We get back to their house a few hours later. Gina goes to cook dinner. I make my way up to my room but I'm stopped by Cameron grabbing my shoulder.
"Aren't we gonna talk?"
"Uh... Sure?" I say
"Great. I wanna know more about you." He asks as he leads me to his room. The walls are a beige color and his bedspread is blue cameo-fladge. Across from it is a TV with tons of machines surrounding it. Next to the TV is a bookcase with books, movies, and video games. He has a brown desk and nightstand with a glass of water on it. On the desk he neatly keeps folders, notebooks, and novels. He has shelves with picture frames and souvenirs from places he had been.
"What do you wanna know?"
"About living on the streets. Tell me a story." He says interested.
"Okay." I sigh while thinking of a story. I tell the first one that pops into my head. "I was 13. I had finally made it out of Georgia. I was in the city of Hunstville, Alabama. It was huge and I hadn't ever been in a city that big on my own. The biggest city I had been in before that was Atlanta. Anyways, I was walking by buildings minding my own business when an old homeless man grabbed my dress and pulled me toward him. He looked about 60 years old. He had a grey beard and wore a torn up suit. He held a McDonalds soda cup out to collect change and had a cardboard sign that read 'I NEED $ NOW' In sharpie. He pulled me toward his face. He tapped my chin with his bony fingers while whispering "Your pretty." In a rough American Accent. I still remember the smell of Alcohol on his breath. Then... Then he punched me in the nose. I hurt so bad that I fell back. He laughed at me suffering. Actually, It was more like a cackle. Then, before I knew it the police came running towards us. Without thinking I ran away as fast as I could so they wouldn't file a Missing Child or Runaway report." When I'm done telling the story I have tears in my eyes.
Cameron looks at me strongly. I can't tell what his expression is. He hugs me tightly and I smile as a few tears slide down my cheeks.
"Dinner!" Yells Gina in the middle of our hug.
Cameron releases me. "I... I'm sorry."
"No! No it's okay! I mean... Let's go." I say and smile a little. I wipe my tears off my cheeks as I get up.
We walk downstairs to find a dinner of grilled chicken and corn. I eat it quickly
"Thank you" I say to Gina as I clear my plate.
"No problem Honey" She responds "It's nice to have another girl in the house again." As she says that Cameron gives her a 'Cut it out' signal. He sees me looking and tries to act casual. Is he hiding something?