Date: Wed, 28 Feb 2007 13:35:48 -0800 (PST)
From: Daniel M <heartmindsoulau@yahoo.com>
Subject: College - Bruised Love 14

DISCLAIMER:

If you are under the legal age of 18 (or 21, depending on local law) please
discontinue reading. If homosexual content and themes offend you, please do
not read further. I accept no responsibilities if the written text offends
as you are reading it of free choice. This work remains solely my property
and may not be reproduced without prior request.

Always remember safe sex is the way to go. Don't pick something up when you
pick him up.

This is purely fictional work, any similarities between characters and
events and any real situation are purely coincidental, unless otherwise
noted.


As a short side note: I just want to say thank you to those who constantly
write in with feedback and to my two Texan boys (they know who they
are). Thank you for your time J&D - your time has meant everything to
me. Kandi - Thank you for listening to my rants and rambles. Deeze - thank
you for your support. You always know when to say the right thing.

FEEDBACK:

heartmindsoulau@yahoo.com

AIM Screen name: AntiChristDM

Story's Yahoo Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bruised_love_fiction/


The Story:

Bruised Love 14 By Daniel M


Sitting inside, Cameron kissed Andrew's temple only to feel him flinch in
the embrace. Mitch watched as tears pooled in the crystal blue of Cameron's
eyes as he pulled the fallen angel in his arms closer. Andrew sobbed gently
into Cameron's shoulder as he felt the ride of relief, grief, fear and
hatred tumbling along inside him. Tyler put his hand gently on Mitch's
shoulder who jumped slightly. Vanessa stood away and looked on as one of
her once closest friends crumbled before her eyes. The manager came over
quietly and asked Mitch if they would like to move into the office. Mitch
nodded slightly and walked over to the other two. He spoke in gentle tones
to Cameron who in turn whispered into Andrew's ear and then lead him into
the office.

The group sat in silence, the only sound filling the room, a quiet yet
heavy sobbing out of Andrew. Tyler stood close to Mitch and spoke gently.

   "How are you doing?" He asked. Mitch shrugged in reply.

   "Come on Mitch, you were with the guy for two years. There must be
something you're feeling." Tyler pushed. Mitch snapped his head around and
fixed his boyfriend with a level gaze.

   "You want to know what I'm feeling? I'm feeling relief and a sadistic
pleasure in knowing the cunt's dead." Mitch snarled quietly. The venom in
his voice forced Tyler to take a step back, his eyes wide. Mitch returned
his attention to Andrew and Cameron, oblivious to the looks of surprise
that was reflected on both Vanessa and Tyler's faces. Tyler swallowed and
stepped forwards and rested his hand on Mitch's shoulder. Mitch glanced at
him and nodded then moved into Andrew's line of sight and slowly approached
him. Andrew saw him coming and hung his head, a rapid change of emotions
ran across his features and he leaned closer into Cameron, afraid to
relinquish the comforting feel of his friend's body. Mitch recognised the
movement and stood and watched Andrew evenly, letting him make the next
move. Andrew regarded Mitch for a moment, almost as though weighing up if
Mitch were a threat. He stepped towards his friend and reached his hand out
tentatively, which Mitch reached and and clasped in his own.

   "I'm sorry that I betrayed you by going home with him." Andrew said, his
eyes cast down. Realisation swept through Mitch as to why Andrew was acting
in this manner.

   "No matter what Jay told you," started Mitch, "I would never feel
betrayed by you going home with him." Andrew's head lifted slightly to peer
at Mitch.

   "I am, however, hurt that you didn't think you could trust me enough to
tell me." Mitch said slowly and clearly. Andrew's head dropped again. Mitch
reached out and gently lifted Andrew's head by the chin so they were
looking eye to eye. Andrew started to shrink back from the gaze when
Mitch's face softened with a gentle smile.

   "Though, like all good friends, I'm willing to work past it if you are."
Mitch said gently.

   "How can you all still care about me when I just ran from you all? I
dumped you all because I went home with him and was worried about what
people would think."

