I started talking with Cameron in tennis. He sat alone during the few minutes before and after playing.
I asked him about his weekend or how his day was going or anything else I could think of to get small talk going.
He was eager to talk. We spoke shallowly like this for weeks. After a while we started to talk in Algebra, the only other class we shared. Our conversation deepened and we became something like friends.
I asked Cameron to stay behind one day as everyone was leaving with their rackets to go play tennis. I convinced him to follow me into the hall for a minute or two while we waited for the coach to leave.
Cameron followed me back into the locker room. I sat down on one of the stone benches in a tucked corner and patted the spot next to me. Cameron sat down. I turned my hea
