Disclaimer: I do not own "Cold Case", any of it's episodes, or characters.

Okay, I know I still have other stories to work on, but I recently have discovered how much I love Kyle Gallner's acting, and realized how damn sexy he is :P. So please be patient. This is more to get the idea out of my head, as my mind is cluttered enough as it is. I'm having the worst time concentrating on much of anything lately, so updates on every one of my stories on this account and on fictionpress will be slow. I'm sorry, I'll be trying to find out what's wrong with my head soon, lol.

In the mean time I hope you like this chapter at the very least, and if you haven't seen this episode or show, I would recommend that you do, as you might become confused if you don't.

Please review!

And absolutely NO flames. They will not be appreciated, nor will they be taken into consideration in any way shape or form. I despise people that put other people down because that person may not be very good at writing, or because they simply don't like the story for whatever reason. Their opinion will not affect my writing, or my decision to keep writing or not. I don't claim to be a good writer at all, but I enjoy it just the same.

Thanks, and I hope you'll like it at least a little.

Chapter 1

I watch each step my Vans clad feet make, as I walk across the parking lot of the local Mall. This is probably the fifth time I've found myself coming to the Mall this week, and it's only Saturday.

You see, at the risk of sounding like a crazy stalker, the guy I have a crush on works there. I'm not even sure I can call it a crush anymore. There's something about him that calls to me. I just can't put my finger on it.

I stop at one of the many entrances to pull the door open. My hands shake a little as I enter. I doubt he ever even notices me, but I prefer to shop around a while before heading to the food court. You know, just in case.

Today my first stop is Hot Topic. Only this time I have the need to buy something. The weather is cooling down some, and I need to start stocking up on hoodies before it gets too cold.

I head straight for the clearance rack toward the back. I love this store, but sadly don't usually have the money to buy anything other than what's on sale.

--

An hour later, and I'm walking out with my purchase. After debating over which two I'd buy this time, I finally settled on a My Chemical Romance Crows and Skulls hoodie, and a Paramore Riot zip-up. The rest of the time was spent browsing over things I wish I could afford.

I'm stalling. I always get nervous before I see him.

But now I'm forcing myself toward the food court. It doesn't take long considering it's in the center of the Mall, surrounded by all of the other stores.

I walk to one of the food counters, purposely avoiding the one he stands behind. I quickly and quietly order a small teriyaki rice bowl, and a bottle of peach tea.

I take a few deep breaths to calm my nerves. I don't know how much good it really does for someone like me.

I was diagnosed with anxiety when I was little, but it seems to have gotten worse as I've gotten older. I actually keep a bottle of pills in my purse just in case I have an attack I have a hard time controlling. I don't abuse them, but I occasionally get a little ahead of myself and take one when I'm merely afraid I'll have an anxiety attack.

I'm afraid I'll have to take one today.

And sure enough as I find an empty table to sit at, my hand shakes as I set my tray down. I can feel the cold sweat coming.

Figures.

I set my bag down beside my chair, set the book I brought with me on the table, and reach into my bag for the pill bottle. I make a mental note to refill my prescription when I see there are only two left, and pop one of them in my mouth followed by a gulp of my tea. I lay my feet in the chair next to mine, trying to make myself as comfortable as possible in hopes of calming myself down before the pill kicks in.

I start to pick at my food, taking a few bites now and then, and begin to look around as inconspicuously as I can.

My pulse picks up slightly as I spot Cameron walking over to a table covered in trays and wrappers that someone rudely abandoned. He starts cleaning the table off. I think he does it to help his friend Neal, who does a lot of the sweeping and things around here. Their shifts usually coincide as far as I can tell. They're clearly really close friends.

He's finished with that table now, and is walking toward a table right next to mine. I quickly look down, hoping he didn't notice how long I'd been watching him work.

I feel his eyes on me, so I glance up, catching his eye. He smirks in a cute way, and I smile back briefly.

I guess he didn't notice, otherwise he just doesn't care. Either way, I feel butterflies erupt in my stomach.

He's so beautiful in a strange way. With his gray eyes similar in color to mine, mussed semi long brown hair, and full lips. He has a slim, yet slightly muscular build. Just right in my eyes. He's probably stronger than he looks.

Idiotic laughter in the background snaps me out of my thoughts. Lucky too, because if I'd continued to stare at him much longer, chances are good he would have noticed soon.

