Cameron Wants to Be a Hero (Love Austen 2)
Page 19
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Henry: I’d have finished it last night, but Georgie took off with it.
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Cameron: That’s why you wrote. You’re bored.
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Henry: There are more essays to grade, but I’m putting them off to later in the week. You’ve read The Duke’s Sin, so how upset should I be that Georgie is holding it hostage?
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Cameron: Very. It’s a thrilling romantic adventure.
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Henry: Tobias doesn’t know what trouble he’s landed himself in.
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Cameron: He’s bookish smart, but not life smart. Nice.
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Henry: Nice? You pain me.
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Cameron: What’s wrong with nice?
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Henry: This is a nice day. Those are nice sneakers. I’m having a nice conversation. It’s a very nice word. You’re a writer, not a thirteen-year-old commending his best friend on their choice of crush. Give me one-of-a-kind.
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Cameron: Niiiiiice.
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Henry: An insult to my ears.
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Cameron: Then I’ll stop thinking of you as nice.
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Henry: Nice? Or niiiiice?
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Cameron: So you agree intonation can add significant meaning to simple words, rendering them one of a kind?
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Henry: I think I prefer you when you’re . . . parched.
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Cameron: Henry!
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Henry: Apologies. What are you reading? Is it nice?
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Cameron: As nice as you are cheeky.
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Henry: Elaborate.
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Cameron: I’m reading a mystery series by Josh Lanyon. It’s very good.
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Henry: Lanyon? From Ralph Lanyon in The Charioteer?
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Cameron: I don’t know. The Charioteer?”
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Henry: I’ll explain another day.
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Henry: What are the books about?
Cameron: Sorry, got busy at work. Now at home. Just took a dip in the pool.
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Henry: As in, still wet?
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Cameron: A towel around my waist. Showered. Might be lame, but it’s straight to bed for me.
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Henry: It’s ten o’clock. Long day. Did you eat?
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Cameron: Footlong from Subway, extra mayo.
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Henry: Do you do it on purpose?
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Cameron: What?
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Henry: Never mind.
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Cameron: ???
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Henry: So you’re practically naked and heading to bed . . .
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Cameron: I wasn’t trying to sext you!
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Henry: You weren’t trying.
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Cameron: Oh, God. Am I Freudian-slipping everywhere?
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Henry: Or I have a shockingly lewd sense of humor. Forgive me.
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Cameron: I like humor.
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Henry: Well, aren’t we two penises in a pod?
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Cameron: You did that on purpose.
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Henry: No regrets. Did you receive your ball invitations?
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Cameron: Isabella literally squealed.
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Henry: What will you be wearing?
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Cameron: Nothing.
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Henry: As good as that sounds, not very appropriate.
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Cameron: I’m not coming.
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Henry: Why not?
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Cameron: The Tilney manse is haunted, and you didn’t really want me there.
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Henry: I asked you.
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Cameron: You were coerced.
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Henry: Isabella didn’t coerce me. She gave me the excuse to express my desires.
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Cameron: I believe you.
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Henry: You’re still not coming?
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Cameron: How was the rest of your day?
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Henry: Good up to now. Alicia called and said she’s moving here at the end of November.
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Cameron: Oh. That’s good?
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Henry: That’s exciting. Great. Wonderful.
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Cameron: Glad you’re happy.
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Henry: Ecstatic.
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Cameron: Big words.
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Henry: Big feelings.
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Cameron: She sounds like quite something.
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Henry: Let me tell you about it . . .
Cameron: I cannot stay up until three in the morning like last night.
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Henry: Now we’ve established the ground rules, how are you?
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Cameron: I mean I want to stay up, but I can’t.
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Henry: Want me to set an alarm?
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Cameron: Oh, good idea.
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Henry: Here’s another idea. How about I call?
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Cameron: And hear your voice?
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Henry: See me too, if you like.
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Cameron: . . .
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Henry: You keep typing and deleting . . .
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Cameron: It’s easier chatting like this. The written word is freeing. I don’t feel so nervous.
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Henry: I do enjoy the epistolary form.
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Cameron: In that case, write me a letter: Cameron17Morland @gmail.com
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(Ten minutes later)
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To: Cameron17Morland @gmail.com
From: Henrybatilney @gmail.com
Dear Cameron,
Letter writing is a lost art form that I feel better reading than attempting, but I’ll give it a go. I have no doubt your reply will be much better than mine. At least in content. Though there might be three ways I have an advantage.
The ability to keep things short and to the point.
Excellent grammar.
This neat font I downloaded that gives any poor text an air of sophistication.
I have sudden appreciation for what I routinely put my students through. It’s so much easier to critique than to produce, and I’ll have a kinder eye moving forward.
It might be useful to orient this correspondence around a theme. Do you have any ideas?