Page 60 of Something New

I pointed at the camera. "That's not work to me. Earlier tonight it was, but that what I just did, that was the most fun I could possibly have. I think it's my favorite picture ever. I'm so glad I brought this with me tonight."

I knew I wanted to make some new memories with my camera tonight, and I figured Miami would be pretty picturesque, but this photo was already close to my heart. I couldn't wait to plug it into my laptop and see if it was in focus. I knew it was.

At that moment, our server walked up and cleared some of our used dishes. She was pouring more coffee into our mugs when she said, "How long have you two been a couple?"

John-Michael and I met eyes when she said that, and he grinned at me.

"A couple of months," he said.

"You're cute together."

"Thank you," I said.

"Where'd you meet?" she asked, looking at me.

"In North Carolina," I said. "That's where we're from."

"My parents have a campground up there, and we met at the same firepit where they met."

"You two did?" she asked.

He nodded.

"You two met at the same place where your parents did?" she asked, looking confused and not getting it.

"My parents met there thirty years ago," he said. "They bought the camp because of that firepit, and that's where Sadie and I met."

The waitress nodded, getting it. "I was confused for a second."

"I didn't even think about that," I said to him. "We did meet there, didn't we?" I imagined that day, and how terrible I must have looked. That was the morning after the wreck. I felt a rush of regret and embarrassment at the thought but it melted away when he stretched his hand across the table. I reached out and held his hand, feeling thankful and reassured.

"Oh, my goodness that's so romantic. That's one special firepit."

"It really is," John-Michael agreed sweetly.

"I should go there," she said. "What's the name of the place? I could stand to find the man of my dreams." She was just joking and being friendly. She smiled and turned to leave with their tray of dirty dishes.

"Camp Eden," he called.

"Camp Eden? Aw, how pretty," she said as she walked away.

"I didn't even think about meeting you at the firepit and how your parents… I'm sorry for how we met that day, John-Michael. That sunburn."

"Something had to get you there," he said, smiling kindly at me.

"I know, but I just want you to know that I regret things. I thought my life was so cool, and looking back, I… when you're in the moment, making the choices, you don't see what you look like from the outside."

"What makes you say that?"

"I don't know, just tonight… Nick. He had on these teeth. They were dental-grade pieces—fake teeth to make him look like a vampire. They made his teeth pointed. Not in a costume shop way, but in a discreet way that made it look real. The thing is, he thought he was the coolest person in the whole world tonight with those things, and everyone there went along with it like they agreed."

"It is Halloween," he said.

"I know. It's just so showy and cheesy, and none of it appealed to me at all. And then I think of how a few months ago, I would have thought that was hot, and now I could barely keep a straight face. It's not that I think I'm better than anybody it's just that, I don't know, I'm just relieved that I sort of see through some things. I think about all those pictures I took of him tonight and contrast to the one I just took, and I'm just… I don't know… thankful that I'm here. I want to never put myself in situations like that again. I'm sorry you had to come here."

"But you're not sorry I am here," he said as more of a statement than a question.

"No. Never. I'm going to call that lady about the job—the one from the school."