The rest of French went by in a flash. Probably because I spent most of that time wondering what I was supposed to do when the bell rang for next period. Should I wait for him in here? Wait outside? Or walk off as if I've forgotten so he would run up behind me? It turned out that I didn't need to do any of those things because I had been daydreaming through the bell anyway.
"Maya?" The adorable tone of an adorable boy rang through my ears.
"Huh?" I said, mentally shaking myself awake and back into reality.
"I said the bell has rang, shouldn't you be packing up your things?" He smirked, raising one eyebrow.
"Oh, yeah." I said, starting to fill up my backpack.
"So, I have Geography now but can I talk to you after school instead?" He said looking slightly anxious.
Oh no. I thought. More time for me to drive myself insane thinking of all the possible ways Campbell could reject me. Again.
I smiled slightly, not wanting to hurt his feelings. "Yeah, sure."
"Great. Okay, well I should get to class but I'll wait for you by your locker?" He suggested.
"Yeah see you then." I said, lamely as he was walking out of class. God, Maya why are you torturing yourself? He obviously doesn't like you in that way so you should just get it over and done with now rather than worrying about it for the next hour.
I struck up the courage and ran out after him. "Look, Cam," I started, pulling on his arm to face me. "If you don't like me just tell me now because I really don't want to get my hopes up if you're just going to turn me down anyway."
He looked at his shoes. "Maya, can't we just wait until after school? I'm already late for class as it is." He looked up slightly but didn't wait for a response as he walked off down the hall.
Not wanting a detention, I hurried off to my English class and sat down in my usual seat next to Tori.
"What's wrong, hun?" She said sounding concerned. I sighed heavily and let it all out. I told her about my talk with Tristan and how he told me Cam was staring at me all lesson then how I gave in and spoke to him. Or postponed the talk until later and then how he completely ignored me asking him to let me down now rather than later.
"Maya, I told you this would happen." She said, sternly.
"I know Tori!" I whined. "I couldn't help but look into his gorgeous brown eyes and I completely forgot everything. But I promised I'd talk to him. I can't just leave him."
"Well you could…" She said under her breath.
"You know I'm not going to do that. And even if he is going to reject me, I at least deserve to be told properly." I said, not knowing where my sudden rationality came from.
Tori paused for a second, thinking. "I guess you're right." She sighed. "But you're sleeping over mine afterwards and telling me everything. And if that douchebag does anything to hurt you, you ring me straight away so I can kick his ass. Pinky?" She said, holding out her pinky for me to hook mine onto.
I smiled as I did so. "Promise."
Sooner than I'd thought it was the end of school. I decided to walk as slowly as possible to my lockers, hoping Campbell had thought I already went home. As I turned the corner to my locker I found it was no such luck. There he was, all 5 foot 6 and a half of him in his hockey jersey leaning against the locker next to mine. He was checking his phone, so he hadn't seen me first. For a split second I had thought of turning around and running home as fast as possible but then he saw me.
"Maya," He smiled. I grunted something that sounded like a somewhat positive greeting towards him and I opened my locker and putting all my books in and only taking out my homework for later.
"So, er, I was thinking maybe we could go somewhere else to talk?" He suggested. I said nothing as I placed my work into my backpack. "Or we could just do it here? Or outside? I don't mind it's up to you." He scratched the back of his neck and shifted his eyes between the ground and me.
"Well I kinda promised Tori I'd go round her house by four so I can't be long."
"Right, well shall we just go outside?"
I nodded and he lead me out to sit down on the steps outside the main entrance.
He looked at his feet and rubbed his hands together. "So, about last night," he started. "I just.. I.." He stopped to gather his thoughts then turned to face me and took one of my hands. "Please don't blame yourself about the kiss. I mean, I wanted to kiss you but I just didn't want to give you the wrong impression." I raised my eyebrows and moved my hand from his. Wrong impression? If he wanted to kiss me then kissing me would certainly give me the right impression. He saw the slight shock in my face and shook his head. "I just mean that I know the hockey guys are always having a different girl home each night and not being in a serious relationship but I didn't want you to think I was like that." I calmed down slightly after that, but why couldn't he have told me last night. "I like you Maya I really do." He looked at me right in the eyes and placed his hand to my cheek. "And I really want to kiss you," My heart fluttered and my knees went week. Oh my god! Campbell Saunders wants to kiss me! He took his hand off my cheek and started to scratch his neck again.
"But I think …" Oh no, here comes the bad part. There's always a bad part after a 'but. "Maybe we should start over? We both made bad first impressions, like you with the FaceRange incident and now because I didn't kiss you. So we can get to know each other properly this time as friends." I frowned slightly and looked away.
So he does like me. And he wants to kiss me. So why do we have to start over? Does he mean like friends-wise or dating wise? Probably friends-wise by the way he said it. But, Maya, think of it this way. He is miles away from home and he's obviously lonely so maybe all he needs right now is a friend, not a girlfriend. But I mean maybe in a few months, he may change his mind! I started to smile at the thought of being Campbell Saunders' girlfriend. Start as friends and take it from there. Who knows in a couple of months you could be Campbell Saunders' girlfriend. I turned to face him again and gave him a warm smile.
"Okay, that sounds good. No more awkwardness. Just friends." I said, trying to convince myself more than him.
"Exactly!" He gave me the most adorable little smile ever, which took so much effort not to kiss him there and then. "I was so worried you would think that I want to be your friend."
"Well you sure cleared up my doubts for me." I chuckled slightly, and looked down as I tucked a piece of hair behind my ear that had managed to fall out. He ignored my comment and just looked at me for what seemed like an eternity.
"Can I just do one thing?" He said, quietly before leaning in slightly.
"What about starting over?" I laughed.
He sat back and groaned. "Oh yeah. I forgot about that for a second."
I smiled. "This is probably for the best." Gosh, Maya you're taking extremely well!
"You're right." He smiled sadly but brushed it off quickly and held out his hand. "Campbell Saunders, junior hockey player and new found friend of a very beautiful girl I just met."
I giggled at his cheesiness. "Maya Matlin." I said, shaking his hand. "Cello extraordinaire and new found friend of a charming hockey prodigy."
"Well, Maya I'm sure we'll be very good friends." He stood up, pulling me up with him."
"I'm sure you're right, Cam." I smiled. We both paused, knowing we had to leave but not wanting to.
"Does this 'starting over' thing mean no hugs?" He asked.
"I'm sure hugs are acceptable." I smirked.
"Thank god!" He exhaled as he pulled me in for a big bear hug. Oh my god! He smells gorgeous! "Well, I must be off. See you later, Maya!" He winked at me as he walked off. I'm pretty sure I swooned at that, and my legs were slowly turning to jelly.
Well, Campbell Saunders, you better be worth the wait!
Ooooo, not what you were expecting?
I know! I'm sorry but I kinda wanted to explore Camaya's friendship before I go into their actual relationship. But it's obvious they like each other so there's be a lot of harmless flirting going on ;)
Hope you enjoyed!
Jess
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