Mac and Zac got on the bus.
“Hey, Camie.” He said as he sat next to me.
“I have something for you.”
He handed me my pink Converse.
“Sorry I took them. I didn’t mean to, it’s just that I put them on, my mom freaked out, and they’re just so frickin’ awesome!”
“It’s okay.” I laughed.
“I know they’re awesome. That’s kind of the main reason why I bought them.” I said smart-alecky.
“Ha, ha, smart-aleck. Still, I do love these things, but…”
He showed me underneath his baggy jeans he was wearing guy flip flops from American Eagle.
“Okay?” I asked confusingly.
“Mac doesn’t wear flip flops, Camie.” Zac said sitting next to Kate and Shepherd.
“He doesn’t wear shorts either, you know kind of like you. Camie doesn’t like wearing shorts either. Now as far as flip flops go, that’s all Camie ever wears.” He said towards Mac. “But Mac’s more of the kind of person who hates showing themselves at all, you know, like you. He especially doesn’t wear flip flops from American Eagle.” He said towards me.
“God, no.” Mac said.
“I hate that store. It’s the preppiest store I have ever seen in my entire life. I hate that place.”
The bus driver, Sam, asked if we were all ready to go. We said we were and then he headed towards Taylor and Natalie’s House.
“I hate that store, too. It’s so prejudice against not-so-skinny people. So why are you wearing American Eagle flip flops then?” I asked.
“Because, it’s like I was saying. I love your pink Converse, but they were just a little bit too small for me. They gave me blisters. So now, instead of wearing my own Converse, my feet hurt, so I’m stuck wearing these things.” He made a sick face.
“Jessie bought them for me for my birthday. Don’t ask me why she bought me flip flops in January, probably because they were on sale, but she did. I have to wear them every now and then. So Mom can tell her I like them.”
Kate was whispering something to Zac.
“They both hate showing themselves, and they both hate American Eagle. Two more things they have in common. I’ll have them together before the tour’s over.” Kate laughed quietly.
Zac motioned for Kate to be quiet as soon as he saw me look over.
“Anyway,” I said.
“I’m sorry my shoes gave you blisters.”
“I should of took them off.” He laughed.
“Okay, so Mac, the first stop of this tour, we’ll be in New York and Kate knows what that means…SHOPPING! They have the best stores that sell the best shoes. And even though Nikki begs to differ with me, some of those best shoes are Converse. They have all kinds at this one store. So, what I need to do is get you a pair of pink Converse for your birthday.”
“Camie, it’s June. My birthday was five months ago.” Mac said.
“I know, but if I say that’s why I’m getting them for you, your mom just might let you keep them.” I said.
“And, if you wear pants that are baggy enough, you can just hide them until you get out of the house so no one sees.”
Zac, Kate and Mac all laughed.
“I like the way you think, Camie.” Mac said.
Just then, we pulled into Taylor and Natalie’s driveway. Once the gate was opened, the bus pulled down the driveway. It stopped in the middle of Tay and Nat’s circle drive. Taylor opened the front door, and Ezra came racing past him towards the bus.
“Okay, there’s my kids, I gotta go see them.” I jumped off the bus and ran towards Ezra.
“CAMIE!” he yelled.
“EZRA! My buddy!” I yelled. I grabbed him and wrapped him in a big hug.
“Hey, bud. What’s up?”
“Nothin.” He smiled cutely.
“Well, we’re gonna have fun aren’t we?” I asked.
“Yeah!” He said.
“Guess what?”
“What?” I asked.
“River said you name.” He laughed.
“Really? Where’s your mama? I wanna hear him say it.”
Just then, Natalie got on the bus. Taylor had Penny and Natalie had River. They had all their stuff on the bus, and we were double checking if it was okay to leave.
“Camie,” Natalie said.
“River can say your name now.”
“I know. Ezra told me. I want to hear him say it.”
“Well, just so you know, he can’t really say Camie, he said Mimi. But we knew he was talking about
you. Because he was saying it when Ezra was talking about you, and we know Ezra can say Camie.
So I don’t know if he’ll say it or not. You know he's a shy boy.”
Taylor and Penny got on the bus, he gave Sam the okay to leave. And once again we were leaving. Going to Ike and Nikki’s house.
Kate began talking quietly to Natalie. I wonder what about?? They have to understand, yeah, I like Mac, but I just met him a day ago. They really gotta get over this. At least until I get to know the guy better. So at that point, I decided to try get their minds off of that particular subject by taking River from Nat’s arms and trying to get him to say Camie – I mean ‘Mimi.’
“Come here, little dude.” I say as I take him.
“Say Camie. Please? Camie.”
He sat there staring at me. I started in with my jokes. I always joke with those kids.
“Fine, be that way, you little punk. I don’t care.”
River laughed.
“I knew it! You better say my name!” I said as I tickled him.
“Say Camie! Say Mimi! Say something!”
“He’s not going to –“ Taylor began.
“MIMI!” River yelled as I continued to tickle him. He laughed and let out a snort. Everyone started laughing.
“Ha! I told you!” I said.
“Thank you, baby.” I let him down.
“So…” Natalie said.
“It’s a long ride ahead of us. Shall we begin conversating? Ike and Nikki can join in on it when they get on. But we’ll all have kids to attend to, sleep to try to get, and Camie will be putting her earphones in to her iPod soon and we won’t talk much.”
We started a random conversation that stopped whenever we picked up Ike, Nikki, and Everett. They got all their stuff and themselves situated on the bus, once again, gave Sam the okay to leave. And then Ike started a conversation with everyone that could last a while, Natalie, Kate, Nikki, and I attended to the kids every now and then, and instead of me popping my iPod earphones in like Nat had expected me to, me and Mac just went to the back of the bus with the kids and we just talked. The entire way.
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melancholy
relieved
happy
cold
calm
curious
accomplished
frustrated
blah
nervous
loved
