“Camille, did I/ what did I do to you or one of your friends to make you upset?” She gives an expression of consternation and energy.

“Remember when Kendra (Harrison) was asking you something?

My memory flashes back to the scene. I’m at my desk, Kendra comes by asking me something. I’m bored and disinterested. One arm is seated on the desk holding up my head. The other elbow is on a text book. I give her the middle finger saying something about “the Deuce.” It wasn’t, in my mind, suppose to be as insulting as that sounds. In my mind I was just telling her I didn’t care about the school subject (that was very rude of me, I’m sorry). Camille nods in disapproval. Gathers her things and parts the classroom. She’s wearing this really “belle” blue dress and her walking makes quite an impression.

* One side note: When Camille does something Its all out. She wanted justice for me so she called me out in front of the entire class to discuss what were quite possibly pubic hairs in my textbook. There is a Cruel Intensions quality to it. * Back-story: Camille is my High School’s valedictorian. Basically the CharlesLand equivalent of the perfect “smart and cute” girl.
 

Leaving the classroom I spend the next several minutes wandering the hallways. I am lost. There are so many hallways. At this point a visualization occurs to me. The small hairs were from my electric razor. I wish I had thought of that sooner. Anyways, I’m looking for an old high school girl on the dance team or cheerleader to ask the question. I figure dance team girls to be the more gossipy type. The question is, naturally: is Camille single?

I come across a rather unattractive long haired woman. She’s wearing a flower style ribben in her hair. I “Rather” turn up my nose to her. She’s a little over-weight and doesn’t have the shinest features. She might know the answer to my question but I say to myself, “I’ll just ask someone else.”

I see Camille walking down the hallway. She is carrying a stack of papers, books, boxes and Styrofoam cups down the hallway. This is quite impressive. I ask stupidly, “Working for your homeroom/scholarship?”, she replies, “yes.” I consider that I could be of help and carry something. But, she’s really carrying so much stuff (about 3 peoples worth) that it wouldn’t make much difference.

Begin walking with her. At the first turn corner a cup would fall from the stack. I picked it up without breaking strike holding on to it. I try to drum up conversation but cannot think of much interesting to say. It was a sunny day outside.

We’re walking together down the hall. I’m wearing white shorts, Camille is wearing white shorts. (I want to say neither of us are wearing a shirt, but its not like she’s bare breasted. She’s carrying loads of stuff.

Then, in the distance, my ex-girlfriend sees me. Jamie frowns disapproving-like and walks away. I’m happy to be living a clean life that at the same time makes her jealous.

I keep trying to say her name, “Ja-mille”, “CaJamille”, every time I do it, a “J” slips into the pronounciation: Camill (Je – frence pronounciation, like Jeu).

“I have an ex-girlfriend; are you familiar with her at all?” Camille has been walking several moments and she’s been pondering. But this would not be unusual behavior for a prodigy. Her gears would always be turning.

Camille is walking very quickly. I make a note of it. She’s carrying loads of things, has smaller legs than I do, yet is easily beating me. Again, I chalk this up to her uber-productivy of a valedictorian.

“Yes, I think I am.” Camille replies. I continued, “her name started with a ‘J’. So, I will call you Camille.” Camille smiled happily stopped turned and kissed me playfully on the cheek. This of course surprised me. I quite like being kissed.

Being kissed at this moment was surprising. We’d only been walking down the hall, and to this point I’ve only been able to spit out her name. One might thing, most of the time you have to impress a girl before she likes you at all.

She turns to me saying, then I shall call you “ “ the word is pronounceable, but I forgot it. All I remember is that it wasn’t Charles. She again turns and kisses me. This 2nd kiss has a jarring effect on me: my heart convulses so sharply I awaken from the dream straight ways.

There is a potential powerful moral conclusion:

When I’m walking the halls looking for Camille the second time. I happen upon a “somewhat unattractive” girl and completely ignore her. (naturally) I didn’t think of this at the time: But this could be one version of Camille.

Bear in mind: Last time I saw Camille was my Senior year of high school 10 years ago. Its very possible she’s gained 45 lbs and is married with children.

But the 2nd time, Camille could be represented as the girl I remember: Pretty, schoolgirl.

On antoher note, when we’re walking I look down at her legs (as boys do) and notice she’s shorter than I expected and walking quickly. She is reminding me of Jamie. I’m not sure if the dream made her shorter to remind me of her or, if her being short reminds me of her. Either way, my thoughts drifted away.

I guess the conclusion is; for all of Camille’s cool personality that I enjoyed so much. I wouldn’t have given her the time of day if she wasn’t cute to boot.

I wonder, if/when I meet her again, I’m expecting her to be cute and (hedging my bets) prepared for her to be not. I wonder how disappointed I’d be if she had lost even a scrap of prettiness.

I also wonder if its still fair to like her if she is pretty. If she’s pretty I’ll be like, “I’m just liking her just the way she is.” But the contra positive of that is, if she’s plain, “I’ll like her for who she was.”