Many years ago, a man by the name of Chester Fairfields inherited a vast fortune from his grandmother. In honour of her memory, he decided to use that money to build a hospital a few miles south of the town's centre.
However, he didn't plan very well at all, and soon all the money had run out. So Chester was forced to sell the semi-finished building to some wealthy stockbroker for a pitiful amount. Ruined, Chester moved in with his sisters, and gradually grew insane before he killed himself.
Years later, the wealthy stockbroker died, leaving the building to his cousin. But his cousin didn't want it, and sold it to the government. When the government decided they had no use for the crumbling structure, a middle-aged architect bought the place.
The architect knew a lot on building, and soon the structure had been completed. For some odd reason, that not a soul could fathom, he come upon the decision for it to be used as a mental institution.
Originally, it was named 'Border Maximum Security Mental Asylum', but as the years passed, and more residents entered, it was changed to a more welcoming, 'Fairfields Mental Institute."
And, thus, the place grew and grew.
Its perfectly manicured lawns and vibrant colours were in no way a reflection of what the place was used for. All the residents – well, most at least – enjoyed it there. Some called it a prison; others described it as purely heavenly.
Visitors were welcomed every day, except for Sundays, between the hours of eight am and eight pm. If the visitor wanted to stay longer, they had to acquire a special permission notice from their family, the visitee's family and the nurses and doctor's in charge.
Although Fairfields welcomed all ages, there was hardly ever anyone seen under the age of thirty-two.
And so that was the reason why Zachary Goode stopped and frowned when he saw a teenage girl – around his age – with dirty-blonde hair, sitting cross-legged on the edge of a water fountain.
He could tell why she picked that particular place to sit. The spot was shaded by a beautiful oak tree, the fountain provided a lovely, calming background noise and it was completely clear of any other humans.
What Zach couldn't tell was what someone, about the age of seventeen, was doing at a mental institute, because this girl evidently wasn't visiting anyone. He could clearly see that she was writing in a small notebook.
Out of complete curiosity, Zach changed his direction and walked slowly over to her. She didn't notice him coming, and only looked up when he said, "Hi."
Well, she did more than look up. She jerked violently, snapping the notebook shut. Zach frowned, but didn't comment.
"What do you want?" she snapped.
Taken aback, Zach took a step backwards, with his hands raised. "Just saying hello."
The girl stared at him with those dark blue eyes, as if trying to figure out his motives, but seemed to decide he was okay. "Fine. Hello, now… goodbye."
She stood up and stalked off, tucking the notebook into her grey jacket.
Determined to find out who she was, Zach hurried after her and fell into step beside her. "So… what are you doing here?"
Stopping abruptly, she raised her left hand and her sleeve fell down, revealing a thick, black wrist band, which, on closer inspection, was an identification bracelet loaded with a tracker.
Zach nodded and she took her wrist away. He recognised the bracelet because his father wore one identical to it.
"Now you know I'm loony, can you go away?" she said impatiently, resuming her brisk walk.
But Zach was still determined not to let it go. "Well, at least tell me your name, first. I'm Zach Goode. Zachary, really, but I sound like a prick if I introduce myself as 'Zachary'."
The girl cracked a small smile. "I'm Cammie. That's all you get."
Zach faked a pout. "Come on, Cammie? That's not enough to stalk you with… I need at least a birthday!"
Cammie's smile grew a little more. "Oh, is that so?"
"Mhm, certain."
Shaking her head, but still grinning, Cammie turned to go again. This time Zach didn't want to push it too far.
So, just as she was about to turn the corner, he called out, "Hey, Cam! You don't seem too loony!"
Even from such a distance, he could see Cammie's beautiful smile.
x-x-x-x
1st July
"Mr Goode, your mother says to tell you that she won't be home for a couple of weeks, so you'll be at home by yourself," said the balding driver.
From the limo's back, leather seat, Zach replied curtly, "Sure… thanks, Hank."
He hated how she didn't even tell him in person, or even pick up the phone and call. Anything would have been netter than via their driver.
Zach couldn't really tell whether he preferred spending time with his mother, who couldn't care less what he was doing, or with his father, who had completely lost his memory and couldn't recognise his only son.
He supposed it would have to be his father, even though James Goode thought Zach was a stranger. Because Zach would much rather someone who didn't know him and yet still liked him, than someone who had known him his whole life, yet still chose to practically ignore his existence.
As Zach stepped out of the limo and looked at the Fairfields sign, he couldn't help but hope he'd see Cammie again.
First off, though, he was going to visit his father. They always had the same routine: greet each other, chat about girls, play a round of chess, get lunch at the cafeteria, go for a walk around the grounds and then part ways.
And today was no exception. Zach was getting tired of the same thing happening every time he came. After all, he was seventeen; there were plenty of other things he could have been doing.
But this time, at the 'goodbye' bit, instead of calling Hank, Zach turned in the direction of the fountain.
When he reached the place, he was disappointed to see that Cammie wasn't there. He turned to go, but stopped when someone tapped his shoulder and asked, "Looking for me?"
Zach missed that smile of hers, even though it had barely been three days since he'd last seen it.
"No…" he replied, grinning back at her. "I thought I saw a rabbit."
As it turned out, Cammie's laugh was as sweet as her smile. Zach wondered why on earth such a happy person would be stuck in a mental institution.
"Sure…" She punched his arm lightly. "Wanna go for a walk?"
Even though Zach had already been for a walk, he nodded. He wasn't quite sure if only he felt the tingling sensation as she grabbed hold of his hand and pulled him down another path.
"Is this where I get your second name?" Zach asked in a playful tone.
"Perhaps… If you persuade me well enough!"
And then he recognised the place Cammie had dragged him to as a tennis court. She already had a racquet and ball, so he snatched up one too.
"Just so you know, I'm awesome at tennis," Zach informed her.
But she simply grinned and poked her tongue out at him.
The first serve of hers whizzed right past his ear so fast he didn't have time to register it. The second hit the net and the third was perfect.
Pretty soon the game had turned very competitive.
