Ordinary

Bethany hated Camden Hart. She despised him. Never in her life would she find it in her heart to forgive the self centered asshole. He was a jerk, a fraud, and a liar. This is what Bethany repeated in her head as she sat in the guidance office. The bell rang, signalizing the ending of the day. She grabbed her purse off of the chair next to her, and stormed toward the door. “I’ll see you here tomorrow, first period” the counselor told her. Bethany nodded. “Alright, promise me you won’t go home tonight,” he said, keeping her longer.

The young girl turned to face him, “Yes, I promise.” Then, without a goodbye, she ran to her locker. The tears ran down her face; there was no hiding them. Her peers stared in awe, they had never seen her give this much emotion before. Finally arriving at the locker, she spun her combination and lifted the dial. The locker swung open, and Bethany erupted in sobs. She shoved her head in her locker, crying all over her text books.

Why did Camden have to tell guidance about Jesse? Why did he break their promise? Why did he have to ruin the only good relationship she had? Why did he have to kill her trust she had for him? Bethany’s mind swirled with questions. She needed to know why Camden had done this, but she didn’t want to see him. She hated him. She never thought she’d say it, but she hated her best friend. She didn’t want to ride home with Camden, but she didn’t want to take the bus to that hellhole of a house either. Jesse would murder her. She cried harder at the thought. After minutes at her locker, she calmed down. Shoving her books in her book bag, she walked out to the lobby of the school, and sat on a bench. Out the windows, she saw Camden waiting by his car. He looked devastated; he knew that he had hurt her. His worried eyes looked up, and met Bethany’s. Her tear stung eyes stared at his. She mouthed the words. I hate you.

That was the last straw for Camden, he broke down. His heart dropped in his chest, his stomach gained nausea, and his eyes began to tear up. He needed to talk to Bethany, he didn’t want their relationship to end like his, let alone end at all. He locked the car, and then walked up to the school building. He swung the door open, walking into the school. The singer sat next to Bethany, each of them ignoring the other. Camden went to take Bethany’s hand in his. She allowed him. Her tears fell harder. “Why’d you do this to me?” she whispered through her sobs. Camden rubbed the back of her hand, and whispered through his own cries.

“Bethy, I’m sorry. You can’t let Jesse do this. What happens when we go to your house Sunday and they don’t believe you? What happens when they make your move back in? What happens when Jesse keeps doing this? What happens when they think I put this in your head, and they never let me see you again? Beth, don’t you understand? You need to tell someone. They’ll be the proper help, not a twenty year old in a band. I wish I could say I could have this ended, but Bethy you know that’s not true.”

Bethany sighed, and spoke, “I know Camden.” He took her other hand, and looked up at her. They stared at each other for a moment, and then Bethany spoke. “Can we go home now?” Camden nodded, and let go of her hands. They walked out to the car. They both got in, and then Camden drove. He drove faster, harder, and angrier than Bethany had ever seen anyone drive before. At the stoplight, Camden turned on a CD. It was Bring Me the Horizon. What the hell? Bethany thought to herself. “Camden, what’s making you so angry?” she asked him, keeping her eyes on her lap. He spoke in a growl, causing Bethany to shiver.

“Jesse deserves to die, he deserves to burn in hell for hurting you like this. I don’t think I can go through dinner without having the urge to throw my knife at his chest.” Bethany nodded, and then giggled. “Why is this funny Bethy?” Camden asked.

“Well, I have the urge to throw my knife at him all the time. I almost did once, in eighth grade. Well, actually, it was a fork, and my parents weren’t home to ground me for it. He had to go to the hospital though. Cut his arm so bad, they had to cast him up. Funny stuff, I tell you.” Bethany grinned at the memory.

Camden busted out in laughter. “Bethany, you’re horrible for thinking that’s funny!”
Bethany giggled, and looked at him. “But, it is funny.” The singer rolled his eyes at her, smiling, and finished the drive home. Bethany walked into the town home, and hollered. “Is anyone home?” Only echoes responded. She smiled, and sat on the couch, turning on the television. Camden followed her, sitting very closely next to the teenager. Minutes passed until a commercial aired. Camden’s arm had made its way around Bethany’s shoulders. She turned towards him, and he placed a quick peck on her lips. Coming up, he smiled. Bethany frowned.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t of-“ Camden began, only to be cut off by Bethany.

“Cam, I wanted you to.” He looked at her in confusion. “Look, you know the whole thing with Jesse. I don’t need any more problems.”

“How would this be a problem Bethy?” he asked her, rubbing her shoulder.

“Camden, you’re twenty. I’m seventeen. It’s illegal. If we do begin dating, someone will be a jerk and report it, you know that. I don’t need you in jail. That’s the last thing that I want, and you know that.” Bethany gulped. She knew she wanted to be with Camden, but the cops would be on that in a second.

Camden cleared his throat, “Bethany, I can wait for you, if that’s what you want.”

The young teenager looked up at him, and then rested her head onto his shoulder. “Cam, honestly, I don't know what I want just yet."