Chapter 5 Lovely Night?

 Monday 30th April

In English class, with Mrs. Hoppings lecturing us about Romeo and Juliet in the 'acts' and 'scenes' for our exams, I stared boringly into the high blue sky. The birds flew freely to where ever they wanted, and here I was, stuck in school.
             Not that I hated English and Mrs. Hoppings, no, I loved English. I love to write, write anything as long as it's not essays all the time, unless they are based on a story. Lyrics, poetry and stories, I could write 'em all.
             But ever since Lucy told me face up about her liking for Cameron almost a week ago made me shiver every time I thought about it. We had been cool through the week and weekend, even went out to the town to shop and boy spy on Saturday with Lucy.
             Yet, I hadn't been concentrating in class lately, and my stomach always felt like it was churning. Like milk to cheese, bending and mending into fine cheese. With that, my mind always wondered to Cameron's darling eyes. How soft they are, and I imagined how hard they'd be if I told him I, a girl whose past made her troubled, liked him.
             Pfft! My mind yelled at me. You don't know yourself if you like him, you fool!
"Dawn?" Mrs. Hoppings voice rang in my consciousness state, awakening me from my mental argument. "Well?" Her blue eyes looked pleadingly at me.
             Mrs. Hoppings was a gentle soul, her back always breaking for kids in her class who didn't really want to study, even when they say they want to get good grades. Idiots, all of them. She helped and spoon fed literally everyone and yet they remain in silence and can't even help themselves.
              But now I was acting like that, and I didn't like myself for it.
"Pardon?" Mrs. Hoppings is possibly the nicest teachers I know, and I only give her my respect because she gives me it back, unlike some teachers in this school.
              She was a tall woman, hair like fire down her back, light skin with dotted freckles that covered most of her face. She had very kind blue eyes, someone you can trust instantly. I admired her for that.
              She sighed and I felt bad for it, then she repeated herself.
I looked around to see people snicker at me, some even look back to see me. I was at the back of the class with Lucy who, unfortunately, hadn't graced us with her presence today.
              "What would you call this?" She pointed to a table and at one of the students paper we all had a copy of. I looked down to see my white piece of paper with a short story on it.
              It really wasn't intersting, just a bunch of easy similes and metaphors, contrasts and comparisons.
              "'As she glanced out the window, the sky turned gray and snow fell like ashes...'" She recited a line and I almost yawned. No one seemed to bother anymore, poor Mrs. Hoppings, it was hard for her because no matter what, she still had to teach a bunch of unbothering students.
              "It's a simile, Ms," I pointed at the line I finally found. "She's referring to the snow as being ash, therefore it's a simile." I smiled sadly at her and she returned it with a praising one.


After school, I walked home alone, the sky turning yellow from the bright sun that hung above me. The air was still and the tip of the roads melted like smoke. Car's sped past me by the road as I swayed from side to side from the heat. It burnt my dark hair and my two new streaks of hair colour.
            I reached in my bag and pulled out the folded piece of paper I got of Cameron last week.
That sprung a memory.
            Cameron's strong but limp arms around me for a brief hug, his smile when we departed, my beating heart as he left the little piece of evidence in my bag. His touch still lighted my skin today as if it were in close contact with a burning flame.
            I remember that night I got in from the taxi ride with Lucy. We had also shared our goodbyes in the chilly night and I ran inside. Having tea and finally out of the shower, I'd seen my bag silently sitting on my bed, ushering me to open it.
             As I did, I'd seen Cameron's mobile number scribbled on it. It had made my face flush with excitement and promise, not to mention the sudden buzz of energy when I seen his name handwritten on the top.
             Now, in the boiling heat, I still can't remember putting it in my phone.
I quickly checked and nope, I hadn't put it in. Well, it was a sunny day and I had nothing to do, it wouldn't hurt if I spent an afternoon out with him, would it?
             It wouldn't hurt, but it would piss someone right off. And I didn't need that, no, I didn't want that.
             But as I punched in his number, I texted him.

Hi

That was it, nothing more, nothing less. I even felt a side of me deflate after walking five more minutes without a reply and holding the phone sadly in my palm.
Then it gently vibrated and, despite my actions, smiled as if I had just seen a puppy. I looked around and cleared my throat then looked at his reply, with new energy running through me.