Zach tried his hardest, but he was no match for Cammie, who beat him 5-7, 2-6.
As it grew darker, Zach was sad to go. He liked his new friend and now he didn't mind the repetition of visiting his father because he knew he would see her afterwards.
As they parted, Zach would always say, "See you soon."
And Cammie would always reply with a playful, "It'd be sooner if you were crazy, too!"
x-x-x-x
20th July
"I'm here to see my father, Mr James Goode. He's in room 182."
The raven-haired nurse gave him a sympathetic smile and typed something into her computer. After he was verified, Zach was shown – not that he needed to be– the way to room 182.
When he realised his father was asleep, he decided to sit outside on the brown, uncomfortable chairs and wait until he woke.
Zach was about to nod off to sleep when someone called his name.
"Zach?" It was Cammie.
He jerked his head upright and saw her walking towards him, wearing a white dressing gown and pale blue slippers.
Grinning, he remarked, "Nice clothes, Cam."
For that, she shoved his shoulder. "I only just woke up! What are you doing here?"
Zach shrugged. "Visiting."
"Who?"
"All this comes from Mysterious Girl herself? You still haven't told me why you're at Fairfields," Zach shot back.
Cammie crossed her arms. "I told you, it was because I hit my neighbour's dog with the car, and then though it was so fun that I'd do it to the rest of the streets' dogs, too."
Frowning, Zach replied, "Wasn't it because you strangled your Spanish teacher half to death?"
With a shrug, Cammie laughed. "Or maybe it was because I loved experimenting surgery on my dolls so much that I tried it on my parents…?"
In the end, the two of them were both in fits of laughter.
Wiping away tears of laughter, Zach said, "Ah, no, seriously, I'm visiting my… father."
"And my friend stays in room 186." Cammie's eyebrows were raised, but she didn't ask about Zach's dad.
After a few almost awkward moments, Cammie grabbed Zach's hand and dragged him over to her friend's room, where she knocked on the door.
"Who is it?" a nervous voice asked from behind the wood.
"It's okay, Bex!" called Cammie. "It's just me, Cam, and I've brought a friend with me. His name is Zach."
There was a shuffling noise. "Is he government?"
"No, Bex."
"NSA?"
"No, Bex."
"CIA?"
"No, Bex."
"Freelancer?"
"No, Bex."
Eventually, she undid the seven locks and let the two of them inside.
Out of the corner of her mouth, Cammie whispered to Zach, "Extreme paranoia."
He nodded, finally understanding the erratic behaviour. It reminded him horribly of the time his mother overdosed.
Bex was probably once quite beautiful, but her paranoia had taken over her life. Zach noticed the bags under brown eyes and the fact that those eyes kept darting nervously around the room, especially towards the barred windows.
She had a curvy figure, but it was hidden behind a bullet-proof vest and bulky clothes. Her mocha-coloured skin was flaky and dead-looking, while her hair was tied into a frizzy bunch on her head.
Cammie blew Bex a kiss from by the kettle. Bex caught it and placed it over her heart, giving her a small smile. The beautiful moment was ruined by the kettle whistling.
"So…" Bex began, once she was clutching her cup of hot water, not wanting to risk being poisoned. "If he's not government, is he your boyfriend?"
Cammie began to laugh. "No, Bex."
But Bex wasn't one to let things go. "Are you all hot and heavy?"
After Zach stopped choking on his coffee, he spluttered, "Uh, we're just friends."
Cammie had to shoot a dangerous look towards Bex to shut her up.
Loving the whole situation, Zach watched in amusement as the two discussed his and Cammie's friendship. He walked around the room, taking in its messiness and… homeliness. Well, it might have had homeliness if there weren't security measures everywhere.
Though there was a picture of an adorable young boy – about three – which was sitting on top of a pile of papers.
"That's my son, Oliver. He's two and a half years old. They took him away from me because they didn't think that I was a responsible mother." At the end of her explanation, Bex broke down into tears.
Two… Zach had been two when his father had come back from some 'work trip' with his memory completely blank.
x-x-x-x
Later, as Cammie and Zach took a walk, she explained to him about Bex.
"Her mother was the one who suggested it in the first place. Bex was fifteen and the father wanted nothing to do with his child, so the court decided that Bex was an unfit mother and they took away her little Ollie."
Staring at his feet, Zach murmured. "That's horrible."
Cammie nodded sadly, and stopped at an empty bench. She sat down and Zach sat next to her, leaving a little gap between them.
"Thanks," she said, not looking at him.
A little startled, he stared at her. "For what?"
"Being my friend. You don't know how much it means to me."
There it was again; her smile. Zach loved everything about it, from the slight dimples to the not-quite-perfect-but-perfect-anyway teeth. She was honestly beautiful.
Zach shrugged. "No biggie. But thanks for being my friend, too."
And then Cammie rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes, feeling utterly content.
x-x-x-x
7th April
"I'm taking you out!" announced Zach that morning as he walked into her room.
Cammie looked away from the mirror, wide-eyed. "But I'm not allowed."
Zach held up that all-important note, covered with signatures. "Oh yes you are. Now get your bikini."
x-x-x-x
Zach loved the sight of Cammie cautiously entering the water, but jumping back every now and then when it got too cold.
He stood there in his board shorts, not wanting the moment to change, but as she turned around and gestured for him to join her, a smile lit up his face. Zach raced down the sand and into the water where Cammie stood knee-deep.
As the both of them splashed underneath the freezing water on that deserted beach, Cammie let out a laugh. When they broke the surface, she frowned at him, a small smile tugging at her lips.
"You, Zachary Goode, are going down." She advanced slowly towards him, her wet hair hanging over one shoulder.
Zach simply smirked and replied, "Not if I get you first!"
His words made her shriek, and run in the opposite direction, desperate to get away from the handful of sloppy sand he was carrying.
The chase moved onto the sand, where both were laughing and trying to run at the same time.
When Zach got close enough, he grabbed her waist, causing the both of them to tumble onto the sand with sand covering their faces, Zach lying on top of Cammie.
She giggled. "Get off you big lump!"