   "Worried about which people?" Came Cameron's voice from over Andrew's
shoulder.

   "Well, I guess the people in this room. I don't know. Others had to
know. Others have an opinion." Andrew said, trying to sort out his thoughts
on the matter. Cameron put his arm on Andrew's shoulder who jumped
slightly. Cameron didn't release his touch and Andrew turned timidly and
looked at Andrew.

   "Come home with me?" Asked Cameron. Andrew's head dropped down, cheeks
burning.

   "I don't know where home is. I can't go on living at Jason's now he's
dea... uh... now he's gone. My folks haven't spoken to me since I came
out..." Andrew said, his head well confused. Cameron squeezed Andrew's
shoulder gently.

   "You always have a home with me Andy." Cameron said gently. Andrew
looked at Cameron and smiled sadly.

   "With wooden ladder and all. Can see clearly from our treehouse to the
next." Andrew said quietly. Cameron's face lit up at the memory.

   "It'll just be a bastard in winter..." Cameron said.

   "When we have to shovel the snow from the floor rather than the
driveway." They finished together. Cameron chuckled gently and pulled
Andrew to him. Andrew melted into the safe embrace. Vanessa, Mitch and
Tyler all looked at each other with confused expressions. There was a
gentle knock at the door as it pushed open. Andrew's manager walked in and
looked at the five standing around and took in the picture of Andrew with
his head buried in Cameron's shoulder. He spoke gently.

   "If you don't mind, the police would like a word with you." He said.

   "Ok Gus, thanks. We'll be ready in a minute." Andrew said without
lifting his head from Cameron's shoulder.

   "They want to talk to you guys down the station. I hope you don't
mind. Having cops all through here isn't good for business. I'm sorry." Gus
said apologetically. Andrew slowly let go of Cameron and turned to Gus and
nodded. He started to move towards the door and Gus reached out and rested
his hand on Andrew's shoulder.

   "You'll be ok Kid. You take time off if you need it. This job will be
here waiting." Andrew looked at the older man and nodded.

   "Thanks Gus." He said and walked out the door. Gus caught Cameron by the
arm and pulled him down.

   "Watch that Kid. He's a good guy and doesn't need any more pain."
Cameron nodded.


Once inside the apartment, Cameron gently guided Andrew down to his old
bedroom. Andrew lay down with little resistance and curled up on his side.

   "You want me to wait with you?" Cameron asked and Andrew just shook his
head in reponse. Cameron nodded his head and stood and padded gently out of
the room. Once he was back down with the others he finally let the facade
drop and worry etched itself into the lines of his face which aged within a
matter of moments. Mitch stood and reached for his friend. Cameron pulled
back away from the touch and sighed.

   "Sorry Mitch, I just... I dunno. It's weird seeing him like this."
Cameron said in defeat. Mitch nodded gently trying to be empathetic to hsi
friend. After a while, Vanessa gently excuse herself and walked down
towards the bedroom when she heard a muffled call of alarm. She ran quickly
to the door and threw it open and saw Andrew tossing restlessly on the
bed. With a final yell he sat bolt upright his eyes wide with fear. He
promptly hung his head, ashamed of how he had behaved. Vanessa walked to
him and sat next to Andrew. She reached out and gently rubbed his back in
soothing circles. Andrew cringed at the touch.

   "How can you be kind to someone so messed up?" He asked, not meeting
Vanessa's eyes.

   "I can because I know you. I know what a good, together person you can
be." Vanessa told him gently. Andrew started to sob and Vanessa pulled him
to her chest.

   "If I'm such a good person, how did I fuck up so badly?" He
asked. Vanessa kissed the top of his head.

   "Fate's cruel Andy, it just tested you." She told him soothingly. All
the response she got was a gentle sob.

   "When does the testing stop and the final grade get passed then?" He
asked sorrowfully. Vanessa just sat there rubbing his shoulders some more,
not knowing what to answer.


When Andrew finally calmed enough, Vanessa laid him back down and kissed
his temple.

