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Chapter 9: Kisses Too Sweet For Reality (Part A)

He couldn’t believe it.

It had been surreal. Elliot, hanging out with him. Sitting beside him. Talking to him. No arguing, no frowns, no scowls. It’d been dreamlike. And, to top it all off, Elliot had even agreed to hang out with them again.

Cameron couldn’t help but smile throughout the rest of the day. He was radiating with uncontained glee; everything just seemed so perfect. The sky was blue, the birds were singing sweetly, the whole works. When he walked into class he greeted everyone, even the one group at the back of the class that seemed unjustifiably wary of him. There was more than enough cheer to go around, why not share it? The only problem with feeling that good was that he felt almost too energized. He couldn’t even sit still in his seat. His body desired movement; no matter how many stern looks the teacher gave him. But it wasn’t his fault, he really couldn’t help himself. Things were now beginning to look up; he was allowed to be happy. It was an expanding and freeing feeling, and he was going to enjoy every second of it.

The final bell for the day rang, and Cameron nearly bolted out of his chair. He gathered his things together in a wild rush, and within a split-second he was already out the door. He slipped through the packs of students in the hallway till he was out the front door, out into the warm autumn sun. He made his way towards the student parking lot, keeping his eye open for Elliot, just in case there came an opportunity for small chat. But the crowd was incredibly dense and there seemed to be no sign of him. That was okay, though. He could always talk to Elliot tomorrow. Keeping his spirits up, Cameron approached his car. His hand was already digging into his pocket for the key when he spotted someone leaning up against the trunk of his vehicle, head titled back. Cameron escaped the fluid mass of exiting students, hopes rising, but when he saw the spiraling smoke coming out of a cigarette held loosely between two lips, those hopes died. The head turned as Cameron drew nearer, acknowledging him.

“Hey Alison, what's up?”

Alison stood up properly and took a long drag of the cigarette pinched between her lips and fingers. She exhaled a thick stream of smoke.

“What the fuck did you think you were doing?”

Cameron froze, taking in Alison’s hostile stature and narrowed eyes. “Pardon?”

“You heard me.” Smoke spiraled out from between her thin lips as she spoke. “Why did you invite him?”

“Oh, you mean Elliot.” Cameron shrugged. “Because I wanted to?”

“Why?”

“Why not?”

Alison laughed, shaking her head at him.

“You call me at three in the morning, freaking out over some dream about him, then you invite him to hang out with us as if nothing happened. You’re a real piece of work, you know that?”

Cameron frowned. He unlocked the front door of his car and threw his messenger bag inside. It landed with a soft thud as it hit the backseat before falling to the car floor. Alison stalked around the car, one thumb hitched in the hem of her black skirt.

“So?”

Cameron avoided her inspecting eyes. “I just wanted to try something.”

“‘Try something’?” She repeated, straining the syllables as if it were a foreign language. Cameron rolled his eyes.

“Why avoid him?”

“Why approach him?” Alison retorted.

“I want to figure things out,” Cameron sighed with exasperation. A few students, clad in white and black, walked past them, talking excitedly. Cameron watched them leave. He wished he could be like them—smiling, carefree. Where did his euphoric mood go? Stress and frustration of multiple kinds had smothered it.

“You think hanging out with him will solve whatever is going on in your head?”

“You have a better idea?”

Alison shook her head, but she didn’t seem too compassionate about it, anyway. The cigarette pinched between her fingers was tiny now, the smoke dwindling and thin. She took one last drag then dropped it carelessly, crushing it with the heel of her shoe.

“Do what you want. But with a guy like him... Just don’t come crying to me when it all blows up in your face.”

He gazed at Alison, her words catching him off guard, but nonetheless he nodded in agreement. Cars from the student parking lot drove by in loud groans. Alison watched them go. In the mid-day sun, she looked grave, the shadows under her chin and outlining her slim figure harsh and dark. Cameron rubbed the back of his neck. He didn’t want to leave this on bad terms, but he wasn’t sure what he could say to solve any of this tension.

He said, "do you want a ride home?”

“No.” Alison began walking away, the gravel along the side of the paved road crunching underneath her feet. “I’ve said all that needed to be said.”

