When I was little, my best friend was Taylin. We spent every waking moment together. Oftentimes, we would go out to the barn, and sleep out there with Miranda, our cow, and our fifteen cats. We would talk late into the night about how unfair it was that we had chores, and plan our adventures for tomorrow.
When the next day came around, our ideas were often forgotten or changed. But, that didn’t matter. What mattered was that we were having fun. We raced, and rode bikes, and chased the crows in the cornfield.

Then, one day, Taylin didn’t come over like he had promised he would. I went over to his house to see if he was still sleeping, but when I got there, all my ten-year-old eyes could see were boxes. There was a moving van, and their car was packed.
The door opened, and Taylin came rushing out.
He ran right into me and we tumbled across the front lawn. He lifted his head and saw it was me. Tears sprang into my eyes, and Taylin was already crying. He helped me up, and we hugged. As I cried into his shoulder, I could hear him whisper in my ear, “I love you, Cam.” And then, they left.

They’ve been gone for five years. That first summer was so lonely. I cried for days. I hadn’t even had time to get Taylin’s new number. But, as time went on, I got better, and met new friends. Now I was hanging out with girls. My BFFs now are Jewl and Ange. We spend every moment together, too, and we have some of the best times. And still, I love them lots don’t get me wrong, but… A lot of things still seem hollow.
Even though they love sports, like me, Jewl and Ange won’t race me, or sleep in the barn with me like Taylin used to. They won’t wrestle with me or help me with my chores like he did. So, I guess I still miss him.

School begins again today, and I’ll be in tenth grade this year. I’m not sure why, but it feels like this year’s going to be different. There isn’t anything particularly special. No awards, no new people, no big changes. But, it feels like the tide’s about to turn.

************************** ***************************

I walked into history class, smelling the old textbooks surrounding me. I looked at the seating chart being passed around, and took my seat at the back of the classroom. Sometimes, having a last name like Walton can have advantages. Back here nobody would distract me, although it also meant that Jewl would be on the total opposite side of the room, her last name being Bates.
“Hey, Cammy,” Jewl said, walking up to my desk. “So, you think there’ll be any hot guys this year?” Jewl ran a hand through her dark, dark brown hair, and her silvery eyes shone.
Jewl is skinny, tan, and, I guess there’s just no other word for it, hot. She has this amazing body and perfect teeth and hair. She could be a model if she wanted, but she wants to be a doctor, which is close enough.

“No,” I said. “It’ll probably be the same guys. And even the occasional new-comer just doesn’t have what it takes.”
Jewl pouted a little, then smiled and said, “Well, maybe one of them will finally get set straight.” I knew exactly who she was talking about, Billy Curr. He was the hottest guy in the school. But he was, supposedly, smoking and “bed-hopping” as my parents say.

“Yea, maybe,” I say. Then the bell rings and Jewl goes to her seat. The teacher, Mr. Trenton, began taking role, and the class went silent. “Bates! Burlow! Cramer! Cull!” Mr. Trenton shouted. He had always been very loud.

Just as Mr. Trenton called “Cull,” the door opened and a tall, dark-brown haired boy burst in. Mr. Trenton looked up and said, “Please, come here a minute.” The boy walked up to Mr. Trenton and he said, “ Please, face the class.”
The boy turned towards us, and I could see that he had on a black t-shirt and gray skinny jeans. He was wearing and black-and-white striped bandana around his neck, and his hair was swept to one side. He was skinny and tan, a lot like Jewl.
“Class,” said Mr. Trenton, “This is Taylin Devorak.” My jaw dropped. I think Jewl’s did too because her hands slammed down on her desk. I had told both my BFFs about Taylin, of course.
“Hey,” went Taylin, his voice a lot deeper than I remembered it. I wanted to scream. Scream and tell him that it was Cam, and how much I’d missed him. But, I couldn’t. I would get in huge trouble for interrupting.

“Taylin, you… Oh, I didn’t have a seat for you. Well, I guess you can go to the back of the class and find a seat somewhere, and I’ll just add in your name,” said Mr. Trenton. Taylin grabbed his bag and walked towards the back of the class, and sat down right next to me!
He looked over at me to see me staring at him. He looked a little surprised at first, then flashed me a smile and jerked his head to say “hi.” I nodded back, but it felt like my heart had split somewhere.

