Page 95 of Camera Stays On

Andi

Age Thirteen

I SHIVERED AND crossed my arms over my chest. The late autumn wind chilled me to the bone, and my costume wasn’t helping matters. I thought everyone would love my Regan costume, but only Asher and Sawyer knew what it was. Everyone else had just teased me for it.

The movie ended almost twenty minutes ago, and Ray still hadn’t come to pick me up. Everyone else was gone—except for Asher and Sawyer.

“Here, take my sweater.” Sawyer removed his gray hoodie and offered it to me. I was struggling to look him in the eyes. We’d kissed, and… I was still thinking of his brother.

“But you’ll be cold,” I protested.

“Yeah, but you’re my girlfriend now. That’s what boyfriends do.” He thrust it at me again.

I stared at him, butterflies fluttering in my belly. Boyfriend? Girlfriend? My gaze shifted toward Asher. He was near the curb, looking out into the dark, not paying any attention to us. Why had he kissed me too?

After they’d returned, I spent the rest of the movie in confusion. I’d kissed both Delambre brothers tonight. Both were cute, and funny, and made me feel...safe. But did I want to be someone’s girlfriend?

Maybe Asher’s.

I realized I’d been staring and quickly looked away from the older Delambre brother.

He wouldn’t be interested in me. We weren’t even in the same grade. Ash was a whole year older than me. Still, I couldn’t shake the memory of his lips and his cologne and the way he looked as he leaned in to put his lips on mine. I remembered every detail of Asher’s kiss.

But nothing of Sawyer’s. Just that it happened.

“Purdy, you’re gonna catch a cold.” Sawyer’s protectiveness in his tone brought me back to the real world, and I quickly took his hoodie and slid it over my costume.

“Th-Th-Thank you.” I wasn’t sure if my stutter was because of the cold or nerves, but the hoodie was quite warm. “R-R-Ray should be here soon. You can go home.”

Asher snapped his head over to us and glared. Sawyer saw him, and they exchanged looks. He swallowed deeply and shook his head.

“We can wait with you. If he doesn’t come in ten minutes, we can walk you home.”

“That’s a mile, at least.”

“So? You’re mine now, Purdy. I’m not going to let anything happen to you. We’re walking you home.”

“Are we?” Asher came over, his eyes cold. I’d known both boys long enough to know something was off. My insides began to twist. Something wasn’t right.

“What other choice do we have?” Sawyer shot back. The boys glared at each other silently for a long while.

“We could wait here. Maybe go play at the park. Eventually her mom will wake up and see...she’s not home,” Asher suggested. The way he said it made my eyebrow rise.

“Won’t that look suspicious?” Sawyer argued.

“You know what, fucking take her home.” Asher threw up his hands.

“I-I-I don’t want to go home.” I stepped away from the boys, tripping over the curb. Both boys hurried to catch me, each taking a hand and pulling me back. On my feet again, I shook myself from their grasp. “I don’t want to go home.”

“Good, we won’t take you then,” Asher snapped. “Let’s go to the park.”

I followed the boys to their bikes, and Sawyer insisted I climb onto his. “Hold tight.”

“Where are we going?” I squeaked, putting my feet on the pegs and gripping his shoulders. Glancing over at Asher, I frowned. His entire demeanor had me nervous.

Why hadn’t Ray picked me up?

Sawyer kicked off the ground, and we started away from the movie theater, into the darkness. “I guess I’m going to trust Ash.”