“Yeah. Maybe some of my foot, too.”
“You got in a fight?” My heart races. I want to reach out and brush his hair away from his face, beg him to take me away. Instead I let his hand go.
“I wouldn’t call it a fight,” he says, resting his hands in front of him again.
“Did you get arrested?” And suddenly I’m afraid. What if they take Cameron from me too?
“You sound worried, Sutton.”
“I might be.”
“That’s sweet,” he says.
“Shut up.”
He laughs. “No, the police weren’t involved.”
I shift on the step, turning fully toward him. “Who’d you jump?” I ask.
“Don’t remember his name.”
“Cameron.”
“Nope. That wasn’t it.”
I want to call him an idiot and tell him to stop being difficult, but being here with him proves how much I’ve missed him. Missed the way he makes me feel. It’s a lot like how Retha and Travis make me feel. Like maybe I’m worth something.
I gasp as it dawns on me. “Did . . . did you hit Patrick?”
Cameron looks out at the sidewalk. “Hit. Kick. Spit on? No. I wouldn’t do that.”
I stare at the side of his face, warmth spreading over my chest. “You beat him up for me?” I whisper. I want to cry. It’s so goddamn chivalrous.
“Beat up?” He chuckles and looks over at me. “You make it sound like I met him at the playground after school. No, Sutton. What happened is less problem solving and more revenge. In fact”—he glances at my cast—“I would say it was all revenge.”
“I thought we agreed to stop fighting through our problems?” I ask.
“This was the last time—I swear.” He smiles at me. “I made it count, though.”
“I’m glad.” And I am, because this may be the only payback I ever get. One day, maybe, I really will stop fighting. Cameron too. I want to believe that eventually we won’t have to. But I also know that life isn’t always fair. But we’ll try our best.
“Did you get hurt?” I ask, looking him over. His face isn’t bruised. It’s still beautiful.
“Nope,” he says. “He didn’t get a chance to hit me back. And I’m pretty sure he won’t bother you again. At least that’s what he was saying from the pavement.”
Patrick broke my wrist. His cruelty is the reason I got expelled. He’s the reason Evan was taken away.
Cameron tried to make it better. And I love him for that.
We stare at each other, and I feel such loneliness, even with Cameron next to me. I want him to hold me. I want to cry, and I want him to let me and never mention it again. I motion to his hands.
“Let me see your knuckles again,” I say.
“No.” He grins, holding them close to him. I can tell they probably hurt.
“Let me see your stupid hands,” I say.
Cameron slowly holds them out to me. “They’re not stupid,” he whispers, making me laugh.
