Ten Years Ago
Rafe
Campbell darts across O’Connell Road, and I scramble to follow him, narrowly avoiding Eric Fletcher in his truck. He leans on the horn, and Cam cracks up laughing, as carefree as ever. I envy the way he doesn’t overthink, just does.
Some days I wish I was more like my best friend, but I’m already picturing Eric getting on the phone to Mom and having her lecture me the second I’m home from school. Before she finds out I failed my math quiz big-time.
Cam didn’t fail; he never fails anything.
She’ll remind me of that and then remind me that the swim meet is coming up and Cam beat me in every event last year.
Really, the fact she expects me to do better than him in anything is on her by this point.
Cam has beaten me at everything since he was born in the same hospital, on the same day, three minutes earlier than me.
He’s my best friend, but damn he’s a pain in the ass sometimes.
Like right now.
He shoves me into the yard we’re passing. “Gnome!”
“Argh!” I jump like the grass is on fire and scramble back onto the path. A quick glance around the area doesn’t show anything, and my cheeks start to heat at the overreaction. “Seriously?”
“It gets you every time, Rafe.”
“I’m not even scared of them anymore.”
“Which is why you basically pole-vaulted at the thought.”
I huff. “You’re a dick. I told you about that dream because I trusted you, and all you’ve done is use it against me.”
“Not terrified anymore though, are you?” he points out smugly. “Just jumpy. No tears.”
“I was, like, five or something. Let it go.”
He chuckles, and we keep walking. I shove him a little, and he shoves me back. Like that, I’m over it. Things are that easy with him.
“Hey, so …” Cam clears his throat, sounding uncharacteristically unsure about something. He holds the straps of his backpack, staring at the footpath as we walk. “Mom said that next year she doesn’t want to send me to Sunbury High.”
“What?” His words make me stumble to a stop. “Where the hell else would you go?”
“Bassington. In Port Welling.”
I screw up my nose. “The one where they wear ties and jackets?”
“Yup.”
I can’t picture it, Cam in a preppy uniform.
He’s had shoulder-length, tangled blond hair for as long as I’ve known him, permanently wears his ball cap backward, and never seems to be able to keep his mouth shut about anything.
Cam is not private-school material. “She was joking. She had to have been.”
“Actually …” He grabs my arm and pulls me back into step with him. “She wasn’t. She already, uh, applied?”
“Are you asking me or telling me?”
“Telling. She applied. I got in. I have to be fitted for my uniform next week.”
I stare straight ahead, confused by the sudden pressure building behind my eyes. I feel blindsided, and a bit betrayed, considering we’ve been talking about nothing else this year but getting to high school together. And now he’s, what? Ditching me? What the fuck?
“You’re not going to fight her on it?” I eventually ask.
“No point. It’s done.” He shrugs like this is all no big deal. “I’ll know some people there. That Reynolds kid is going. Matti too, I think.”
“Oh, well, if Reynolds and Matti are going, then what’s the problem?” My words taste bitter. Jealous. I want to kick something.
“I don’t wanna go, Rafe.”
“Sounds like it to me.”
“It’s not like anyone is asking me my opinion. But it might be good. New school, new people. I hear they’ve got an awesome football team there too.”
“That sounds great. I’m so happy for you.” I go to bite my thumbnail, but there’s nothing left of it.
Cam groans. “You’re being a big baby.”
“Fuck off.” I try to storm away, but Cam keeps up with me easily. Having longer legs probably helps, and I pray, again, for my growth spurt to hit already.
We turn onto our street.
“Are you going to miss me?” he sings.
“No. I’ll make a new best friend. Loads of them. I’ll forget all about you.”
He shoves my shoulder. “You are going to miss me.”
“You wish.”
“It’s okay, you know. I’ll still see you after school. And we’ll hang out every weekend. Nothing will change.”
But I know that’s bullshit. I can already feel it, like some kind of preemptive warning that no matter what I do, I’m going to lose him.
Cam and I were in diapers together. We went to preschool and Sunday school together.
All through elementary and middle school, we’ve been inseparable. And now Lori wants to break us up?
It’s not fair.
It feels like someone’s just told me they’re taking my right arm.
Cam quickly steps in front of me, and I’m reminded of the child who pushed the rough kids into the sandpit after one of them punched me. I’m reminded of the friend who lets me copy his homework. The jerk who kicks my ass at video games and then rubs my face in it.
His smile is easy, normally hard to resist, but my scowl doesn’t shift this time.
“What?” I ask.
“I’ll miss you too.”
“No, you won’t.” Because Cam is the kind of person who makes friends easily. He’s cooler than I’ll ever be, and I can’t help wondering which Bassington kid is going to take my place.
“Stop sulking. You’re making me sad,” he says.
“So?”
Then he steps forward and hugs me. I go tense, not sure what’s happening. Cam and I are close, but I can’t remember him ever hugging me like this before. Not since we were kids, at least.
Stiffly, I reach up and pat his back. “This is weird.”
“You looked like you needed it.”
“I didn’t.”
“Well, maybe I did, then. So shut up.” His arms tighten around me, and this little tickle deep in my gut tells me that maybe I like it.
“I don’t want you to go,” I finally say.
He lets go and steps away, and I almost want to ask him to hug me again. But I’m not Cam. I don’t do things because I want to. He’s the easygoing one. I’m the one who overthinks everything.
“Nothing is going to change.”
I give him a doubtful look. “Famous last words.”
“I’m serious, Rafe.” He laughs and gets me to start walking again. “You’ll always be my best friend. I promise.”