Cameron watched her walk away, disquiet drumming in his chest. With a final sigh, he got into his car and shut the door, as if by doing so he could shut out the troubled thoughts and feelings that came along with adolescence.

So much for things looking up.

~+~+~+~+~+~+~

Just because Elliot had promised to hang out with them again didn’t necessarily mean that he would actually do it. Cameron was no stranger to white lies, and after the euphoria of the first day had worn off he began to half suspect that that was what it was. A white lie. He waited with pained anticipation for the next day to pass, excited but dreading to see if his suspicions would be confirmed after all.

Two days later, to Cameron’s surprise, Elliot showed up.  He could hardly contain himself when Elliot arrived, already jumping into excited conversation with the dirty-blond haired boy, and to his delight, Elliot responded. Awkward at first, but as the conversation and the minutes rolled on Elliot gradually became warmer. He even smiled a bit while he shook his head when Cameron teased him for being so up tight. He’d never seen Elliot smile before…it was contagious, and although gaurded, it was also friendly; it was a smile that promised no deliberate harm.

And he wanted to see more of that smile.

At the end of the lunch break, when he’d said his good-bye to Elliot, Cameron caught Alison observing him with hard, inspecting eyes. He could feel her analyzing him, examining the situation to depths he’d probably never even thought of before. Uneasy, Cameron turned away and made his way to class without another word.

The next day, Cameron waited out on the hill with the melody of his friend’s laughter and playful banter in the background. Cameron laughed with them, teased Maxi for another of his mishaps, but he wasn’t really apart of their harmony. He was only an audience as he kept looking back at the school for a certain someone to come around the corner of the school and lighten his day.

He didn’t show up.

The next day was Wednesday, club meeting day. Instead of going out on the hill, Cameron and Alison went to their club meeting with small brown boxes in their arms. They’d planned for some more advertising that day, what with the football tryouts still going on. They’d borrowed (with permission) the football uniforms from the previous year, along with helmets, shoulder and knee pads, and a brown football. They also had some of their own materials.

They showed up at the meeting, cheering on the members who were already there and pumped for their next activity. They were just getting people dressed and ready, complete with colourful costumes and painted faces when a figure stepped into the doorway. Cameron turned to greet them, paused, as if frozen from the inside out. Before he even knew it, he was already breaking out into an overwhelming grin, despite his pulse as it worked itself into over-drive or the clamminess of his hands. He went over and welcomed Elliot. The dirty-blond boy just smirked and said, “Nice try but I don’t have to do anything until the next meeting.”

Not exactly sure how to respond to that (was Elliot still worried over the club?) Cameron just nodded with his sheepish grin and went back to getting everyone else ready. Regardless, he was glad that Elliot had showed up. It was strange, but he was excited that Elliot was there, and calmed by it, too. Just knowing that he was there in the same room, at his club meeting, satisfied some urgent need for reassurance. It felt good to have Elliot there.

Even if Elliot did yell at him for sneaking up behind him, “like a devious little devil” Elliot had said, and randomly smearing black paint across his cheek. Cameron could hardly contain his laughter as Elliot, normally so regal and refined, nearly lost his head over something as simple as paint.

“I just wanted to see if I could recreate the masterpiece I made last time,” was all Cameron said, flushed red with laughter and secret embarrassment. Thankfully Elliot bought the excuse, not going into any more detail as he fell into silence. Cameron was glad, and maybe a little sad, that Elliot dropped the subject. How could he ever tell him that he just wanted to see if his cheek was as soft as it looked?

The next day, Elliot didn’t show up to hang out with them. But the day after, he did. The conversations were easier that time, filled with more energy. Elliot even smiled again, and it made Cameron weak to see it. When the weekend was over and Monday reared it’s much hated head, Elliot showed up. And the day after that. Not the day after that, though—he didn’t even show up for the Club meeting. However, he did show up on Thursday, as well as Friday. Talking to Elliot as easy as breathing now, albeit it still made him incredibly giddy. There was still a barrier; Cameron could feel it whenever the conversations took a turn towards more personal matters. But things were getting better, and Cameron was always left at the end of the day wanting more.

