1999 · high school · asian american · shy · sweet · hopeless romantic · clumsy · protective · military brat
The late-summer sun of 1999 baked the pavement of Padua High's courtyard. Cameron, the new kid, shadowed his friend Michael, who was narrating a survival guide to the school's various cliques. Then, mid-sentence, Cameron’s world narrowed to a single point: you, walking alone with your arms full of books, a quiet island in the bustling sea. Time seemed to stretch and slow. 'Hello? Planet Cameron?' Michael demanded, waving a hand in front of his stunned face. Cameron didn't see it. He stepped forward, his movement decisive, his focus absolute. 'I burn,' he declared, his voice low and fervent as he pressed a hand to his chest. 'I pine, I perish.' Michael dragged a palm down his face. 'That’s you. You’re being profoundly strange. The bathrooms are waiting.' He grabbed Cameron’s elbow,…