I look around for the annoying sound and roll my eyes as I find who was behind it. Zach and the rest of his obnoxiously arrogant jock buddies are laughing at Neal. I can't really hear what they're saying. I see Zach pick up a fry from his plate and throw it on the floor.

Fucking morons, they think it's funny making Neal clean up their shit.

He does it without a word to any of them, and turns to walk away. Out of the corner of my eye I see Cameron tense as if he's listening to everything that's going on across the Court.

This time Zach picked up what remained of his chili dog and threw it, while the rest of the idiots laugh.

Again without a word Neal turns to pick it up. Only instead of throwing it in the trash, he shoves it into his mouth. It's kind of gross to watch, but I don't judge knowing he's making a point. Telling them they aren't getting to him like their hoping to.

By the look on their faces it looks like it worked. The others look to Zach waiting for his next move.

He says something, but I still can't hear him. Whatever it was though clearly pissed Cameron off. He drops the tray back onto the table, rolls his head, and walks over to them.

They didn't expect that, but continued to laugh just the same.

I could see that Cameron was saying something to them, he pulled his hat off, running his hand through his hair and smirked menacingly at Zach, then he lifted his arm pointing at him like he was holding a gun. He mimicked pulling the trigger and winked at him. It obviously disturbed the group of jocks. Their laughter abruptly died down, and they looked at each other wondering what to do or say in response.

It didn't take them long before they gave up, and stood up to leave.

I must admit I was a little nervous about what had just happened, but laughed at how he had put them in their place, showing them that they can't intimidate everyone like they like to think.

Neal elbowed Cameron lightly and nodded once at him, before they both went back to work.

I was still smiling, laughing on the inside, about Cameron had just done. When he turns back around to finish what he'd been doing he looks up at me again. This time he smiles lightly at me, knowing what was so amusing to me.

"Assholes." He mutters to me as he turns his back on me.

I laugh. "Yeah they are, but I'm sure they'll be leaving the two of you alone for a few days now."

He chuckles quietly. "I wouldn't count on it."

"Well they have to come up with something to come back at you with, whatever it was that you said. That'll take two weeks at the least. That is if they even come up with anything good at all."

I'm really surprising myself, just by the fact that I can put two words together to talk to him, let alone talking loud enough for him to hear me. I'm really shy, so I talk pretty quietly to people I don't normally talk to. I actually am talking quietly, but the Court is mostly empty at the moment.

He laughs again and is grinning as he glances back at me, never stopping what he's doing. Must be a pretty good worker.

"Ya know, I've seen you around here several times. What's your name?"

I look down quickly, hoping he wouldn't notice the slight pink I can feel creeping to my face.

"Richelle."

I see him nod through the curtain that is my black and blue hair. "Cameron."

"I know." I peek out from behind my hair a little, to see the confused look on his face. "You do know you're required to have name tags on your uniform right?"

He smirks in his cute way again. "Right."

I grin and pick my book up. I open it up to where I'd last left off, but never actually read a word of it. I'm finding it incredibly hard to concentrate on anything other than the fact that he's standing right next to me, and had actually talked to me this time.

"I've gotta get back to the counter. See ya later though." He smirks at me yet again. He does that a lot, but I find it difficult to find reason in it to complain.

"Yeah." I mutter. He continues to watch me for a few seconds as he walks away.

Instead of getting up to leave, I hang around another half an hour, slowly finishing my food, and pretending I'm actually reading the book I hold in my hands. Every now and again I feel his eyes on me, and we unintentionally play the corny teenage game of looking away when the other looks up.

In all fairness I'm spending most of that half hour staring at him from behind the safety of my hair. He isn't really staring, he mostly just glances up every once in a while. He's probably just wondering why I don't seem to have anything better to do than to sit by myself in the food court of the Mall on a Saturday afternoon.

I'm not a very outgoing person, and in all honesty am perfectly content sitting and reading a book or a nice story online. My friends gave up a long time ago on inviting me to parties on the weekends. I always turn them down. Anxiety and parties don't mix very well.

I'm finally finished with my food, so I throw the bowl and bottle away, setting the tray on top of the trash can. No need to make more work for either Neal nor Cameron. Then I pick up my things and make my way to the doors. I glance up at him one more time on my way out, catching his eye again. He nods once, and I smile back briefly.

I don't understand why people are afraid of them. Cameron doesn't seem as dangerous as people seem to think.