The Girl in the Road

Different Worlds

Aspen

Cam manages to stay until dinnertime that evening before the volume of calls to his phone becomes so extreme, he has no choice but to excuse himself, promising to come and visit me the following day after school. Blue suffers his way through a hospital dinner with me before calling it quits, too, giving me a tight hug that makes me wince again before heading out.

And then, just like that, I’m alone again.

I’ve never really minded being alone—not since my brother River died, anyway. He was the only one who ever really got me, and trying to explain my feelings or thoughts to anyone else always feels harder than just being by myself. Sometimes I think, when I’m alone, that I’m the closest to him—to River. I’m not religious, exactly, but I do believe in something—have to believe in something, because otherwise he’d just be… nothing. Gone.

I drift off to sleep thinking about River, but somewhere in my unconscious state, those thoughts morph to thoughts of Cam. He reminds me of River in strange ways—ways I can hardly even explain. River was a jock, too—a cool jock, I always teased him, who preferred Strokes concerts to Dodgers games and always made time for his baby sister, even if it meant ditching the latest pretty girlfriend. River was taller and scrawnier than Cam, who’s probably five-ten and pure muscle, but they have the same warm, kind, friendly brown eyes that crinkle when they smile.

Had, I remind myself as I wake back up and push away thoughts of Cam. River had those eyes.

Blue stops by with his mother in the morning, who bursts into tears at the sight of me and demands to know where my mother is. Jane—that’s his mom—has never actually met my mother, but knows me from all the time I’ve spent in her garage over the past few years, jamming with the band.

“She’s at work,” I lie to Jane with a polite smile. “You just missed her.”

Blue shoots me a look of clear concern, but doesn’t dare contradict me in front of Jane.

“Blue says there are some… financial concerns,” Jane says to me, frowning. “Did your mother clear those up?”

“Yes,” I lie, shooting Blue a glare. “All good.”

Jane smiles with relief at that, but I get the sense from Blue’s expression that this isn’t the last I’ll hear of it. “Well, good. Rest up now, sweetheart. We’ll have you over for dinner just as soon as you’re ready.”

And with that, they head out to take Blue to school.

I wish I could make fun of Blue for being such a momma’s boy, but I can’t. I’m obviously just jealous. Jane isn’t just a rich mom; she’s a good mom. And a cool one, at that. She’s a creative at a video game company, the breadwinner of the house, and supports his love of music with her whole heart—and her whole bank account.

And she’s always liked me, for reasons I can’t really fully understand.

Anyway, the rest of the day goes by pretty uneventfully. I watch as much TV as I can stomach without feeling my brain turn to mush, turn the TV off, nibble on some hospital food, and then, finally, am granted permission to take a short walk under the supervision of my favorite Madam Nurse—who, of course, grills me about my memory the whole time.

“It’s coming back to me,” I tell her vaguely. “Just don’t remember the address, is all.”

I passed the psych eval already, for the record. They asked some tough questions about my history, but I answered them as sanely as anyone with a dead brother could.

I’ve always known how to satisfy people like Madame Nurse and Monsieur Doctor. Acting natural isn’t nearly as hard as actually feeling it.

When we get back to the room, I’m shocked to find that Cam is there, waiting for me.

I glance at the clock on the wall. Two-fifteen. School isn’t over yet.

“What are you doing here?” I ask him—a bit more rudely than I intended.

He hands me a small grocery bag that he’s tied off in a knot. “I just… thought you might want some clothes. I mean…” He glances at the nurse. “For whenever they let you change.”

I glance grimly down at my less-than-sexy hospital gown, then at Madame Nurse, who shakes her head. “We should get you back in bed."

I exchange amused looks with Cam before allowing Madame Nurse to help me back into my cot. I wait for her to leave before opening the bag.

It’s a vintage band tour tee. The Kinks. Along with a pair of one-size-fits-all sort of sweatpants.

I really love The Kinks.

“There are still tags on these pants,” I say, glancing up at him suspiciously. “When did you have time to go shopping?”

“Well, the shirt’s mine,” he says. “And the pants—well, there’s a store close to here.”

“It’s not even three o’clock. Don’t you have school? Don’t you have practice?”