**************************** **************************

Later, at lunch, both Jewl and Ange consulted me on Taylin.
“What’s he like?!” asked Ange.
“What’s his height?!” asked Jewl.
“What sports does he play?!”
“How soft is his hair?!”
Why is he wearing that bandana?!”
“GUYS!” I shouted. “Look, I haven’t talked to him in five years! He’s probably changed a lot! I don’t know how soft his hair is, or what his height or personality is anymore!” They both looked dumbstruck. Normally, I’d be quiet and let them rampage on and on until they waited for the answers. But, I just couldn’t take all the questions about him.
“Well… Can’t you tell us what he was like?” asked Jewl. I considered that.
“I guess so,” I conceded. They both squealed with delight. “Well,” I began. “He was funny, and really sporty. He loved soccer, and baseball, and basketball, and tennis, and football. But, mostly soccer. We’d play soccer almost everyday. He also liked to bring my mom flowers whenever he came over, so I guess you could say he was sweet and considerate. And he always made sure I won at everything, which always got boring, and I ended up punching him for it once.” The duo gasped. “But, he just laughed it off. We never really fought. That was the only time I ever hit him.”

“Wow,” said Jewl. “Who knew you two had such a great relationship. And… are you sure he didn’t recognize you?” I could hear pain and pity in her words.
“Yea. I-I’m pretty sure he didn’t recognize me at all,” I replied.
“Well, maybe you looked different then!” suggested Ange. “Did you wear your hair different?”
“No, I’ve always had it cut like this,” I said. My hair is short, but longer in the front than in the back. My mom said it kinda looked like a boomerang, once.
“Well, maybe you were chubbier when you were a kid!” suggested Jewl. “Do you have a picture we could compare with?”
“Not here,” I said. “But, I could bring one in I guess. My mom keeps every picture we’ve ever taken. Even the mistake ones.” We laughed. But, I knew that I had only looked slightly different, with chubbier cheeks and freckles. That couldn’t be that much of a difference right?

But, the next day I brought them a picture. And even though they tried to convince me that there was a big difference, looking in the mirror told me the truth.
“That boy’s gonna get it!” declared Jewl. “I don’t care how hot he is! That guy made my Cammy sad, and he’s gonna pay!!” Jewl is a softball and powder-puff player. That combination equals a bloody nose and a black eye, at the least.
“Jewl, wait!” I said, grabbing her by the sleeve. “You can’t just go and beat him up because you’re angry!”
“Sure I can!” she retorted. “Watch me!” Her silver eyes were glistening. She tore away from my grasp and marched away. I prayed that Taylin’s face would be okay.

In second block that day, Jewl marched up to me and said, “I’ve taken care of it!” I was completely terrified.
“What did you do?!” I asked in a squeaky, scared voice. I was terrified of the thought that Jewl had possibly torn Taylin’s face to shreds and bruised his stomach black.
“I asked him to go out with me!” she replied happily. I was thunderstruck.
“What?!!” I screamed! She just smiled. “What did he say!?”
“Well he said yes of course,” she responded. She looked very pleased with herself.
“I thought… you were going to beat him up…?” I said cautiously.
“Oh, I will,” she said darkly. “I, will, break, him…”
“Jewl!!” I pleaded. “What are you going to do?!”
“Oh, something or another.”
“JEWL! Tell me!!!”
Jewl laughed and went to her desk as the bell rang. I couldn’t concentrate at all during Science that day, and I begged Jewl to stop all through lunch, but she was unbreakable. She was going to get what she wanted.
“Jewl, please,” I begged her at the end of the day, “just stop! Just break up or something already please! You’re hurting me more now than he is!”
“Am I?” Jewl said. “Can’t you just ask him about all this? Maybe I’ve been lying all day.”
I hadn’t even considered this because Jewl, Ange, and I had agreed to never lie to one another. “Jewl. You wouldn’t break our promise,” I said defiantly.
“Would I?”
I took off back into the school. I rushed through the halls, looking for Taylin. I was so confused, I just needed everything straightened out.