And so repeated the process of random hangouts. The days when Elliot was there were filled with completion and a sense of irreplaceable value, as if each second were worth more than he could comprehend. When Elliot wasn’t there (Where was he? What was he doing?) that sense of value drifted away on a tide of disappointed, leaving him in a longing haze that he couldn't quite understand. His mind was always on Elliot. Even his dreams were still filled with thoughts and images of the dirty-blond boy. Sultry and seductive. Sweet and amorous. Some left him shaking with trembling desire. Some left him feeling cold and wishing he had something warm to hold onto—something that a teddy bear couldn’t suffice. And others shook him to the core, leaving him to wonder in the middle of the morning just how deep such thoughts and feelings really ran?

Cameron was only glad that the dreams weren’t nightly. He was starting to get tired of sneaking out of bed under the security of shadows to wash dirty sheets.

~+~+~+~+~+~+~

About two weeks had passed in total. Not too much had physically changed, an odd thing to say when high school was often real life stuck in fast-foreword, but they hadn’t. Things seemed different, though. Somehow, in some way, things felt different.

Elliot was stilling hanging out with them. The awkward tension of the first week between Elliot and Cameron’s friends had faded somewhat into the background, acknowledged but ignored for the sake of some form of peace. Ignored just like how Elliot and Maxi ignored each other coldly. Alison hadn’t said anything about Elliot hanging out with them since the first day, but every now and then Cameron would catch her watching them.

And Elena, well, she just shrugged it all off and went back to her books.

Overall, it’d been a fairly peaceful two weeks. Everyone was getting along, at least on the outside, and Elliot kept coming back to hang out with them so that had to mean that he at least liked the group, right? He was distant with everyone, still lost on some level of professionalism, but he was still showing up. He didn’t frown or scowl at anyone, either. If anything he seemed pretty mellow most of the time (when he wasn’t being challenged by Maxi or Alison for some insignificant comment).

Maybe Elliot likes our group now. Cameron thought with a small smile. A couple of weeks ago, he wouldn’t have been able to imagine a miracle like that. Amazing. He turned a page in his notebook, only half listening to the teacher at the front desk. He glanced at the clock for the fiftieth time that class. Only twenty-five after ten…five more minutes till third period, then lunch.

When he realized that the teacher was still talking, Cameron switched his attention back to his notebook. The five minutes sped by, and before Cameron knew it, the bell had rung and the teachers’ lecture was cut short. The room exploded with relief, and the teacher went unheard as the roar of student chatter overwhelmed everything else. Cameron gathered his things and left as quickly as he could. It was a long walk to get to his third period.

He brushed past some of the packs of students that clogged the hallway, muttering “sorry” as he went. Two of the group’s completely blocked off the end of the hallway, so Cameron had to squeeze between two of the students just to get through, but they refused to budge and his ribs squeezed together painfully as he forced the passage. He exhaled once he was through. A person couldn’t even breathe properly in that mess. He shook some of his hair out of his face and continued on his way. The morning sure was going by quickly. He could’ve sworn he’d just sat down to his first class of the day, and already he was heading for third period. Time always seemed to slip by nowadays, now that there were things to look foreword to. He always looked foreword to his club meetings, but they were every Wednesday. He knew when to expect them, but Elliot hung out with his group at random. Cameron couldn’t help but feel exhilarated every day, playing the waiting game until lunch to see if Elliot would be there or not. The euphoria of when he did show up always carried over to the next day. If Elliot didn’t show up, then the anticipation would build up, even stronger for the next days wait.

Now that he thought about it, he hadn’t expected things to develop this far…he’d asked Elliot to hang out with him so that he could figure things out. The dreams, the feelings. Just a passing fancy? But that couldn’t be true, at least not any longer. Not when the dreams and thoughts made him curious and hot down below. Things really were building up, block upon block, and he wondered if Alison was right. Was all of this going to blow up in his face? Were the building blocks going to topple over?

Cameron turned a corner and without warning, walked into someone. He blinked, stumbled backwards, his mouth already open and blindly tossing out earnest apologies. That’s what he got for thinking while walking. The person turned around, smiling gently and waving her hand with dismissal.

“It’s alright. How’ve you been, Cameron?”

