School was terrible. No, that wasn't entirely true. The school itself was fine. The students were terrible. And this year they were no different. But now, Camille had something to focus on so she could ignore the nasty gossip of her classmates. Logan. It was good to think of him, it felt good to be with him . . . and yet . . . and yet there was one thing she couldn't let go of . . .


On this Friday during lunch break, Camille and Jo were sitting outside in the sun. It could have been a wonderful and carefree day, but Jo could tell that something was wrong with Camille.

"Okay, what's the matter? And now don't tell me everything's okay, because I can see it's not."

With a sigh, Camille lowered her sandwich. She stared thoughtfully at the sky for several seconds before saying slowly, "Jo . . . what exactly does it mean being together with another person? Is there some sort of protocol for that matter or something like that?"

"Is this about Logan or is it more a general question?"

Camille said nothing and with that Jo had her answer. She leaned forward and placed a hand on Camille's right arm. "What's the problem? I thought you were so happy with him?"

"I am, I really am. Logan is great. But . . . I just thought being with someone else would be . . . different, you know?"

"Why, what happened?"

"Nothing . . . absolutely nothing. That's the problem."

"I don't understand . . ."

"Logan is . . . so different. He's so reserved and shy and . . . and we haven't even kissed yet."

"Oh . . ." Jo took some time to process what she had just heard, then she said, "But we knew that from the start, didn't we? I mean, that he's different. And the thing about kissing, well, maybe he wants to, but doesn't know how to go for it. He respects you, maybe a little too much. Have you spoken to him about it?"

Camille sighed. "No. I'm afraid he might take this too personally and will feel guilty. I don't want to do that to him."

"You know it can still happen, right? Maybe he waits so long because he's scared of losing you. Maybe he wants to be sure that you're actually staying before he commits himself completely to this relationship."

Camille nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, maybe. But-" The buzzing of her cell phone interrupted her. She picked it up and looked at the display, smiling slightly. "Guess who."

"I can imagine," Jo said with a grin. Camille answered the call. "Hey, Logan."

"Um, hey, Camille. I'm not calling during a class, am I?"

"No, we're on lunch break, so perfect timing. What's up?"

"Um . . . I don't know if you have any plans for this afternoon, but . . . um, I have an important check-up appointment this afternoon at three-thirty and I wanted to know if you might . . . if you would like to come with me."

"I-"

"Of course you don't have to if you don't want to. I just thought . . . we could do something together afterwards. But if you have other plans, then-"

"Logan, I'd love to come to your appointment."

"Really?"

"Yes. Just tell me where to go and I'll see you there."


"All right, here we are."

"Thanks, Dad."

"Are you sure you don't want me to come in? You know, being a supportive father."

Logan rolled his eyes. "Dad, please."

His father smiled. "I was just kidding. Do you want me to pick you up later?"

Logan shook his head. "Camille and I have plans."

"Ah, I see. Okay, that's fine with me."

"But what about Mom?"

"I'll talk to her, don't worry about it."

Logan nodded and his father gave him an encouraging pat on the shoulder. "Now go inside. Don't make Dr. Grey wait so long."

"Okay, see you later." Logan got out and waved as his father pulled out of the parking lot. He turned to the entrance and took a deep breath. "Okay, here we go."


When Camille saw Logan, she smiled, got up from her chair and hugged him. "Hey you."

Logan smiled softly. "Thanks for coming."

She beamed at him. "Anytime."

They sat down and only had to wait a few minutes before a young and attractive nurse walked in with blonde hair tied in a ponytail. She beamed at Logan. "So, Logan, it's your turn."

Logan nodded nervously and stood up. Camille followed him. As they walked down a corridor, Camille couldn't help but notice the nurse eyeing Logan sideways. The blonde beauty leaded them into a treatment room, placed Logan's medical record on the desk and turned to leave, saying to Logan, "Dr. Grey will be here in a minute."