 
Hi, oh jeez I thought you weren't going to message me, how are you? xx

Kiss, kiss? Okay, if his reply didn't make me insanely happy, it was the kisses on the end. I mean, I didn't send him any, why would he suddenly send me two?! It's not like we're married, or anything...
            Okay, I gotta stop exaggerating so much, it will kill me one day.
With his reply in tow, my body glowed from him texting me. My cheeks hurt from actually smiling so much, but how could I not? This guy had given me a bug, a weird virus, and I felt like I was falling for him. And we were texting!
             I crossed the road and then into my house, said my usual 'I'm home!' and kick the door shut and dump my heavy and useless coat on the rack, then loitered upstairs into my cool room.
             I sighed thankfully to the cold bed covers that cooled my skin and face, I rubbed my face in my pillow soothingly and remembered I had mascara on.
             "S**t." I jumped and seen my face in the mirror. Oh my, I looked a right state.
My forehead, nose and upper lip looked oily from the heat that gently made me sweat (disgusting) and bags inder my eyes seemed more noticeable, (horrid) and my streaks looked a little greasy from fingering it out of my line of concentration (again, disgusting).
             I forgot my hard phone was still in my hand and I smiled idly down at my lap. People would think I'm deluded if they saw me giggling and staring down at myself like this.
    

Oh I'm fine, and sorry :) I enjoyed Tuesday, was fun xx

I looked back at myself in the mirror and grimaced, I certainly needed a shower. But first, my heart wanted its full content of texting Cameron. It gave me an invisible high, a sudden purpose to stay still for minutes and just stare at my phone.
             I'm going crazy. I am not sitting around like a doll waiting on a boy.
And with that, I threw my phone uncaringly on my bed, gathered some pyjamas and underwear and hopped into the shower.
             In this weather, a cold shower would do me nicely, but then I can hardly breathe from the shock of the coldness. So it was just warm.
             As the warm water pounded my aching back like a drum, I stood, hunched over, and just thought to myself.
             What if Cameron did like Lucy? Where would I be then? Still follow him around like a lost puppy?
              Still? I don't do it now.
But what if Lucy goes off of him? Where would I stand there? Even if Cameron does like me, I woulnd't know where to go. I'm not a girlfriend type, yet again, I haven't had a real boyfriend, a boy to tell me that I'm girlfriend material. So I wouldn't know that.
            Hey, maybe I am a good girlfriend. Or what if I'm a stalking girlfriend? Always texting him where he is, what he's doing, who he's with. Boys don't really dig that, do they?
            I was so focused on these wondering questions that floated in my mind like boats that I didn't hear Callum's banging on the door.
            It shook and I automatically shielded my body, even though I was in a steamy shower cubical in the back of the bathroom and the bathroom door was securely locked. However, with a single blow, I know Callum can boot the hinges off, if needed.
             "Dawny, are you alright?" He banged on, his voice full of panic and disorder I almost smiled apologetically for him.
             "I'm fine," I bellowed back, the sound of water slicing through our voices. "Why do you ask?" I shouted back. He heard just fine, with his big lugs, I wouldn't be suprised.
             "I shouted of you from the bottom of the stairs and you didn't answer," I normally hear from that distance, had I really not heard his Ogre voice til now? "So I thought something happened." He sounded confused and sad, damn, it actually pained me hearing him like that.
             "I'm cool." I said back. "Now go away and creep some girls out." I smirked at the steamy door.
             "Be quiet, child." I felt his smile in his words.

When I finished in the shower and steam still ridled off of me like an aura, I dried myself and changed into comfy pyjama bottoms with black bows on and a fluffy brown top, I settled in my room and drawn the curtains open to see the sky still daylight.
             I sighed peacefully as I relaxed and let my stringy hair fall where ever it pleased.
Then I felt the rock in my back as I lay on my bed. I twitched and moaned and picked my phone from under me. 
             My eyes lit up to see I had two new messages. I was stoked, my smile still not going away and I did a little hand dance in victory. My heart just skipping a little faster than usual.
First text, 5:35 pm.

 Yeah, was fun. Funnier when you sank to the floor when I tickled you xD xx

Second text, 5:50pm.

Aww, I sowie. :( To make it up to you, wanna go out tonight? Just for a walk, you don't have to if you don't want to :P xxx

He had text back because I ignored his first text. Oh bless, he must've thought I didn't want to talk to him that he offered to go out later.
            What? My mind whirred and I had to re-read the message.
He wants to go out later? Oh My God!? My mind and heart chorused together. Not just that, but he sent just one more kiss. I could feel the awkwardness drain off of his last text that it almost made me squeel like a little girl.
             Wow, I really am going insane.
But I looked down at myself and huffed. Hair still dripping with water, in my bow pyjama bottoms and brown fluffy top with bare feet, I couldn't...Could I?
             With a lump in my throat and thumbs tweaking over the touch-screen keypad. I didn't know what to write back, my mind was empty. I could go out, but it'd have to be later so I could get ready.
             Then again, I could just do a raincheck for another day.
When I thought long and hard (1 minute and not that hard) about it, I made my mind up. Well, my inner instinct told me what to do, or I think it was what I wanted, really.