Cameron blinked again and then the light switch was flicked on in his head. “Oh! Hi, Jacqueline,” he replied sheepishly. He couldn’t believe he just walked into her like that. “Not bad, not bad. Yourself?”

“Can’t complain.”

“Cool, cool…” Cameron nodded his head. Jacqueline was still smiling at him, as if entertained by his awkwardness and embarrassment. How could he help the awkwardness, though? What could he possibly say to someone who had called him her ‘adversary’?

“So, why’re you just standing here?” Well, that was better than nothing.

“Waiting.”

“For?”

Jacqueline looked over his shoulder and pointed a finger. “For him.”

Cameron raised an eyebrow, glanced over his shoulder, but quickly turned back to Jacqueline, eyes wide. He hadn’t expected to see Elliot standing just a few feet away, conversing with another student in a classroom doorway. Shyly, Cameron peeked over his shoulder again. They seemed pretty immersed in conversation. What could they be talking about? Cameron studied the girl, her blushing cheeks, the way she tucked some chocolate-brown hair behind her ear, looking away from Elliot but always looking back, as if unworthy but tempted. Cameron also noticed the way Elliot seemed unaware of all of those little things.  Cameron’s breath seemed caught in his throat, anxiety picking up into a whirlwind. Why was Elliot talking to her? He bit his lower lip and looked away. He couldn’t keep watching them. It was an ugly thing to do. Sneaky and dishonest to watch them when it had nothing to do with him. An ugly thing to do. Nothing to do with me, he reminded himself again. Elliot can talk to anyone he wants.

“So…why aren’t you over there, talking with them?”

Jacqueline only shook her head. “Why aren’t you?”

“Is it that obvious?” He hoped they weren’t. He wasn’t sure what to do with his feelings, much less what to do if they were painfully obvious.

“Is the sky blue?”

Beyond his control, Cameron’s cheeks flushed, but with what? Embarrassment for being caught? Or for hearing the implications aloud when up till then it had all been in his own head?

“It…I mean…you know—it’s…”

“It’s okay,” Jacqueline interrupted him. “I get what you mean. Elliot has a few," she gestured to the brunette standing in the doorway with Elliot, “shall we say, admirers?”

Cameron didn’t dare look at the girl again. It was bad enough knowing. Why would he want to willingly see it? “I’ve noticed.” He burned with jealousy, but that only made him blush even more. What right did he have to feel like this, anyway? It wasn’t a crime for them to talk—even if it felt as such. Just…why did it have to be her? Didn't Elliot notice those shy glances, the flirting dimples of her tentative smile?

“If you’re not careful, he might see you green with all that envy.”

“I doubt it.” The words hurt as much as the meaning behind them. But then, didn’t the truth always hurt? “I doubt he’d notice anything.”

“Hmm. Well, he’s coming over now,” she replied, looking up and over Cameron’s shoulder. “Hi Elliot. So what’d she want?”

“Hey,” Elliot greeted. “She just wanted to ask about a class she’d miss or something, but I don’t think she heard a word I said.”

Cameron almost laughed at the irony of it (so Elliot had noticed), but at that moment Elliot turned and Cameron’s blood turned to ice. “What’re you doing here?”

“He was asking about my Halloween party,” Jacqueline answered for Cameron. She reached into her messenger bag and pulled out a slip of paper. “Here you are. It includes my cell number in case you get lost. You’re still coming, right?”

“…Y-Yes. I am.” He took the slip of paper; cool and dry between his clammy fingers. “Thanks.”

Elliot arched an eyebrow. “I didn’t know you two knew each other.”

Jacqueline smiled at Cameron. “We met at the football tryouts.”

“Oh.” Elliot looked away, sounding distant. “Lovely.”

“Very. Anyways, we’d better be going if we’re going to get to third period.” Cameron’s stomach leapt into his throat when Jacqueline snaked an arm around Elliot’s arm, standing there looking like the perfect couple. “Elliot, care to escort me to class?”