But he shook his head and leaned closer. "Make me…"
Cammie just laughed and shoved him off.
"Fine."
They sat side by side with their hands joined, just basking in the pure beauty of the whole scene, neither really noticed the sun setting until Cammie's hair, blown by a gentle breeze, tickled Zach out of their trance.
"Oh, I forgot, I have to get you back!"
He drove like a maniac all the way back to Fairfields, and screeched to a halt outside the entrance.
Not wanting to hurry, Cammie stared at Zach until he urged her to get out.
He watched as she grabbed her towel and ran away from him, loving the sight of her in her green-spotted bikini and wet hair…
"See you soon!" he called after her.
She spun around and jogged backwards, grinning widely. "It'd be much sooner if you were crazy, too!"
That made Zach smile.
x-x-x-x
28th April
Zach still visited his father regularly, but his visits to Cammie were far more frequent. He loved being around her.
On her eighteenth birthday, he stopped by at Cammie's room to find Bex actually out of her own place and visiting someone else. It made Zach raise an eyebrow, but he didn't comment.
"Hey Bex, hey Cam. Happy birthday, beautiful," he said, kissing her cheek and handing her a present.
Bex's eyes widened at the exchange. Clearly Cammie hadn't told her much. "You two are… together?"
Cammie blushed and smiled at Zach. "No, just friends."
The rest of the morning went well. Bex was even allowed to call her son, and so went back up to her room. Sure, he was only two, but she loved any time she could contact him.
That left Cammie and Zach alone in the room.
"Do you like your present?"
Cammie held up her left wrist and jangled the sparkly bracelet which covered the I.D. bracelet nicely, and leaned closer to Zach. "I love it – so much."
Zach swallowed and said, "That's—that's good."
"Thank you." His breath hitched as she pulled him closer and buried her face in his neck.
x-x-x-x
Technically, Zach wasn't allowed to stay the night, but no one came and dragged him away, so he stayed.
As he looked over at the alarm clock beside her bed, he read the illuminated numbers, 12:24AM. Then he looked over at Cammie, who seemed to be sleeping a little restlessly.
When he got cold, Zach carefully and quietly pulled on a jacket and sat in the chair by the window. It was a full moon that night, so his face was fully lit by the silvery, magical light.
He dozed into a state of semi-consciousness, but was broken out of it by Cammie's whimpering. Her dream appeared to be turning into a nightmare, so Zach walked over to her and stroked her hair, comforting her.
"No…" Cammie murmured, struggling beneath the sheets. "No… don't!"
"Cam, it's all right, just wake up! It's just a dream!"
Eventually, Cammie's eyes flung open eerily wide. They were glazed over in a creepy state of psychosis. She shot straight up in bed, causing Zach to fall backwards a little, completely confused, and wondering if he should call someone.
Cammie drew her knees up and hugged them to her body, rocking slightly and muttering, "No… Go away… Don't hurt… No…"
When Zach tried to console her again, she practically hissed at him and scrambled further away. "Hey, hey, it's okay, Cam!"
Eyes widened even more, Cammie slid off the bed and walked almost robotically towards the door. Still confused, Zach followed her into the main room again and was surprised to see her sobbing desperately on the couch.
"NO!" she screamed, flinging a vase in his direction.
Luckily, Zach ducked just in time, and the vase smashed against the wall where his head had been mere seconds before.
He crouched down and ran towards the phone. Quickly, he pressed the speed-dial button for Bex's room, while Cammie continued her hysterical fit.
"Hello? What do you want? Are you the police? Who are you?" Bex's voice should have been groggy from sleep, but because of her paranoia, she sounded strangely alert.
"Bex! Can you come down to Cam's room? She's gone out of control and I don't know what to do?" Zach asked her loudly over the sounds of Cammie crying.
But he knew Bex would be hesitant to come down by herself. Zach knew Bex cared for Cammie, but her own mental illness had such a strong hold over her. "I… I'm sorry… I might be attacked! Or… or… someone might light fire to my room while I'm gone!" cried Bex. "Look, find her pills and make sure she takes two! They're in the cupboard."
And before Zach could say any more, she had hung up.
He ran over to the cream-coloured cupboards and began rifling through them, but finding nothing, he grew increasingly frustrated. "Where the heck are they?" Zach scanned the room for possible places where the medication could be but came up short. They weren't in the bathroom or anywhere else obvious, like the drawers beside her bed.
All the time he was looking, Zach was intensely aware of Cammie, curled up on the couch, whimpering and crying. He had never seen anything like this before.
When a further search found nothing, Zach knew he had to call for help, whether or not he got Cammie or himself in trouble. But just as he reached for the phone, a slender, pale hand firmly stopped him. Turning to look into Cammie's wide, eerie eyes, Zach shook his head. "Let me go, Cam."
"No." That one word was so forceful that he almost couldn't hear the pain and the fear behind it. And at that moment, he knew it: Cammie was scared beyond belief – although he didn't know what of.
Dropping the phone, Zach pulled Cammie into a deep hug. He wondered if she would push him away, but she didn't, she just held onto his shirt tightly and buried her face in his chest.
"It's okay," Zach whispered as the two of them settled on the couch, still tightly embraced. "It's okay… It's okay…"
This went on for several hours until Cammie finally fell asleep and Zach was able to get up, leaving her head against a pillow and a furry, purple rug tucked around her.
As creepy as it was, Zach watched her for a few moments to make sure nothing bad happened again, like it did last night.
Zach wasn't sure whether or not to leave her there. He didn't want her waking up with no one there to comfort her; heck, he didn't even know what her mood was going to be like when she did wake up.
It was a decision between staying and taking care of a dear friend, or leaving and making sure that friend didn't get into trouble.
Rubbing his weary eyes, Zach wasn't entirely sure what to do. But he was saved from a decision when the lock to Cammie's room clicked open and a kindly-looking old lady backed in, rolling a tray of delicious-smelling breakfast. The bacon, eggs, and sausages were mouth-watering.
She paused when she saw Zach slumped over the kitchen table.
"So," she began, her grey eyes twinkling with humour, "it's lovely that this room is empty; that only Cameron is in here."