 
Oh sorry, was elsewhere, and yeah I'd like to go out. But later, I need to get ready. Say, seven? xxx

I felt just as awkward sending one mor kiss back, but my heart ran nervously fast when I pressed the Send button. With my better judgement coming finally, I wish I didn't send that damn text. Or do I?
            Damn it, I was fussing over going out later, as friends, with a dude I hardly know. How can I worry or fret about it?!

Great, how about the Lank Park? xxxx

The Lank Green was a muddy and, most times, water logged football field. But boardering 50% of it were trees, and behind them trees was a little childrens park. That was the Lank Park where mothers and their children went, or just little teens to get plastered. Really, just around the football field was a little play park that was on a green by itself, across the road from that, a main road and rows of houses.
           I was too busy imagining Cameron pushing me on a swing while I giggled girly/sweetly in semi darkness with a little moon in the sky that I didn't see the extra kiss on the end of his text.
           Man, with every text there'll be one more kiss. Or three more, or a paragraph war. This is going to drive me over the edge.

Good, see you at seven :) xxxx

I chucked my phone on the bed and jumped from my relaxation time, then eyed my wardrobe with suspicion, thinking if it had any good clothes to spare. I hopped in front of it and opened the light oak doors.
            My once bright eyes loomed with disappointment to loads of boring clothes I hardly wear left inside.
             "I need to chuck yous out." I was closing the door and I imagined my clothes begging me to keep them.
             I whisked downstairs while my mother was still at work and Callum lazed on the couch with paper work on the coffee table, the air hummed with tea which made me gag. I bubbled to the kitchen and looked into the warm dryer, the smell of fresh linen powdering my nose and my eyes scanned over clothing after clothing.
             I picked out my black skully shirt with a pink bow on a huge skull, and my new black skinny jeans with false zippers all up both legs. I glowed at the fact I'd look quite alright in these, plus, they were one of many favourites.
             "Where are you going?" Callum asked without looking up from drinking his horrid tea and peering over bills.
             I stopped dead in my track before sheepishly turning back around to face him. I don't know if I should tell him about Cameron. Hell, what should I care? I have a few friends that are boys, and Callum would be alright if I went out with a boy who's insanely gorgeous and tall and funny... Damn, he would care.
             "Just out with a friend." I turned back to the door.
"A friend who's a girl," He kept looking down, then I felt the bore of his stare burning my back. "Or a friend who's a boy?"
             "Just a friend." I repeated and, with guilt bubbling inside me, jogged upstairs and ignored Callum's call.
             I quickly got changed and looked in my body length mirror and examined myself. I looked tired and excited. I looked alright in my clothes, but felt conscious with my upper arms bare and open. With scars stretching up and down and diagnol, it left me vulnerable.
             With that in my mind constantly, I picked a jacket from the door of my wardrobe. My black one with The Night Before Christmas logo on the back. Then, I felt a little happier inside. But on the more logical side of my brain, it asked questions that made me weigh my chances of going out tonight.
             You're covered in scars, what would Cameron think of you if he seen you like that? You aren't attractive in scars, he'll think you're ugly. He won't want someone who's deeply troubled, Dawn, you're messed up...
             This always came to mind, no, sprung to mind. Like a nuclear bomb. Just fragmenting my little happy moments, it just killed me a bit more on the inside.
             I rubbed my eyes and thought clearer, my brief happy bursts of life came back, but a little bruised.
             I put on light mascara and lip balm and pocketed it. Then grabbed my bag which I placed a £5, gloves and a hat that drooped at the back of my head.
             Spritzing perfume and body spray all over my body, sliding my phone in my pocket and grabbing my keys, I quietly slided down the stairs and was about to open the front door when I heard his voice.
             "Do you think I'm stupid?" Callum asked sarcastically at the door leading into the living room. He stood leaning on the door frame and arms folded, eyes locked on my face, knowing he'd read me like a book. So I glanced at the door and my hands, feeling the jittery side of me come alive, the more nervous side.
             "Just a bit." I stuck my tongue out. Callum sighed.
"I know it's a boy, Dawny, you make it just a bit obvious." Callum stood straight and stared at me as I looked sadly up at him. His eyes grew large and his eyes appeared defeated. "Okay, just be back a reasonable time." His back turned and he got his phone from his pocket. "Be sure to text when you're coming home."
             "Why?" I asked, feeling nervously intimidated by my own brother.
He looked back at me and smiled. "If  he's a real gentleman, you'd better text me when you're arriving home." He smirked back and I knew he was up to something.
          

