probably needs some sleep' he says. I nod. 'Can I come along?' I ask, while preparing my breakfast. 'Alright, but I'm leaving in half an hour maximum. Hurry up a bit'.
We arrive in the hospital, and I quickly go to Abby's room. My mum is there already, with big dark circles under her eyes and a relieved look, holding Abby's hand. Abby is awake as well, and already looks a bit better. 'Hi Abby!' I say, walking up to her and giving her a hug. 'Hey' she says, and she smiles brightly. 'How was it to sleep in a hospital?' I ask, sitting down on the edge of her bed. She starts telling me about the nurses and how she was scared to talk to them, except for the one who helped her so well. 'She said it was okay if I didn't talk, so she was the nicest' Abby says. I don't really listen to what she's saying as much as listening to how she sounds. She sounds sick, very sick, but also happy and quite awake. I'm just glad she's alright.
'I've got a gift for you' I say. Abby's eyes light up a little, and she sits straight. 'Here' I say, handing her the little packet. She unwraps it, and smiles. 'They're so pretty! I'm going to make a drawing with it' she says, inspecting the pencil. The little Eiffel tower is hung on her bed, though she shouldn't forget it, and she talks for a bit with mum and dad.
'You can go home' Abby assures them. 'I can talk to the nurse and I get to go home soon anyway'. My parents nod, and we all go home. 'Oh, Cameron, there's a drawing on my table. I made it when you were in Paris' she yells before we leave. I smile. 'I'll go get it right away.
Mum already falls asleep in the car, so my dad drives slowly, not to wake her up. When we're finally back, I go to my room. I'll be going to school again tomorrow. I put my phone in the charger, and walk into Abby's room. There, on her drawing desk, I can see a drawing. I walk towards it, and pick it up. She obviously spent quite a lot of time on it. I take it back to my room, and put it in the box. I just hope she'll be alright.
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When we're at school, I am the first one there. It's quite early. I've got a thing for coming early lately, I like being able to take my time. After a while, I hear my name. I look up, and I see Pete walking towards me. 'Hi Cameron, can I sit here?' he asks. I nod, a bit surprised, and a bit awkward. 'I've got a question...' he says. 'Alright, what is it?' 'Your friend. Chelsea. What does she... Like? You know...' he stammers. I laugh, and put my phone away. 'I think you're good Pete, don't worry' I assure him. He smiles, and leans back. 'You think?' he asks. I nod. 'Believe me, you are. You should just ask her out or something. She likes straightforward people'. He nods slowly. 'Okay, thanks man'. I give him a friendly smile, before I turn back to my phone. I'm relieved to see he does the same, so it'll be a lot less awkward.
'Hello my dear friends' Chelsea says, and she sits down next to me. 'Hey' I say. 'H... Hi' Pete says. 'Hello!' Joey says, and he sits down as well. Chelsea and Pete are a bit thrown off by it, but they keep talking to each other, including short silences where they just look at each other. 'Wanna switch seats?' I ask Chelsea. She nods and pushes me off my seat without thinking. I groan, and sit down on the chair next to Joey.
'How is Abby?' Joey asks. 'Oh my... I'm sorry Cam! How is she?' Chelsea yells, and she gives me a hug. I suffocate a little, so I push her away. 'She's fine, thanks. She gets to go home by the end of the week. They're inspecting her for a while, and trying to make sure she doesn't get panic attacks anymore' I explain. Chelsea and Joey nod, and Pete sits awkwardly to the side. 'You can continue talking now' I say. Chelsea nods, and continues talking to Pete, while I chat a bit more with Joey.
'Hello!' Tyler says, who arrives as well. 'Hi Tylie' I say. He sits down, and looks at me for a second with the most annoyed and murderous look I've ever seen him have, before he turns serious again. 'How is Abby?' he asks. 'Fine' I say, a bit nervous. He looks curious, and a bit worried. It makes me feel all itchy on the inside again. 'She goes home this Friday'. He smiles. 'I hope she'll be alright. Wish her improvement for me'. 'I will' I say. 'If I remember'.
'Oh, by the way, we still have to do that thing' he then says. 'That thing? What thing?' I ask. 'That thing for my niece. With French class. Talking to the kids?' I stare blankly at him for three seconds, and then I realise. I probably get a look of horror on my face. Why did I agree to that again? Now I have to show the kids my amazing skills. I'm quite okay at French, I could have a functional conversation with a Frenchman, but I don't speak it fluently. Like Flynn did. 'Oh. Yes. When is it?' I ask. 'It's this Thursday. I told you that when we were in Paris'. 'What? When?' I ask. 'By the Sacre Coeur, don't you remember?' he asks. 'Oh...' I say. 'My mind wasn't very... There at that moment. Okay then, Thursday should be available'. He smiles. 'Great! You're the best Cam'. Oh jolly there my stomach goes again.
'What's the thing?' Chelsea asks. 'Oh, I have to go to some school and talk French to the kids there. To help them or something'. 'In front of the actual kids? With everyone looking at you? When did you agree to this?' she asks, with a strange glimmer in her eyes. 'A short while after Abby's birthday, why...' 'So you were already in love with him then?' she asks. 'No I wasn't. And I'm still not. I'm in the process of it, I'm not there yet'. She rolls her eyes. 'Then why did you do it? You hate speaking in public'. I'm silent for a while. 'He was asking so nicely. And I just became friends with him, I didn't want to let him down and...' 'And?' Chelsea asks, with a smug look on her face. 'And... Lose him. You know I don't mean it like that Chelsea'. She giggles childishly, but not the cute kind of childish Tyler does. Oh no, I'm thinking that now?
'Maybe this process has been going on much longer than you think' Chelsea suggests. 'Ow come on, you know I was a lot nicer to you when we were just friends as well. I'm an insecure person. If I make a new friend, I cling to them for the dear life of me just to never lose them. And sometimes it works out better than other times'. Her expression changes a bit.
Okay, I might be kinda taking advantage of the whole Flynn thing now, but that's what you get when you see me as poor. I'm not poor little Cameron. I'm Cameron who has a bit of a shitty life at times. That's all.
'I mean... Well, just take it from me, I get weird when I make a new friend. And now I'm stuck to this, I might as well do it' I say. She seems to have another thing to say, but changes her mind. 'Alright then' she says. 'Let's go to French class'.
