Happy Endings Are for Optimists

A few weeks passed. It was late May, and my life was starting to mellow out. I got used to living with Cameron. I eventually got a job at a coffee shop and started making some money. Very paycheck I would try to pay Cam back, but he would never take it. “I’ll always take care of you, with or without getting anything in return” He’d always tell me.

While I was at work, Cam would go out and do whatever he did. He still never told me, but I didn’t push him. I trusted him.

Slowly I met some of his friends. It surprised me a little that he actually had male friends because in high school, I was his only friend. But I knew he must have talked to someone while I wasn’t around, so it didn’t surprise me.

His friends were some odd people, but they seemed to take a liking to me.

The first one I met was Stephen. He was pretty quiet, made me think he didn’t really like me at first. I learned that, apparently, he’s just not good around strangers. After being around me a few more times, he opened up a bit.

The next person I met was Jamie. At first I didn’t know what to think of her. I mean, she was a pretty girl with half pink, half blue hair. But she acted friendly to me. I actually thought for a while that her and Cameron had a thing going on, but that died when she asked me out on a date and I learned she was a lesbian. After learning I wasn’t into girls, she backed off. That’s when her outgoing, rough attitude really started to make sense.

Last person I met was Mason. At first, I thought he was like seventeen. I mean, he certainly looked it. But then Cameron cleared up that he was our age, he just looked so much younger. Then it wasn’t so weird when he indulged in his habit of refusing to wear shirts.

They all seemed to take to me easily, really accepting me. Even so, I could tell they were all hiding something. Like how on my days off, they’d all be unavailable. And when Cameron was open, that’s the only time the rest of them were too.

I finally decided to actually ask Cam what he did for a living.

“Why do you want to know?” He answered me with a question one afternoon after grocery shopping. I hadn’t been able to put the coffee in the top shelves of the cabinet and he had to come and take over my job.

“Because you always have money, but I never see a work uniform or anything. And you won’t take my money. And I can tell that you guys are doing something that I don’t know about because you’re all always busy” I rambled on, finally able to get my worries off my chest.

Even though in the first place, I told myself that Cameron wouldn’t do illegal things, I started to doubt it. I mean, I didn’t think Oli would either, and you see how that went.

After a few seconds of a pause, Cam turned to face me. He put his hands on my shoulder and looked down at me. “Let’s sit down” He suggested.

I didn’t like where it was going.

After he led me to the couch, he took a deep breath and turned to me.

“I knew you’d ask eventually. And honestly, this is as good of a time as ever because I needed to tell you before things started being put into motion” He explained. I could feel my pulse quickening.

“Just tell me already” I demanded, getting impatient.

He took my hand before looking me in the eyes.

“Kyle, I’m in a band” He told me seriously.

A few seconds passed in silence before I burst out in laughter.

“Seriously?!” I asked, falling off the couch. Cameron just pouted.

When I finally managed to collect myself, I moved to hug him.

“I thought it was some serious, illegal business” I told him. Then he started to laugh.

“How long have you known me? You really thought that?” He asked, smiling. Before I could give an answer, he just hugged me.

“Never,” He said seriously, “Would I do something like that to you.”

We stayed together like that for a moment before I pulled back.

“So, what’s being set into motion? How popular is your band?” I asked, wanting to know everything now, “And why didn’t you just tell me that in the first place?”

“Well, because I knew Oli is, and I didn’t think you’d have good thoughts about people in bands” He said shyly. I just laughed and shook my head.

“And actually, our band is pretty popular. The motion is we’re going on Warped Tour this year” He said. Then I got sad. I remembered when Oli would go on Warped Tour and all I’d do is sit at home alone for like three months.

Cam must have noticed my change because that’s when he grabbed my face and made me look at him.

“You didn’t let me finish. We’re going on Warped this year and we want you to come with us and work Merch” He told me. I brightened like the early morning sun. I just jumped at hugged him, saying “Yes” over and over again.

I was going on tour for the first time. But I really had no idea what to expect, and I wish I would have thought out the possibilities.