Smile For The Camera

After I'd realized that he saved my life, I tried to wrap my head around the idea.

"Uh, thanks," I said once I'd straightened my clothes and fixed a few stray hairs. He only chuckled. I stood there awkwardly, not knowing what to say.

After a few more awkward seconds he said, "You're welcome," there was a slight pause then he leaned closer and said, "I'm Hayden."

"I'm Amy," I fixed my hair again and continued walking the way I was going before - checking the road before I crossed this time.

He walked beside me. He obviously wasn't done talking, but he wasn't saying anything.

"Is there something I can help you with?" I kept walking, but glanced over at him.

"No," he shook his head. My lips parted slightly and my face scrunched together in confusion. I didn't understand why he was following me if he wasn't going to say anything else. So I decided to ask him.

"Why are you following me?" I hadn't meant to sound so snappy and rude, but the words were out and I wasn't about to take them back.

"Can't I just be going to the same place you are going?" he said, smiling after he said it.

I gave him a questioning look and said, "Sure, if you knew where I was going."

"Right...about that, where are you going?" he smiled a cocky smile at me and I rolled my eyes trying to hide a grin of my own.

"I'm going to get ice cream," I smiled so he'd know I wasn't a total jerk.

"No way!" he looked shocked and said, "That's where I was going. We might as well walk together."

He seemed pretty cool. I'd never seen him around before, though. I decided that it wouldn't hurt to have a friend, so I played nice. "Well, duh, there isn't any other way." I flashed him one of my model smiles.

So we walked together.

I hadn't had a boyfriend before and wasn't interested in having one right when my career was about to take off. With no boy experience, prior to the past two minutes, I didn't know how to act around one without scaring him off.

"So, what flavor are you getting?" he asked me once the ice cream shop was in sight.

I realized that this would be the first time I would have ice cream in two years. My mom had always gone with me whenever I went out and ice cream was a big no-no in mommy's book. So I didn't know which kind to get so I said, "I haven't decided yet. I'm not even supposed to be getting any."

"What? Why?" he laughed.

"My mom doesn't let me eat ice cream."

"Your mom won't let you get ice cream!?" He was completely baffled. Seeing I wasn't laughing aloud with him, he added, "Why?"

"I have to watch my weight," I told him honestly.

He laughed out loud and when he saw I wasn't laughing with him he stopped and said, "You're serious?" I nodded, slightly offended. "Oh, I'm sorry...it's just...you have no weight to lose."

"I know that, but there's always room to gain it back." I repeated what my mother had told me many times before. It was what my mother had pounded into my head again and again.

"So you're not getting any?" He challenged me. "Are you too good to disobey your mom?" I was thinking it over in her head, when he added, "Why are you even going there if you're not getting any ice cream?"

"I had to get out of the house and I told my mom that's where I was meeting some friends." I wouldn't mind having him stick around to keep me company.

"Are you actually meeting your friends there?" He talked a lot for just having met me. But I didn't mind. The only other people I talk to any more are my agents, photographers, and mother.

"No," I grinned smugly, "I don't have many friends these days."

"Why not?" he asked, expecting me to have loads of friends. But the fact that I didn't, surprised him.

"I'm home schooled," I shrugged, not really caring if he knew things about me that I didn't openly share with other people. He was different.

"I just moved here," he said - explaining why I hadn't seen him at school before I dropped out to be schooled at home.

"Well, the school's nice - you'll like it."

"I've always wondered what it would be like to be home schooled." He looked over to me and added, "Maybe we could be home schooled together." It was more of a question than a statement.

"Probably not, my schedule is kind of crazy...and really inconsistent," I bit my lip while saying this, trying not to hurt his feelings. I added, "I'm sure my mom wouldn't be so willing," I grimaced, thinking of all the things my mom would say if I asked her to tutor some boy with me.

"So you can't eat ice cream. Are you not allowed to talk to boys? Or date them? Is that why you won't even ask if she'll home school me?" he challenged. I bit back my bottom lip again to avoid showing that I was offended. He noticed anyway and added, "Just tell her I'm gay."

"Are you?" I asked, trying not to look shocked.

"No," he laughed. We arrived at the ice cream place and Hayden ordered coconut chocolate ice cream on a cone.

"I'll have the same," I said, not knowing what else they offered. Hayden paid for both of our ice creams without allowing me to protest.

"So don't come here much, huh?" he asked, once we had sat at a table and begun to eat our ice cream.

"Nope," I sighed.

We sat there in silence, licking our ice cream. Once we were both done we stood to leave and Hayden walked me home.

"Will you at least ask your mom?" Hayden asked, referring to the home schooling situation.

"Fine, but don't get your hopes up," I smiled at him and turned and walked up my driveway and into my house.