Camilla

sixteen

C A M I L L A

"So, how much did you make tonight?" Gilligan questions as I back out of the parking lot.

"You aren't supposed to ask people that," I respond.

"Oh, come on," he insists, turning his head to face me. I glance at him before putting my eyes back on the road.

"A little over three grand," I mumble.

"Over three grand? From that?" He seemed to be in disbelief.

"Well, I mean, I also got some cash from the bets people placed."

"Still! Jesus, woman!"

I shrug. "Most of it goes towards paying for the electricity or water or groceries or insurance. And for Mae's college."

"How do you know she's going to college?"

"She's really smart, Gil. And, I mean, if she doesn't want to I'm not going to force her, but it's there just in case."

Gilligan nods. "You really love her, don't you?"

I smile, thinking about Mae. "Like a daughter."

I could tell what he was thinking. He wanted to know about my mom. I know he isn't going to say anything because of how I'd reacted the last time, but I know he wants to.

"I'll tell you about her sometime," I sigh. "Just not tonight. And maybe not soon."

"About who?"

"You know who."

We don't talk for a little bit.

When I pull up outside his house though, he speaks up. "You're not as mean as I thought you were."

I looked over at him. He's studying me carefully, trying to figure me out.

"Well, I'm still not a peachy fucking princess," I tell Gilligan, and he laughed.

"No, but I don't think I'd want to talk to you if you were, Cam."

I gulp, looking at him. And I mean, really looking at him. Thinking through his personality. His sarcastic sense of humor, his fearlessness even when he was scared, just who he was.

"You aren't so bad yourself, Gillie," I smile.

"Don't call me Gillie," he cringes back in his seat.

I laugh. "Why not? It's cute."

He shudders and we both got out, him leading the way. Gilligan pulls open the door, and we step in quietly. Mae is passed out on his mother's lap while his father's asleep in a recliner across the room. The TV was going, playing some cartoon from Disney.

"Hey, Mrs. Dashner," I smile and pick Mae up carefully from her lap. "Thank you for watching her for Gilligan and I's, um, date."

"Call me Sophie, please. And, really, it was no problem at all, dear. She was an angel."

I smile at her. "Still, thank you."

She nods a smile playing on her lips.

"You found a good one, Gilligan," she whispers to her son. I'm pretty sure I wasn't supposed to hear, so I pretend I didn't and settle for studying Mae's sleeping face.

"Alright," I smile, looking up. "I better get her to bed. Goodnight, Gilligan. Sophie."

[+]

I'm laying in bed, replaying everything that has happened since I've met Gilligan. I've gone from being a total asshole to him to a slight bitch in the month we've known each other.

And I guess I've been so against the idea of liking him even a little at first that I was blind to the idea of maybe liking him a lot.

Just like I did now.

Fucking great.