Authors: Jack Parker
He let out a little laugh. I looked up at him. "This is the nicest weather we've had all week. It was freezing a couple days ago. But sure, we'd like to come in, just for a bit, I have to take Ella home soon." He leaned in and whispered, "She needs a nap."
It was clear as soon as he stepped into our house that I was not in Phoenix anymore. No one ever comes and brings anything to your door to welcome you, and they aren't this friendly, guy's especially, would not tote around little kids. In fact, I don't think I had ever met anyone like Camdon. No guy my age would carry around a little girl so tenderly, as if it wasn't a complete obligation, and wouldn't be so friendly and welcoming.
He looked around and turned with a big smile, "This is a nice place. We had an old couple that lived here before, but went to DeMoines to live with their daughter. How'd you guys decide to move out?"
Camdon looked genuinely interested, and after I thought about it, he probably was. Camdon was by far, the most adorable thing I had ever seen. He had one dimple that appeared every time he smiled. Which he did, a lot. He was almost as upbeat as Anna, always sounding happy and intrigued. But it wasn't peppiness, it was more like…happiness. He had a type of joyful charisma that made the whole room brighter. It worked for him; he just glowed, and was obviously very charming. His personality was one I couldn't help but notice, and it felt like every part of my body was attracted to him. Whether it was his athletic body, cute looks, or personality, I couldn't decide, and frankly, it began to freak me out. I didn't want to come off as a creep though, so moved as far away from him as I could, afraid that I would become entranced by his eyes again.
Anna got out a glass and filled it up with water for us. "She'll be visiting for a couple months, her parents are taking a long sabbatical, and Heidi was nice enough to come help me get settled in." She sent
a
thankful smile my way.
I flashed one back. Weird. This was so weird.
"Oh yeah?" He turned. "You aren't going to miss home or anything like that? What year are you? I imagine that has to be hard."
"I'm a junior." I said, sliding into
a
chair at the small kitchen table. "But I think it'll be a nice change in scenery, I don't mind, Anna's not just family, she's a good friend." I nudged her playfully. I'm glad Anna and I clicked. Maybe people would actually believe our lies.
He grinned, his dimple making him look adorable. Ella began to yank on his shirt and he picked her up and put her in his lap. " Me too! When do you start school? I'd be happy to show you around, don't be afraid to ask."
"I start on Monday." I took a sip of my water. Watching him as he subconsciously put Ella's shoes back on, tying them while continuing to talk to me, as if taking care of the little girl was second nature.
"You'll like it. People are pretty friendly here." I can tell, I thought to myself. "And it's a pretty small school, about 130 kids in our class. You'll know everyone in no time." When he was finished fixing the little girls shoes he looked up at me and smiled.
"Is that your…daughter?" I asked, I could only assume it was someone really dear to him, and the age difference was pretty big for it to be his sister.
"Who?" He asked confused. Then it dawned on him, "Noooo," he laughed loudly. "This is my sister. Why would you think it was my daughter? She's almost three." He added, as if it was totally crazy for someone to have a child at fifteen.
Anna stepped in to save me. "She's not from here," She smiled at him, "She went to high school in Phoenix."
"Arizona?"
"Yup. And usually, when a high school boy has a little kid with him, it's his kid. Not his sibling." I cleared my throat. "At least, at my old school." I clarified, not wanting him to think I was being a snob, "Which, now that I think about it, is pretty ghetto." but I couldn't help getting a little defensive, I already felt slightly embarrassed around him, but I couldn't place why.
I really wasn't getting off to the greatest start with this guy. I'm blaming it on the plane ride. It was a long one.
"Well, not out here. That' s pretty scandalous." Camdon shifted a little uncomfortably, and got an odd look on his face, which was unusual, since the whole time he basically was a magnet for all things calm and cool.
"Yeah. We have four girls pregnant in my grade, and its only a couple months into the school year, I'm sure we'll get more." I shut my mouth and felt like hitting my head. Was that information really necessary? I was just going to stop talking. Anna can take over from here; maybe she could protect me from embarrassing myself.
Camdon moved Ella in his lap, who was beginning to drift off. "We brought you cupcakes, but I think I gotta go soon, this one is dozing already."
"Yeah of course." Anna said in her sweet voice. "It's so nice to meet neighbors, and it's good for Heidi to know someone before school." She turned and stared at me pointedly. I frowned, as if to say 'what?' Her eyes narrowed, "Right Heidi?"
"Yeah totally." I said sarcastically, right before taking
a
bite of a cupcake.
As soon as Camdon left Anna raised an eyebrow at me. "He's trying to be nice, do you have to make things so uncomfortable for him?"
"No." I mumbled, and picked at the frosting of other cupcakes. That wasn't even intentional, I thought to myself. "I'm just not sure yet. You never know at a new school, sometimes they eat nice girls for lunch. I gotta make sure people know that I'm not a doormat."
"But that kid?" Anna sighed, as if I had made things awkward on purpose, which, on another occasion I might have, but not this one. She looked out the window at him, carrying his little sister. "He has to be the sweetest guy I've ever meet."
