Page 79 of Please Save Me

“Who is it?” I called; my voice raspier than expected.

A beat of silence filled the air, and once again, I propped myself onto my elbows. My heart raced at the idea that it could have been Mason waiting on the other side of the door. She had never been good with confrontation, so maybe her silence was an acknowledgment that she was in the wrong with us.

I felt the world spin under my feet as I stood, and for a second, I contemplated if my mind was playing tricks on me. I squinted, staring at the door, wishing I had some sort of superpower that would allow me to see through it. Unfortunately, that wasn’t how the world worked.

But it wasn’t like opening it would be dangerous to me. My front door was located squarely in Sophia’s game room, and the only threat I had in this town was Dale. And he wasn’t even a threat… just a weird annoyance that wouldn’t leave me the hell alone.

With that in mind, I stumbled toward the door before opening it. The hinges creaked, echoing through the all-too-dark house. My stomach flipped when I realized the person standing on the other side wasn't my sweet princess, the light of my life, my reason for living. Instead,Cameronstood in the doorway, his fiery hair weakly illuminated in the moonlight.

We looked at each other for a moment, and neither one of us blinked. It was like one of those grade school staring contests. But I was already miserable, which meant I didn't need to subject myself to Cameron or his specific brand of honesty.

So, instead of giving him space to tell me how terrible my personality was, how desperate I came off, or that Mason loved my brother more, I shut the door.

More so, I tried to, but Cameron stuck his stupid bear-like mitt on the frame. The door hit his knuckles, and the oaf didn't even flinch. Maybe he wasn’t smart enough to feel pain.

Part of me considered slamming the door harder. I knew I had it in me to break his fingers, and I also knew I'd revel in the sound of his bones snapping, maybe even a startled scream. But then he'd probably tell Mason, and she'd finally see me for the monster I was.

So, instead of risking that, I let go of the door and turned to go relax on the couch. The squeaking of the door let me know that Cameron,unfortunately, followed me.

“Don't you have to ask permission before entering someone's home?” I challenged, patting my pockets to make sure I had my vape before crashing into the soft leather of my couch.

I kicked my feet onto the coffee table as he stared at me, confusion plain on his face.

“…I’m Canadian,nota vampire.”

Welp now was the time to make this moment less excruciating. I retrieved my pen from my pocket and placed the mouthpiece between my lips before breathing in.

“You’re a blood-hungry monster all the same.” I coughed, waving away the vapor as I did.

Cameron looked angry for a moment before hesitating, “…Are you smoking pot?”

“What, come to lecture me,Daddy?” I mused, cradling my chin in my hand as I watched my intruder.

I thought for sure Cameron was going to tell me not to call him that. And as he got closer, I prepared to do it again just to piss him off.

“I just didn’t take you as the type…Can I sit?” He pointed to the armchair across from me.

I sat a little straighter under Cameron’s lack of anger. If he wasn’t here to remind me just how terrible my life was, why did he come to bother me?

“I tend not to be.” Despite cannabis now being legal in Maine, it was still a drug, and all drugs were bad. “It’s medicinal.”

I felt a little ashamed for having to admit that. I also had no idea why I was telling Cameron,of all people, any of this… maybe it was just to see how he’d react.

“What, is weed used to treat a terrible personality?” Cameron snorted.

It was clear he didn’t believe me. But, that meant I could make the moment incredibly awkward for him.

“PTSD,” I admitted, reveling in the way Cameron’s expression shifted as I did.

That was the ugly elephant in the room, the one no one wanted to talk about. It was easiest to stick me in the box of apsychopath. I killed people for a living, and after years of doing it, death stopped bothering me. No one wanted to acknowledge that I wasn’talwayslike this.

The undoubtedly rusty gears in Cameron’s head visibly turned as he stared me down. He first wore a cloak of confusion, but it fell to a halo of pity. His head tipped to the side, and he gave me a clenched-half smile.

Honestly, I expected him to fight me on the topic. But it was almost comforting that he didn't.

“How’d you get that?” he asked.

“You’re nothing if not bold, Cameron.” I rubbed the square of my jaw, debating on if I should tell him the ugly truth or a beautiful lie.

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