26 - Rooftop

*There’s a chaise lounger thing up on the roof. I think the boys put a lantern or something up there. It’s your safe place to go when you need to get away. – Toad*
Camille stood and walked into the building through the doors leading into the dining hall and went straight to the hallway and then the back hallway. Tink followed her obediently and gave a warning growl at anyone who got too close.
Going strictly off instinct and memory, she headed to the freight elevator at the back of the Shack. Her sight was blurry due to the tears and emotions. The large round button to call the box was hard to see, but she knew exactly where it was. Grinding metal on metal and a soft ping told her when the lift arrived and then when the door opened.
Inside the box, Camille leaned against the back wall, her head tipped back and resting against the same wall. It didn’t take long for the elevator to reach the top floor as she stared at the ceiling, not seeing it. The small jerk and ding told her that she had reached the third floor.
The small room outside the elevator had two refrigerators and a small cabinet that Nessie kept stocked. Opening the first refrigerator, Camille grabbed a bottle of water and the first bottle of juice that she saw. From the cabinet, she took a few packages of chips and chocolate bars before exiting the room and heading up the stairs to the roof.
Years ago, even before she moved into the Shack, she spent so much time here because of Priss and the musketeers that Toad put a chaise longer on the roof. Over the years, her little space had been added to. Including the painting on the door. With her hands full, she pushed the lever down using the bottled water and then bumped the door open with her hip.
Stepping out onto the roof, she headed straight for the pergola that was with her lounger. She loved laying up here under the stars and reading. But today, there were no books to be read. Today there were only memories, regrets and junk food.
It was around dinner time when her phone in her back pocket buzzed. Her friends knew when she needed space, and she needed them. Smiling at the text from Priss, she replied that she would love a burger. Athos appeared with a plate of food for each of them and a book.
She took her plate and the book from him, and he pulled a Sprite out of his back pocket for her. He then settled next to her with his own plate and a Mountain Dew.
“Cash those cards, yet?”
She laughed and shook her head. “You sound like my mom.”
“Yeah, Sid is ready for more grandkids.”
“She has more grandkids than Molly has kids. I think that she can wait to get some from me.”
He chuckled and they ate in companionable silence. Occasionally, he tossed a piece of the extra hamburger patty to Tink where he lay at their feet. When they were done, he took their trash downstairs before returning and pulling her close into a warm embrace. She had missed this while she was down in Baton Rouge.
Camille knew that she had a hard time connecting with people. The connection that she had with her four friends was special and rare. They did not expect her to change and always accepted her quirky personality traits,
“Have you talked to him?”
She shook her head against his chest. “I don’t even know what’s going on with us.”
“What do you want to go on with you? You two? Both of you… hell, you know what I mean.”
Chuckling, she looked up at him. “Everything.”
He cocked an eyebrow as he looked at her. “Everything, everything?” she nodded and he kissed her temple. “Then you need to talk to him.”
Reaching up, she touched the golden hoop in his left ear. “How did you earn your halo?”
“The weekend of your senior prom.”
“I asked how, not – oh. All three of you?”
“Yeah. I can’t tell you anything else.”
“I know.”
Athos kissed the top of her head. “Come down when you’re ready. Your dad sent Allison home and said he didn’t want to see her or that fucker she’s married to until after you’ve left.”
“I’m sure that made her happy.”
“Thrilled.” He chuckled as he stood up. “Love you, Worm.”
“Love you, too, Athos.” She whispered as he walked towards the door leading to the stairs.
As the sun dipped closer to the horizon, Camille heard the door open again and knew that it was Darkness. She closed the book and sat it on the platform that the lounger sat on. Darkness laid down behind her and pulled her close to hold her to him.
Tink lifted his head slightly. Then the dog scooted over to be next to his mistress. They lay in silence for a while as the sun crept closer to the horizon. More and more people were below, and the sounds began to drift up to them.
“Allison failed her senior year, failed bad, she had to completely redo it. She tried to drop out, dad wouldn’t let her. The same year, I skipped a grade.” She spoke softly and he pressed a kiss to the back of her head.
“Teachers liked me, they were tired of her shit. It became her life mission to make my life a living hell. It got so bad that I changed schools before the fall break. Then I moved into the Shack.”
“The stress made my insomnia worse. I would end up getting so exhausted that my body would shut down. I reacted to the medications and traditional home remedies didn’t help. I got hospitalized a few times.”
“Books and the swim and dive team became my focus. I wanted a scholarship. I wanted away from here. From her.”
She paused and swallowed hard.
“My senior year, I had a boyfriend. Charles Parker. Remember me telling you about seeing my sister suck a guy off while another fucked her?”
His hold on her tightened as he understood what was about to be said. “Yeah.” Darkness murmured.
“It was him and his best friend. Her husband, dad has never liked him, never let him prospect, sat there watching. I can still hear him. His voice. Almost like he was proud of what he was saying.”
The words echoed through her head. Her body trembled at the memory. His arm tensed around her, and he kissed her hair. Shifting them, he placed his arm under her head. Almost instantly, he felt her tears.
“I’m here, baby.” Darkness murmured.
“You’ll never get that from the virgin.” She whispered. “Not unless you take it.”
Anger flowed through him, and he wanted to kill. Allison. Her husband. Charles Parker. His friends. All of them.
“It was prom, and I could feel an episode coming on. I called Dom to come get me. They were… were holding me down.”
Fear flooded through her just as the memories did.
“It’s OK, baby.”
“Charles Parker and his two friends died in a car crash that night. It was determined to have been related to them street racing.”
“You don’t sound convinced.” He observed quietly.
“Dad always said that there was a time that we were more Devils than Saints.”
“Sometimes, you need to be a devil and not a saint.”
She turned in his arms and buried her face in his chest. Sobs racked her body as she clung to him. She didn’t need to tell him anymore. He could imagine what she went through.
By the time the fireworks started, she had cried herself out. They lay under the exploding colors in each other’s arms. After some time, the compound finally grew quiet, and it was just them and the stars.
The Darkness and his light.