Chapter 4-Ice Cold Truth
"What size skates?"
The man running the shoe booth at the ice rink said to me after giving Cameron his.
"8 and a 1/2 please." Looking up at the 6'5 man.
"Ight one sec."
Standing at the booth the rink smelled of disinfectant spray, dirty shoes and ice. I stared back at the benches and saw Cameron signing about 8 autographs and taking almost 12 photos, then he continued tying his last skate.
"Here ya go." The man put my skates on top of the booth and took my shoes.
"Thanks." I say taking my skates and walking to the bench Cameron was at, swerving to avoid the bystanders in my way. I sit down and start working on my skate laces.
Sarcasticly Cameron asks. "Soo you having fun." Giving a smuk grin.
"Yaaa the best time getting choked by disinfectant spray and people being rude-" Nugheing his arm and giving him a derp face I continued tying my skate. Simotaneasly tying my last skate and looking up at Cameron who was standing to test out his balance.
"You seemed like you were having a good time tho. Having girls crowd around you giving you attention."
I look back down and laugh.
Cameron sits back and slightly rubs his hand over mine, which I slowly take away and ran it through my hair so he wouldn't know I did it on purpose.
Cameron gives me a looked at me with narrow eyes that he quickly got rid of.
"Well they may have given me their attention but I was giving you all of mine, I kept thinking of you." he tries putting his arm around but I get up pretending like I didn't notice.
"Aw isn't that sweet of you..."
I smile down on him where he looked both confused and sad.
"My skates feel good we should go onto the rink now." I continue.
Cameron walks out of his trance and looks up at me then gets up.
"Ok, lets go." He slowly walks over to the waist high door and opens it.
Waiting a while until we had an opening to go onto the rink.
"You ok, don't need to hold on to the rail or anything?" Cameron looks at me worriedly.
"No I'm fine I've ice skated before it's not new for me." Smirking at him I then speed off to tease him. I go all the way around then turn my slate sideways so I can slow down and go back next to him.
Cameron eyes go wide. "Wow, your good on skates. Guess you don't need my help with this."
I laugh. "I've been slating sense I was eight, it's cute that you were willing to teach me tho." I give him a gleaming smile. We continue skating then I feel Cameron's fingers trying to caress mine, where I quickly take my hand away. Cameron's expression then turns angry. He then slips away from me and leaves the rink. I skate after him.
"Hey Cam why are you leaving?" I catch up to him sitting on a bench, I sit next to him.
Putting a hand on his shoulder-slowly-and carefully. "Um, C...Cameron are you ok?" I tilt my head sideways.
"Why did you ask me to do this?" He says to me.
My heart sinks, Great I've lost him for being stupid. I think.
Slowly slipping my hand down his back onto the bench.
"What do you mean? Make you do what? Cautiously I ask.
"To come on this date, I'm trying to do the cute couple stuff but you won't let me why? Do you not like me as much as you thought before?" Cameron turns around his eyes glossy. He was about to cry.
I start feeling a burning sensation in my eyes. "No Cameron that's not it...."
"Then what is it then?" Nearly shouting he asks.
"It's just that your really famous and girls love you and you have amazing opportunities because your still young. I'm just nervous if people find out your dating a guy that you would get bad publicity and people would stop hiring you for shows or movies so then you would have nothing. I just want to protect you, I like you a lot and I really care about you and I couldn't live with myself if I ruined your career and basically your whole life."
Wiping away a tear that fell down to my cheek. I hated crying in front of people, it made me feel weak and dramatic. Always hating the thought of people looking at me that way when they saw me crying. I wipe a tear again.
Confidently pulling my hand into both of his Cameron speaks with a sweet tone of reassurance
"Aiden it's fine, you don't have to take care of me and protect me from the shitty way the world is. I appreciate you caring, but it's ok. You can care about me but not like this, if people don't want to hire me because of who I am then so be it, I'm not going to hide who I really am just for a job. It's sweet that you want to protect me like that and it's really cute and I thank you for that to, but protecting me should be you not wanting me to go out late at night on the weekends or not letting me snort crack while drinking shots of vodka. Protecting me from how people are gonna treat me for my sexuality or my complete personality isn't anybody's responsibility it's only your responsibility or mine if we choose to let it affect us in any way. Do you understand Aiden?"
Trembling with a mixture of happiness and still lingering sadness along with nervousness. How is it this boy is only fifteen but can speak with motivation like a man. He must have a soul aged maybe two or three times his age.
I release my hand from his and put my hand under his chin where he was staring at our hands. Pulling his gaze up his brown eyes meeting my crimson eyes and we stare at eachother. Staring into eachother's souls.
The eyes are the gateway to the soul.
Licking my dry lips and removing my hand from his chin then to wipe a tear of his away.
"I understand Cam, I just feel like I need to protect the ones close to me. I've never really had anybody but my mom, dad my sister and my friend Noah and now you. I guess I'm just to caring. I'm sorry though, you could put your arm around me or hold my hand or any of that stuff, if your fine with it I am to."
My eyes stopped burning and the tears dried from my cheeks. Cameron's eyes that were bloodshot had returned to normal and he was smiling. His complete straight teeth, with no stains of anything but white. I scoot closer to him and put my arm around him and he laid his head on my shoulder.
"See just like this, I'm fine with it."
Almost everyone around us was staring and whispering and pointing. But me and Cameron didn't mind.
Because it felt natural doing this.
It felt...right.
"Hey Aiden wanna go skate again?" Cameron said looking up at me with innocence.
I look down smile, and remove my arm and stand up. Holding my hand for Cameron to take. He reaches up takes it and get's up.
"Sure..." I say. "And this time together."
Cameron puts his hand between mine and my body and knots our fingers together.
"Together-" Cameron leans close to my ear and whispers in a low soft soothing tone.
"Always." He moves his head away and smiles at me again.
I gave him a half grin and lead him to the rink.
I had let out the truth and it had made this night better. Cameron understood my reasoning and accepted it, and I excepted his decisions. We were on the ice skating slowly with our hands intwined together. Enjoying every moment.
Cameron's words kept lingering in my head all night.
Together. Always.