We Were Doomed From the Start

Chapter 9

When I woke up I was in my bed. Curtains shut. I could feel the coolness of the night. Cameron was laying on the floor. She had a single blanket over her. I stood up and stumbled a bit. I felt weak, hungry, tired, and dizzy. I walked slowly over to my door. My head hurts really bad. I opened the door and walked to Cameron's door. I opened it and walked to the kitchen door. Then I opened the cabinet. The food was all arranged. Then suddenly I didn't feel like eating. I grabbed a dirty paper cup and filled it with water from the sink. I drank it slowly then put the cup down on the edge of the sink. Then I threw up in the sink. I slowly walked back to my room and laid back down on my bed. I let myself be consumed by sleep.

I woke back up when it was morning. Cameron was sitting by the door looking at me. When she noticed I was awake she looked away. She walked over to my bed. "What happened?" I asked her. I tried to make eye contact but she wouldn't meet my gaze. "You came to my room with food

A couple hours later Cameron came back. "I'm back." She called out. She swung open my door. "I went to the store to get food." She set the bag down and walked over to me and sat down. "I was thinking, and um I think you should go." She turned her head away. Her hands were shaking. "I'm not going." She turned around and looked me in the eye. "Yes you are. You can't stay here. I- i know what i have to do to stop this." I didn't want her to find out.

I wanted to protect her from the truth. But now she knows. Now I'm going to lose her. Don't think like that. I won't let her. "I know too." She dropped her hands to her sides. "Why didn't you tell me?" I turned my gaze away from her. "I didn't want you to know. I don't want to lose you." I stood up and stood in front of her. "But why would you care? We've only known each other for like a week. You shouldn't care. I need to save this world and our world. You need to leave." Ignoring her pleas, I talked over her. "You don't need to be a hero. Why should you save our world? It's done nothing but be cruel to you! If you save this world then, there's no one to save you. I can't do anything to help you im just a stupid, weak, naive, orphan."

She stood up. She was a couple feet away from me. Tears formed in her eyes. "Your not stupid. You're not weak. You're kind of naive. It's not your fault you're an orphan. I'm not trying to be a hero Paris! I'm trying to set things right. I wouldn't be doing this if it wasn't for you! You don't need to help me! I'm helping you... It's your fault that I care. You made me care. You're a good person. You deserve to be happy. Go back. Go back to our world."

Her voice cracked and she covered her face with her arm. "I'm not going back without you. I can't just leave you here!" She uncovered her face and took a step towards me. She glared at me, "WHY NOT!" She yelled. "BECAUSE I LIKE YOU CAMERON!" She took a step back and her arms went limp. "What..?" I felt warm, salty tears fall down my cheeks. "I like like you Cameron... I don't want to lose you! I care about you." I used my sleeve to wipe my face off. She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around me. "Why me? I'm not pretty or perfect or kind. No one likes me. So why do you?" Her voice sounded sad. She's believed her whole life that no one loved her. She's wrong. I love her. More than anything.
"You are kind. You helped me come here. You told me your secrets. You trusted me. You're pretty. You have beautiful dark eyes. Dark hair. You have a good style. You're not perfect. But no one is. You are enough Cameron. You always will be. That's why I love you." She hugged me tighter. "Stay safe. Move on. I like you too, Paris." She pushed me away from her.

That's when I realized I was stepping on something. Salt. The portal. I was standing in a portal. She's making me go back. I tried to step out of the circle, but I couldn't. I was stuck. "Cameron! Let me out!" I shouted at her. She covered her face. My yelling and her sobs were all you could hear. There must be a way to get out. I can't let her do this to herself.

"It's too late, Paris. You need to leave. I'm sorry. I really am. But I can't let you stay here. You mean too much to me. Go live your life. Find someone better than me. I don't deserve you. Goodbye..." She took chalk from her pocket and finished the outline of the circle.