Teaching Noah | √

016

TWO WEEKS HAD passed and I had to say that it was the fastest two weeks two weeks to fly by in a long while, which was a good thing because the month seemed to be dragging out, almost making it feel like there were two days in one.

My memory flashed through the events of the past two weeks, though not too eventful. As usual, I was home with my mom, with lessons with Noah every afternoon. I also had just one meeting with Simon, but I had gone mostly because he told me he had gotten me some orange juice boxes.  I was there and wanted to have one.

My mind drifted to Camden, and I smiled a small smile to myself. Our friendship seemed to be growing and I liked it. Last time we saw, he insisted on going on a run with me in the evening, and that ended up with us walking as we talked about whatever came to our minds. Undoubtedly, I could feel something drawing me to him. I could tell from the way I sometimes gazed out my window in the mornings to watch him leave for school. I never called out to greet him, rather, I hoped he wouldn’t catch me watching him. I was being creepy.

I sighed as I stabbed a strawberry with my fork, pushing the fruit into my mouth. I was seated on the last step of the stairs on the front porch eating a fruit salad mom had fixed for me.

Was it too early to start developing a crush on Camden? I mean, it wasn’t even up to two months since he moved back. But the thing was, he didn’t just move back, he moved back and was another person entirely. I liked that. I liked that I didn’t have to be so on edge around him anymore.
The sound of a door closing caught my attention and I looked to see Camden making his way to me, a box in his hands.

“Hey, what do you have there?” Camden called to me, and I called back, “A fruit salad. You know, because it’s important to eat healthy.”

“Is that so?” by this time, he had gotten to me, a taunting smile on his face that made me smile as I nodded in response to his question, “Mhm. What do you have there?”My gaze averted to the box in his hands.

He let out a breath as he sat beside me, and the scent of his cologne wafted through the air, causing me to feel a little light headed.

“Nothing really,” he shrugged. “Just some unhealthy snacks. Donuts,” I watched him as he picked up a glazed donut and took a bite of it, chewing slowly.

I swallowed quickly, “Actually, donuts aren’t so unhealthy.”

“I love how you changed your mind so fast,” Camden laughed.

“You can’t do that to people, Cam. That’s unfair,” I chuckled and he did the same as he set the box in between us, “You should go ahead and have some. I honestly got it with you in mind.”

His words caused a small feeling in my stomach and I smiled softly at him, “Thank you… that’s really nice.”

He  nodded in response as he leaned back in the step, resting an elbow on it with a teasing smile on his face, “So, are you just going to abandon your fruit salad?”

I nodded as I chewed on my donut, “Very much so.”

“Doesn’t that counter the whole purpose of eating healthy then?”

“It’s quite ironical, I know,” I chuckled. “But I can’t help it.”

“I totally get you,” Camden mirrored. “When I was way younger, my body had this thing against ice cream, but something about knowing I couldn’t have it, but still going ahead to take it seemed nice. I’d say I liked the risk.”

“What was on the line?”

“Diarrhea,” he chuckled, and I joined him.

“I’ve been taking fruit salads for as long as I remember. Almost ever since I got diagnosed, it’s been constant.”

“Does it help?”

“It does,” I nodded. “At least I like to believe it does.”

“Well, that’s what’s important, right?”

“Right.” I nodded again. “How about you? Do you still risk taking ice cream?”

“No, because somehow I grew out of it,” he had a smile on his face, “and as a matter of fact, we should go get some.”

“Like, right now?”

“If you’re down, why not?”

“I’m so down,” I smiled as I rose to my feet, picking up my fruit salad bowl, “I’ll be right back.”

I went into the house, poking my head in mom’s workspace, “Hey mom.”

She looked up at me, a smile on her face, “Hi honey, what’s up?”

“Can I go get ice cream with Camden?” I asked, fingers crossed behind me because sometimes Mom wanted to do all she could to make sure I never left her sight. “It’ll be quick,” I added.

“Okay, but you have to be back soon,” she looked straight at me. “Don’t forget you still have lessons.”

“Mhm,” I nodded. “Love you.”

The weather was just fine, but then, it always was. I loved how the sun would come out to shine for a bit, and then go back to its hiding place, repeating the cycle. We got to the ice cream place, a cute building painted with bright colors. She had never seen The building before, not to talk more of being there before. I inwardly squealed at the sight of the glass containing a variety of ice cream flavors.

Camden got himself a chocolate chip ice cream, while I pressed my forehead against the glass as I tried to decide on which of the flavors to get. I furrowed my eyebrows as my eyes flickered between the flavor Camden had picked, and cookies and cream. Indecisiveness had always been a problem and the bad thing about being indecisive was when I overanalyzed something like my life depended on it, I always ended up picking something I wasn’t too happy with.

“Can’t make up your mind?” I heard Camden ask and I nodded, “Yeah, I’m sorry.”

Dang it. I just did the thing Noah warned me against, but it didn’t seem like Camden noticed.

“Here, let me help. Which flavors do you have in mind?” He said.

“Um, chocolate chip, and cookies and cream.”

“I’ll say go with cookies and cream.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s actually a good one, plus, I already have the chocolate chip if you feel like you’ll want to have a taste of it. Best of both worlds.”

“I’m surprised you want to share your ice cream,” I chuckled.

“You can’t?” He had a small smile on his face as he bit into his ice cream.

“Who can?” I started to laugh when realization hit me. “Did you just bite into your ice cream?”

One thing I always avoided when having ice cream was letting it get to my teeth. The sharp, shooting pain in my teeth was something I was never prepared for. Simon once explained to me how there was more to it than just the feeling, but he went way too deep in the scientific reasons that I completely forgot what he said.

“Yeah, that’s one thing that’s kinda cool about me. My teeth, especially the two in front have no sensitivity to cold, that means that I can conveniently bite into an ice cream.”

“And you say that’s kinda cool? Cam, that’s really cool. Do it again,” I chuckled.

He chuckled and took a bite of his ice cream and I watched him chew it comfortably. “You’re super lucky.”

I ended up going with a scoop of each of the flavors I wanted to get, and for the first time, I felt happy with my decision. I took a swipe at the ice cream, and it felt magical.

❀

are you an indecisive person?