Chapter 3

I feel my cheeks heat up as Lucas pulls away from our joined lips with a smile on his lips. "See you Monday, Era." He says as I silently nod, opening my door and go into my house.

What the heck just happened?

Lucas kissed me!! My subconscious said happily. I smile, touching my lips and doing this weird dance thing of mine.

Then the reasonable and very questioning subconscious says into my mind, wait it was Lucas.. who kissed you.. not Cameron.

Lucas kissed me while Cameron was in the backseat..watching. What happened when I went in the house? Did Cameron say something? Did Lucas?

But you always wanted Cameron to be your first kiss. My subconscious said.

Yeah, but Cameron and I are just friends. Cameron and I aren't daring. But are me and Lucas? I ask myself.

I climb into my bed after changing into comfy clothes. My thoughts drift from Cameron to Lucas to Allie to my first kiss until my thought are cut off as I fall asleep.

****

"Hey Era!" Lucas yells as I leave first period on Monday. The weekend had gone way too fast for my liking. I turn around and my lips turn into a smile. "Hey Lucas, what's up?"

He smiles at me and walls beside me. "Just wanted to talk to you before we had second period. I smile a little bit bigger this time. Lucas leans closer to me. "I gotta ask you something." He says.

He then pulls me into the library. I put my back against the wall as be stands in front of me. "What is it?" I ask as he starts to smile.

"Well I was wondering if you would like to go out Friday night?" He asks.

I smile, "sure." He grins and kisses my cheek.

"I'll see you Friday." He smiles.

"Won't I see you before then?" I ask as my hands slip into his. He grins, "Always." Then he leans down to give me a slow passionate kiss on my lips. His arms wrapping around my waist.

You wish it was Cameron. My subconscious says into my mind.

Way for that to ruin the moment, I think as I kiss him back so I can focus on something else. When he pulls back he's smiling at me. "See you later."

We part ways and I go to Mr.Rices room where he frowns as I enter. "Two minutes late, Miss White.."

I roll my eyes, but he doesn't see me but the students do. Some guys smirk while some girls giggle. I take my seat to see a sexy Cameron smirking.

No not sexy.. My best friend.

Yeah your sexy best friend, my subconscious throws back.

I try not to groan at that last sentence..

"Is something funny?" The teacher asks as he stares at the giggling and smirking students.

No one answers. Mr.Rices glares at us. "Why don't you tell me, Miss Kinley." He doesn't ask. He demands.

Tracie Kinley looks over at me with a gleam in her eyes. She was the most butt kisser of the whole school. She would do anything for the teachers asked just to be their pet. Sometimes I wonder if I should give her chap stick for all the butt kissing she does...I considered that now...

"Miss White rolled her eyes at you." She says, innocently.

Mr.Rices shoots his eyes at me. "That true?" I shift in my seat as everyone's eyes land on me. I bite my lip as I feel my face flush.

Maybe it's because I'm mad at Tracie Kinley or just that I don't like Mr.Rices too well or just an act of bravery.. Or all the above, but before u could think about it twice sarcasm falls from my mouth.

"Is it true that you will ever start class instead of rambling on about what she said? Because I would love for the class to speed up and I'm pretty sure you would love this class to quickly speed up so we can get on with our lives without you in it."

The whole classroom is silent for a second, then busts into laughter. I laugh a little. But the flushed face of Mr.Rices and the way he gives me a death flare as if one stare could kill me, I'd be dead by now.

Oh great...

"Miss White and Miss Kinley report to the principles. Now." Mr.Rices says after the class has calmed down. But then they go at it again.

"But what did I do!!" Tracie yells in her squeaky little voice.

"Just lets go!" He roars at us. I give one last glance at Cameron before I walk out the door.

What has come over me?

I had never acted like this before. Why now?

Mrs.Souled didn't seem very interested in the situation so she gave us a warning. "Now I am not going to give you two detention. But I am going to give you guys a warning. If you guys come here again then I will give you detention. Do I make myself clear."

Tracie and I nod our heads as she replied in a squeaky voice, "Crystal."

"Now please leave. I have a lot of paper work to do." She says as she picks up her pen.

****

Finally when lunch comes, I'm eager to see Cameron. I didn't get to talk to him in Mr.Rices class much. So when I arrive I'm surprised to see Cameron sitting alone, absorbed in a book of his. I sit down and he looks up from the book, smiling at me.

"Where is Allie and Emily?" I ask as I open a bag of chips.

"Cheerleading practice." He answers as he puts a book mark in his book.

Even better.

I was just happy to finally be alone with me. Just me and him. I mean we haven't been really able to talk to much depending on us being grounded until Monda- Wait!!! Today is Monday!! I'm not grounded anymore.

"Cam, let me see your phone." I say, quickly.

He smiles, "Cam?"

"Sorry Cameron..Let me see your phone." I say, playfully rolling his eyes.

"What is wrong with yours?" He teases, pulling his phone out.

I groan. "You will know in a second Cameron. I don't have mine. My mom has mine."

"No that's not my name." He grins.

"Uh..Yeah it is." I say.

"Well it is. But call me what you just called me a minute ago." He smiles.

"Why?" I groan as he sighs. "Well I guess if you don't call me that then you won't get to see my phone."

I try not to smile at his teasing. "Ugh. Fine." I say, crossing my arms. "Cam, May I please see your phone?"

He hands me my phone, smiling at me. I find my mom in his contacts. I quickly text her saying it's me and that today was Monday. Which I was off the hook and Cameron can walk me home.

