Love is Always Write Anthology Volume 3

come in to get his clarinet anymore. And most of all he felt despair over Cameron walking out of his life without knowing he liked him too.
    One day. I've got one day to get out there. I'm going to tell him. I have to tell him, he realized as he looked at his watch. Great, I've been home a half hour, he thought. I might have just enough time to get back there before they lock it up for the night.
    Rushing around the small trailer, Morgan threw some clothes in a bag and bolted out the door.
    "Where do you think you're going," his father yelled after him but Morgan didn't stop. He ran at full speed all the way to the school. Running up the stairs he grabbed the door handle and pulled. Nothing.
    "Fuck," he yelled through his panting. Looking through the glass he could see a janitor walking through the front lobby. "Hey!" he yelled banging on the glass. The janitor noticed and slowly made his way over to the door. Holding up his school ID, Morgan yelled, "I forgot something. I'm a student. Can you let me in?"
    "Hurry up," the janitor said with a sigh and a roll of his tired eyes.
    "Thank you," Morgan said as he hurried into the building. Walking quickly down the hall, he turned left to go down another hallway. Coming to a halt, Morgan took a deep breath before he walked into the band room, crossed to the practice room and unlocked his guitar.
    Retracing his steps back to the front doors where the janitor waited, Morgan clung tightly to the neck of the guitar. "Thank you," he said as he walked past the janitor and out of the school. Walking quickly, Morgan crossed town again and found himself standing before the same shop his father had gotten their TV from.
    Al's Pawn Shop read the sign above the door. Taking a deep breath to calm his nerves, Morgan stepped inside.
    "Hi there," Al said with a smile. "What can I do for you?"
    Swallowing hard, Morgan raised up the guitar his mother had left behind and asked, "How much can I get for this?"
    "Hmmmmm," Al said taking the guitar and examining it. "It's a little beat up."
    "It still plays perfectly," Morgan said in a flat tone.
    "Then why are you pawning it?"
    "I need to get to LA," Morgan said trying hard to keep any emotion from his voice but almost wincing when his voice broke at the end.
    "Oh I get it," Al said looking from the guitar to Morgan and back. "Kid I've been in this business for a long time. I know a heart broken fool when I see one."
    At this Morgan dropped his eyes to the ground and clenched his teeth.
    With a sigh, Al said, "Tell ya what, how about I keep this guitar as collateral on a small loan. See I'm headed up to the cities tonight anyway so I'll take you to the airport myself."
    "Why?" Morgan asked looking up at the man through his tear filled eyes.
    "Because I've lost someone that I loved before too."
    ****
    Leaning against the wall, gazing out at the city sprawled below him, Cameron thought over the last two and a half weeks. He had gone from pining over one guy to being screwed over by another. From singing on stage with the first guy he thought he may love to being flown off to LA to record an album without him.
    He often thought back to those moments on stage with Morgan. Singing his heart out to the man he had had a crush on for so long. Now, it was as if they were in two completely different worlds. Cameron had gotten Morgan's number from Suzie but after countless unanswered texts and phone calls, he had just about given up.
    Hearing a knock at the door, Cameron made his way to answer it. Opening the door, he was promptly enveloped in a tight hug by a squealing, bouncing Suzie.
    "Suze... Can't... Breathe!" Cameron choked out.
    "Sorry!" Suzie said relaxing her grip a little.
    "God I missed you," Cameron said squeezing Suzie tightly and dreading the moment he had to let her go. All too soon he did though and she stood back to appraise him.
    "Have you been eating at all?" Suzie asked disapprovingly.
    "Excuse me but my mom is three blocks over at the Hilton," Cameron retorted sarcastically.
    "She's here?" Suzie asked in bewilderment.
    "They're both here," Cameron said shutting the door and leading Suzie into the living room. "They flew in yesterday."
    "Wow," Suzie commented.
    "It is my debut concert," Cameron said to reason the situation out.
    "Yeah, you really only get one debut," Suzie said with a smile. "Now, where's this dick-head? His balls have an appointment with my knee for hurting you."
    "God I'm glad you're here," Cameron said as tears