Zach caught on to her hint and jumped up, knocking the chair backwards. "Right…" he said with a glance to where Cammie was still sleeping. He turned back to the old lady. "She had a really bad… uh… spell last night… I didn't want to leave…"
"Well, it's lucky that you're not here this morning, then, isn't it," the lady said with a small laugh.
As Zach slipped past her, he heard her tell him, "Don't you worry; I'll take care of her."
And, somehow, Zach didn't doubt that for a second.
x-x-x-x
29th April
"What do you mean she doesn't want to see me?"
The middle-aged lady with the strangely large eyes gave Zach a sympathetic look. "She says she'd prefer it if you didn't come around again."
A dull knife entered Zach's lungs.
"What?"
"I'm sorry, sweetheart, but we have to respect our patients' wishes."
Zach turned his back on her and walked away from the shiny reception desk, thoughts whizzing wildly through his mind. How could Cammie not want to see him? Did she blame him for what happened last night?
He had come back as soon as he could, having been caught up with other stuff his mother had forced him to deal with, only to find that the eighteen-year-old girl he thought he'd become good friends with lately didn't want to see him.
Back in the limo, Hank gave his master a confused look but didn't mention anything. He only inquired as to where he was to drive Zach to.
"Uh… where ever you want…" Zach replied distractedly.
The limo stopped two minutes later and Zach had no idea where Hank had driven him. But as he stepped out of the car, he held back a small laugh – Hank had only driven a lap of the block and come back to park in the exact same spot.
Ducking his head back into the car, Zach said, "Thanks, Hank. I'll be back later."
The walk to his father's room was a slow one. Zach wanted to take in the beauty and serenity of Fairfields. He passed several patients with their carers and all of them were surprisingly polite. You would never guess that by the outside Fairfields was a mental institute.
Everything about the walk to his father's room was the same, right down to the sequence of knocks he used.
Knock-knock. Pause. Knock-knock-knock.
When Zach's father answered the door, he had that expression on that Zach had seen countless times before.
"Sorry," said James Goode, "Who're you? Can I help?"
Zach held out his hand – the exact same way he did every single time he visited. "Hi, I'm Zach."
Mr. Goode ignored the hand, exactly as his son knew he would. "And… can I help you?"
"I thought you might like to go out for lunch."
Zach knew the answer. It was like he had a part in a movie, and they couldn't quite get the scene right so they had to repeat it again and again and again.
"Sure, just let me get my coat."
x-x-x-x
Just watching his father order the same thing every single time they had lunch together irritated Zach to no end. He was sure that the institute's restaurant would run out of Macaroni Cheese any day soon.
As Mr. Goode was about to place his order, Zach butted in out of pure annoyance: "He'll have the burger with fries."
Mr. Goode gave Zach a strange look but didn't say anything about it.
The pretty, young waitress nodded and quickly jotted down the order on her thin notepad. "Anything else today?"
"A cup of coffee, please."
When the waitress had gone, Mr. Goode decided to speak up, only he didn't quite count on Zach interrupting him.
"I know what you're going to say." Mr. Goode raised his eyebrows. "You're wondering why I ordered for you. Well, I'll tell you why. Every single damn time we come here you order Macaroni Cheese. Every single time." The elder man flinched as Zach stood up. "You think you've never met me before; you think I mean nothing to you. And the worst thing is that you'll never remember me again." Zach ran a hand furiously through his hair.
"Macaroni Cheese isn't that special, so why can you remember to pick that? Why can't you remember to pick something different? Why can't you remember your own wife? Why can't you remember me?" Zach's voice broke as tears threatened to spill out, but he held them back.
Mr. Goode's eyes were wide as he replied, "Why should I remember you? Are you important to me?"
The two men stared at each other for a few brief moments which seemed to stretch out impossibly.
But Zach couldn't do it any more; he couldn't come and visit his father, knowing that he wouldn't ever know who he really was. And the worst thing was that next time – if there ever was a next time – he visited James Goode, the man wouldn't even remember this conversation.
Without another word, Zach walked away from his father and slowly back to the limousine, his hands shoved in his pockets.
Because he wasn't paying attention to where he was going, he bumped into someone. Recognising the mass of dirty-blonde hair, he recoiled slightly. Cammie looked apprehensive.
Interrupting people seemed to be Zach's 'thing' that day because just as Cammie was about to speak, he muttered, "Sorry. See you," and walked on right past her like he didn't even know her.
He thought he heard her say something as he walked off, but he didn't stop to find out if he was right.
"It'd be sooner if you were crazy, too."
x-x-x-x
8th May
"Hi, you've reached Zachary Goode. I can't take your call right away, so just, uh, leave a message after the beep and… yeah…"
Beeeep.
"Zach?" Cammie whispered his name as if afraid it might break apart just by uttering it aloud. "Zach, we really should talk… I—I'm really sorry…" Cammie coughed roughly. "But I'm not going to apologise over the phone like this, to your voicemail. No, we need to meet up." Her voice was strange, like she was starting to get an illness or something. "Please call me back, I really need to—"
Beeeep. End of message.
Zach cursed the stupid thing and flung it away, falling backwards onto his squashy couch.
He didn't even know what to think about her calling him.
With nothing on TV or in the fridge, Zach slouched lazily to his bedroom and slammed the door behind him with a deep sigh. It didn't take long for him to fall into a dreamless sleep.
x-x-x-x
12th May
"Did you say 'Goode'?" enquired the young man with the fuzzy stubble tracing his jawbones from behind the reception desk.
Zach nodded. "James Goode."
"Right, well we'll just confirm it with him before we let you go on up."
With another short nod, Zach walked away from the desk while the man punched a number into the phone. He didn't really know what he was doing here again. The last encounter with his father should have been enough to deter him for a long, long time.
But it didn't.
"Uh, excuse me, sir; Mr Goode is willing for you to visit him."
As Zach passed the man, he gave him a small, appreciative smile.
x-x-x-x
James Goode looked exactly the same as he did every other day.