   "I'm going to go get a drink and check on the others. I'm sure Cam will
want to come see you too." She said. Andrew just nodded from where he lay,
drawing quietly back into himself. Vanessa watched him momentarily before
leaving to rejoin the others.


As she entered the room they all looked at her and Cameron started to stand
but couldn't decide what to do so lowered himself back to his seat.

   "How is he?" Cameron finally asked.

   "Wondering why we're all still talking to him." Vanessa said sadly.

   "He thinks we should hate him. He's waiting for us to walk out on him."
Mitch said solemnly for his seat beside Tyler. Vanessa nodded her head.

   "That's the long and short of it I guess." She looked at Cameron.

   "How you holding up?" She asked. Cameron shrugged his response. Vanessa
put her arm around Cameron's shoulder and kissed his temple.

   "We're here for you as much as we are for Andy." Mitch told Cameron who
nodded his head.

   "I better go and check on him." Cameron said gently. Mitch put his hand
out on Cameron's arm and looked at him.

   "Don't go pushing love at someone who doesn't trust it." Cameron looked
at Mitch and nodded again silently, then left the room.


Walking into the bedroom, Cameron just leant back against the wall and
watched Andrew who was sitting with his back against the wall. Andrew
regarded him carefully and visibly chose his words guardedly.

   "I'm sorry I left Cam. I fucked up." Was all he said as tears started
prickling at his eyes. Cameron just nodded at Andrew, not trusting his own
voice to come out right. Andrew watched his friend and tilted his head to
the side.

   "I don't know where I went wrong Cam. I used to... we used to..." He
began but his voice trailed off into nothing.

   "There are many things from our past that have changed Andy." Cameron
replied.

   "I still remember the short, blonde haired kid who was tryin' to be cool
but only ended up tripping over his skateboard in eighth grade." Andrew
said, his eyes glazing over and Cameron sat down beside him.

   "I still remember the lanky, skinny kid with brown hair that used to
stick up everywhere like he'd just gotten out of bed." Countered Cameron.

   "I hear a trip down memory lane." Said Mitch from the doorway. Cameron
turned and motioned for Mitch to join them. He held up his hand motioning
that it wasn't necessary. Cameron motioned again and Mitch came in and sat
with them.

   "We'd been in high school for about two weeks. Two kids who had nothing
in common apart from the fact that they were both attending the same high
school." Began Cameron. "I was trying to be cool and make the right moves
for these girls at school. I'd been practising these tricks on my
skateboard for at least a week. I was finally going to do them. I went to
jump on this rail and grind along. I got the jump part right, I fucked up
the grind though and landed flat on my arse. These girls thought I was a
hoot. Short runt who was flat on his arse in jeans that were three or four
sizes to big. I was sitting on my arse, face flaming red when this hand
lowers in my face. I look up and I've got this lanky kid offering me a hand
up. I knocked his hand out of my way. The kid just shook his head and
shrugged then started to walk away. I was left sitting there, my ego in
tatters and the first person to offer me a hand walkin away scuffing his
shoes as he walked. I felt kinda stupid so shook myself off, got up and
jumped on my board going after him. He turned this corner and disappeared
and I was sure I'd made a mess again and I probably wouldn't see him
again." Andrew snorted and shook his head.

   "Mind you, if he'd looked to his left, I was walking into the
bathroom. I saw someone tryin' to do it for the girls and was pulling off
looking like an absolute idiot pretty well. The girls fairly much saw the
same thing. Then I saw him land flat on his arse after his trick didn't
quite work. Don't let him tell you the jump worked, it didn't. The two
front wheels lifted after an inch off the ground then come crashing back
down and him landing backwards off it." Andrew corrected. "I felt bad for
him sitting there, his pride obviously taking a battering as the girls
walked off laughing at him. I went and offered him a hand up. His smacked
it out of his face like a little kid and mumbled something about not
needing some 'God damned good Samaritan hand up' and being able to do it
himself. I shrugged and walked off. I scuffed my shoes badly as a kid, I
couldn't be bothered lifting my feet. I heard the skateboard hitting the
ground and shook my head knowing he was ok and ducked into the bathroom to
take care of business before home room. He didn't even cross my mind
again."