I arrived at Lank Park five minutes early and sat on a lonely swing. It was a darker blue in the sky, the sun finally setting on the horizon of rooftops. Bursts of tangy orange, plush purple and candy floss pink spread across the sky like rays of light.
            The park empty and road busy in front of me. The climbing frame looked haunted when the light casted it into shadows. The round'o'bout gently going one way and creating a very creepy creeking noise that I had to hold my phone in a painful grip to not freak myself out. The swings by my side eerily jangled like keys in a scary rhythm I held my breath.
            My bones felt like they were chattering, my skin shook as well as my hands. My eyes and ears on high alert, the littlest thing that moved in the corner of my eye made me freak out.
            "Hi." A creepy voice blurted from behind me and I squeeked and jumped from the swing. Looking up, I see a giggling Cameron leaning on the swing structure trying to compose himself from his moment of weakness.
             My heart ran exceptionally fast from the near heart attack, but it soon became more clear that it was now him making my heart race. My stomach fluttering and the dopiest smile spreading across my face made me feel foolish. But it was because of him, so it was alright.
             I instantly felt lighter and happier, my once scared thoughts vanished with the thought of Cameron shielding me from any danger.
             "You jerk!" I pushed him and I seen him stumble backwards, wiping away a tear that wasn't there. "That wasn't funny, it's horrible in a park when it's empty." I sat back down on the swing and he walked calmly around to face me, with a bright smile still on his face made me smile more, my cheeks already beginning to kill.
             He looked really good today, his black faded skinny jeans bunched at the bottom with grey Supras, a baggy black hoody with a mystical skeleton doing DJ. I seen his earphones dangle from the neck of his hoodie. I couldn't help but peer into those deep brown eyes, they were so addictive. His hair covering his eyes, looking black in the nearing night, and the light catching the hat he wore snuggly at the back of his head.
             "Sorry," He sat down in front of me. "I couldn't help myself." He looked me over and smiled sweetly. Then, I felt conscious again, my awareness bubbling to the surface that I think I flushed a little and had to look at the sky.
            He even hung his head I think out of embarrassment.
"So," He asked, hands in his hoodie pockets and the sweet smell of his body spray lingering over into my nose. "Whatcha' wanna do?" He smiled at me that I couldn't help but just look into his eyes. It was the thing I was drawn to most about him.
            "I dunno," I looked around nervously, but seemed like I knew what I was doing. "Play in the park?" I giggled and he did with me, which made me feel better.
            "Okay, wanna push?" He asked, but when I was about to decline his offer, he was already behind me and I felt scared. I didn't like being pushed on the swing since the last time I broke my arm from falling off. I just liked to sit down on the seat 'cause it swayed.  
            "Please, don't!" I squeeked as he hauled me back. But with my sudden plea of resistance, he stopped me in mid air. I wondered if I was heavy as he kept me still there.
            Like this, I felt weightless, like a bird. Just hovering over the ground, I felt natural for once.
            Slowly, he leveled me down until my feet touched the ground again, the sweet solid ground. "Why don't you like being pushed?" He asked, feeling his weight drag on the chains.
            "My cousin swung me when I was a little younger," I wanted to lean back, but scared incase I came into contact into his back. No matter how cute that would've been, I was still a friend who was head over heels for him. "And I didn't like it, and then I fell off and broke my left arm." I made an awkward face to myself and heard him sigh, defeated, behind me.
            "I was bitten on the arse by a dog," Cameron said nonchalantly. But how he said it so calmly made me sputter into laughter, making me gag on my own giggles, I covered my hand over my mouth yet it didn't stifle my annoying laugh. He chuckled a little behind me. "Hear me out. But that doesn't mean I hate dogs. I over came that fear and still like dogs." He sounded so plain and happy that I killed my giggling and felt more safe on the swing, even when my left arm still burned where the break occured.
             "Think I can over come my fear?" I asked and held a firm grip on the chain, accidently grabbing his fingres. He breathed in painfully deep. "Sorry!" Where I had touched him made my skin tingle.
             Damn it, I'm going crazy!
             "It's fine," he untangled himself from my hand and looked down on me and, even in the growing dark, he smiled at me. It made my body tingle. "But yeah, everyone can fight their fear." He smiled even more and his teeth gleamed through his thin lips, that made me flutter inside.
