Save me

chapter twelve

Ayden Grant

Today was the day I was finally an adult. I was eighteen years old. I still felt the same as before. I didn't have any plans but Mr. Reese and Mrs. Reese wanted to go out to dinner. Which I was thankful for.

We were on our way to the Cheesecake Factory. I had never been there before but I heard their food was good.

"Happy birthday Ayden" Cameron said.

"Thank you" I said. Today was Friday so we waited till around 5 o'clock for my brother to get home from school so we could all go. I was really hungry since I hadn't eaten all day. School food was gross so I didn't usually eat at lunch.

The restaurant wasn't that far away. We got there within 10 minutes. We had to wait a few minutes before being seated and ordering our food.

I ordered Fettuccini Alfredo. I loved Italian food. I'm not sure I've ever had it before but it sounded delicious.

Our food came quickly and we all started eating. It was some of the best food I'd ever had in my life.

"Mmm" I didn't even realize I made that noise when I took the first bite until I saw Cameron looking at me.

He had this unrecognizable look in his eyes. He put his hand on my thigh and just stared at me.

I went back to eating my food and tried not to think about his hand on my leg. He kept it there the whole time we were eating. It made me feel anxious.

We had dessert and went home.

"We got you a few things Ayden" Mrs. Reese announced in the car.

"Thank you. I appreciate it but you guys didn't really have to get me anything" I told her.

"I know honey but we wanted too" she told me.

I had 2 gifts from them. And one other with no name on it. I opened the first gift it was 20$. Money was always a good gift. You can never go wrong with it tbh.

The second gift was a new phone. I really needed a new one because my first one was so cracked and an iPhone 5s but I just didn't have money to buy a new one.

"Wow. Thank you so much" I was really grateful for everything they given me. Not just presents but a place to live and everything.

I still had one gift left. "That one is from me" Cameron said. I looked at him with surprise.

I opened the the present and saw that it was a necklace shaped like a heart. It had the words: "you're stronger than you think you are" engraved into it.

I smiled. I loved the necklace so much. "Thank you. I love it" I told Cameron.

"I thought you would" he said.

"Help me put it on?" I asked.

He took the necklace from my hands and put it on for me. I picked it up and read the words over again. I smiled at the thought that Cameron took time to get me a gift for my birthday.

We hung out in the living room, just talking about random topics while I set up my new phone. It was 10:00 o'clock before everyone went to sleep or to their own rooms.

Cameron and I went upstairs and kept talking about whatever came to our minds.  "How was your eighteenth birthday" he asked.

"It was really good" I said genuinely. Today was actually pretty good.

"I'm glad you had a good day". Then I remembered Cameron's hand on my thing throughout the whole dinner. I didn't question it then because we were in front of other people and I didn't want to make it awkward at dinner.

"Um, why did you. You know. Uh. Putyourhandonmythighatdinner" I blurted our quickly. He laughed and shook his head "Can you repeat that? A little slower this time."

"Why did you put your hand on my thigh during dinner?" I asked again this time slower so he could understand what I was saying.

"Just claiming what's mine" he said casually, like it was the most normal thing in the world to say.

I started at him with my mouth open, not even knowing what to say.

Just claiming what's mine.

I didn't even know what to say to that. What does that even mean? Does this mean Cameron likes me? He wants to be with me?

"What?" I asked, realizing I should probably say something.

He stood up and walked over to me. He looked down at me "You heard what I said". I did but I didn't know what to even think of that.

"I like you Ayden".

This chapter's kinda short but hope you like it. Love all of you and thank you for reading.