   "I didn't cross his mind again until I came hurtling out of no where
with three guys after me about a week later. I sent us both flying. The
other guys looked at us on the ground and sniggered at us and made some
comment about being back down on my level and finally having a friend down
there." Cameron continued.

   "Ok, I was walking out of history and was fairly much asleep and didn't
hear anything until I hear these guys yelling about some punk giving them
lip and they'd get him. Next thing I know I've got this lump collecting me
and sending me to the ground. I went one way, my bad went the other and
somewhere in the middle was the not so talented skateboarder. The others
looked at him, then at me and one said that he should stop trying to take
others down to his level. I looked at him and arched an eyebrow and told
him that he really needs to stop meeting me when he's on the ground or I
wouldn't believe he could achieve any higher."

   "The second time I meet the bastard and he insults me. I couldn't
believe it. I'd chased this guy to apologise for being a prick to him when
he offered me a help up and he tells me that I should get off the ground. I
looked at him and just burst out laughing. He managed to get himself to his
feet and then offered me a hand up again. This time I was smart enough to
take it and he helped pull me to my feet. We talked and both had lunch then
so went and got something to eat together. We started to hang out at lunch
and shit. My friends thought he was a little odd and a bit of a loner."
Cameron remembered with a wry grin.

   "I thought his friends were abosolute fuckwits. They were so into trying
to outdo each other with girls and sports. He was trying to impress them
and be what they wanted and fit in with his cool friends that he didn't
realise he was just as good without them. He started to bag him when he
started to spend more time with me during ninth grade. He didn't tell me
why he was hanging around more until the end of summer. He came over and he
was in this black mood. The storm clouds were gathered and he was in a
right mood. We went out and sat in my tree house. He was ranting about
something and I finally called him on it and asked what the hell was
wrong. He was halfway through this rant and he stopped suddenly and then
just burst into tears. All I could do was kinda wrap my arms around him and
tell him that he was going to be ok." Andrew said looking at his friend and
noted, for the first time, that their current situation was a direct
reverse of his memory. Cameron sensed his friends thoughts and pulled him
in closer.

   "I'd been a prick to everyone for weeks. Most of my other friends had
told me to shove off and sort my shit out. That or they wanted to know what
was wrong and weren't content to just let me be and come to them when I was
ready. Andy just let me do my thing and waited patiently. I got pissed with
the others and they'd pushed me hard this day and I went to see Andy. I was
halfway through my rant about it when he finally turned and asked what the
hell was going on. The bluntness that he'd finally asking is what broke
it. I couldn't hold it any more. I broke down that day and told him that my
parents were seperating and that I may have to move. That when he looked at
me and told me I was being an idiot. There'd always be a home with
him. Even if we had to live in his treehouse. We may have a wooden ladder
but in summer we'd be able to see from our treehouse to the next. It'd just
be a bastard in winter..."

   "When you'd have to shovel snow from the floor rather than the
driveway." Finished Mitch, remembering what he'd heard previously in the
managers office. Andrew and Cameron smiled sheepishly at Mitch.

   "As it was, Cam ended up staying with his mother and not moving
away. His father went west somewhere and kinda disappeared from the
raydar. Cam used to spend more time at my place rather than his own. My
parents thought it was great. They didn't have to worry about what I was up
to because I always had Cam to look out for me. Sports had been kinda to
him and he was a strong kid. Broad shoulders, big growth spurt and was all
toned and athletic and shit. I used to go to all the games and cheer for
him. Then I'd cheer louder when he got clobbered." Andrew smiled softly to
himself at the memory.

   "With a friend like him, who needs an enemy?" Grinned Cameron. "There
was one night that we were staying at my place. My mother had left her
smokes out and her lighter. It was like this super special lighter, a
ronson or something. We managed to snag it and a cigarette. We snuck out
the back door and we hid around the corner where she couldn't see us. It
took like three attempts to work out how to use the thing. I was like the
shit because I worked out how to work the thing, so Andy had to take the
first drag. When we were sure it was lit, Andy stuck it in his mouth and
sucked back. The end lit up this bright orange and this stream of smoke
went past me. The next thing I know Andy was coughing his lungs up tellin'
me he wasn't having any more."