He shrugs. “They’ll be fine without me for a day. Anyway, I had to beat Blue here, didn’t I? So he couldn’t talk more s**t about me?”

I grant him a laugh at that. “Well, thanks. I really love The Kinks. Shall we argue about our favorite songs again?”

“You Really Got Me, obviously. Is there any question?”

“Living On a Thin Line. No question.”

He grins. “You know, I’d argue further, but I gave Sunday Morning another listen last night, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t do a bit of reevaluating afterwards.”

I really wish I didn’t like this boy so much. I almost—almost—find myself thinking it’s a shame that he has a girlfriend, until I remember to return to the Planet Earth on which someone like him would never wind up with someone like me, anyway.

“I’m really not that bad, you know,” Cam says as he takes a seat on the chair next to my cot. “I mean, I did quit the band to join the team, but I wasn’t the one who cut ties with Blue. He was my best friend.”

I find it odd that he feels the need to defend his character to me. What does he even care what I think? “I believe you. Blue’s sensitive. I’m sure he took it hard when you quit, and you didn’t have the time or energy to coddle him the way he needed.”

He looks a bit taken aback by my bluntness. “Well… yeah. Basically.”

“I think he’ll get over it eventually—especially if you were to try spending a bit of time together again. It would probably be easier if you apologized, though.”

“But I wasn’t even the one who—”

“I know,” I interrupt calmly. “But you’ll never get one from him.”

He sighs, running a hand through his hair. He has a tidy, cropped fade—fashionable and hip—the sort of cut a celebrity might have. “Are you, like… with him? If you don’t mind me asking.”

I don’t blame him for asking; Blue and I don’t exactly have a simple friendship, and he probably noticed. “No—not with him. He’s important to me, though. He’s a good friend.”

He nods. I think he might look a bit relieved, but it’s hard to say for sure. “You seem important to him, too. Almost like he might be… in love with you, or something.”

He isn’t wrong. Blue has professed his love to me at least three times by now, despite my repeated assurances that I don’t see him that way. But I don’t need to embarrass Blue by confirming that to his ex-best friend.

“Can I ask you something?” Cam asks when he seems to sense that I have no intention of responding.

“Depends what you’re asking.”

“Who did you call? From my phone?”

Not exactly an easy question. But he did save my life, and then skip school to bring me clothes. “My mom.”

He nods. “I figured—you know, that it was a parent. Only… why did she never come?”

“I told her not to. We can’t afford the bill, remember? If she comes, they’ll suck every penny they can out of her, and she needs it more than I do.”

“Then why not let Blue’s family pay?”

Is he really asking me that?

“Say what you speculate about him is true,” I tell him. “Say he’s in love with me. He convinces his parents to pay my hospital bill, then professes his love to me. Can you see how maybe that would put me in a bit of a bind?”

He seems to get that. “Okay. But, then… maybe someone else could pay. Maybe I could—”

I groan, hitting my head a little too hard on the headboard. “You’re missing the point, Cam. Money comes with strings—no matter who writes the check. Even if they mean well.”

“But… what’s the alternative?”

“I’ve got some savings. I’ve got a job—at least, I had one. I’ll probably have to find a new one after this.”

“What about college?”

I snort. “Not in the cards for me.”

“Why not? You seem smart. Musically gifted, I assume.”

Whatever similarities Cam has to River end here—with the wealth gap between us that is so vast, it seems endless at times. “You just don’t get it, Cam. We’re from different worlds. College isn’t a conversation in mine—not unless you’re an athlete.”

“But there are academic scholarships, too, aren’t there? Financial aid—”

Before he can finish, though, Blue comes in and freezes in his tracks.

“What are you doing here?” he asks Cam sharply.

“Visiting Aspen,” Cam replies coolly. “Sorry—did I need your permission?”

Not exactly an apology. I shoot him a look, which he ignores.

“Is he bothering you?” Blue asks me, taking a seat on my other side. “You can tell him to leave, you know. Just because he brought you to the hospital that night doesn’t mean—”

“The only thing bothering me,” I interrupt firmly, “is you two bickering. Now, either shut up and get over your differences, or leave.”

To my amazement, they both decide to stay.