She texted not long after saying okay and that she'd give me my phone back. "We are both off the hook." He says. I smile.

Cameron and I walk down down the same paved street we always walk down on the way to school and to home. "So did you have fun at the double date?" He asks as we round a corner. I look up at him and he's looking at his shoes. I look away from him and look at a freckle on my hand. "Yeah. Did you?" I ask. "Well besides the part when Allie got sick."

He laughs a little. Then he says in a serious tone. " I saw that you got a kiss from Lucas." I don't look up because my face is the shade of a darn fire truck. So I keep looking up at my freckle like it's the most important thing in the world.

We it is in this embarrassing conversation.

"Yeah I did." I say. So he did see the kiss.. My voice sounded different to my ears. He has seen that I got kissed flat on the lips by Lucas. He probably watched the whole thing. But at least it wasn't a full hot make out session. Now that would be very awkward. "But you and Allie have ready kissed, right?"

He looks down at me. But I keep looking at that freckle. "You're right. We have." He says.

Even though I knew they did. It still hurt. Why should I feel such a stab to my heart that I have to take deep even breaths. "Why are you so worried about me and Lucas?" I ask.

He looks taken back. "Why? Because I'm just worried-"

I cut him off. "What would you be worried about??" I stop and cross my arms.

"It's just that..It's Lucas. Why would he even want to date you?" Cameron asks. Then his face drops, realizing what he just said.

Tears spring to my eyes. "What? He's too good for me? I just can't have a guy like me, can I?" I choke out. "I guess that I'm just that awful."

I turn on my heel and scramble up the paved sidewalk, running. He calls after me, but I ignore him.

I run up my porch steps and burst into the front door. I lock it and tears fall down my face as I try to breathe. He pounds on the door.

"Era!! Let me in!! I didn't mean it like that!! Era, open the door!!" He yells from the other side.

"No!!" I yell, my voice still thick with tears. "Leave me alone, Cameron!!!!"

He pounds on the door for a few more minutes then he gives up.

****

The next morning, my mom comes in my room just as I'm done getting ready. "Cameroon is here. Go downstairs and walk to school."

She already is aggravated so I decide not to argue. When I walk to outside, Cameron stands there. Hands in his dark jean pockets, his white shirt fitting his toned arms. His hair in such a messy manner. He glanced at me, his lips pursed. His dark eyes travel over my body then to my face. Once hand slips out of his pocket and runs his fingers through his hair. His eyes still glued to mine.

I gulped.

Everything was in slow motion as I took in his sexy appearance. I was too stunned by his good looks that I lost my footing on the last steps. I go face first into the grass, my hands hitting the ground. I groan at the contact and he's at my side as soon as I hit the ground.

He chuckles, shaking his head. But he looked worried." You okay?"

He helps me up. I lean into him and groan then chuckle. "That was embarrassing." One hands in on my waist the other holding my hand. He laughs. "No it was cute." He picks leaves out of my hair. I wipe the dirt off my hands.

"Listen." He says as we start walking. "I didn't mean that he was too good for you.. it was-" His phone buzzes.

"Hey," he says.

"I guess we could" He says after a long pause. He hangs up the phone after saying goodbye.

"It was Allie." Cameron says as he turns around. "She wants me to walk her too."

Instead of saying anything, I just walk beside him. Just to make this day worse, I trip..again.

He catches me as I almost fall into the pavement. His hands slide on my waist. He smells really good. Like soap and really good smelling cologne. I feel his hard muscles underneath. Did he start working out?

"You okay?" He asks.

I nod. "You keep tripping. Watch your step" he chuckles.

When we get to Allie's she see us and she runs to him. Wrapping her arms around him, she presses her lips against his. She tries to deepen the kiss but he pulls away. "Era." He says. "She's right here."

Allie shrugs. "She can learn some things from us. Since she has her a boyfriend."

"Um..no thanks."I say. Cameron and Allie hold hands and I wall behind them. I really don't like Allie...

****

"Do you like laser tag?" Lucas asks at lunch time as we sit on a bench outside. His hand slips in mine.

"I haven't been laser tagging since my 10th birthday." I say as Lucas smiles.

"Laser tag it is." He says.

"Well usually first dates are a surprise for girls," I say. "to now know where they are going."

"We aren't going there."He says, playing along. "But be ready to be in something comfortable for the place that we are going."

I nod my head and he gives me a quick kiss on the cheek. I blush and lean onto him.

At the end of the day, Cameron comes to me. We start to walk our regular paved sidewalk. "Are you mad at me?"

Nah dip, Sherlock.

"Plead answer me." He says. "One a scale one to ten how much are you mad at me?"

I look at him. "8.5 is how much I'm mad at you. 1.5 is how much I'm pissed at you."

"Well at least you aren't that pissed at me." He says.

"Why do you say that, Cam?"

He smirks. "Well because it's only 1.5 and that you just called me Cam." He says.

"'Cam' has nothing to do with the situation." I say.

"Oh but it does." The way he says that makes my body stiffen. And ask myself is there a double meaning??

I just smile. I can't help it. He grabs my hand and swings it high in the sky. "There's that beautiful smile of yours!! I'm so happy you aren't mad at me anymore!! You are a lot prettier when you aren't!!"

I feel my cheeks turn a pink color but I just smile wider. "You think I'm pretty?" I ask.

He looks taken aback, his cheeks turning a color of pink. "Just as much as you think I'm handsome."

"Yeah you totally read my mind." I say sarcastically.

"Well she is joking with me. So she isn't mad anymore."

My head tilts on his arm. "Just be happy I love you." He pulls me in for a hug.