I finally found him at his locker on the second floor. “Taylin!” I called.
His head turned to face me. I stopped a few feet away. “Hey, you’re that girl from History class right?” he asked.
“Yes,” I said. “Taylin, I… I’m Cam.”
Taylin looked confused. “Cam?” he asked.
“Yes,” I replied. Please, please remember me! How could he not remember me!
Taylin just stared at me for a while, then he said, “I, uh, I don’t know a Cam.”
I was on the brink of tears. “Are… are you sure?” I asked hopefully, looking up at him.
“No, I don’t,” he replied. His eyes looked sure and confident, and I could tell he either didn’t want me around, or wasn’t lying.
“Oh…” I said. “Ok, sorry for… for wasting your time,” I hiccupped. “Oh,” I said, turning back to him. “Is it true you’re dating Jewl?”
“Uh, yea it is,” he replied. He smiled slightly.
“Oh, well… congratulations,” I said. I turned and left the school, crying my eyes out all the way home.

**************************** *****************************

When I came to school the next day, my mom hugged me goodbye from her car. I met up with Jewl and Ange as soon as possible and they comforted me until the beginning of first block. When I came in, he sat down next to me and gave me a sorry look. I didn’t give him anything but a glance at my tears. He left me alone the rest of the period.

I made it to lunch okay. I didn’t cry anymore, but I didn’t pay any attention either. When we went to lunch, I sat down at the table without eating anything. I sat there about ten minutes, listening to Ange talk to Shelly. Jewl was sitting with Taylin today.
Suddenly, somebody tapped my shoulder. I looked behind me to find the student councilor Mrs. Brady, behind me. “Come with me a minute, Cam.”

I followed Mrs. Brady into the counseling office, and there, I saw Mr. and Mrs. Devorak. “Cam!” exclaimed Mrs. Devorak as I walked in. She rushed up and gave me a big hug. “Oh, dear! We are so sorry!” There were tears in her eyes.
I was confused. “What’s this about?” I asked. “And why do you guys remember me?”
“Oh, Cam honey, that’s what we wanted to talk to you about!” said Mrs. Devorak. “You see, Taylin came home yesterday and mentioned something about a girl named Cam. We knew right away it was you, sweetie. But, oh dear. Taylin will probably never remember, hon.”
I simply stood confused, being supported by Mrs. Devorak. “Dear,” she said. “You remember the day we left?” I nodded. “Oh, of course you do. But, on our way to our new house. We were crossing an intersection and…and…” Mrs. Devorak collapsed into tears.
“A car hit us while we were crossing the intersection. It hit the backseat. And, Taylin lost his memories due to head injuries,” Mr. Devorak finished.

I stood for a moment, feeling completely stupid and useless. Then, I collapsed on the floor and cried. I cried and cried. I sobbed and hiccupped, and they finally had to take me to the nurse to be put to sleep.

I felt a hand on my shoulder, and suddenly, Taylin was behind me. I turned to face him, but he was drifting away from me. I began chasing after him, but he simply floated away faster. I ran and ran but couldn’t catch up.

I woke up, and Mr. and Mrs. Devorak were still there. It was almost time for school to end. They said I could wait in the office for the bell if I wanted, but I said I wanted to go back to class. Even though it wasn’t what I did. I stood and waited by Taylin’s locker.

Finally, the school bell rang, and the kids poured from their classes. I stood and waited, and finally after five minutes, Taylin came. I stood right in front of his locker.

“Oh, hey,” he said, standing back a little bit.
“You don’t remember anything?” I said. He looked confused. I didn’t care. “Not even the day you moved away? That day, when you ran out your front door and right into me. And we tumbled across the lawn. You helped me up, and we hugged each other! And then… then, you told me, something I will never, ever forget.”

Taylin looked curious. He leaned in a little and said, “What did I say?”

“You said you loved me, Taylin. That’s what you said,” I replied. “I just wanted to let you know.”
I smiled with tears in my eyes, and began to walk away. But, Taylin grabbed my arm and spun me around. He held me firmly by the shoulders, and he said, “ Cam… I said it… I did say it… Cam, I remember!”

I stood there for a second, just thinking. My mind was ablaze with thought, and yet, there were two words echoing around in the crazy emptiness. “I remember!”
And then, I couldn’t stay standing. I fell to the ground and cried.

