Cameron and the Girls Read Online Free

again.”
    I walk up to the porch and stand in front of her. I’ve let her down one more time; I can see it in her eyes. It’s not what I want to do.
    â€œI’m sorry, Mom,” I say.
    She steps aside. “Go in and change out of those.”
    â€œOkay,” I say in my obedient voice.
    But as I pass her, she adds, “We’re going to have to talk about this, Cam.”
    Back in my room, I tear off my clothes, dry myself, and slip down under the covers. I shiver until I hear her mount the stairs. Soon, I can feel her in the doorway. I project out my force field to keep her from saying anything or getting too close. She sighs as she picks up my sloppy wet clothes. Maybe there are some things she doesn’t want to know for sure because she doesn’t come in any farther.
    When she’s gone, my mind considers what’s just happened. With voices, it’s a crapshoot. You can’t always control what you get. But I’ve never felt this way from just hearing one of them. As if my blood were juicier than normal. I don’t know what her name is, but I think I’ll call her The Girl.
    In spite of the warm air spilling out of the vent, I’m too psyched to fall back to sleep, and I eventually get up to get ready for school.

Five
    A t school, there are only two girls in my class. Amy, the little rabbit girl, is always showing her big front teeth as she chatters away. The other one is named Nina. She came a couple of weeks ago and usually keeps to herself. I like her anyway. It’s easier to make up stories about girls who keep to themselves, because they don’t give themselves away. She has great hair, which is rich and dark and long. It cascades in waves from the top of her head. And she is always swinging it back and forth. Especially when she doesn’t know the answer to a question.
    I’m not sure what her problem is, but I know she must have one, otherwise she wouldn’t be in the EDP. Today I sit in my seat and watch her hair. It moves in a fancy rhythm that makes me think of things better kept inside my head.
    Soon she turns and catches me staring at her. My eyes dart to the front of the class, and I pretend I wasn’t looking. But I can’t help myself and snatch another glance. She’s still looking. I try to smile, but the tension in my face won’t let me. She shrugs and turns back.
    From the front of the class, Mrs. Owens is saying, “If the South had won the Civil War, what do you think the United States would be like today?” She stops and picks up a hanky to wipe her very red nose.
    Griffin quickly shoots up his hand. “It would be like no North.”
    â€œWhat do you mean?” Mrs. Owens asks.
    â€œWell, I mean it would be all South. There would be, you know, no direction called north. The country would be called the United Southern States of America.”
    At first I think Nina is whispering to me, and I turn her way. But she is tracing the picture of George Washington on the front of her history book.
    Still, there is a voice.
    Cam?
    It’s The Girl’s voice again, soft and sweet. “I’m here,” I stutter in a whisper, which unfortunately draws Griffin’s attention. He elbows me.
    â€œGood,” says Mrs. Owens, talking about Griffin’s answer.
    Don’t you want to talk to me, Cam?
    â€œI do,” I say. “I do want to talk to you.”
    Griffin elbows me again and it hurts this time. I rub at it, trying to frown him away.
    â€œDoes anyone have an idea of what the United States would look like if the South had won the war?” pleads Mrs. Owens.
    But no one does, and when class is over, we file down to the cafeteria. I can smell the fish sticks before I go through the door. Someone taps me on the shoulder, and I turn to see Nina right behind me.
    â€œWhy were you staring at me?” she asks.
    â€œI wasn’t staring at you,” I say. I want to keep my brain