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Chapter 38: Atlanta

Actually we'll probably do all of those things but this time it's different.

We can finally be together without having to hide it. We can hold hands and kiss in public without the fear of our friends catching us. We can be us but more than that at the same time.

Of course I want to tell someone about Cam and I. Brianna asked me a few weeks ago if anything happened after the kiss I told her and Grams about. I lied and said no but truthfully much more has happened.

Thursday night I pack my bags and talk to Cam on FaceTime before going to sleep. That morning Theo makes a dramatic show about how much he's going to miss me.

"I'm going to be gone one night and you won't be here." I deadpan as he fake cry's into my shoulder.

"I know but I'm going to miss you so much." He places his hand on his forehead.

Mom says goodbye to us, telling me to be extra safe in the city. When Cam gets there, Theo takes the front seat so I sit in the back with my school backpack and my duffel bag for the night.

Before we leave school, in gym class, Miles tells us ways not to get mugged. We laugh him off so he tells us the statistics of muggings in big city's then gives up when we tease him. After school, we drop everyone off at their houses.

I sit in the front seat while Cam closes the cover on his truck bed that our bags are in. He leans against my open window, his face close to mine.

"You ready?" He asks, his face beaming with excitement.

"I was born ready!" I whoops, throwing my feet onto the dashboard. He walks to the drivers side and slides in. He starts down the road with the small hum of music in the background and a comfortable silence around us.

When we reach the sign that reads "leaving redwood" Cameron stops his truck. I look over to him, confused "what are you doing?"

His lips press against mine sending a swarm of butterflies coursing through me. When he pulls apart he looks at me with excitement in his eyes "that."

"What was that for?" Not that I'm complaining.

"It's just us now. For 24 hours it's just us." He pulls onto the road with a hand on my knee and we drive out of Redwood, leaving all of our problems behind us.

{~}

We drive halfway there before stopping for some food. We sit in the parking lot, on the hood of his truck, eating tacos and listening to music playing from his radio.

"What time do we need to be back tomorrow?" I ask him, when he turns to me I spot salsa on his chin.

"Whenever we want." He shrugs. I laugh while grabbing a napkin and wiping it off of his chin. "Actually I was thinking we might have some car problems tomorrow"

"Oh really?" I raise an eyebrow and take a sip of my soda.

"Yeah, nothing too serious just enough to where we have to stay another night."

"You know, I was thinking the same thing." I nod my head, finishing my food.

When we're done eating we climb off of the hood of the truck and get back in the truck. For the rest of the drive we keep our hands interlocked and argue about who's more stubborn.