Logan smiled politely. "Thanks, Sabrina."

She gave him another bright smile and walked out, closing the door behind her. Logan turned to Camille and noticed her frown. "Hey, is everything okay?"

"I don't like the way she was looking at you. Like she's totally into you."

Logan raised his eyebrows. "Sabrina? No, I don't think so. She's always nice to me when I come here."

"That's exactly what I'm talking about."

"Why would a girl like her be interested in me?"

"Interesting question," Camille replied, a little sarcastically. "So let me ask you this, why do you think I'm interested in you?"

"Um . . ." Logan began, not sure what to say. But then the door opened, saving him from giving an answer. In came a man about fifty with a friendly smile and laugh lines on his face. "It's nice to see you again, Logan. It's been a while since the last time. So, today we're going to . . . oh, we have company?"

"Um, Dr. Grey, this is Camille, my girlfriend. She can stay, right?"

"Well, as long as you're okay with that, I have no objections." The doctor went to Camille and gave her a hand. "Nice to meet you, Camille. I'm Dr. Gregory Grey, and yes, my parents hated me, thanks for asking." He gave Camille a friendly wink and she laughed.

"Dr. Grey is also a very close friend of my dad," Logan explained to Camille. "He was his mentor."

"I see."

Dr. Grey smiled and picked up the file from the table, leafing through it. "Hmmm . . . your dad already told me about your last relapse, Logan. I'm very sorry. How are you now?"

"Much better, thanks."

Dr. Grey nodded and closed the file. "All right, let's begin."


Dr. Grey examined literally everything. Lungs, heart, reflexes, blood pressure, weight, height, eyes, ears – just everything. And when Camille thought it was finally over, the physical exercises came along. By the end Logan was pretty exhausted. Tired, he sank onto the examination table next to Camille and leaned against her. While Logan tried to catch his breath, Dr. Grey wrote something into his file. Then he turned to face them on his rolling stool. "Okay, Logan, your values seem fine. However, I don't like your physical vitality that much. You shouldn't be in your room all the time. You should start going for walks, once or twice a week. Start with ten to twenty minutes, depending on how you feel. Do you promise me that?"

Logan nodded tiredly. "Yes, I promise."

Camille thought she heard a slight reluctance in Logan's voice and had to smile. Maybe he would enjoy it more if she offered to go for a walk with him. Dr. Grey seemed satisfied with the answer and put Logan's file back on the desk. "Good, then there is only one little thing left."

"Which is?"

Dr. Grey hesitated for a second, as if he already knew that Logan wouldn't like his answer.

"Blood test."


Dr. Jeffrey Mitchell sat in the car for a few more seconds, mentally preparing himself for what was about to await him. Then he took a deep breath, took the bag from the passenger seat and entered the house. "I'm back."

Joanna Mitchell came out of the kitchen to meet him. "What are you doing here?"

He held out the bag to her. "I brought Italian food. Your favorite."

She ignored the bag with her favorite restaurant's logo on it. "Where's Logan? He has his checkup today. You were supposed to drive him there and-"

"And that's exactly what I did," Jeffrey replied calmly.

"And you left him there?"

"A, our boy is a teenager, not a child. B, he is not alone. Camille is with him."

Whatever Joanna was expecting, it wasn't this. "Camille? But how did she-?"

"Logan called her and asked if she would like to accompany him." He saw how his wife's lips became a thin line. "You don't have a problem with that, do you?"

She narrowed her eyes. "No, of course not. As long as she drives him home right afterwards."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that. Logan told me that he and Camille have plans for later."

"Well, they better not," Joanna murmured, taking the bag from her husband's hands and disappearing back into the kitchen.


Camille felt Logan's exhausted body tense in a second. He straightened up and looked at his doctor in horror. "What?! But you didn't say-"

"Well, if I had told you, would you have come here today?"

"No . . . I mean, yes, I . . . Can't we do this another time?"

Dr. Grey shook his head apologetically. "I'm sorry, Logan."