"Except Detective O'Connor." I added in sneakily
"What?" She asked totally confused.
"Detective O'Connor. He's one of the nicest persons I've ever met. He helped me so much through this ordeal. I mean, what a really classy guy." I picked up another cupcake. Damn these were addicting. And who said I wasn't nice? Detective O'Connor owes me, big time.
Anna's face immediately softened. "I'm sorry. I know how hard it must be for you to go through all this." Not what I was aiming at, but okay.
"I feel safer here, I don't know why they would bring themselves all the way out here."
She slid in a chair next to me. "They won't find you, and I may not look it, but I really am qualified, I can take care of you." She squeezed my hand while I resisted not pulling away.
I sighed. "I know." I could feel our conversation turn towards a more heartfelt area, and quickly moved away, "I hope you don't mind, but I'm pretty tired. I'm going to hit the hay." As I walked up the stairs, my heart ached again, the smell, the sounds, the people; everything about this house reminded me that wherever I went, it was only temporary. Sometimes it seemed as if I could never really have a home. When I reached my room, I went and laid back on the bed, I closed my eyes, letting my thoughts and dreams take me away.
Even with the time change, I woke up early. I looked over at my clock, and it was 6:00 am. That's 3:00 am Phoenix time. But I couldn't sleep, and I was feeling rather restless, so I put on some spandex, a sports bra, and a T, leaving my ipod, I never took it running, afraid of being attacked when I was zoning out. Slipping on my running shoes, I was already excited.
Running was such a relief for me, I could feel any stress or worry I had melt away. I couldn't help but smile, and bounded down the stairs, and saw Anna in the kitchen, assembling a gun on the counter.
"Oh hi Heidi!" She beamed, as if it was totally normal to do that. We are so not meant for suburbia lifestyle.
"Um. Hey."
"You going running?" She asked, looking at it, and putting it on top of the fridge.
"Yeahhh… Hey. Is that loaded?"
She looked up, not quite understanding my question, like it was such a normal thing to do every morning that she didn't even realize. "Oh! The gun." Yes Anna, the gun. "Don't worry, I'm just keeping it here for protection. I have a couple stashed around the house, so don't be freaked if you find one." She pulled another one from her bag and began doing the same thing, "Have fun on your run!"
"Thanks Anna," I inched out of the kitchen to the door, happy to finally be outside.
I took a big breath in and closed my eyes. Air. No smog or pollution. Mmmmm. I shivered. But from the cold, or because of how nervous I got around the gun, I didn't know. I shook it off and began on my run, it was faster paced than normal, and I ran throughout the streets and past several cornfields and beanstalks, quite a change of scenery for me.
I was deep in thought, thinking about Mickey, and if the police were closer to catching her, and when the daunting day came that the truck would finally carry the solar panels and meth over the boarder.
My thoughts were spinning, and I was so wrapped in thought, I almost didn't notice the padding feet coming up behind me. My heart started thumping hard, and I picked up my pace a little bit more, only to hear the other runner do the same. My mind was going crazy, thinking of everything we could have done that led them here. I began sprinting as fast as I could, but wasn't fast enough, I could hear them gaining, and I was dying to know how they found me, we had been so careful.
I felt a hand on my shoulder and I screamed, turning around and thrashing about in a strong grip, trying to hit them in as many places as I could.
"Heidi! Heidi!" I heard a voice say. "Stop! Its me, ITS CAMDON!"
I immediately stopped. He was blinking, and rubbing his face, I got him good.
I stared at him. I would have been embarrassed, but I was so relieved that it was just him, and not some one else, I broke out in
a
grin.
"It's just you." I smiled. I let out a large breath. "Oh thank goodness." I put a hand on my heart, trying to quiet it, before turning to glare at him.
"What were you thinking? Grabbing a person like that? And chasing them?"
He looked taken aback. "I-I-uh. I didn't mean it like that." He looked pretty uncomfortable. "I only wanted to catch up and talk." He shrugged.
He really was sweet. I sighed, and rubbed my temples, "I'm sorry, it's my fault." I looked up and tried to be friendly, "I live in a city, and I'm just paranoid, sometimes you have to be."
He nodded, slowly understanding. "I've never lived anywhere but here," he said lamely, gesturing to the surrounding empty road and fields.
I couldn't think of anything to do, I had made the situation so awkward. I groaned inwardly, alright: "Do you want to finish the run with me?" I offered weakly.
He smiled, and his face glowed. "Yeah! I'd like that. Your pretty fast, by the way." He winked.
Oh my god he winked at me,
I found myself inwardly swooning. Swooning!
I mentally hit myself. I sound like a girl in junior high. My heart was still thumping hard, but that was no
longer
the product of getting scared.
We began jogging back towards our street, and I found my self becoming more relaxed again.
"I really am sorry about scaring you," He gave me a sheepish smile.
I looked up into his eyes again and tried to give him the most sincere smile I could, but it came out a little sad. "It's not your fault, I'm just a little jumpy."
"Where were you from again?"