Smile.

So taking Cameron to the mall was just an excuse to spend time with him, but he doesn’t have to know that!

Cameron doesn’t seem at all pleased by my idea. He sulks the entire ride to the mall and when we get there he’s reluctant to step out of the car. Somehow, I manage to drag him into the mall where he scowls the moment he sees the large amount of people strolling around.

“Come on, stop being such a stiff.” I elbow his side with a smile.

Cameron scolds me for being such a nuisance before stalking off to the food court. I chuckle and quickly follow after the boy with a slight hop in my step. I find that he’s waiting in line for Chinese, arms crossed, and looking angry, as usual.

“You like Chinese?” I ask curiously, swaying from side to side.

“Obviously,” he answers with a roll of his eyes. Pulling out his wallet, he looks through the cash, until I steal it and shove it into my back pocket. “What the hell, Sage?”

“It was my idea to come so I’ll pay.” I wrap a hand around his mouth to keep him from arguing. I give the lady my order and only move my hand when Cameron gives his. His grumbling underneath my palm is all I hear for the next few minutes.

“I hate you.”

“No you don’t,” I laugh and man is it tempting to lean over and kiss him. I mean it’s really, really tempting…maybe I should? Nah, he’d probably panic and do something like…beat me down with a plastic tray. Knowing Cameron, he’d find a way to make it the most painful thing in the world.

Scoffing, he stuffs his face with food, probably as an excuse not to talk. I laugh and begin eating mine as well, watching and occasionally speaking to the boy sitting across from me. When we finish, the two of us walk side by side, closer than we need to be, but why would I say that?

I feel glad to know that he doesn’t notice or just doesn’t care that we’re so close. Our arms and hands brush, but Cameron doesn’t pull away and for that I’m glad. I want to grab his hand and intertwine our fingers, but I don’t know how he’d react.

For once, I don’t want to push it, because I’ve gotten this far I need to try and get farther. I know I can do it. I know I can get Cameron to smile, to laugh, to be a normal teenager, and to be my Cameron. It will happen!

“What are you smiling at?” Cameron asks with a raise of his delicate brow.

I glance at him and reply, “I’m always smiling.”

“But this time it has an evil intent.”

I shrug. “I’m a teenage boy. I always have an evil intent.”

Cameron sighs and shakes his head, disappointed. He turns quickly into Hot Topic and I follow like the obedient puppy that we all know I am.

“Holy shit…buy those!” I exclaim, pointing towards possibly the most form fitting jeans I’ve ever laid my eyes on. Just imagining Cameron in those makes my privates stand at attention.

Cameron gives me that classic ‘no way you idiot’ look that only he can pull off so perfectly before heading to the CD’s. There he stands, searching through the ones that they have and I make sure to take note of the ones he inspects because that’s something new I am learning about him.

“You like Suicide Silence?” I ask, slightly surprised. “I didn’t picture you listening to the screamo stuff.”

“There’s a lot of things I like that you don’t know about.” And ouch, that hurt, because it’s so very true, but I plan to change that.

“For now.”

Cameron stiffens and scowls, grabbing a CD and going straight to the register where he buys it. And we exit the store to go to another and another and the rest of the evening is spent with us walking together, buying things, trying on things, and having a good old time.

And I can’t help but feel like this is a date. But I’m sure if I mentioned that to Cameron he’d freak…

Speaking of Cameron, we’ve made it to his house. I sigh and I want to say that Cameron looks sad to leave, but it’s Cameron…he’s probably thrilled to get rid of me.

I take a glance at him to see that he hasn’t moved yet, but rather is sitting perfectly still with his eyes on his feet. His CD lays in his lap while his fingers flip it over from one side to the other. I bite my lip because I swear that the way he’s acting is out of nervousness…

I take a deep breath, to prepare myself for what I’m about to do. I don’t know how he’s going to react or if he’ll even be ok with it, but I have to do this sooner or later. He seems in a good mood no anyways…so maybe if he doesn’t like it he won’t get too mad?

“Cameron,” I call, catching the boys attention and having his eyes back on me. I love it. I love feeling the attention, but only his. I love feeling his eyes on me, knowing that he’s paying attention to me and only me.

I reach a hand over to run it up his throat. His eyes widen considerably, but he doesn’t move when I press my hand against his cheek and massage it with my thumb. I take my teeth away from my lip and lean in, slowly so if he doesn’t want this he won’t feel forced to do it.

But once I feel his breath on my lips, fanning across my face I decide screw it. I’ve waited long enough for this and I’m going to take this chance while I have it.

I finally feel his lips against my own and damn, they’re a hell of a lot softer than I expected. Cameron is such a stone cold and calm person that I almost expected his lips to feel like rocks, but really whose lips feel like that?

His are so soft and warm. Being this close to him allows me to breathe in his scent, which is just as addicting as his lips, which are surprisingly moving against my own with as much eagerness as mine. I smirk and run my fingers through his soft brown locks.

But this feeling of pure bliss stops all too soon by Cameron ripping away from me with possibly the most confused, hurt, and shocked expression. And before I have time to say a thing he’s out of the car and running straight into the apartment building and all I can think is…

Shit.