"Hello," he greeted with a confused but still very polite expression on his face. "I'm sorry… who might you be?"
"Oh, I'm Zach. It's nice to meet you, Mr Goode." Zach held out a hand to his father, who then took it firmly.
"And… can I help you?"
"No... No you can't." Mr Goode's confused expression deepened. "But I can help you."
x-x-x-x
The little book in Mr Goode's hands was shaking as he looked down at it with wide eyes. "W-why am I in these photos? What are you trying to do? Is this some sort of joke?"
Silently, Zach took the photo album from James Goode and turned to the page he most wanted his father to see. It was a photo of the two of them, their arms around each other and big grins on both of their faces.
Zach's aunt had taken the picture years ago, when Zach was only two, just before his father had lost his memory. Zach remembered the day so well, even if he was so young. He was sitting all alone in his room, wishing his mother would take time out from work to play with him and his trucks when James Goode appeared at the door, a mysterious grin on his face.
"You up for some Boy Time today?" he had asked, holding up two fishing rods.
The dark-haired little boy had jumped up off the mattress and launched himself at his beloved father. "Yes!"
Aunt Kathie had to drive them down to the ocean because Mrs Goode had taken the car with her on a visit to a friend's house. But it turned out being for the best.
That was the last time Zach could remember his father and him being close. James Goode had left on some top-secret work trip three days later, never to remember his son again.
"What—what…why are you in this photo? That's you isn't it?" For a grown man, James Goode seemed remarkably flustered.
Grimacing slightly, Zach told him simply, "Look on the back."
"James and Zach – aged two. Father and son day at the beach…" James looked up, alarmed. "You mean…?"
An effortless nod from the younger of the two was all it took. James pulled Zach into a hug and clapped him on the back.
"Hey, Dad…"
"Hey, son…"
x-x-x-x
It was a day of reconciliations for Zach.
James had managed to keep the Institute from knowing Zach had stayed longer than normal visiting hours, just so that he could sneak out and meet up with the person he really needed to see.
The moment felt way too cliché for Zach as he gathered up several small rocks and threw them towards Cammie's window. However, when he received no reply, he knew the wild cherry tree which connected with her balcony was the next best bet.
It took all of his agility to finally land quietly onto the balcony, pulling leaves from his tousled, dark hair.
Luckily, Cammie wasn't as paranoid as Bex, so she slept with her door unlocked. It only took s moment for Zach to slip inside, without allowing any cool breeze to waft in with him and wake her up.
To Zach, Cammie looked so peaceful while she slept. It was like the mysterious realm of dreamland was her only escape from the misery she battled against every day.
Quietly, he crossed the room and crouched down beside her bed.
With one gentle hand, he brushed a piece of her dirty-blonde hair behind her ear, his hand lingering on her soft cheek.
"Oh, Cam, you don't deserve this."
Without much else thought to the matter, Zach stood up, pushed back the bedcovers slightly, and lay beside Cammie, fully clothed. As if sensing he was there, she smiled gently and moved herself so that she was more comfortable.
"Zach…" she whispered, still deeply asleep.
It's nice, thought Zach, to know you're part of someone's dreams.
x-x-x-x
13th May
When Zach woke up the next morning, he was alone.
Admittedly a little nervous, he slid from beneath the covers and stretched his arms over his head, yawning widely. Then he slouched into the main area of Cammie's room, where he could hear the noise of fat spluttering around in a frying pan.
Good morning," he said, standing beside her in front of the stove.
Cammie looked up, frightened. "M-morning." Then she caught sight of him looking down at the pancakes she was cooking, and the look of horror on his face. "Hey! Don't give me that look! They're perfectly fine."
Zach held up a blackened circle, not even distinguishable as any form of food, one of his eyebrows raised.
Laughing, Cammie slapped the crisp pancake away with her metal spatula and retorted, "The pan's a little hot…"
"A bad workman blames his tools."
"Good thing I'm not a guy, then."
Their eyes locked as Zach reached out his hand and took one of hers with it. "Can we forget it happened? It was a huge mistake, and we should completely ignore it."
"No."
Cammie's word surprised Zach, and he felt his heart sink.
"No, because mistakes make people better – as long as you learn from them. So we'll take this as a good thing." She tilted his head upwards to meet her eyes again and gave him a bright smile.
They stood like that for several minutes, neither moving or breathing.
"Why don't we go and devour these…mouth watering delicacies and then spend the day as friends?"
Cammie smacked Zach's arm, but agreed wholeheartedly. She sure was glad to have her best friend back.
x-x-x-x
1st June
"Alright… how about… ooh, a trip to Spain where you lose all your luggage, or… a completely unlucky wedding?" Cammie bit the head off a lolly snake and grinned at Zach, who was sitting opposite her, picking the yellow M&Ms out of the packet.
He paused. "Trip to Spain, definitely." And when Cammie nodded, he elaborated. "Well, I want my wedding day to be amazing. I'd take losing a bag of replaceable possessions any day."
The two renewed friends were relaxing on Cammie's bed, tired from their day spent together. They had been meeting up much more frequently lately, and every time they did, they grew closer and closer.
"Did you know," said Cammie, chucking the packet of sugar-filled treats over her shoulder, "I've been planning my wedding ever since September 24th, twelve years ago."
"So specific?"
"It was the day my mother let me try on her wedding dress."
Zach laughed at the thought of a miniature, five-year-old Cammie twirling around in a white dress which swamped her.
"Hey, I loved that day!" She jumped off the bed and pulled a box from her clothes cupboard. In the box, there lay a bundle of soft, intricate, white fabric.
Zach could guess what it was.
And he was right. Cammie picked it up and held it against her body, making ridiculous poses, with faces to match. "Wouldn't I be a fabulous model?" she laughed.
"So, come on," he probed, "let's see it on you!"
Taking it as a challenge, Cammie disappeared into her bathroom with the box, reappearing several minutes later, looking particularly grown up.
Zach's breath caught in his throat at the beauty of her. He'd never fully appreciated it until now. "You look…good."
Brilliant, he thought, way to make an impression, Zach.