   "The shit was nasty. It was a fucking menthol man. Stuck it in my mouth
and it was like someone put this bad tastin' mint in a tube and lit
it. Burnt my throat and made my eyes water. Couldn't help but cough to get
that shit out. Cam stuck it in his mouth and took like this big drag off
it. He coughed so much on it that he threw up a bit. We threw the thing and
crept back inside. His mother was standing at the back door and just put
her hand out and Cam looked guilty as sin. He stuck the lighter in his
mother's hand. She just grinned and said we probably wouldn't do that
again."

   "Bitch had stood there and watched us. We weren't as out of sight as we
thought. We weren't as quiet either. She heard us talkin' about tryin' it
from the next room so thought it'd be interesting to watch. She laughed
when we left the room, we could hear her from my bedroom where we went and
hid in shame." Cameron said, his lips curling into a half smile.

   "We used to behave around my folks but would get up to all kinds of shit
at his place. First smoke happened there, first time getting trashed. Even
our first arguement. Even my first kiss." Admitted Andrew. Mitch looked at
Andrew in surprise then at Cameron.

   "Don't look at me, it was Troy." Said Cameron, his hands in the air. He
lowered his arm around Andrew's shoulder who shook timidly a little then
leant back against his friend. Mitch nodded his head at the pair.

   "We were inseperable from that day I helped him off the floor. Did
nearly everything together from the good, the bad and just the plain out
stupid. I thought my parents were going to explode the night the pair of us
turned up at their place in the back of a police cruiser. We'd been out at
a party and were on our way home. We were more than a little drunk. Written
off I believe is more the apt description. We'd been running along
hollering out and being louts. Anyways, there'd been a disturbance
involving a group of young guys in the area. The cops were doing a patrol
and came across us. We were being a little loud and they stopped us. They
realised we were drunk when Cam threw up in the gutter behind the car."
Andrew said. Cameron turned a crimson red.

   "We'd gone through nearly a bottle and a half of tequilla, what did you
expect? Sobriety?" Asked Cameron.

   "The cops loaded us in the back of the car and drove us home. The cops
walked us to the door to make sure we weren't going to take off again and
cause more problems for the neighbors. My father opened the door and saw
the cops with us kinda leaning on each other behind them. They assured him
that we hadn't caused any problems, we were just drunk and they wanted us
to get home safe. Dad got us inside and hit the roof. My mother stopped him
saying that it was useless yelling because we could barely stand let alone
comprehend what we'd done considering our state. He told us to get out of
his sight. We high tailed it to my room and collapsed on the bed
together. My mother got her own revenge the next morning. We were forced to
get up about eight that morning and were sat down to a serve of extra
greasy bacon and eggs, sunny side up. Cam sat there and downed his plate
and started stealing off my plate. I gave it to him and bolted for the
bathroom and lost my stomach contents. Dad wouldn't let us go back to sleep
and made us go shovel the driveway. Wouldn't give us anything for the
hangover either. We made it until about seven that night and passed out
again."

   "So what was your first fight about?" Asked Mitch. Andrew looked at
Cameron.

   "Belinda. She was a cheerleader at school. Tall, blonde and gorgeous."
Cameron said. "I'd been wanting her for ages but had never said anything to
her. Didn't know how to actually. Andy pushed me towards her one day. She
smiled and said hello. He then invited her to join us for lunch. He was a
complete ignorant to it but she would join us for lunch but not for me. She
was gunning for the resident homosexual. Of course, at this stage we didn't
realise he spoke fag fluently. He thought he was doing a great job of
working on getting her interst in me, not realising she was interested in
him. I thought he was being sneaky and using me as an excuse to get near
her. We had a few drinks at my place one night. I accused him of being a
scheming bastard and using me to get his end in. He had no idea and I
thought he was just playing dumb. He asked what I was on about. I toldh im
that if he wanted Belinda to just go for it and to stop fucking with me. He
told me that I was paranoid. I lost it at him and went off at him."