Taylin knelt down in front of me and looked in my eyes. “You were the one who’d play soccer with me. You’re the one who always asked if I could spend the night. You’re the one who’d sleep in the barn. You’re the one who’d ride bikes with me, and chase crows with me, and help me hide my face when we watched those scary movies with your dad.” I nodded at every accusation. “And… Cam, you’re still the one I love.”
Gently, ever so gently, as if he was afraid to break me, he lifted his hands to my face, and held me there staring into his green, cat-like eyes. And then, he kissed me. Everyone says that a perfect kiss feels like heaven. I’ll tell you what, in my personal opinion, it’s better.

***************************** *****************************

Well, Taylin broke up with Jewl the next day. He said he wanted to call her that night, but realized that he hadn’t gotten her number. And, Jewl was heartbroken at first, and just about started crying. But, after the two of us explained what had happened (without including the kiss), she was calm for a minute, then she exploded into tears. I think she was probably even worse than Taylin’s mom when we rushed to the guidance office and told them what happened!

Jewl apologized over and over. The after the first time she said “I’m sorry!” she jumped and tackled me, knocking me onto the floor, and wetting my t-shirt with five minutes of tears.
But, it was worth it, because Jewl, with her face still wet from crying, was escorted to class by none other than Billy Curr. She told me at the end of the day that he had moved in with his Grandfather over the summer, and had stopped his vulgar behavior. He was even dressing more appropriately, which I had noticed.

Next week is my first dance, the fall dance. Jewl is really worked up about it, she’s really hoping that Billy is going to ask her. I’m asking myself why he wouldn’t!

But, I’m not really worried, like most of the girls are, about finding a date. It’s not like I have someone I know is going to ask me, but I’m not worried because I’m probably not going. I haven’t told anybody though, so I’m kinda worried about how they’re going to react.

I decided to tell Taylin first, even though I had no idea why. We were playing soccer in his backyard after school one day when I started saying, “So, um, you’ve heard about the dance by now right?”
He looked a little surprised, but replied, “Yeah, of course, it’s all people talk about now.”
“Oh, well,” I said, stammering a little, “I, uh, I don’t think I’m gonna go.”

Taylin tripped as he was about to kick the ball into the goal, doing a total Charlie Brown. As surprised as I was, I had to laugh. Taylin barley ever tripped up in soccer.

“Are you serious?!” he exclaimed as I was helping him up. I was so startled I almost dropped him back on the ground, but I nodded. “Well, why not? Is it because you couldn’t find a date or something?” He looked really serious all of a sudden.
“No,” I said. “That’s not why, I just felt like, after all the drama and stuff…” I paused. He knew what I was talking about. “I just felt like it would be a little bit chaotic, you know?”

Taylin nodded. “Yeah, I get what you’re saying,” he replied. “It’s just…” He looked down at his feet for a minute, which wasn’t really away from me, I’m so short. He glanced around kind of like he was nervous. “You know, I was thinking the same thing. That it would be bad to rush back into our relationship and stuff. But, I was wondering yesterday, if you had wanted to go to the dance, if you’d want to go with me.” His face looked like fire.
“Are… are you asking me to go with you?” I questioned slowly.
“Well, it’s only if you want to!” he jerked up to look at me. “I’m not trying to force it on you or anything! I was just wondering if you’d have been comfortable going with me.” He looked all serious again.
“Well, were you planning on going?” I asked.
“Sort of,” he said. “Mom’s got me this tux thing that’s hanging in my closet.”
“Oh!” I replied. He was totally planning on going… I thought.
“But, yeah it’s not that big a deal. I can just ask her to return it for me.”
“Well, if you were planning on going, it’s not like I’ve… you know made other plans or anything…” Now my face felt like fire.

“Do you want to go with me?” he asked.
We stared at each other for a few minutes, until I finally said, “You know what Taylin?”
“What?” he asked.
“I’ve got a dress my mom picked out for me when I was little to wear to my prom. But, it fits now. You want to see it?
“I would, but. Can I see it on the night of the dance?” he asked. He was starting to get a little upset with me for not answering him directly.
“Well…” I said.
“Cam! Come on! Will you go with me or not?”
I laughed. “Sure!”

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Tag der Veröffentlichung: 27.08.2010

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