***Cameron’s POV***

                “To the bus!” I cheered as the final bell rang.

                Kellin and Lopez followed me out to my bus. Kellin let Lopez sit with me and I smiled at him as the bus started off on its route.

                “Well, I’m not going to lie. My house is messy,” I said with a shrug. “And my dad’s an ass!”

                Lopez gave his silent chuckle and scribbled. “I don’t judge,” he wrote, smiling at me as I read it. I sighed and handed him the paper back.

                “You might after you meet my dad,” I grumbled.

                The bus pulled up to my house and I motioned at Lopez to follow me. We got off the bus and I grabbed the mail before leading the boys inside.

                We took our shoes off and I set the mail on the kitchen table. I began to lead them towards my bedroom so we could set our schoolbags down.

                “Jeez Cam! You are such a slut. Two boys now?”

                “Dad,” I groaned, spinning around to face him. “Shut up ya old fart!”

                Dad grinned and flipped me off. “Make me ya little whore!” he said and laughed.

                “Dad, you’re lucky I already warned Lopez that you’re an ass,” I said with a hopeless sigh. This man. Sheesh.

                “What the hell is a Lopez?” dad asked in confusion. “You mean George?”

                I face palmed myself and sighed again. “Dad, this is Lopez. His first name is Lopez,” I explained, motioning at Lopez. “He’s deaf and mute, but he can read lips. George Lopez is famous. Why would he care if you’re an ass?”

                “Shut up. Anyways, hi there Lopez. Uh…you can’t hear me…right…” Dad snapped his mouth shut and glanced at me.

                I rolled my eyes. “Ignore him Lopez. Let’s go to my room,” I said, taking Lopez’s hand in mine and leading him into my bedroom.

                Lopez pointed in the general direction of my living room and smiled, giving his silent chuckle again. I smiled lightly.

                “You think he’s funny?” I asked. Lopez nodded and grinned.

                We set our school stuff down and I led them down to my basement, where Kellin and I usually hung out. I looked around, wondering what we do exactly. Kellin and I usually watched TV or listened to music, but that wouldn’t be possible with Lopez.

                “Uh…can you play Nintendo 64?” I asked Lopez curiously. Oh please say yes. That would make my life so much easier.

                To my relief, Lopez smiled and nodded. I grinned and set up Mario Kart, handing Kellin and Lopez controllers.

                We played for about two hours. Really, we played until our fingers were cramped and aching. I turned the game off and stretched, cracking my back and my knuckles.

                “Are you guys hungry?” I asked.

                “Hungrier than a mother fucker!” Kellin cried and Lopez nodded in agreement.

                We went upstairs into the kitchen and I searched around, hoping we had something at least slightly edible in my house. I pulled open a cupboard and smirked.

                “SUCCESS! WE HAVE MAC AND CHEESE!” I cried triumphantly, flashing the box at my two friends to prove that we had something edible in the Clark household.

                “It’s a miracle,” Kellin whispered in wonder.

                Lopez gave us both a confused look. He gestured to the mac and cheese and raised an eyebrow, giving us another confused look.

                “Cameron never has food in her house. We usually end up at my house,” Kellin explained to him. He gave his silent chuckle and nodded in understanding.

                I boiled some water and poured the mac and cheese in. I set the timer and began to stir it so that it didn’t clump together.

                The door opened and my mom stepped into the house, kicking her shoes off. She set our dog, Krutch, down and glanced up at us.

                “Oh. You’re home. Hi Cam. Hi Kellin. Who’s this?” she asked, setting her laptop down on the dining room table.

                “Mom, that’s Lopez. He’s a deaf mute but he can read lips,” I said.

                Mom seemed surprised but nodded slowly. “Nice to meet you Lopez,” she said, shaking his hand. He nodded and offered her a friendly smile.

                “Mrs. Clark! Guess what?! CAMERON FOUND EDIBLE FOOD!” Kellin cried eagerly.

                Mom stared at me in shock. “Oh my god you did,” she said in surprise. “Well, good for you Cam. I have to get some work done so just clean up after yourselves.”

                “Dad’s in the living room,” I warned as she started towards it.

                She froze and turned, going into our sunroom instead. She shut the door and I rolled my eyes, turning back to the mac and cheese.

                I served it to the boys once it was ready and sat down with them. We ate in comfortable silence. Honestly, I was just happy that I had actually found something edible AND tasty in my house for once. That was something that didn’t happen very often.

                We finished eating and they helped me clean up the kitchen. I stood in the middle of it and looked around, frowning.

                “Well…now what?” I asked.

                Kellin and Lopez shrugged at me. Kellin frowned and sighed.

                “Now I pee!” he announced, leaving the room.

                Lopez and I sat back down at the table to wait for him. Krutch wandered over to Lopez and Lopez smiled and pet him gently.

                “That’s Krutch,” I said, nodding at him.

                “He’s cute,” Lopez wrote before going back to petting him.

                “Like you,” I said with a wink. Lopez blushed, looking absolutely adorable. I had honestly never met anyone as cute and adorable as Lopez.

                I smiled softly as I watched him pet Krutch. Krutch sat at his feet, panting in content. I let my eyes rake over Lopez’s face. Yep, I was definitely crushing on the deaf mute new kid. Oh Cameron. Something told me that this wasn’t going to end well.