Roomies (boyxboy)

A Moment

A Moment Away

Ryan caught up with Cameron just outside of school.

"Hey!"

Cameron turned around to see the taller boy run up to him, out of breath.

"Ryan? Why did you.."

Ryan reached out and touched Cameron's shoulder. "Dude. I'm not going to let you go off alone. I'm not stupid. Something happened. What's going on?" He wished he could ask who that guy was and why he had his arms around him.

Cameron sighed and kept walking, kicking dried up leaves. The neighborhood was silent, not many people out and about at 11:00 on a Thursday morning. Driveways were empty, everyone at work or school. A black cat sat on a brick wall and looked at the two boys as they passed. Cameron had always wanted another cat after they lost Mr. Zo Zo.  But his mom said they were too much trouble.  

 He glanced up at Ryan who was walking with a concerned look on his face.  Part of Cameron felt annoyed, wanting to be alone.  But another small part burned with a kind of private happiness.  He usually felt like he walked through life, interacting with others, but mostly invisible.  Like he was moving through a busy ocean but not leaving any wake, any proof he'd passed by.  But today both Diego and Ryan had made him feel like he was important.  Like he mattered.  They actually "saw" him.  

"Let's just walk home. I'll tell you later. I'm just going to try not to think about it right now."

"Ok, if that's what you want." Ryan bit his lip, his eyes drawing together. Seeing Cameron right now, his face tear stained and haggard, he felt all messed up inside. Part of him wanted to beat the shit out of whoever had put that look on Cameron's face, part of him wanted to reach out and what...like hold him? Or somehow make him feel better? Some weird shit was going down with him these days. Every time he was around Cameron he felt different. A kind of different both good and uncomfortable. He didn't really understand it or it made him feel ...weird. 

He followed when Cameron turned off the main street, stopping at a place where the houses ended in a wooden fence.

"Do you want to see where I take Leah? It's a park but it's also got some trails. There's some cool places." He grimaced. "I just think I want to put off going home just yet."

"Sure."

A few minutes later, Ryan looked around him in bewilderment. How could this be right in their neighborhood? He'd never really paid attention to where the Tanner's house was, just basically walked to school and drove around with Nate, hung out in the downtown with some guys, just like a small town mainstreet area with a couple of coffee shops, some tourist trap boutiques, grocery stores, whatever. But this... how could this be here?

Because basically they were in the fucking forest! Trees surrounded him, taller than he'd ever seen, ferns, moss, rocks. They were walking on a trail like some kind of Hansel and Gretel shit.

Cameron chuckled. "What do you think?"

Ryan just stood there, mouth hanging open. "It's so freaking beautiful."

"I think so too. Come on. I want to show you something." Cameron turned to a side trail and after a few minutes they were crossing a wooden bridge spanning a small stream.

"This is like...how come I never knew this was here? I've lived in this area my whole life." Ryan leaned over the side of the bridge. It wasn't that far down to the water, which was clear and rushing over rocks, maybe two feet deep at the most. 

Cameron smiled. "It's funny. I don't know. There's hardly anyone here usually. Sometimes I see people walking their dogs or running on the trails. The paths do eventually wind down to a playground. Leah loves it, and she likes walking back here with me, looking for bugs."