Cam And Kerry Bay State College

The Fall is always a beautiful season in the City of Boston. This town, considered the intellectual Capital of America, is home to many, many colleges and universities. Tonight, inside the dormitory of one of Boston's smallest schools, Bay State College, located on Commonwealth Avenue, two best friends have bunked down for the night, hashing out their feelings and such. Well, actually, one originally had plans to go out, when the other came around seeking a shoulder to cry on...

"Cam, don't make me say I told you so," Kerry Landon thought to herself as Cameron Vincent, her favorite Haitian-American, regaled her with his latest tale of woe. Six foot one, broad-shouldered, long-haired and handsome, blessed with chocolate good looks seldom seen outside urban magazines, the brother was handsome. All the more so because he didn't seem to know it.

Why else would a guy as fine as Cam go after a third-rate skank like Julianna, the big-booty Haitian chick that probably every dude at Bay State College had a turn smashing? All those thoughts ran through Kerry's mind as Cam went on and on about how disappointed he felt after he caught Julianna sucking some guy's dick when he went to her apartment to surprise her with flowers...

Kerry totally saw that one coming, but was forced to be in listening mode because Cam was having one of his moments. At the age of nineteen, the slender, red-haired and green-eyed, freckle-faced young woman was mature beyond her years. If only her good friend Cameron could learn to grow up, man up, or whatever they were calling it these days...

"Dammit, Kerry, you were right, Julianna was a ho," Cameron said, shaking his head. Sighing, Kerry broke her silence by gently rubbing her friend's arm, and then reassuring him that he'd find way better than Julianna. The City of Boston, Massachusetts, was crawling with beautiful women of all hues. Unfortunately, just like he did back at their school in Brockton, Cameron maintained his bad habit of latching onto a skank while ignoring quality women...

Like most of the male of the species, Cameron Vincent, being visually orientated, couldn't help feel drawn to women endowed with certain features. Darker skin tones, ranging from equatorial black to brown and yellow. Curvy bodies. Big round bottoms. What Cameron can never resist, Kerry thought, smiling bitterly.

"Live and learn, Cam," Kerry said, gently brushing her hand on Cameron's broad shoulder, and he nodded. When he turned around and looked at her, Kerry paused for a moment. There was a smoldering intensity in Cameron's brown eyes that surprised Kerry. She'd known him her whole life, and had never seen him like this...

"I'll never learn, Kerry," Cameron said, with a sad little laugh, and Kerry eyed him cautiously. The two long-time best friends exchanged a look, and let the flow of memory take them. Back to a place called Brockton, Massachusetts. The City of Champions. The most storied locale in all of Massachusetts, yet far less well-known than, say, Boston or Plymouth. Their home...

In the summer of 2000, Benjamin Vincent, a Haitian newcomer, moved into Ash Street in the west side of Brockton with his wife Jacqueline and their son Cameron. In those days, Brockton was very much a segregated town, in spite of its diversity. The blacks mostly lived in the south side, the Latinos and others lived in the east side, and the west was mostly white, with a few Asians.

Benjamin Vincent and his family had no understanding of America's complex racial system, even in the supposedly progressive 2000s. Most of the white and Asian families living on Ash Street were cold and distant toward the Vincent family, there was one exception. A widower named Cullen Landon, formerly of Galway, Ireland, and his daughter, Kerry.

"Welcome to the neighborhood, folks, I'm Cullen, this is Kerry," the stocky, red-haired Irishman said, as he shook hands with his new neighbor Benjamin, a tall, muscular, dark-skinned man. The two men exchanged a smile, and thus two new families were formally introduced. It was to be a life-changing experience...

"Merci beaucoup, I'm Ben," the towering, smiling Haitian said to the Irishman, who nodded, trying not to flinch under his iron grip. On that very same weekend, they had dinner together inside the food court of the Westgate Mall. In time, Kerry and Cameron became best friends, and after finishing school, they opted to attend the same institution of higher education, Bay State College, located in the heart of Boston.

"Let's go chill at Copley Mall," Cameron suggested, his deep voice pulling Kerry out of her thoughts. She looked at Cam, surprised by his rather unexpected change of attitude. Cam, my friend, you're usually such a downer after your break-ups, this is something of a surprise, Kerry thought, with a hopeful smile.

"Who are you and what you done with Cameron Vincent?" Kerry asked, smiling as she looked at the plate of Chinese food in front of her. Rice, noodles, chicken wings, chicken balls, and a can of Pepsi. She looked up at Cameron and he smiled and shrugged, then took a sip of his Coke.

"Kerry, you've always been there for me and I always take you for granted, sorry for ruining your night with my bitching and moaning," Cameron said, and Kerry winked at him, then nodded understandingly. Cameron took a bite out of his teriyaki chicken, and then attacked his shrimp-fried rice. Seems to lack his usual appetite, Kerry noticed.

"Cam, I don't know what you're trying to sweet talk me for, but it's working," Kerry replied with a laugh, and Cameron grinned and bit into his teriyaki. As he reached for his drink, his hand brushed against Kerry's. Cameron's eyes went wide, and Kerry bit her lip, then told him to relax. Sheesh, Cameron could be so awkward sometimes, even with her...

"So, what's new with you?" Cameron asked, totally changing the subject. Kerry thought about her relationship with Clive, this tall blond guy she'd been seeing. He looked good, and studied journalism at Emerson College, and while he was a friendly guy with a great smile and plenty to say, Kerry just wasn't into him.

"Things didn't work out with Clive," Kerry said flatly, and Cameron stopped eating. He looked into her eyes, a look of genuine surprise all over his dark, handsome face. Kerry bit her lip as Cameron looked at her expectantly. He'd never kept any secrets from her, whether she wanted to be made privy of them or not. He couldn't fathom her hiding anything from him...

"You're in pain, Ker, I can tell," Cameron said, and this time, he laid his hand on hers and did not let go. Kerry looked at Cameron's hand on hers, and for some reason, her heart skipped a beat. She closed her eyes, hard, then smiled. A few weeks ago, while on a date with Clive, when he kissed her, she closed her eyes and envisioned Cameron kissing her...

"It's alright, Cameron, some things aren't meant to be," Kerry replied, and the young woman looked away. This was a sore suspect with her, and definitely not one which she cared to discuss, even with her long-time best friend. Just drop it, Cameron, I am not like you, I don't need to air everything out. A gal's got to save some secrets for herself. Kerry ate silently, and Cameron watched her carefully.

"Ker, I just want you to know, when you're ready, I'll be there," Cameron said, and then, most expected of all, he took Kerry's hand and brought it to his lips. As a rather surprised Kerry looked on, Cameron kissed her hand. Like a gentleman of the old days, as they say. Cameron flashed her a bright grin, and Kerry winked at him.

"How did I get so lucky for you as my best friend?" Kerry asked a grinning Cameron as they left the food court after finishing their meal, and, arm in arm, walked through crowded Westgate Mall. As the two besties made their way toward the second level, people stared at them. For even in Boston, interracial pairings will draw the gaze of the curious, the bigoted and the bored. Cameron Vincent and Kerry Landon paid them no heed, choosing instead to enjoy each other's company...