   "Truth is he flattened me. I had a black eye for two weeks. His mother
screamed when she heard something and came in and saw his fist connect with
my eye. Troy burst in the room and dragged Cam off while she tried to
mother me and take care of me asking what the hell was going on. I told her
it was just a misunderstanding and ended up telling her that he thought I
was after this girl he wanted.  She laughed her arse off at it. I didn't
know what was so funny at that time but found out later." Andrew said with
a wayward grin at his friend. Cameron smiled at the sight of his old friend
shining through the battered exterior.

   "Troy had dragged me off to the lounge and asked what the fuck was going
on and why was I fighting with my best friend in my mother's house? He tore
shreds off me saying that he thought I'd been raised better. He didn't know
what had gotten into me. He read me the riot act then threw the book at my
head for good measure. He then told me I'd best get my arse back into that
bedroom and sort things out with Andy before I fucked up everything between
Andy and I. I sat there, jaw set and pouting. He ended up hoisting me over
his shoulder and carried me into bedroom and uncermoniously at Andy's
feet. He was at my side in an instant going Troy for dumping me on the
floor like that. It's then I realised just how strong our friendship
was. I'd just given him a black eye and he was tearing shreds off my older
brother for hurting me. He just shook his head and left the room. I
couldn't even meet his eyes any more. Found my feet really
interesting. Andy was standing at my CD collection and found two copies of
a CD I had. He'd given me a copy for my birthday and didn't understand why
I had two, if I didn't want his copy I could have told him and he'd
exchange it. I stopped and turned bright red. I told him it was because I
never listened to his copy so there was no chance it'd get damaged. He
asked me why I'd do some shit like that. I told him it was because he gave
it to me. He put the CD down and turned to look at me."

   "I asked him why the hell he thought I was making moves on Belinda. He
told me that he'd seen the way we'd laughed together and the way she
flirted with me." Andrew said, continuing with the story. "I laughed at
him. He looked away and I had to stop him from fleeing the room again. I
told him there was no chance of me ever touching Belinda. He looked at me
and asked why. I looked him in the eye and told him there were two
reasons. One was because he was the one who wanted her and that the other,
which I thought he realised, was that I was gay. He looked at me and didn't
say a thing. I'd been terrified of telling him and coming out to him. He
just stood there and didn't say anything. I thought it was all my terrors
coming true that he'd just walk away from me, not want to know me
anymore. I picked up my bag and apologised and tried to get around him. He
just reached out and grabbed my arm as I walked by and looked at me."

   "I've never seen such absolute terror in someone's eyes as I saw that
moment. His eyes went wide and he started to pull away and I gripped his
arm harder. I then pulled him and tried to squash him with a huge hug. I
told him I didn't care and that I was glad that he'd told me. He started
sobbing into my shirt. He told me how terrified he'd been of telling
me. That he was scared that the one person he actually gave a fuck about in
the work would disappear on him. All I could do was hold him while he let
it all out. I felt like a right royal fuckwit for not seeing it and not
supporting him more. I kissed the top of his forehead and just held him
close. Belinda eventually realised that Andy wasn't interested in her and
started to finally notice me. We were at a party and Andy had wandered off
to talk to someone and she cornered me. She had her tongue in my mouth and
she whispered something and it made me stop and I asked her to repeat
it. She looked ashamed and wouldn't. I told her that they were my pants and
not Andy's and that if she wanted into them she'd have to go there direct,
not through me. She huffed at me at took off. Apparently she banged her way
through three guys that night." Cameron said, his past floating through his
mind, leaving a light trace of bitterness tracing his features.

