One Week
Chapter Six
Cammy, Riley, Kelly, Haylee and Sammi all went to the airport to bid the guys goodbye. Cammy felt like they were going to a funeral. She was sad because she was losing her best friend (again), Haylee was sad because Jesse was leaving (she didn't admit that, though) and the rest were depressed from their friends' depressions.
The guys were surprised to see all five girls show up at the airport that morning. They told each other that they were glad to meet them, and that they had fun. To no one's surprise, really, Jesse kissed Haylee goodbye, which caused the fourteen year old to burst into tears and run to the bathroom. Riley started laughing, which lightened the mood for everyone. Kelly went after Haylee, and ten minutes later the two emerged from the bathroom, the younger sister looking very embarrassed.
Cammy and Matt stood facing each other, looking for the right words to say. "Well, here we go again," Cammy said finally. "See you in another ten years?"
Matt laughed softly. "Hopefully we'll see each other sooner than that," he said. Cammy nodded. Matt took out a piece of paper and a pen. "Here's my screen name, phone number, the works," he told Cammy, handing her the paper. "This time we're not losing touch."
Cammy smiled and scribbled down her screen name and phone number. "We'll have to figure stuff out, you know, 'cause of the time difference." She handed her note to Matt. "It feels like just yesterday we were doing this in New York," she told him. Then she remembered the kiss, and instantly felt like a fool. Cammy prayed that Matt wouldn't mention it, or forgot it a while ago.
"Yeah," Matt said. Dream Street's producers began telling the guys that they had to board soon. Matt and Cammy hugged each other tightly, neither one of them wanting to let go. Cammy held in her tears, knowing that they wouldn't keep Matt from getting on that plane and disappearing out of her life once again. Matt let go of Cammy and picked up his duffle bag from the floor. Without another word, he boarded the plane. Cammy and her friends watched as the plane taxied out to the runway and took off.
"Bye, Matty," Cammy whispered, the same way she had ten years ago when her plane took off for California.
Cammy spent the rest of the day moping around her house. The Dream Street CD was blaring from her room, and even though the melody of 'Sugar Rush' could be heard in every room in Cammy's house, she felt like it was the day the music died. The girl went through a whole quart of Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream, slathered with whipped cream, hot fudge, and sprinkles. She brought her last bowl of ice cream up to her room, and compared a picture of herself and Matt when she still lived in Westchester and a picture taken just the day before. Matt still had the same strawberry-blonde hair, same amazing blue eyes. Cammy hadn't changed that much, either. She tacked the two pictures to her wall, right next to her pillow. Cammy's cat Tawny leapt up onto her bed as the girl stared at the pictures. First, there was six-year-old Matt and Cammy, happily enjoying melting ice cream cones. Both kids were covered cheek-to-chin with chocolate ice cream, and their clothes looked like the �Before� picture of a Tide commercial. Then there was sixteen-year-old Matt and Cammy, sitting next to each other. Cammy's head was on Matt's shoulder, and Matt's arm was slung around Cammy's shoulders. Both were grinning, like the day would never end. Tears came to Cammy's eyes again, and she swept her arm over her face, drying the unwanted tears. She held Tawny in her lap, listening to Matt's first part in 'I Say Yeah'. She turned off the stereo, and walked downstairs to watch some television.
Mrs. James entered her house, having been at the grocery store. She looked sadly at Cammy, who was slumped on the couch, remote control in hand. "Ninety-nine channels and there's nothing on," her daughter muttered, tossing the remote on the recliner next to her. She looked forlornly at her mother. "I hope you got more ice cream. We're out."
"Oh, Camryn," Mrs. James said in a soothing voice. "Don't worry. You'll see Matt again someday."
Cammy frowned. "Yeah, someday. Like in a million years."
"Don't be so pessimistic," her mother told her, kissing her on the forehead. Cammy rolled her green eyes, and trudged up to her room. It wasn't so easy to see the bright side of the situation; she'd lost her best friend for the second time. Cammy stared out her window, wondering when the next time she'd see Matt would be.
That night, Cammy couldn't fall asleep. Her brain felt like it was close to grasping a concept that had been floating around in her head since the day she and Matt were reunited at the mall. She tossed and turned, trying to figure out what she was missing, what she wasn't seeing. Annoyed, she turned her clock radio on, making sure the volume was low. The last song was just ending, and another song was beginning. The Backstreet Boys' 'How Did I Fall In Love With You?' filled Cammy's silent room with its quiet background piano accompaniment. "Remember when, we never needed each other, the best of friends, like sister and brother. We understood we'd never be alone..." Cammy's jaw dropped, as the truth began to become clear to her. "Now those days are gone, and I want you so much, the night is long and I need your touch. Don't know what to say, never meant to feel this way, don't wanna be alone tonight..."
Cammy grabbed her phone and dialed the O�Connell�s number. Ignoring Riley's sputters of Do-you-know-what-time-it-is and What-do-you-want-from-me-at-three-AM?, Cammy said the first thing that came to mind: "I have to go to New York."