Appearances

"Alex! Welcome to the Academy!" I shook my uncles hand.

"Hi Uncle Harry. It's good to finally be here." He smiled and explained that he'd called for someone, one of my fellow police officers-in-training to come and show me around.

"You're gonna be great kid. But I've gotta warn you, you don't wanna get shit from any of the guys here about only getting in because you're my nephew. Because even though it's not true, they'll think it if I favour you. So I'll be treating you as harshly as them in public. But I'm your Uncle first if there's any problems ok? Oh, and try to keep your last name as hush hush as possible, just to help keep our relationship more private." I nodded, I'd already thought about that before I got here.

"Thanks for the warning. I'll remember that-" The knock that sounded sharply on the door interrupted and me and my uncle both stood to salute the young man that walked in.

"Cam. You'll be showing Alex round." He turned to me and I felt my insides shrivel up like a prune. He was even bigger up close, three inches taller than me at least, and very heavily muscled. Compared to him, I felt like a little boy. He nodded and offered me a small smile which I returned.

"Not to worry Alex. Cam's my other favourite." He winked and smile before sending us off.
We left his office and I felt a fresh bout of nerves hit me. The guy walking next to me kept up a quick pace, but it looked lazy, effortless, and I was still a little frightened of him.

"I know he's your uncle. Don't stress though I won't say anything. He's a good guy."

"He is."

"Nervous?"

"Is it that obvious?" He laughed and opened a door to a different building.

"I just remember how I felt my first day." I nodded.

"Well you've done your first three stages of training right? This is the last one before your officially in the big leagues. Your Uncle told me how well you did back there."

"Yeah I guess. Dunno why I'm nervous, I just...." I felt like such an idiot but I couldn't string my words together properly. One of Cam's large hands smacked me on the shoulder playfully.

"I know what you mean. Anyway, you're bunking with me in the week. Hope that's ok."

"Of course. Thanks." He gestured to the bed on the far side of the room and I unpacked my things.

"So this is our life during the week, huh?" Cam smiled gently from where he was sat at one of the desks on the other side of the room, feet up on the desk, book in hand.

"Reading?" He hummed a yes in response.

"Shantaram. Beautiful story. It's about an escaped convict from New Zealand who travels to India." I nodded and pulled out the picture of my wife Leanna and our baby girl Poppy, smiling slightly.

"Is that your family?" I nodded and Cam stood, walking over to look. The bed dipped down when he sat and he smiled broadly.

"They're both gorgeous. Is this a new picture?"

"We took it last week. The baby, Poppy, was only born two months back." Cam was still smiling.

"You're the luckiest guy in the world." I looked at him.

"You don't have anyone?"

"I used to....things didn't exactly work out. They're both lovely." He walked outside onto the balcony and I watched him sadly, wondering what had happened. He leant heavily on the balcony for a while before pulling out a cigarette.

That afternoon Cam showed me around and introduced me to a few guys who all seemed friendly enough. They were friendly, but yet somehow they seemed a little detached from Cam. Maybe they just didn't like him all that much. I couldn't understand why, he was so relaxed and kind, but there seemed to be something wrong.

In the evening I was sat with a group of guys, Cam walked off somewhere.
"What's up with you guys and Cam?" I asked a guy called Isaac.

"Nothing. He's a good guy."

"Oh c'mon. He's been here since the beginning and yet you're all more friendly with me already." He sighed and another guy chipped in.

"He just doesn't wanna say it. Feels mean. Cam's gay. We don't have a problem with it...but when you're all living so close to one another, it can get a bit awkward."

"Oh come on that's bullshit." Another guy Hamish joined in the conversation now, jumping over the back of the couch we were sat on.

"When Cam got here there was another guy, good friend of ours, Ricky, was in his last term here. They got together, we had no idea Ricky was gay until that. Anyways, now it's just a bit awkward, considering everything that happened with them." I nodded, wondering if that was who he'd been talking about earlier.

"But yeah, I sure as he'll ain't jealous of you Alex, having to share a room with him-" Fletcher joked inappropriately, Hamish smacked him round the head.

"Shut up Fletch, don't be an asshole." I sighed and said I was going outside for a cigarette.

Cam was leant up against a pillar smoking. He held one out without even looking at me, I muttered my thanks and before I knew it he'd lit it up for me.
"So I guess they told you, first opportunity they got." I felt my cheeks hint red with shame, even though I hadn't been the one to say anything.

"Thought so. How much did they tell you?"

"As far as Ricky. When the two of you got together." Cam stiffened slightly, looking out towards the tree lines, past the sports field and athletic track.

"He was the most incredible person I've ever known. I didn't know I was gay until I met him. I loved him so much....that just didn't matter. He felt the same."

"So what happened?"

"I have to go. Sorry, Alex."

When I went to bed that night, he was nowhere to be seen.