"But-"

"Hey, what's going on?" Camille asked, clearly feeling like she had missed something. Logan looked at her but didn't answer. His face was white as snow.

"I'll be right back," Dr. Grey said quietly, left the treatment room and gently closed the door behind him.

"Logan?"

Logan turned away from Camille, got up, and began pacing the room. "It's nothing. Just . . . I really don't like things like needles and blood."

"Well, who does, right? I guess a lot of people have that problem."

Logan shook his head frantically. "No, you don't understand. I . . . I absolutely can't stand it, absolutely can't take it. I'm terrified of it."

"Oh . . ."

Suddenly Logan laughed mirthlessly. "You got a great boyfriend there, don't you? Seventeen years old and terrified of a little needle and some blood. I'm such a loser."

Camille walked over to him and grabbed his shoulders. "Logan, look at me."

He did.

"You asked me if I wanted to come with you. And I did. I'm here. And I will stay. And I don't think you're a loser. The fact that you were so honest with me proves that you are very brave. Not many people would have the strength to admit such a fear."

Logan didn't answer. Camille thought for a moment, then she said with a slight smile, "How about this? We'll get through the rest of this check-up together, and then I'll tell you about my biggest fear."

Logan raised an eyebrow. "You are afraid of something?"

Camille actually had to laugh. "Of course, do you think you're the only person who has fears?"

"No, of course not. But . . . but you always seem so tough and strong."

"Really? That's what you think of me?"

"Yes."

Camille didn't know how to answer. And before she could try, the door opened, and Dr. Grey entered. Logan swallowed hard.

"So, Logan? How about it? Shall we do it?" Dr. Grey asked. Logan glanced at Camille and nodded. "Alright, let's do it."


They sat in Camille's car, ate fries and drank cokes. Well, at least that's what Camille did. Logan had hardly touched his fries, but at least he had drunk his coke. Camille watched him uneasily. "Are you alright?"

Logan looked down at the box on his lap. "I'm sorry. I know you paid the food. I'll pay you back when I-"

"Forget about that," Camille replied, taking her and Logan's boxes of fries and putting them on the back seat. "Is this still about the blood test?"

Logan was silent at first and Camille thought he wouldn't answer her at all, but then, "I didn't want you to find out. I didn't want to seem even weaker and more vulnerable in your eyes than I already do. I'm sorry that I'm not good boyfriend material. I'm just pathetic."

"Why do you say that? Why do you have such a low opinion of yourself? You're great, Logan. The most handsome person I know." She saw him blush, then he looked out of the window.

"Hey," she said softly, placing a hand on his cheek and gently turning his face toward her.

"So you don't think this is all a big mistake for you?"

"Of course not."

He glanced at the window again, then sighed. "The thing is, I don't know if I can believe you."

"Then tell me how I can change that. How can I prove it to you?"

"I don't know."

"What if I do that?"


She had no idea what she was doing, or if it was even right. But at that moment she felt such a strong wave of affection for him that she just couldn't help but to trust and follow her inner instincts. And so, she kissed him.


Logan was the first who pulled back. He felt strange. His whole skin seemed to tingle, his breath got stuck in his throat, and deep, very deep inside he felt this weird feeling. He didn't know that feeling, didn't know what it was or what it meant. All he knew was that it was a positive feeling. A good feeling. A really great feeling.


"That was . . . nice," Logan whispered.

"It was," Camille replied, also whispering.

"I'm sorry about what I said. I guess the truth is I don't think you doubt me, I think I only doubt myself."

"Don't do that," Camille said, putting a hand on the back of his neck. "You're great, remember?"

Logan smiled weakly.

"Come here," Camille said, pulling him into her arms.

"I have a question," Logan said after a few minutes while they were still hugging.

"What question?"

"If I want to kiss you again . . . am I allowed to do that?"

"That depends. Do you want to kiss me?"

"Um, yeah. I guess."