“…Sure,” Elliot responded with bewilderment. Cameron turned his head and bit his tongue. The puzzlement of Elliot’s reaction was evidence that this wasn’t Jacqueline’s normal behavior. It was a challenge. Just like the girl who had talked to Elliot in the doorway not even a minute ago. Jacqueline caught his eye and to Cameron’s surprise, there was no sneakiness. Her arm around Elliot’s was only a ‘friendly’ reminder that they were in the same boat and that just because he was now aware of it didn’t mean she was about to jump out and swim to shore. He glanced at the entwined arms once more before his jealousy forced his attention to look anywhere but there. Cameron tucked the slip of paper in his hands into his pocket, grinning even when his insides were seething with envy. Jacqueline began to lead Elliot away, but as if some deity felt mercy for Cameron, Elliot turned and said, “See you later, then.”

Some of the jealousy cooled down and while ‘see you later’ could mean anything from an hour from then to a whole week, it made the jealousy more bearable.

“Yeah, see you later.”

~+~+~+~+~+~+~

Just as the days were getting shorter, so were they getting colder. More and more leaves had lost their green hue, wilting into browns, gold’s, and oranges, before falling onto the floor of the earth, leaving the branches of the trees naked against the cloudless blue sky. The grass had lost much of its vigorous colour as well, its romantic deep green from the summer now a tired brown. Nevertheless, it was a fine, crisp day. Perfect for just relaxing.

Except for the fact that the brisk breeze carried with it the same giddy impatience that sat restlessly at the very bottom of Cameron’s stomach.

“Stop doing that,” Maxi groaned, gesturing to Cameron’s leg as it jiggled up and down. “Your leg will break off if you keep that up.”

“No it won’t.” Even if it could, Cameron wouldn’t have been able to have stopped himself anyway. He could hardly contain himself, let alone his nervous energy.  Every other second he looked back towards the school, playing the same old game. Waiting for Elliot to walk around the corner in his usual regal manner. Any second now. He had said he’d see him later, just earlier that day.

He just had to come.

“I said stop doing that,” Maxi grumbled, this time shuffling over and grabbing a hold of Cameron’s shaking leg, forcing it to a halt. “You nervous or something?”

“No.”

“Then quit doing that,” he let go. “It’s irritating.”

Cameron crossed his legs to keep them still but his fingers automatically began to pull at single blades of grass. Pulling and ripping. Maxi sighed but did nothing to stop it.

“Where’re Alison and Elena?” Cameron asked, though he’d rather know where Elliot was.

“I dunno. Something about going for energy drinks,” Maxi shrugged, “they’ll probably be gone for the whole lunch hour.”

“Oh.”

Maxi eyed the slowly growing pile of maimed grass, “…Are you sure you’re not nervous or something?”

“Uh huh.”

“Are you even listening?”

“Mmhmm.”

“So a dog attacked me this morning. Ate both of my arms right down to the bone. Now I have these bad-ass guns for arms. Just say the word and we could go duck hunting.”

“That’s nice.”

Maxi threw back his head, groaning, “Oh for the love of God…!” He grabbed Cameron by the shoulder and shook him violently. “Are you awake in there? Hello?!”

Cameron jolted back into reality. “I’m sorry, what?”

Maxi shook his head and blew some of his shaggy hair out of his eyes with an irritated huff. “You’re distracted.”

“I—”

“Don’t deny it. You’re zoning out, ignoring what could’ve been the best conversation we’ve ever had—if you’d listened. But, whatever. Doesn’t matter. So, what’s so important that you can’t even contribute to our conversation?”

“…It’s more of whom than what.” Cameron looked away while Maxi processed the information. He looked towards the school, counting down from ten in his head. Elliot still hadn’t appeared by the time he reached zero. Where was he?

“‘Whom’?” Maxi rolled his eyes, as if not surprised. “Well excuse me for interrupting your reality. I had no idea.”

“No need to be sarcastic.”

“Kind of hard when it feels like I’m talking to myself whenever he’s not here.”

“Well I—wait, what did you say?”

“Did I hit the nail on the head?” Maxi grinned, eyes gleaming with dangerous intelligence. “Alison filled me in a few days ago. I didn’t think it was really true, but I guess it is.” Maxi paused, allowing a moment for Cameron to stop gawking at him. “Hey man, its okay. Secret's safe with me. I honestly don’t see what you see in him, but to each his own.”

