Perfectly Different
Worst Surprise
Courtney’s POV:
“Thank you for doing this for me, Cameron.” I say as we pull onto my street. It took a month to convince him and plan it, but here we are.
“If it means a lot to you, I don’t mind.” He tells me and I smile. All of this just feels right.
“This was my first house and right down there was a water park.” I point it out to him. He turns and we continue driving.
“You lived by a cemetery?” He asks me.
“It freaked me out all the time.” I tell him.
“Not surprising. Did you ever go to it at night?” He asks me and I stare at him.
“Cameron, I moved from here when I was 10 or 11. That was when I was still super innocent and stuff.” He laughs.
“Still can’t believe you were ever the way your parents talk about you. You still have them fooled.”
“Shut up.” I say and we laugh. He gets on the highway and drives to the house I know best.
“Are you feeling better?” He asks me.
“Yeah, I think so. Oh, look, there’s the baseball stadium.” I point to the left and he looks.
“Wow, you lived that close and still aren’t a fan of sports?” He asks.
“Believe me, we went to baseball games like crazy, just to see the fireworks. I hated it so much, but I always had things to keep me entertained. I was young, Cam.” I remind him and he laughs.
“Take this exit?” He asks me.
“Yes, sir.” I tell him and he laughs.
“You sound so excited.” He tells me.
“I really am, Cam. I’m gonna surprise my parents and get to see where I grew up again."
“And I’ll get to see where you grew up.” He tells me. I smile and look out the window. This is so familiar to me. I can’t tell you how many times I would drive this way or ride as my parents drove it.
“Turn here.” I tell him and he makes the left.
“How many times did you visit that pool?” He asks.
“Oh, not many. I’m not a swimmer, Cam.” I laugh.
“You sounded like you were after you got your nose pierced.” I remember that.
“He was telling me to fear the beach, basically. I needed a tan that summer.”
“You were only out there for a week. You couldn’t have gotten a decent California tan in that time.”
“I know that now that I live there.” I smile as he turns into my driveway. I walk up to the door as a woman is coming out with a couple.
“We will get that offer in.” She says and they head to the car. “Can I help you?” She asks us.
“Yeah, I would like to go inside.”
“You can’t do that.” She tells me and I look at Cameron. I didn’t know my parents hired someone to control who enters the house.
“Of course I can.” I argue with her.
“No, ma’am, you really can’t.”
“Give me one reason why I can’t go in my house.” I’m getting mad.
“I’m sorry, but this place has been sold.” Now I’m the one surprised.
“Thank you for doing this for me, Cameron.” I say as we pull onto my street. It took a month to convince him and plan it, but here we are.
“If it means a lot to you, I don’t mind.” He tells me and I smile. All of this just feels right.
“This was my first house and right down there was a water park.” I point it out to him. He turns and we continue driving.
“You lived by a cemetery?” He asks me.
“It freaked me out all the time.” I tell him.
“Not surprising. Did you ever go to it at night?” He asks me and I stare at him.
“Cameron, I moved from here when I was 10 or 11. That was when I was still super innocent and stuff.” He laughs.
“Still can’t believe you were ever the way your parents talk about you. You still have them fooled.”
“Shut up.” I say and we laugh. He gets on the highway and drives to the house I know best.
“Are you feeling better?” He asks me.
“Yeah, I think so. Oh, look, there’s the baseball stadium.” I point to the left and he looks.
“Wow, you lived that close and still aren’t a fan of sports?” He asks.
“Believe me, we went to baseball games like crazy, just to see the fireworks. I hated it so much, but I always had things to keep me entertained. I was young, Cam.” I remind him and he laughs.
“Take this exit?” He asks me.
“Yes, sir.” I tell him and he laughs.
“You sound so excited.” He tells me.
“I really am, Cam. I’m gonna surprise my parents and get to see where I grew up again."
“And I’ll get to see where you grew up.” He tells me. I smile and look out the window. This is so familiar to me. I can’t tell you how many times I would drive this way or ride as my parents drove it.
“Turn here.” I tell him and he makes the left.
“How many times did you visit that pool?” He asks.
“Oh, not many. I’m not a swimmer, Cam.” I laugh.
“You sounded like you were after you got your nose pierced.” I remember that.
“He was telling me to fear the beach, basically. I needed a tan that summer.”
“You were only out there for a week. You couldn’t have gotten a decent California tan in that time.”
“I know that now that I live there.” I smile as he turns into my driveway. I walk up to the door as a woman is coming out with a couple.
“We will get that offer in.” She says and they head to the car. “Can I help you?” She asks us.
“Yeah, I would like to go inside.”
“You can’t do that.” She tells me and I look at Cameron. I didn’t know my parents hired someone to control who enters the house.
“Of course I can.” I argue with her.
“No, ma’am, you really can’t.”
“Give me one reason why I can’t go in my house.” I’m getting mad.
“I’m sorry, but this place has been sold.” Now I’m the one surprised.