She leaned back to face him. "You guess?"

Logan smiled, leaned in, hesitated a tiny moment, and then actually kissed her. Only briefly, but also sweet and tender. Camille couldn't suppress the big grin on her face. "I think I could get used to that."

Logan suddenly looked thoughtful again.

"Everything okay?"

He nodded absently. "Yeah, I was just thinking . . . you know you still owe me something."

"Really?" she asked in surprise. Logan nodded again. "Oh yeah." He brought his face close to hers again, then Camille saw him smirk. "You still haven't told me what your biggest fear is," he said with a slight wink and Camille laughed.


"I'm back," Logan called as he entered the house.

"I'm here, sweetie," his mother's voice came from the kitchen. Logan walked over there and plopped down on a kitchen chair. His mother looked at him worried. "Are you alright, honey?"

Logan nodded. "Yes, Mom, I'm fine, don't worry. The check-up was just a little more tiring than I thought." He reached up to scratch his temple when his mom spotted the band-aid on his arm.

"Why do you have a band-aid?" Her voice went from worried to suspicious. Logan waved off. "Nothing wild, Mom. Dr. Grey took my blood today, that's all."

"Took your blood?" she repeated, her voice changed again, this time to outrage. "How dare he draw your blood without telling us? He knows how hard this is for you. I'll call him right now and tell him-"

"No, Mom," Logan said firmly. "Like I said, I'm fine. Plus, Camille was with me and helped me get through it."

"Oh . . . And you're sure you don't want me to call him to-"

"I'm sure, Mom." Logan got up. "Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to go to my room and lie down. I'm really tired."

"Of course, honey. Go and get some rest. I'll come up later and bring you something to eat."

"No need, Mom. Camille already got us some food."

"Oh, that's nice."

Logan nodded and gave his mother a quick kiss on the cheek. "I'm going upstairs."

She nodded and he walked out of the kitchen, not seeing the unhappy expression on his mother's face.


Logan found his father in his study, sitting at the computer and typing a report. Logan knocked on the door frame. "Dad?"

His father turned to him on the desk chair and smiled. "How did it go?"

"It was awful," Logan groaned and told his father about the check-up.

"Sorry to hear that, Logan," Jeffrey said after Logan finished. "But I'm sure Dr. Grey knows what he's doing."

Logan nodded. "He said I should start going out and doing walks." He made such a grim face that his father had to laugh. "It really wouldn't hurt you to get some fresh air every now and then."

Logan sighed. "Yes, maybe." He was silent for a moment. "Dr. Grey said he'll send you the results as soon as he gets it."

Jeffrey nodded. "All right."

" I'll go to my room and take a nap."

"Okay."

Logan turned around, hesitated. "Dad?"

"Yes?"

Logan bit his lower lip before whispering, "Camille and I . . . we kissed."

His father smiled. "And how was it? Did you like it?"

"Dad, please," Logan groaned in annoyance.

"I was just kidding," his father said, getting up and walking over to his son, putting a hand on his shoulder. "But seriously, I'm very happy for you, Logan."

"Thanks, Dad . . . Will you tell Mom?"

Jeffrey Mitchell sighed. "Well, I guess we'll have to tell her at some point."

"Yes, but does that have to be right away?"

Jeffrey looked at his son and knew what he was thinking, knew what was troubling him so much. "No, it doesn't have to be right away."

Logan nodded relieved, but immediately felt guilty. "I don't want to lie to her, I don't want to have secrets from Mom, but . . ."

His father nodded. "Yes, I know."

Father and son were silent for a few seconds, then Jeffrey patted his son on the shoulder. "Now go and get some rest. Take your nap. Maybe you'll dream about you and Camille kissing one more time . . ."

"Dad!"

Jeffrey laughed. "Come on, get out of here."

Logan shook his head with a slight smile and walked away. His father watched him leaving with a worried expression on his face, before turning back to his report, letting out a deep sigh.