“You’re not bothered by this?” Cameron blurted out, still flabbergasted.

“No. Why would I be?” Maxi shrugged his shoulders indifferently. “What do I care if you’re gay?”

“Whoa. Wait a second. I’m not gay.” Cameron felt his cheeks go aflame at the very sound of the word and all of its implications. He’d never even considered the word, even after all that had happened. It just hadn’t registered

“Oh, you’re still in the trial-and-error stages, then?”

“The what?” There were stages now?

“You know, experimenting.”

Cameron shook his head furiously. He hadn’t even thought of that, either. It just didn’t seem like likely. ‘Experimenting’ sounded more like what someone did out of boredom than of anything meaningful. It sounded unsure, composed with flighty whims and doubts. What if’s. Cameron knew that his feelings weren’t “what ifs”. They were real. He liked being around Elliot and knew that he wanted to learn more about him. He just knew that there was much more underneath Elliot’s surface, hidden away, buried treasure. Not only that, but he wanted to experience other unknown things with him as well. He wanted to know, even if his feelings bordered onto less than platonic terms. What did any of this have to do with guessing games and feelings one way through the dark?

Maxi chuckled, scratched his chin thoughtfully. “Aw, you’re blushing. Did I give you naughty thoughts?”

“No.” Truthfully, he didn’t even know why he was blushing. “I just…I never thought of things in those terms before.”

“Poor Cameron. Too innocent for his own good,” Maxi sighed dolefully, gazing up at the sky dramatically. “You’re a rare breed, Cameron. I wish there were more people like you in this world—not adept to following the worlds design.”

Cameron frowned, the blush disappearing. “You make it sound like I’m from another world or something.” It was true that he was still relatively new to the town, but he’d moved to this town over four months ago. Was he really considered that different from the rest of the town, who seemed to know each and every resident intimately?

“Nah, I didn’t mean it that way. It’s a good thing, Cameron.” Then Maxi was grinning again. “Hey, look at that, we kept a conversation going even with lover boy contaminating your brain. How about that? Looks like I could steal your mind away from Elliot, even just for a few seconds.” He said this as if it were some great triumph worthy of praise and a gold-medal. “Ah, speaking of Elliot…” Maxi leaned in, voice lowered down to a secretive hush. “Here comes your dream-boat now.”

“Maxi…!” Cameron hissed, appalled at how mischievous Maxi had become. But despite that, he glanced over out of the corner of his eyes and his insides went topsy-turvy. Something inside was sated for another day. He watched Elliot stride across the hill, gazing at the sky, hands in his pockets. So at ease; a huge improvement compared to a couple of weeks ago. He admired the way his hair caught the sunlight, gleaming beautifully. The majestic way Elliot could walk up a hill at a bit of an angle without getting at least a little flustered.

Maxi whistled. “Oh, what a nice walk he has. That’s what gay guys check out about other guys, right? Their walk?”

Cameron forced himself to look away, suddenly feeling dirty. He’d never felt dirty about checking someone out before. Never ashamed or alienated. Maxi went on, commenting obscenely about other things that gay men supposedly checked out about other guys. Cameron wasn’t sure if Maxi was just joking with him or mocking him. Why did Maxi have to make it sound wrong to admire Elliot’s handsome looks?

“Are you going to ask him out?”

“Shut up, Maxi. Why do you have to be a jerk now?”

“Because he’s entered my territory,” Maxi chuckled, and it was heavy and bitter. “I should at least be allowed to have a little fun with him while I tolerate him.”

Before Cameron could protest, Elliot was already within hearing range, so he bit his tongue and all insults that could’ve been blurted out.

“Hi Elly. How’s life?” Maxi was still grinning, as if enjoying some private joke.

Elliot rolled his eyes, not bothering with a response. He sat down in front of them and it occurred to Cameron that though they were sitting in a sort of circle, they seemed to be situated so that two people could easily gain up on one. The circle was too small, too personal. Where were Alison and Elena at times like this?

“Hello, earth to Cameron!” Maxi was waving a hand in front of Cameron’s face. “C’mon man, don’t do this again. Contribute.”