   "We didn't hit another rock until we finished senior. I was accepted
here no question, Cam didn't want to go to college. We spent more and more
time together as the summer went on before school started. He helped me
pack up my room and buy everything I would need for college. I didn't know
what I was going to do, I was leaving my best friend behind. During the
last week I got to a point where I'd just look at him and feel the tears
build. I was never pushed about it and I certainly never said anything. I
was falling apart inside. I'd always had Cam with me for the last five
years. Never had a moment when I was unsure and didn't know where Cam was
or what he was doing. The final day came and I had to leave. I couldn't
meet his eyes until I was getting a final box from my room to load into my
car. He cornered me in my room and made me put down the box and asked what
was wrong. I still wouldn't meet his eyes. He eventually forced me to look
at him. I looked at him and started to sob. I told him that I was leaving
the best part of my life behind and that I didn't know what I was going to
do without him. He pulled me close as we'd always done and rubbed my
back. He told me that there would always be a home waiting for us where
ever life took us. It may not have a wooden ladder, it may not be able to
see into the next treehouse but home is where the heart is and so he'll
always be waiting at home for me. Eventually I pulled myself together and
loaded the box into my car. I said my goodbyes to my folks who went inside
leaving Cam and I outside. I hugged Cam again and reminded him that he
better keep that home looking good because he'd never know when I was
coming by. He nodded and hugged me again then pushed me to the car telling
me to fuck off or I'd never go. I got halfway down the street and got a
text message. All it said was 'I love you too dickhead, have fun at
college'. I nearly turned the car around, but instead kept going knowing it
was the only choice left."

   "I spoke to my folks and Cam every night for the first few days then Cam
told me to stop running up the bill and that to only call him once a week
unless I needed him. I felt abandoned by him completely. Talking to him
kept me sane and on the level. I then got my study timetable and called him
to tell him about it. He told me to tell it to him slow so he'd know when
he could call me. He wrote it down and told me if I called during any of
those times I was dead because I wasn't allowed to skip classes. I told him
I wouldn't and stuck to it. I didn't skip one class. The first week was a
killer but I was doing ok. I called him about it and he sounded distracted
by I let it go. I was happy just to be speaking to him. The weekend went by
and I went to some bar and had a drink. Nothing major, spent a lot of it
back in the dorm. That was fine by me, I didn't need friends, I had Cam
waiting for me back home. The following Monday was a killer and I was
struggling and wanted to just talk to Cam so called him that night. He
brushed me off and said he was busy and would have to call me back. He
never did and that wasn't like Cam. I waited for his call Tuesday and got
nothing. Wednesday I got really pissed off because he still hadn't
called. It didn't occur to me to call him because I'd never had to chase
him before. I was steaming by Thursday, I walked out of my freshman psych
class and stormed straight on by him. I never saw him until next thing I
know I'm in the air being thrown across a shoulder and being carted down
the hall. He finally put me down and looked at me. I called him every name
I could think of."

   "He tried to hit me and all he did was thump my chest a bit. I did as we
had always done and held him while he got it out. He finally pulled himself
together and stood back and looked at me and asked why I was there. I asked
him why they hell he thought I would leave him to go through all this on
his own. That's why I had brushed him off and why I hadn't called him. I'd
been setting up the apartment for us. I moved him in here that afternoon."
Cameron said indicating to the walls that surrounded them. Mitch nodded his
head. He smiled at his friends who were both sitting lost in thought.

   "Then I came into the world and it got interesting?" He asked. Cameron
nodded and Mitch smiled softly.

   "So now you know our past. That's why I won't leave him and he won't
leave me." Cameron told Mitch who nodded back and kissed both of them on
the head.

   "For now, be there for each other. I have an ebony goddess running riot
somewhere in the apartment with my boyfriend." Mitch said and left the
room, pulling the door softly closed behind him. Cameron leant over and
kissed Andrew's forehead.

   "I meant it, I won't leave you. I love you." Cameron said. Andrew nodded
gently and kissed Cameron back.

   "I love you too." Andrew replied.

---

Thank God that's done. My fingers are sore from typing. Enjoy
guys... feedback, as always, love and appreciated.

heartmindsoulau@yahoo.com
Cheers
Daniel M