One Week
Chapter Five
The next day, a Friday, Cammy was at The Hangout, getting some ice cream. As she went to leave, a familiar voice was heard. Cammy stopped, recognizing the voice as Shawn's. Her heart felt like it was being squeezed to death as she heard another voice: a girl's. She was standing in front of the booth where the two were obviously sitting. Shawn's and the girl's backs were towards Cammy, and they were slid down in the seat, so the only indication of their existence was their voices. Half of her wanted to run to her house and never come out, but the rest of her persuaded Cammy to stay and listen to their conversation. They were talking about her, from the sound of it.
"--that Cammy girl," the unidentified girl was saying. "I saw you two talking."
"That was nothing," Shawn said back.
"Are you sure?" the girl asked, not sounding convinced.
"Positive. That girl means nothing to me." Cammy's green eyes were stung with tears as Shawn continued, "I love you."
The girl finally believed. "Aww, I love you too Shawn." The next thing heard were obviously noises that only kissing made. Shoving her ice cream into the garbage, Cammy ran out of The Hangout and towards the Courtyard Marriott Hotel, tears streaming uncontrollably down her face.
Cammy sat on the fire escape outside Matt's hotel room window, crying her eyes out. She had never felt so hurt. She had really liked Shawn, ever since the sixth grade. Cammy felt like such a fool for not seeing this coming; Shawn's numerous excuses should have been a dead giveaway.
"Cammy?" Cammy, whose head had been buried in her knees, looked up. Jesse was looking at her with big light green eyes, silently wondering what was wrong. Cammy hastily wiped her eyes, and tried to say something but every time she tried to speak she started crying again. Jesse ducked back into the hotel room, and the next person to poke his head out the window was Matt.
"Cammy! What's wrong?" Matt clambered out the window onto the fire escape. Cammy collapsed into his arms, sobbing. "Cammy, calm down. It's okay. Shh..." Matt stroked her dirty blonde hair, holding his distraught best friend in his arms. "Tell me what's wrong," he said softly, his deep blue eyes probing Cammy's emerald green ones.
Cammy took a couple deep breaths, and told Matt what she'd heard. As she told her story, Cammy watched as Matt's eyes grew with anger. "I was so stupid," Cammy said when she finished. "I should have known, I should have done something, I--"
"No," Matt interrupted. "This isn't your fault. Never start believing that. You deserve much better than that jerk." He hugged her again, saying, "I'm sorry Cammy." They stayed in the embrace for a few minutes. Then Matt spoke again. "Do you have any plans for tomorrow?"
Cammy shook her head no. "Why?"
"Listen, tomorrow we're supposed to do this interview, but I'm sure my managers won't mind if I'm not there. It'll be just me and you, Matty and Camaro, the whole day, just hanging out together having the time of our lives. What do ya say, Cam?" Matt said, giving her a bright grin.
Cammy smiled. "Are you sure they'll let you?" Matt nodded, and Cammy's face lit up at the idea of having a whole day with her long-lost best friend. "Matty, you're the best!"
"Thanks, I know." The two laughed at Matt's conceited sarcasm, and Matt wiped the remaining tears from Cammy's face. "I'll see you tomorrow, Camaro."
"See ya, Matty," Cammy said, and she walked home, thanking God that she had a best friend like Matt Ballinger.
The next day, Cammy pulled up to the hotel, where Matt was waiting for her outside. "Where to, Ballinger?" she said with a smile.
"Well, you know this town better than me, you lead the way," Matt said, hopping into Cammy's Volkswagen Beetle. Cammy smiled, knowing the perfect place. They drove for half an hour, listening to the radio and singing along to the songs they knew. Cammy stopped in front of an amusement park. Matt grinned. "Excellent choice, Camaro," he said. They walked to the entry gate, paid their fee, and tried to figure out what ride to go on first. They decided on going on the Himalayan first, since it was one of the milder rides. Not that it wasn't fun; it went forwards and backwards, and music blared from the speakers. Cammy and Matt went on it three times before deciding to move on to the next ride.
As Matt and Cammy were walking towards the Salt and Pepper Shakers, Cammy's cell phone rang. She answered it.
"Hey Cammy, it's Shawn."
Cammy blanched for a moment, then snapped out of it. "Hey, I'm glad you called. Shawn, it's over."
"What?!"
"You heard me. Now you schedule might not be so busy, and you'll have time for the girl you actually love. I mean, according you, I'm nothing."
"But--Cammy--Wait--"
"Toodles," Cammy said, hanging up on him and blocking his number. She smiled in satisfaction.
"Yeah!" Matt cheered. "Way to go Camaro!" She laughed at his enthusiasm and accepted his high five. They hurried to the Salt and Pepper Shakers line. The ride operator strapped them into the ride, and upon their request, spun their compartment upside down while the ride was still stationary. They yelled and laughed. "I remember we could never go on this ride 'cause we were too little," Matt said.
Cammy grinned. "We're not little anymore!" she shouted proudly, and the ride started. The Salt and Pepper Shakers whipped around, turning its passengers upside down. Cammy and Matt screamed at the top of their lungs. The ride paused midway through the ride for a moment. Cammy and Matt were both out of breath from screaming. They looked into each other's eyes, panting and sweating from the hot California sun. Cammy looked deep into Matt's bluer-than-blue eyes, seeing the familiar twinkle in them. Matt looked back into Cammy's clear emerald green eyes, golden flecks scattered within them. An almost undetected force began to pull the two's faces close together.
The Salt and Pepper Shakers gave an unexpected lurch, causing Cammy to screech and Matt to laugh. The ride ended, and the two friends stumbled off it, laughing. They headed to a roller coaster, then the bumper cars and the fun house. Then they sat down and enjoyed a lunch of corn dogs, cotton candy, and lemonade. "This is the best day of my life!" Matt shouted to no one in particular.
Cammy smiled in agreement. "I wish it never had to end," she said, wishing that dreams did come true.
Cammy's Beetle came to a screeching halt in front of the Courtyard Marriott Hotel. "We're back!" Matt shouted, sitting in the driver's seat.
Cammy sat silent in the passenger seat, staring blankly ahead. Finally, she spoke: "I'm never letting you drive again!"
"Oh come on!" Matt laughed. "I wasn't that bad!"
"Wasn't that bad?!" Cammy repeated. "You almost took out three mail boxes and you almost ran over a squirrel!"
"Key word: ALMOST," Matt reminded her, grinning. Cammy shoved him, laughing. Matt laughed too, then said slowly, "So are you gonna come to the airport tomorrow? You know, to say one last goodbye?"
Cammy's face fell. She'd had so much fun that day that she'd forgotten that Matt would be going back home the next day. The thought killed her. "Yeah, I'll be there," Cammy promised him.
"Alright," Matt said. He paused, then said, "I'm really gonna miss you."
Cammy nodded. "Me too. You're still the best friend I ever had, you know."
Matt smiled. "Really?" Cammy nodded. "You're the best friend I ever had too," he told her honestly. They both looked at each other, not saying anything. Finally Matt broke the silence. "I better get going..."
"Yeah, me too," Cammy said. They switched seats, and gave each other a hug. "See you tomorrow..." Cammy whispered.
"Yeah..." Matt whispered back. He turned and walked into the hotel. Cammy stood there watching him, before she turned and climbed into her car for the quiet ride home. She brushed a single tear away from her eye, dreading the next morning.