The dress didn't have any sleeves – Zach didn't know what that was called – and was very tight around her waist. Just adding to the prettiness of it, there were hundreds upon hundreds of tiny, silver beads sewn to it, making swirling patterns all the way down the dress.
"Thanks," she replied, and Zach knew she meant it. "I hope I get to wear it someday."
"You will."
x-x-x-x
19th June
Although he didn't particularly want to think about it, Zach knew that another one of Cammie's…episodes… was inevitable. Her diagnosis wouldn't go away just like that, no matter how hard both of them wished it would.
Even if it was inevitable, Zach didn't expect it to happen quite so soon.
"Cammie?" he called, shutting the door behind himself and throwing her key down on the small, round coffee table, along with the brown paper bag filled with various items. When Zach received no reply, he called again, "Cammie? You there?"
But he knew that she wouldn't have gone out without some way of getting back into the room.
Cammie wasn't in the bedroom, so that only left the bathroom. Zach quickly pushed the unlocked door open.
"Oh jeez." He ran forward and kneeled beside her, trying to ignore the blood pooling on the floor around them. Firmly, he tapped her cheek, calling her name.
It was only when he took hold of her wrist was it that he realised where the blood was coming from.
A pang of horror jolted through his body as he saw the word 'WORTHLESS' scratched deeply into her arm.
I thought the people running this place were meant to prevent things like this, Zach thought angrily, dropping her wrist and digging his phone from his pocket. As soon as he knew the ambulance was on its way, he called the nurses quarters and reported what had happened.
As he threw his phone to the side, Cammie's eyelids fluttered and she stirred drowsily.
"Z-Zach…?" she moaned, obviously in pain and over her severe panic attack.
"Yeah, yeah, it's me, Cam…" Zach held on tighter to Cammie's uninjured side and mentally yelled for those slow medical personnel to hurry up. "You're gonna be okay."
She gave a weak smile. "No, no ma-matter what I do, I'm ne-never gonna b-be okay…"
He just squeezed his eyes shut and kissed her hand.
"Never…be…okay…" she whispered, before falling unconscious from the pain again.
x-x-x-x
25th July
Every single time Zach had tried to visit Cammie in her new, increased-surveillance room, she had been asleep. And he was sure she was just faking it so that she didn't have to speak to him.
After another failed attempt, Zach walked back towards Hank and the limo, clearly dejected. He didn't think he could stand much more of this.
But he was pulled from his thoughts by a high-pitched tone – the ringtone for his mother.
"Yeah?" Zach never bothered with polite introductions whilst talking to his mother.
"Zachary, I've got the deal of a lifetime for you."
"And I don't want it," he replied, rolling his eyes.
His mother sounded irritated when she responded. "But you haven't even heard it yet, darling."
"Don't 'darling' me." Zach wasn't in a mood for playing the Happy Families game. "I don't want anything from you."
"Should I withdraw your father's living costs which I pay for?"
He gritted his teeth. Zach hated when his mother had a hold over him. "What is this stupid deal, then?"
"My boss has offered you a big-shot, huge-paying job in one of his northern companies. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, especially since you're only just out of school."
"No. Goodbye." Without any further chances for his mother to interrupt him, Zach ended the call.
Now he just had to figure something else to do with his life, instead of visiting a girl who didn't want to see him.
x-x-x-x
October 21st
Anna stroked Zach's dark hair as she lay in bed next to him, with her own long hair sprawled out over the pillow.
"What're you thinking about, hon?" she asked softly, shifting her position.
"Oh, nothing important," he replied vacantly. But after a stern look from his girlfriend, he added, "Honestly. I'm fine. I think I just need to get out more."
Anna nodded slowly. "That's true. You hardly ever meet up with your friends now. I'm beginning to think you're part bat."
"I vant to suck your bloood!" quipped Zach, trying to lighten the mood, but his smile didn't extend to his eyes.
"Darl, that's vampires."
Does it matter, thought Zach, neither of them have feelings.
Anna was pretty, sure, but every time he felt her hands slide across his body, he closed his eyes and wished it were someone else. She hadn't bothered calling again – why would she? And Zach couldn't bear going over to Fairfields to see her.
As a result, his visits to his father had significantly increased. Somehow, Zach didn't mind spending half an hour trying to jog his father's memory every time he did visit. Slowly – agonisingly so – Mr Goode's memory was improving – maybe not clearly to anyone other than Zach. Those tiny, insignificant things his father even just vaguely remembered brought warmth to his heart.
"I've got to get to work, darl," said Anna, sliding from the bed after she planted a wet kiss on Zach's lips. "I'll see you later."
"Yeah, okay… see you."
With a disappointed expression on her face, Anna left the room, tucking her dark hair behind her ears.
x-x-x-x
October 23rd
Zach did, in fact, have a conscience – contrary to what third grade Eliza thought – and that was what drove him to call Anna. He couldn't believe how he had been treating his own girlfriend. Maybe if he really gave their relationship a go, it would actually work out.
"Hey, Anna speaking, what's up?" Her voice only made Zach even guiltier.
Zach cleared his throat and said, "Hey, Anna, I want you to come with me and meet my dad."
"Your… dad?"
"Yeah, I want you to meet my dad."
x-x-x-x
"Dad, meet Anna; Anna, meet Dad."
Zach watched as they stiffly shook hands and exchanged seemingly forced smiles. He knew Anna was very nervous about meeting the guy who couldn't even remember him – not that Zach had gone into specifics with her, or anything. He felt like when the time was right, he would tell her everything.
Anna just knew the basics.
"Come in," said Mr Goode, waving a hand past the wooden door. "I-I feel as if I've met you somewhere before, young man…"
Patiently, Zach smiled. He pulled out the photo album and began the entire process of explaining. He could tell Anna was getting slightly bored, but that didn't matter to him. His father was in need.
After the understanding set in, Mr Goode made his guests hot drinks and 'magic biscuits' as he liked to call them. Unfortunately, Anna was allergic to something in the biscuits and had to go to the bathroom to clear her face up.
"Well, son," laughed Mr Goode, "your girlfriend sure looked mighty fine with red splotches all over her face. She's definitely a keeper."
