Disclaimer: Don't own Degrassi
A/N: Ok, so it's been a LONG time since I've had any time or inclination to write anything, so hopefully it isn't TOO obvious that I'm a little rusty. I'll post a second part from Maya's point of view hopefully soon (maybe later tonight) and then see where to go from there
Stay as Long as Possible
Part 1: Cam
He won't admit it, but he still hates hockey. He lies to the coach and the doctors and says he doesn't feel one hundred percent quite yet, but he can't keep doing it. He would much rather pack up and go back home than stay here and play. He only did it because his dad wanted him to anyways. Besides, after all the years of time and money his parents have put in to supporting this dream of his, abandoning it wouldn't be fair to them.
Sure, his parents have come to visit him a couple of times since the semester started, but it's not the same as actually being home. He doesn't get to relax in his room, or fight with his brother over the remote. He gets to show his parents around town and see them off at the airport instead. He doesn't want to keep doing this, yet he can't bring himself to leave.
Sometimes he wonders what it would be like to just quit, though. Sometimes he lies in bed at night and tries to imagine what would happen if he woke up tomorrow, packed his bags, and got on a plane back home. He misses home. But every time he seriously starts to consider leaving, something stops him, or rather, someone.
If he quits hockey and goes back home, it means he'll leave Maya, and she's the one thing in his life right now that makes him happy. When he thinks about leaving, his mind inevitably leads back to her, and what he would do without her. He knows his parents would say he's too young to be thinking like this about a girl, but he can't help it. She's the one person he can be honest with about how he feels. Sometimes it feels like she's the only thing keeping him functioning. She is the one thing he likes about Toronto, and he can't imagine leaving her. He tries not to think about what will happen come summer, because then he'll have to leave, and she'll have to stay, and he knows that if he leaves he might not come back. They haven't talked about it yet, and he doesn't know how to approach the subject.
No matter how he looks at it, he'll eventually have to leave Toronto. It's just a matter of when and how.
"What are you thinking about?"
He glances down at the top of Maya's blonde head resting against his chest and smiles. "Who says I'm thinking about anything?"
"You're awfully quiet."
He laughs. "That's because I'm watching the movie."
He feels her shifting and raises an eyebrow as her face appears in front of him.
"You are not," she accuses.
"Well not anymore. Your head's in the way," he jokes.
She rolls her eyes, grinning. "You never watch the movie, Cam."
He smiles. "So maybe I wanted to try it out for once. Unless…"
She laughs at the suggestive tone in his voice as a slight pink tint rises to her cheeks. She drops a light kiss on his lips and settles back into her previous position leaning against his side.
"I was thinking about how happy you make me," he answers quietly, kissing the top of her head softly as he runs his fingers lightly across her arm.
He feels rather than sees her smile this time. "You make me happy, too."
No, he doesn't want to play hockey anymore, and yes, he wants to go home, but he will stay as long as possible for her.