             He gently pushed me, but this time, my feet lifted. I accepted that I was being swung and the feel of panic and surprise rose through me.
             "See?" He chuckled.
"Yeah." I held my breath for a while until I got used to the air swooshing in my face, softly caressing my skin. It still worried me, but I felt even more safe when it was Cameron helping me. He was like my training wheels.
             "You're a natural." He stopped pushing and I leaped off, my heart beating steadily. I looked back at him and my smile ticked a little.
             We started to walk alongside the park until we were at the climbing frame. I climbed up on the cold metal surface of the little ledge to slide down the slide. The night air began to beat down on me and Cameron, who just sat on top of the slide. He was looking down on me.
             I was so cool and collected rather than hyper and nervous. Yet, I think it's because Lucy isn't here shoving herself on his lap, pissing me off and making me a little jealous. But here, alone, and shining stars accompanying us made it all the more heartfelt. I didn't want to leave.
             "So what's the deal with Lucy?" After a while of talking about our favourtite films and music (which is mostly all the same), the sudden change of topic, and to Lucy, was quite painful to take in. I didn't want to talk about Lucy, the thought of her here made me angry. I could just imagine her, flinging herself at him, flirting until her eyes bugged out.
             "What do you mean?" I said, flat out deflated. The strange thing bubbled inside me. Rejection.
             What if Cameron doesn't like me? What if he likes Lucy? Any worse, loves her? Can he break my heart already even when he ain't mine?
             "When she came out with me, Michael and some of my other friends, she was all over me." He seemed awkward, sheepish, even. Does that mean he liked it? God, this is tearing me apart! "Where ever I went, she followed like a puppy. I mean, does she like me or something?" He arched his eyebrows and lost his smile when he looked into my eyes.
             I looked at the sky, ready to cry on the inside. It hurt a lot that he wanted to know if she liked him or not. I mean, I know I'm no beauty Queen, I'm the ugly bestfriend of Lucy that makes her appear more prettier by comparison. It crippled me.
             "What do you think?" I asked blandly, making sure I didn't give away any emotion, so just gulped. And, shockingly, a single tear travelled down my cheek.
             Thankfully I was staring upwards towards the dazzling stars that he couldn't see, so I just let it melt into my hairline. Disgusting, I know. But if I had to wipe it away, he'd fisgure it out.
             "I think she does, like." He sounded smart about it, and I felt worthless to him for a minute. My chest hurting as if it had been punched multipul times, my smile suddenly losing its shine itself.
              "Oh," I said flatly, examining the filmy hem from my bag, fluttering in the wind like birds wings. "Do you like her?" I asked, not really bothered. But inside, I felt like the stone wall around my heart had broken down and it just oozed emotion, which was not like me at all. But I prepared myself and sucked in all my pride.
              I felt his stare upon me and I felt like giving in right then, but the glittering stars kept me from bawling. His body language was quite hard to read as he slouched on the slide and just looked down on me, in the dark, I couldn't see his eyes.
              "No," He spoke at least. And thankfully, a hard metal clamp that was once rung around my lungs broke free, letting me breathe freely but quietly. "I think I like this other girl." He ducked his head down with a cheeky smile on his face.
              The hard, metal clamp on my lungs before? Well, now I felt as if a full two ton lorry had just ran over my heart, a huge marching band playing over it, then the drummer at the end turned around and just spat on it. Now I was crushed.
              "Oh," I said, but I actually choked on it and felt absoloutely pathetic.
"Yeah, Lucy is pretty and all," He raised his head, looking at me and I quickly looked up at the burning sky. "But she ain't for me. I mean, she's all over the top, touching my hair and nicking my hat and asking for a hug all the time. It's a bit obvious." He snickered.
             Well I'm glad he doesn't like Lucy (I sound like a horrible bestfriend) but the fact he told me he likes this girl makes me want to cry. My eyes actually burnt and I tried with all my will power not to cry.
             "So you say," I say fondly. Even though I love Lucy, it does sound like her to do all those things with the boy she likes, sounds very much like her. "Yeah, she is a tiger."
             I looked at my phone and seen what time it was.
"Holy s**t!" I gasped, noticing it was already late. It was nearly half nine at night, my mother would be back by now. I didn't want her to worry about me, and I seen I had one message of Callum.
    

