More than Memories

Chapter 1

By Kathryn and Natasha

"Nik! Come on! Let's go! We're going to be late!" cried the tall blonde dressed in a pink halter and white shorts; she began to tap her foot impatiently.

"Okay Amber! I'll be right there!" Nikki Westerly turned back to her journal and finished writing.

"Well, I have to go. Amber's going to clot her arteries if I don't. She gets so excited over these concerts. First Jesse McCartney, then John Mayer, and now Justin Timberlake. It's pretty funny actually, watching her fuss and fret over her appearance. Cam was right. She is all about how she looks and what she wears. Oh well, I love her anyways." Nikki stopped and took a deep breath, reading what she just wrote, "Cam."

Nikki closed her eyes and leaned back in her chair, letting her mind wander to the only boy that has ever captured her heart, Cameron Bale. He had been her first and only love, her best friend. How she missed the days when they would sit on the swing outside and just stare at the ocean. Tiki-squeeze had never been the same, and the cliff where they used to sit and chat had lost its friendly appeal. She missed his laugh, the way his hair hung around his face. She missed his smile with the cute gape between his teeth. She missed his soulful blue eyes. Oh the world had lost its vibrancy since that day he left, a day she would never forget.

It was a beautiful summer day, three weeks before summer vacation ended and school started. Nikki had been upstairs helping her Aunt Ava and Suzanna choose the designed outfits her aunt would display at the fashion show. The doorbell rang.

Wondering who it could be, Nikki skipped down the stairs and walked to the door, opening it. It was Cameron.

"Cam! Hey! Do you want to come in?" she said with a wide smile. Her smile faltered when she noticed his bloodshot eyes and solemn expression. "Cameron, what's wrong?"

"Nik," he said, his lips trembling. "We need to talk."

Fear gripped her heart as she walked with Cameron to the swing in the front yard. They sat down.

"What's up?" she asked as calmly as she could.

"Dad got released a few weeks ago, but he's still drinking. He didn't improve. He hasn't improved. He came banging on the Mom's door three days ago, drunk and said he wants me back. You could smell he alcohol coming from him. He tried to force his way in, but Mom called the police and took him away."

"Oh God," Nikki breathed, remembering the bruises his father gave him, remembering how Cam had been scared and afraid of what his dad would do. She turned towards him, a worried expression on her face. "Well, where is he? Is he in jail? Did he hurt you? What are you going to do?"

Cam opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out.

Nikki watched him struggle to tell her. She could feel her fear building, making it harder to breathe. "What is it? You can tell me Cameron."

"We're moving." His reply stopped her blood flow and she felt tears prick her eyes.

"What?"

"Mom and I… We're moving. Leaving Playa Linda." His voice was cracking now and tears fell from his eyes. "We can't take it anymore. Can't keep hoping that he'll get better and everything will be all right. We're leaving, and we're not coming back."

Sobs wracked Nikki's body as she sat frozen on the swing. He was leaving, leaving her. She could feel the crushing and breaking of her heart.

Cam turned towards her, his eyes even redder. "I'm sorry, Nik."

She answered him with crying. He pulled her into a hug, and she clung to him, held on to him as if she were holding on for dear life.

They sat on the swing, holding and comforting each other, finding solace in each other's embrace. Slowly, they broke away.

Cam reached down and wiped away her tears. "I love you Nik. Always will. That will never change."

She smiled softly. "I love you too Cam." They leaned forward and kissed gently for the last time. Breaking away, he looked into her eyes and smiled a bittersweet smile. Getting up from the swing, he walked away, leaving her with just memories, their memories.

A few tears slid down her cheeks. She sighed, missing him terribly.

"NIKKI!!!!" yelled Amber from downstairs. Nikki's eyes opened wide. She shot up from her chair, rushing to put everything away.

"COMING!" she yelled back. Grabbing her journal and her jacket off the chair, Nikki ran out of her bedroom, shutting the door on her way out. Flinching slightly, she remembered Cam painting her walls.