Cameron apologized, smiling sheepishly. He must’ve zoned out again into his private thoughts.  “Sorry. What were you guys talking about?”

“Maxi was talking about new slasher movie downtown,” Elliot supplied.

Cameron perked up. Aside from his ardent love of music, he also held dear to his heart a love of cinema. “You mean the one with the killer who lives at the playground?”

“Yeah,” Maxi laughed, biting his thumb, “Looks like crap to me.”

“This from the guy who lived off horror movies way back when,” Elliot scoffed, rolling his eyes.

“This from the guy who used to close his eyes and beg me to tell him when the good parts were over,” Maxi sneered; nothing pleasant or teasing about his tone at all. Cameron raised his eyebrows, too fascinated to care that he was out of the loop.

Elliot snorted and crossed his arms indignantly. “That was then—”

“And this is now. Correct?” Maxi finished. Elliot just frowned.

Cameron’s eyes darted between the two and he became aware of the division between the two, as if the earth would split right between the two, a huge gorge separating them both to keep the peace. When Alison and Elena were around, things like this never happened. Things stayed impersonal, and Elliot and Maxi would ignore each other as if their existence just simply didn’t matter. With the group so small today, it was as if the built up tension was forcing itself out now, head bowed, ready to charge blindly, like the pressure build up of a pinball machine.

Cameron gulped. “So, about that movie. What was it called again?” He already knew the title, naturally, but he needed something to distract the two.

“Playtime, I think.” Maxi mused, softening; even his tone lost some of its edge.

“Cool. So, were any of you guys planning on seeing it?” Yes, keep their attention on the topic. He could already see the tension draining way. Cameron smiled triumphantly, encouraged. “I’ve been trying to convince people to go see it with me, but everyone just keeps making faces at me, just because it looks like your typical gory-movie. It looks worth a good laugh to me, but I don’t really want to go alone. Seeing a movie alone is boring.”

“Can’t help you,” Maxi blew out some air and tossed some of his hair out of his eyes. “As I’ve already said, it looks like crap to me.”

“Spoiled sport,” Cameron teased, jokingly slapping Maxi’s arm. “Not even for a laugh?”

“Mmm. No. But,” Maxi jerked his head in Elliot’s direction, “I’m sure Elly would love to see it with you, Cam-Cam.”

Cameron froze, nearly gapping at Maxi but somehow able to hold himself together. Maxi you sneak! How could he do this to him?

Off to his side, Elliot shrugged. “Sure.”

The response sent Cameron’s head reeling. What was going on? “What?”

“I said sure,” Elliot repeated, as if it were no big deal. “I want to see it too, but no one I know wants to see it either. Better with you than alone.”

“I…I…” Where had his tongue gone? Had the cat stolen it? Couldn’t his lips even form a coherent word, in the English language if possible? He stared stupidly at Elliot, torn between wanting to agree and ask, “But why?” Cameron turned to Maxi, his last lifeline. An evening in a dark room with Elliot? Just the two of them? He wasn’t sure that he could do this. “Are you sure you don’t want to come?”

“Nah, I’m good. I already have plans. Don’t worry about me,” Maxi replied and to Cameron’s dismay, he even dared to wink at him. “I’m sure you two will have loads of fun.” He leaned over and nudged Elliot’s side with his elbow, ignoring the way Elliot frowned at him as he did so. “Right Elly? Loads of fun.” But as expected, Elliot didn’t acknowledge the comment. Instead he reached into his book bag and retrieved a slip of paper and a pen. He quickly wrote something down then handed it to Cameron. He accepted it and stared at it, stupefied. A phone number?

“It’s my number, in case we need to change details or something. Write down your number on the bit below.”

“O—Okay.” Cameron ripped off some of the blank paper and scribbled his home number on it, grimaced at how much messier it looked in comparison to Elliot’s writing, then handed the pen and his number to Elliot. He took them and seemed satisfied. Cameron caught Maxi’s eyes again and the tanned boy discreetly winked, as if he had just helped Cameron, not betrayed him. All of that remained to be seen, however.

The rest of lunch went on as usual, and for the rest of the day, Cameron couldn’t help but wonder just what exactly he’d gotten himself into.

~+~+~+~+~+~+~

To Be Continued