“I love you,” he says, mocking my voice.
“Shut up.”
He reaches out his hand, and although I consider slapping it away, I slide my palm into his. “You didn’t need to tell me,” he says quietly.
“I’ll remember that for next time.”
“Although, it is nice to hear,” he says loudly, as if I interrupted him. “Especially when you’re all over me like that.”
“You’re needy,” I say.
“I just need you. And I’m going to steal you away from all of this and never bring you back.”
He’s kidding, but I let myself imagine that it’s true—that we both escape together. I sit quietly as Cameron holds my hand, unable to say anything else.
***
Retha answers on the first ring. “It’s about time, bitch,” she says affectionately. “I heard that Patrick got the shit kicked out of him. Who do I owe the lap dance to?”
“Cameron.”
“No shit,” she says. “Huh. Well, your boyfriend busted him up pretty good. Heard he got a broken leg and some stitches. Patrick told the cops he got jumped outside the 7-Eleven, but he didn’t see who did it. It was in the paper this morning.” She sighs. “Either way, I owe Cameron that dance.”
“I’m sure Travis would appreciate that.” I laugh. “How’s he holding up there?”
“Great. And you know what, I don’t think we’ve fought once since we’ve been here. That’s got to be a record or something.”
“I believe it is.” I lean back on my bed and run my fingers up and down my arm, remembering the way it felt when Cameron did it. Remembering everything. “So I did it,” I say to Retha, unable to stop the grin that’s hurting my cheeks.
“It?” She sounds confused.
“It.”
Retha is quiet, and then I hear her take in a sharp breath. “You didit! Was it withhim?”
“Yep.”
“Wow,” she says. “I’m impressed. I mean, I knew he wanted to, but damn, girl. I didn’t think he had a chance. You’re not easily had. Were you wearingThe Shirt?”
“No. I guess I don’t need it anymore.”
“I guess you don’t,” she says. “And I’m guessing it was good?”
I laugh, blushing. “Yeah, it was all kinds of good.”
“I knew it.”
“Now hurry home so we can go to 7-Eleven and talk about it in Travis’s car,” I say.
“First thing on my to-do list,” she says. “But I don’t want to wait. Tell meeverythingnow.”
I laugh, and Retha gets back to being her old self, asking for every detail of Cameron’s anatomy and physiology. I don’t tell her—okay, maybe I hint, but it’s cool. It’s cool to have my best friend, even if she can’t be here with me now.
She doesn’t ask about Evan, even though I know she’s hoping for an update. But it’s too painful right now. It’s too painful for both of us. I still can’t believe it’s real. I can’t believe he’s gone.
***
A week goes by. Then two. I call Kathy every day, but she still says it’s too soon for Evan to see me. She tells me he’s good though. Happy. It shouldn’t hurt to hear that, but it does. The fact that he doesn’t need me.