Zach's father's sarcasm made him laugh – albeit quietly. What would Anna say if she heard?
Well, what wouldn't she say? Zach corrected himself.
On the way out of the room, Zach hugged his father goodbye and then slipped a hand into one of Anna's warm ones.
Warm hands, cold heart, thought Zach wryly. But as soon as the thought entered his head, he mentally slapped himself. How could he think something like that about his girlfriend?
He snapped out of his inner workings to find a pretty, familiar female gazing wide-eyed at Anna and him.
"Hi, Zach…" Cammie said timidly.
x-x-x-x
"Anna—" Zach turned to his girlfriend "—d'you think you could give me and Cameron a minute alone?"
Anna placed a kiss on Zach's cheek, shot Cammie a confused look, and then headed off by herself down the hall. That just left the two standing barely five metres apart, neither uttering a sound.
Cammie was the first to break the silence. "Cameron?" Her voice cracked as she bent her head towards the ground. "I'm Cameron to you now, am I?"
His eyes closed tightly, Zach scratched his neck, wondering what on earth he could possibly say. So he didn't say anything; he just strode forward and wound his arms around Cammie's familiar frame. "Cammie…Cameron…whatever your name, you're still my best friend," he whispered into her hair.
She unpinned her arms and wrapped them around Zach, letting out a small sob. "I'm so s-sorry…"
x-x-x-x
"Your sickness isn't something to be ashamed of, Cam. You can't change it in an instant, no matter how much you want to." The two of them had somehow found their way to Cammie's room where they sat close together on the squashy couch. "And, trust me, I'd do anything to make you happy again – anything."
One of Cammie's hands reached up to Zach's cheek, startling him a little. He wasn't expecting such closeness the time they met up again. If they ever did.
But there they were, talking.
"You already have, Zach..." Cammie smiled through her tears. "I don't think you know how sad I was before I met you. As soppy as it sounds, you helped me see the bright side of things again; you gave me something to live for."
All thoughts of Anna were banished; as horrible as it sounded, she wasn't important right then. Zach just needed to talk with Cammie.
"We're a sad pair aren't we?" laughed Zach, reaching for one of Cammie's hands and holding it firmly. "That's definitely gotta change."
"Agreed."
They just sat there, gazing at each other, for an immeasurable amount of time.
Then Cammie said, "So, what now?"
"Now," Zach replied, "we eat those delicious chocolates which I know are hiding in your cupboard. They're calling to me; I can hear them."
When Cammie returned with the large, red box, she put on a high-pitched voice and squeaked, "No, no, don't eat me, Zachary!"
"Oh, my God, they're rhyming chocolates."
Cammie threw the box at Zach and then flopped down next to him. She rubbed her eyes, which was when Zach first noticed the dark circles underneath them.
"Have you slept at all since I last saw you?" he inquired, narrowing his eyes at her.
"Of course I have," Cammie shot back, trying to cover her face with her messy hair. "I sleep all the time…"
But anyone could see through that lie. It was evident Cammie barely got any sleep, which, for some reason, made Zach angry. He didn't want her losing sleep over him, she had enough problems. "Don't lie to me."
"I would never!" But the grin on her face gave her away.
Zach stood up and offered her a hand. She looked at it, confused, before he said, "You're going to bed."
Without Zach's help, Cammie stood up and replied, "I can do things by myself you know. I'm not completely useless."
"I never said you were. Now, go and get changed before I do it for you."
x-x-x-x
October 31st
"Ta da!" Cammie burst from her room, donned in a witch's costume, complete with green face paint and black, pointed hat. She hadn't bothered with her blue eyes, so they remained a little out of place with the costume, but still pretty. "What d'you think?" she laughed, twirling the black skirt.
Zach, in his own magician's outfit, laughed along with her. "Witch…tastic!"
"You're so weird," said Cammie, picking up her bag and plastic wand. "C'mon, Bex and Ollie are waiting!" She dragged Zach out of her room and locked the door behind them.
Down the hall, they met up with Bex – looking very official in a police outfit Zach knew wasn't just for looks. Bex still had trouble with her paranoia.
"Cammie!" cried the little boy with the wild hair holding onto his mother's hand tightly. He launched himself at Cammie and gave her a tight hug.
While they were whirling around and admiring each other's costumes, Bex turned to Zach with shining eyes. "I can't thank you enough for helping me see my little boy again," she said, punching his shoulder.
Wow, she can sure hit, thought Zach as he rubbed his sore shoulder.
"Any time," he replied, and then added, "Hey, I've got someone I want you to meet. I think you'll get on well with him."
Bex raised a dark eyebrow but didn't say anything because Ollie ran back to her and wrapped his small arms around her legs, clearly excited about going trick-or-treating.
"Can we go now, Mummy?"
x-x-x-x
The weird looks the four get from people couldn't dampen their cheery spirits. There was nothing Zach would have changed about the night. Even what was to about happen.
"Hey," Zach said to Cammie, wrapping one arm around her shoulders and pulling her in closer. "Having fun?"
Cammie nodded and continued to play with the brim of her witch hat. Zach could tell there was something on her mind, but he didn't want to ruin the mood by asking what it was.
"Where's Anna?" questioned Cammie a little while later as she watched Bex and Ollie skip ahead, waving their lolly bags about. "What does she think of you leaving her alone on Halloween?"
Oh.
"Well…Anna's out with her friends, I think."
"You think?"
"Why don't we catch up to Bex?"
"Don't avoid the conversation."
"I'm not."
Cammie's stern look was enough for Zach to sigh and remove his arm from her shoulders. He thought the night was going well, but she just had to bring up his girlfriend, didn't she. He and Anna weren't going all that well, anyway. It was her who suggested not to spending Halloween together.
"Why are you with me and not her?" asked Cammie, stopping in her tracks.
Zach shrugged dismissively. "Well, why not?"
Bex and Ollie crossed the road to knock on the door of a brightly-lit home. Their laughter – and the laughter of others – echoed down the street as children ran past, their guardians in close pursuit.
