Her Dark Shadow

•Chapter Eighteen: Ezrynn•

The more rational part of me scolds.

"Why are you hugging him?!" It wonders.
"Why did you miss him?" Seems to be another question.
"Are you crazy?!" Hard to say.

The bolder part of me argues with the rational.

"It feels so good to hug."
And, "Stomach, you need to stop. Calm down, everything's perfect."
And, "God, I love Camden."

And it's true, perfectly true, whether that be because I'm irresponsible and young and crave what we know as romance. Possibly.
But I think it's different. I love Mom and Dad, just as I do Corbin, but with each is a different kind of love.
Who's to say Camden is different? Because he's not family? Because I've only really met him once?
I don't think that matters.
You see, I love everyone, that is until they give me a reason not to.
My first family did. Multiple reasons, actually.
So there. Camden has given me no reason not to love him, therefore I'm entitled to miss him and be excited to see him.

But is this the only reason I love him? Again, I don't think so.

If you were to ask any "popular" person if I too am popular, they would tell you yes. Why, I do not know.
According to the "popular" people, girls talk about nothing but boys, do nothing but glue themselves to their smartphones.
According to "popular" people, boys talk about nothing but sports and video games, and do nothing but sports and video games.
According to "popular" people, boys and girls do not talk to each other, with the exception of "flirting," or "asking each other out."

When I talked to Camden, when we had our amazing yet small conversation, that's what it was. It was a conversation, not peer pressure by a friend to ask each other out.
He did not act awkward, or try to show off any.
He did not call me "sugar," as if I am property he owns.
He did not talk all about himself, he asked me questions, as I did him.
He did not yawn and "stretch" so his arm was around my shoulders.
He did not smile "flirtatiously," but he smiled a smile, goofy and gorgeous.
He did not press me with uncomfortable questions, like most do. Examples being, "Why were you adopted?" Or, "Did you have any siblings?"
Some could argue that I didn't tell him I was adopted. But that doesn't mean he doesn't know. Everyone knows.
Somehow.

Now, is that all the reasons I love him? Maybe not all, but for now, all that I can think of. The reasons can be summed up: I can, so I will.

And he might call it a different word, but by the way he's hugging me back, the sureness and shortage of breath, I think he loves me too.
It feels like Heaven, a beautiful eternity before he pulls away.

"Hey, Ms. Author."
"Hey, Mr. Drawer."
"What was the reaction?" He says with a smug smile.
"I missed you! You had me--us--worried sick! What happened?!" I can feel my face heating up, and tears start to form at the edges of my eyes; too overwhelming.
He reaches over the short distance of us, only about a foot, and wipes them away.
"Why do you care?" I can tell he tries to be bitter, but it doesn't come out as he wants it to.
"Why wouldn't I? You were in the hospital, everyone was worried!"
"You were worried?" He looks at me, surprise and eagerness etched into his features.
"Camden, cut it out. Of corse I was worried, of corse I care, now let's move on. What is the meaning?"
He sighs.
"It's kinda scientific, but apparently you can get sick from being too angry. That's what happened to me."
"Why were you angry?"
"Lots of reasons...people to be mad at. Finnegan, the idiot kid who thinks I'm a nice punching bag. You, for lying to me about 'later,' and instead probably going to hang out with your friends. That's what you did, isn't it? You broke me off easy because you think I'm a total loser, and you didn't want to hurt my feelings. Well guess what, you failed! My feelings were definitely hurt!"
"Camden," I say in a soft, calm voice. "Camden, what are you talking about?"
"You! You said 'meet tomorrow?' I was looking froward to that! You're. You're the only. You're the only friend I've got, or at least I thought I had! You. You. You're the only friend I've got!" He's crying now, tears dripping down his face.
I hug him, put his head on my shoulder.
"My cousins, for ripping up my pictures, the ones I, I told you about, I. They're idiots, you know. They're young, but they, but they new better, they did!" He sniffles.
"Dad, for. For, for leaving me." He stutters. "He-He-He-He le-e-e-e-eft me-e-e! He left me-e!" He sniffles again.
"The guy who killed my dad, just because he didn't want to spend money on a cab and instead drove while drunk risking everyone in his path's life, goddamn it! Because APPARENTLY a life is cheaper than a freaking taxi!" Camden's yelling, his face red as a berry.
But this berry must be fixed. It is chopped up into little fragments, and someone needs to help it. Help the berry glue his peaces back together so he can be whole again. Whoever does it will have trouble. They will need help, this berry has lots of broken pieces. There's no telling how many people will need to help him, help the berry and his pieces.
"Camden. Camden, shhh." I stroke his back. He's not much difference in height then me. Only about an inch or two. "Camden, I wanted to see you again, too."
He doesn't answer. He just cries. I walk toward the wooden bench, the one attached to the treehouse, and we sit down. I open a wooden hatch located on my right, and inside are some pillows and blankets.
I pull out a pillow, put it on my lap, and lay his head down onto it. I stroke his hair, and eventually he starts to calm.
"Then why didn't you?"
I almost answer, 'why didn't I what?' But then remember.
"Camden, I was sick. Corbin and I, we were puking all day. We couldn't come to school."
"Oh."
As the silence continues, I think about fixing something, gluing one of his pieces back together.
"Camden, I wouldn't lie to you. I won't lie to you."
I stroke his hair.
As I look around, I'm surprised to see that everyone left.
Of course, I wasn't thinking of them, but now that I've noticed it, it surprises me. When did they leave?
It gets dark, and Camden and I end up falling asleep.
Into similar dreams.

He does love me.