Cameron
"Tell Cameron I said feel better" I heard the boy from the party said to Gunner. Well that was sweet. He must be one of the nice friends he has, but he probably has a girlfriend who would be totally upset if I tried talking to him. I never understood why girls always got mad at their boyfriends for speaking with me, they're always way prettier than I am.
I was feeling a little more energetic around dinner time so I decided that I would try to make myself get out of bed and go down to eat, even though I wasn't feeling hungry I knew I should try to have a little.
"Well look who it is." Aunt Heather smiled
"I'm feeling better so I thought I would eat with you guys. Is that OK?"
"Of course! Just don't give me whatever you have" Uncle Frank laughed. I just smiled at him and grabbed a plate with a tiny bit of food on it.
"That's barely considered eating" Gunner commented on the lack of food I had
"Oh Gunner leave the poor girl alone" Heather scolded him.
"It's ok Aunt Heather, I know he's kidding" I took a bite of the salad I had put on my plate. I couldn't handle anything else in my stomach right now. I think by the look on Aunt Heather's face, she knew that too. For the rest of dinner we sat in silence and just listened to the clinking of our forks meeting the almost empty plates. Dinner was over and we all separated. I went outside to sit and stare at the sky and talk with my best friend. I sat under the big tree on the swing.
"Hey April. It's me. I'm sorry I haven't written you a letter in a while. I suck, I know." I laughed a shy laugh. "God I miss you April. I miss you so much and I wouldn't be missing you with this kind of pain if I didn't fuck up so bad. I should have been more goddamn careful. You always were when you drove." I could feel my voice choking up and the tears where starting to come to my eyes. Shit.
"I know you hate when I cry but I can't help it. I miss my best friend. We aren't going to graduate together A. I remember how much we would talk about it. The amazing and artsy pictures we were planning on taking on graduation day, and we would have if I hadn't-" I was interrupted by the sound of someone walking up behind me.
"Who you talking to?" Gunner's friend asked
"Nobody." I started to walk back to the house.
"Hey, I'm sorry I messed up your alone time with your friend. I just left my hat here earlier. I wanted to see if Gun' had found it" I could tell he thought I was a total nut job. I wouldn't blame him, even I thought I was going crazy.
"I was just going up to my room"
"You like it up there?" He asked me
"What do you mean by that?" Dick.
"Well you spend a lot of time up there"
"It feels more like home than home does" I said not expecting him to have any idea what I meant by that
"Yeah I get that" Liar. "I'm Sterling" He stuck his hand out, to formally introduce himself.
"Goodnight Sterling" I walked past him and into the house. Gunner was in the doorway with a puzzled look on his face. "He's looking for his hat. Night Gun'"
"Night Cam"
Sterling
Why didn't she want to talk to me? Who was she speaking to in the sky? This girl was one big mystery. Usually I would see that as a task I wasn't willing to try and figure out but she made me want to. I needed to know. When she walked back to the house I had only one feeling in my gut. I wanted her to stay.
"Hey buddy. I heard you were looking for your hat" Gunner came up behind me. Cameron must have said something to him.
"Yeah, I can't find it at home. You got it?" I asked him trying to avoid the question he was going to ask me. I could feel it.
"Here" He passed me it and I could feel the tension in the way he gave it to me "What are you doing Sterling? I thought I asked you to stay away from her, she doesn't need this."
"Nothing Gunner. I'm not doing anything. She just seems like she needs a friend. She was talking to the fucking sky"
"Anything to do with her I will deal with, she's my cousin."
"I'm not going to try to fuck her if that's what you think.. I'm not that guy Gun. I would never do that to you"
"Look she's just been through so much lately. She doesn't need anyone trying to be her friend. If she needs anything she'll come to me. I told her she could"
"But how do you know she actually will" I could tell that really burned him. I shouldn't have said it. But it just came out. I didn't like being treated like this. I liked being trusted. Gunner obviously couldn't trust anyone when it came to Cameron. He needed to. What did he think she was going to do? Stay locked up all summer until she was ready to talk to someone.
"I know her. She will"
"Whatever you say Gunner. If you think she will, then I do too. Have a goodnight" I patted his shoulder as I walked passed him. I got into my truck and pulled out and started driving home. Dad would probably be the only one home. Mom would have gone out with her book club or something. But when I got home, nobody was there. Alone for supper again. Great. When I walked into the kitchen there was a note on a Tupperware container
S
Made your favourite! Be home late with your father.
Don't wait up.
xox
Mom.

I was getting really sick of spending most nights alone. It really sucks when your parents cant wait to get you out of the house and don't want to ever see you. Mom's been hiding the fact she is sick of me by joining all the clubs the elite ladies of this town has. Dad doesn't even pretend anymore. He just tells me to get out of his hair for the night, every night.