Chapter 1:
"You see now if I were able to switch to right wing that would be the solution to all of my problems! I've got to talk to coach about this." Cam says to Maya, while smiling excitingly at the computer screen. "That's great, Cam." Maya says, before pausing, thinking over how to slip an apology into their conversation.
"Hey Cam," she takes a deep breath in, "I'm sorry about the other day. I hope the guys didn't work you too hard." Campbell's eyes don't meet her own, he just shrugs off the comment.
"No big deal, I've got to stay in shape anyway right?" He half laughs, reassuring Maya he was being serious.
"Move your ass Rook! Let's go!" Mike Dallas yells from the side of the rink as he watches Cam struggle to catch his breath. "Push it! Faster!" He continued to scream as other team mates chuckled at Cam's misery and pain. He soon couldn't take it any longer. This is what he gets when he tries to have some fun. Cam falls to the ground in a large sweaty heap, his breathing staggered and choppy. He lies there almost motionless as he tries to regain fresh air into his lungs.
"Yeah I guess," Maya begins, not completely believing what Cam's saying. Her eyes follow the outline and detail of his face, looking for a sign. Any type of sign that would tell her what he's really feeling. Her eyes lock with a white bandage wrapped tightly around his hand. "What happened?" she asks, grabbing his hand lightly, trying to get a closer look. Cam immediately pulls back, tugging his sweatshirt sleeve over the bandage. "I was messing around with the guys the other day, no big deal." Maya nods, understanding that was the end of the conversation just in time for the bell to ring.
"That's what happens when you abandon your team. We're all you have here, Cam. Whether you think so or not, you need us. So get yourself together man, and think before you blow us off again. That was just the beginning." Captain Dallas walks out of the locker room leaving Campbell in deep thought. His hair's dripping with sweat as he sits alone in the locker room. His breath quickens as thoughts rush threw the boys mind. He tugs violently at his damp hair begging for the thoughts to go away.
In anger he picks up one of his skates, gripping tightly to the blade and chucking it across the abandoned room. His heart pounds, as a soothing feeling finally takes over his body. He looks down at his hand to see a strip of warm blood seeping from a cut he had just given himself moments ago. The sophomore quickly grabs a towel to wrap the wound and sits back on the bench, as he softly cries.
"Mr. Saunders! Over here!"
"Campbell! What was it like scoring the winning goal for your team!"
"Cam! Cam!"
Cameras, reporters, and lights crowd Cam's vision as he tries to exit the locker room. His game was amazing, and everyone wanted a piece of Campbell Saunders. He stands there, frozen with fear before Dallas pushes the men and women out of the way telling Cam he'll handle it. He closes the door behind him and the room is silent once again. Cam panics, pacing back in forth in the locker room. A grim thought passes through his head as he picks up his skate. It's place against his hand ready to do the damage, when he stops. He thinks of Maya and how she was there cheering him on. Maya. He thinks of her smile and laugh. He thinks of how happy he is with her. Left in defeat he drops the skate, feeling completely emotionally drained.
"Going somewhere?" Cam's head spins to find the owner of the voice, that had just caught him packing his suitcase. "Hey, What are you doing here?" He asks Maya. She walks towards him holding out a stack of binders, "I told your billet dad I was just dropping off some of your homework from today."
"I'm just worried Tor," Maya sighs. She looks down at her phone again, no answer from Cam. "He's not in school, he hasn't answered any of my texts. Tori, what if something happened?"
"Go and see him." the bouncy brunette suggests. "Go after school, and bring his missed work so you have an excuse. I bet he'll like that." Maya smiles and thanks her friend as they walk off to last period together.
"What's going on?" the blonde asks, a worried expression taking place on her face. Campbell takes no time to think of a response before saying, "I'm going home." his hands moving quickly to fill his half packed bag. "I'm done with hockey. I'm done with all this." he waves his arms in the air.
"But you did amazing in that last game. You won. I don't understand. I thought that was supposed to make you happy." Maya says, trying to understand what drove Cam to the idea of leaving.
"Well it didn't, okay?" His eyes fill with sadness and he takes a deep breath. "I'm sad. And I just want it to go away."
"Everyone gets sad once and a while, isn't quitting a little bit extreme?" she asks. "I don't want to see you make a drastic decision just because you're sad." Cam throws down a shirt he'd been folding, and Maya can see the tears form out of the corners of his eyes.
"You think I want to feel like this?" He asks, his voice cracking. "I am all out of ideas Maya. It's like my head isn't screwed on right." He sighs, taking a seat on his bed. Maya walks to sit next to him. "Maybe you need a break," she begins, "spend some more time with your friends," she pauses before finishing, "more time with me."
"I just want to be happy Maya." Cam says. His puppy like eyes are wet with tears. "Good," Maya says with a smile, "Then be happy. We'll work through this Cam, okay? I know things are rough, being away from home and all. But I want you to know that I am here no matter what. I'm not leaving you alone in this." She leans in leaving a sweet kiss on Cam's cheek. "I know I don't understand everything that you're going through, but I really hope that one day you'll let me know. I want to help you Cam. I hate seeing you like so sad." She rose up from her seat, getting ready to leave. "See you tomorrow, Cam."
Before she is able to leave, Cam grabs her hand, "Thank you, Maya," she gives him a friendly smile. "That homework's real by the way." They share a laugh before Maya's out the door and yet somehow after all of that, Cam felt even more alone then he did moments before. And not knowing the reason why, terrified him to tears.