Hi, Dawny, shouldn't you be making your way home now? x

That was only ten minutes ago, my heart raced. I hated being late from being out, that meant I could or possibly be grounded.
              "What is it?" Cameron asked, slinking down next to me. Feeling the sudden warmth of his body next to mine made me shiver and enjoy it. I liked him this close.
              "I need to be in now." I said and stood up, even when I was enjoying the moment we briefly shared. "I'll get killed." I looked down the dark slide. It looked scary and an abyss. But I was so tempted, but what if I got caught? What if I banged my head on the side? It's happened before.
             With a great impulse and the cool night air causing me to chatter my teeth, I went for it. With both arms out, I went down the chute of a cylinder slide.
             "Hey!" Cameron shouted after me. I was cold all over when I reached the bottom, my arse freezing and feeling of the cold getting worse.
             I looked up at him who still stood still at the top of the slide.
"You forgot your bag!" He said, holding it high. I automatically felt around my waist, trying to find my bag. I had indeed, left it up there. I felt conscious that he had it, but at least my phone was in my pocket.
             He also came down the slide in a hurry and I legged it out the park.
Out of breath from being unfit and panting like a dog, I ran to my house. It wasn't far from Lank Park, but it wasn't close, either.
             The best bit was, knowing Cameron was behind me all the way. He hadn't steered off in another direction or told me to 'see him later' and go home. No, he was going to take me home...Well, I'm showing him, anyway.
             At the end of my street and end of my tether with running, I crippled to the floor, exhausted and sweaty like a pile of old gym sweats. I must have looked and smelt horrible, but I couldn't have been more relaxed than sitting on the cold floor.
             Cameron stood, panting also, hands on hips and bent over trying to get all the oxygen he could get. But he's better than me, here I am collapsed on the floor while he could still stand on his own two feet.
              "Wow," He stuttered. "That was exhilarating." He gave me a wonky and jittery smile. He handed me my bag which I forgot he had been running with all this time. For any reason, someone might've seen and thought I was running away from a mugger who stole my own bag.
              "Yeah," I panted along with him, seeing him gleam with sweat on his forehead made me smile and think aw, how cute! But as I looked down my street, I seen only my house lit up, well a few too, but mine were also on. Which mean they were still in.
              "Here you go." He handed me my bag with limp arms and held out his hand. The thought of grabbing his sweaty hand in mine was ravishing, rather than boarderline disgusting. 
              "Thanks." I grabbed his hand anyway, and my small hot hand in his sweaty one felt gross...Yet comforting. "I'm sorry you did this, I didn't think you would do that." I smiled pitifully at him while he just smiled down on me.
              In the sickly streetlamps, I could finally see his dark brown eyes. They sparkled, just like the stars.
              "C'mon," He began to look around my street and walk down as if he owned the place. "I'll walk you home." He turned back and smiled, refreshed and happy.
              My stomach rolled on its side and kept on rolling, my smile almost dropped off of my face from being there so much. I loved tonight, even though all we did was talk about our favourite stuff, and he likes another girl, I'm glad it was just us two.
              I walked along to my door, and being outside it at night was eerie. Normally, I'm out here with Lucy at this time, saying goodbye after a good days work of stalking cute boys down the town.
              Thankfully, her house was a little more down from mine, towards the school.
"This your house?" Cameron asked as I reached the gate to the garden.
              I heard a shuffle and a cat jumped from under a car a few houses away. I jolted from the shock and smiled stupidly at him.
              "Wow, you're really on edge from all that running." He laughed. It made my legs go like jelly. The luxurious sound of his laughter was radiating and contagious, that I had to smile at him.
              "Well, tonight was fun." I was about to open the gate until Cameron held out his arms with a pout on his lips.
              "Don't I get a hug?" He asked like a little boy asking for milk. I gave him a toothy grin and walked into those big strong arms.
              It was like a dream come true.
In his arms, I felt like I didn't want to be anywhere but here, just in his embrace. It was soothing and lovely. Something I would gladly do over and over again. My head on his collarbone (possibly) and my arms around his waist felt like a perfect fit, like a jigsaw piece to a uncomplete picture. And hugging under the stars was precious, especially since I could still hear his heart race. It must've been from the run earlier.
              "Dawn," I heard a voice full of impatience and annoyance travel through my ears. And with that, I sprang free from Cameron's warming yet short hold as if we had been caught red handed with our hands in the cookie jar. "Time to come in." Callum was walking up the garden path towards me and Cameron, eyeing me suspiciously.