Call Her Bluff

Instead of going straight to school the next day, I stopped by a Starbucks that I passed along the way. I wasn’t in desperate need of caffeine; I just wanted something warm to take care of the Maryland chill. I walked in the store and shivered at the drastic temperature change. The smell of coffee beans and various baked goods entered my nose, sending a satisfied smile across my lips. I ordered my usual, very bland mocha espresso with whipped cream, paid the cashier and walked over to the pick up counter.

I was waiting at the counter for about a minute when a boy walked up behind me. He was as skinny as a rod with black hair that fell in his eyes a little, but not too much as his sideways baseball cap was keeping most of it out of the way. He smiled kindly at me and stuffed his hands into his jacket pocket, which I soon recognized to be a Glamour Kills product. I wasn’t one for random conversation, but I figured a friendly gesture wouldn’t hurt anyone.

“Nice jacket,” I commented with a small smile. He looked down at it, as if he forgot what it looked like and smiled back. “Thanks.” I nodded and looked at the different brochures advertising the new coffee blends they’d be getting in soon.

“One mocha espresso with whipped,” one of the workers announced. I took a step forward and was surprised when I noticed the boy I’d complimented stepped up as well. We looked at each other in confusion, then at the lone drink that sat on the counter. The worker was handed another drink and he read the description. “Make that two,” he said before placing it beside the other one.

The boy and I smiled at each other and walked up to the counter. I picked up the cup to the left and searched for a name. I’d clearly picked up the other boys, because my name was not Jack. “I think this one is yours Jack?” I asked, hoping that was in fact his name.

“And I’m guessing you’re Camryn,” he chuckled, swapping the drink in my hands for my own. I nodded and grabbed two napkins for the both of us and offered him one. He took it thankfully and walked out of the café with me. “So, you from around here?” he asked.

I took a quick sip of my drink and shook my head. “I’m from California. Just moved here this weekend actually.” He nodded and sipped his coffee. “California’s nice. It’s definitely different than this place, I’ll tell you that,” he said with a grin.

“Definitely,” I agreed. “You know you’re the first person that hasn’t freaked out about it.”

Jack shrugged. “Well I’ve actually been there. Most of the people here haven’t even left town. They don’t know what they’re missing,” he winked. I laughed and held up my plastic cup to his. “Here’s to that,” I nodded.

He smiled. “Well it was nice chatting with you Miss Camryn, but I’m sure you have better things to do, so I’ll let you go.” I scoffed and pulled my keys out of my pocket. “Oh yeah, school. So much better,” I said sarcastically.

“Where do you go?” he asked curiously.

“Dulaney,” I shrugged. It wasn’t much to brag about. Jack’s smile widened. “That’s where I went to school. Good luck.”

“Oh, thanks,” I laughed. “Well I’ll see you around,” I grinned.

“Yep, see you,” Jack smiled before walking across the parking lot to his car. I was beginning to think Maryland wasn’t completely hopeless. I’d already met three nice people, and I only hoped more of their kind kept showing up.

School was boring. I slept in most, if not all of my classes. Somehow I managed to wake up while the teacher was assigning the homework, so I had a crap load of things to finish, and I didn’t even know how to start them. Lunch with Mia was the same as it was the day before. We just talked about our day and what we wished would happen. Of course, hers consisted somehow of All The Time Low.

After school was a drag. I locked myself in my room, playing comforting music and studying for upcoming tests. My desk was luckily beside the window so I wouldn’t have to use my lights, and just let the sun help me see. I tried my hardest to focus but lost interest quickly. My attention drifted out the window, but I was soon captivated by what I saw.

A guy was running down the street in a frantic manner. I rushed to my window and opened it, hoping to hear what all the commotion was about.

“Zack, just chill out. We’ll go get you some ketchup in a few minutes,” a rather familiar voice shouted from an unknown spot. I guess the running man was Zack because he stopped before running up the walkway to the house across from mine. He was shirtless and his hair hung in curls around his forehead. He was buff, really buff, but not so buff that it was disgusting. From what I could see, that boy was downright beautiful.

“But I need it now!” he shouted back.

Low chuckles filled the air. “It’s not worth it brah!” another manly voice yelled.

“It is so,” he said, whirling around before running off in a direction. Seconds later I heard our doorbell ring and I sprung into action. “I’ll get it,” I yelled, running down my stairs taking two or three at the time. I got to the door in record speed and opened it slowly, revealing Ketchup Boy.

“Hi,” he spoke. I smiled in response. “My name is Zack. My friends live a few houses down from you. I, I know this may seem really random, but I was just wondering if you had any ketchup I could have. It’d be extremely generous of you, and I promise on my addiction that you’ll get it back.”

I chuckled at his sincerity. “Ha, yeah, just hold on a sec.” He nodded and I rushed to the kitchen and was back at the door in lightening speed. “Here, you can keep it,” I smiled.

“Oh sweet! Thank you so much, uh,” he cut off.

“Camryn,” I finished for him.

“Thanks so much Camryn! Catch you later!” he yelled before running back down the street. That, unfortunately, wasn’t the last of the yelling I heard within that time frame.
Mia ran down the stairs almost as fast as I did, screaming her head off. She ran right into me, wrapping her arms tightly around my midsection. “Please Camryn? Please, please, please, please?!” she begged. I rolled my eyes at the top of her head and pushed her off of me. “No,” I responded. Mia scoffed. “Mom!” she whined and I barely heard my mom call my name warningly.

“Sorry, kiddo, but if it’s not so important that you’d actually ask me before you started begging, then I’m going to have to turn you down,” I shrugged and started back up the stairs.

“Fine, wait!” she pleaded, pulling on my arm. “Can you please take me to see All Time Low this Friday? Please? I know you don’t like them but mom won’t let me go without you. They’re playing with Hey Monday and We The Kings. You like them! I’ll never ask anything of you ever again. Please Camryn.”

I narrowed my eyes at her. I did like Hey Monday, and I was surprisingly able to tolerate We The Kings. I really didn’t have a reason to turn her down. I rolled my eyes and nodded, earning a squeal in return. “Thank you so, so, so, so much! You’re the best sister in the world!” she giggled.

“Don’t get too ahead of yourself,” I warned. “You may think otherwise sometime in the future.”

“Doubt it,” she replied in a sing song tone. I huffed and turned towards her once we were at the top of the stairs. “See, now if you would have made me get the smaller room, there’s no way I’d be doing this for you,” I pointed out.

Her eyes widened. “It’s all yours. I won’t even step foot in it without your permission.” I smiled. That was a plus.