"Because she's more important than me."
"Come on, Cammie. You're my best friend. How can you think you're not important?"
"Girlfriends come before best friends. I don't want you sacrificing time with Anna just so that you can talk to me. I've got plenty of other friends, I don't just need you."
Zach let out a noise of disbelief. "Thanks. Maybe I will leave you alone, seeing as you don't need me. Now seems like a good time to start leaving you alone," he retorted, following Bex across the street. He was so angry that he didn't see the lights. Or hear Cammie's scream, or the screams of the other kids running about. Zach definitely didn't see the car until it was too late.
x-x-x-x
December 6th
"I'm sorry, Ms Morgan, there's been no change. We'll call you the minute we make some progress. He's still in a critical condition."
x-x-x-x
December 11th
"Ms Morgan, honey, I think it's best if you go home and get some rest. The Institute doesn't want you away for much longer. They're going to send someone to pick you up."
"No thank you, Nurse, I'm fine where I am. And please tell them I don't want to leave him."
"Maybe a few more days would be okay…"
x-x-x-x
December 20th
"I didn't mean it, Zach."
He didn't respond.
"Dammit, I really didn't mean it! Of course I need you!"
Still, he kept silent.
"Please…please…don't make me beg, you idiot. I just want you to talk to me again!"
Silence.
"We'll do whatever you want to if you just wake up! I promise, we'll go to a stupid soccer match, we'll make those biscuits your mother hates, and we'll visit your dad more often! Just wake up…"
Deafening, deafening silence.
x-x-x-x
December 22nd
"I got you a Christmas present, Zach… It's pretty small, but I figured you'd understand seeing as the Institute isn't letting me out anywhere lately except to see you every week. I didn't buy it from the gift shop; it's useless. Why do mental homes even have gift shops?"
Cammie sniffed, holding back her tears.
"I'm putting the box in your hand so it's here when you wake up, even if I'm not. It's just something to show that…that…I love you…as a best friend, of course."
x-x-x-x
December 23rd
"Anna yelled at me today, Zach. She blamed me for what happened to you, and I realised she was right. She was right to call me a bitch and a psycho. If I hadn't been so…whatever I was being, then you wouldn't have got hit. I didn't cry because I only want my tears to be for you."
Zach's position hadn't changed for weeks.
"I brought your dad with me today, and I tried contacting your mother a few weeks back but she didn't reply. So…I'll just let your dad come in and talk for a while. Don't worry, I showed him the picture book already, so he knows who you are."
x-x-x-x
December 24th
"The Institute don't think it's healthy for me to see you so often, so they're cutting down the amount of time I'm allowed to come. I tried telling them that I cared for you deeply, but th-they wouldn't listen. After Christmas, I'm probably only going to be able to visit once a month. Once a month! That's way too long..."
There was silence for several minutes, punctuated only by the beeping and whirring of machines. The silence was far too much for the dirty-blonde who sat at Zach's bedside. His condition was killing her inside.
"Oh heck, I sound like a needy, whiny little girl."
Cammie slipped her hand into one of Zach's and looked to the bedside table where one of the nurses had moved the small, blue box she had given him. She could only hope he woke up to open it.
"I'll see you tomorrow Zach…"
x-x-x-x
Zach was in a dream – a dream he couldn't escape. He thought he heard Cammie's muffled voice now and then, talking to someone, but whenever he tried to reply, something held him back. It was like torture. Maybe he was paralysed or a complete vegetable. Zach didn't think he could deal with it for much longer.
He felt nothing – literally nothing. It was as if he was floating on the softest, lightest cloud up in a place with no sun or air or wind. It was the strangest experience he'd ever had by far.
What is this, he wondered to himself. Am I trapped somewhere?
There was no way to tell the time, so Zach had no idea how long he had been in that state. It could have been minutes or days or months; he just didn't know.
Let me go. Just let me go.
x-x-x-x
December 25th 9:37AM
Cammie had hardly felt like dressing up for Christmas; she didn't know what there was to celebrate. Life was incredibly dull without Zach there to talk to. It was just like before they had met. She didn't cry anymore. It was almost as if Cammie knew that tears wouldn't help.
Every single time she entered the hospital, she would immediately ask a doctor about Zach's condition, but she never got any different news.
Today, Cammie thought she would leave the doctors alone. They looked anxious enough to get back to their own families and spend a cheerful Christmas without Cammie hounding them about another patient.
The door squeaked ever so slightly as Cammie entered Zach's hospital room. It was typical and white and smelt like the yellow sunflowers Zach's mother had sent a few weeks ago, which were only now starting to die. His mother hadn't even bothered to fly home to see her son, but thankfully his father was more than willing. After Cammie, Mr Goode was Zach's most common visitor.
This visit, Cammie didn't know what to say, so she didn't say anything. She sat in complete silence, just listening to the peaceful beeps of Zach's heart monitor, loving the sound of them because they meant that he was still with her.
When visiting hours for Zach were over, a nurse came in.
"Excuse me, Miss, Doctor Angelo says that Mr Goode needs to be alone now. So, if you could finish up, please." With a last, sympathetic smile, the nurse backed out of the room and walked away, her shoes squeaking all the way down the hallway until the noise died out.
Cammie turned back to Zach and smiled. Still not saying anything, she clasped his hand and bent down to kiss his cheek. Without thinking, she moved a little to the left and felt her lips connect with his. As quickly as it happened, Cammie pulled back, her eyes slightly widened.
She snatched up her bag and hastily left the room, wondering what on earth she just did.
x-x-x-x
December 25th 8:23PM
"Hello?" Cammie said into the phone, absent-mindedly. "Cameron speaking."
"Hello, Ms Morgan, it's Doctor Angelo…" replied a kindly, male voice. At the word 'doctor' Cammie perked up. "We've got some news for you…"
Oh no, oh no, oh no… Cammie panicked. What if those reassuring beeps of the heart monitor had ceased? What if—
"Mr Goode woke up about an hour ago. We're just running some tests right now, but he should be all fine, save a few breaks and casts here and there."
Cammie let out a cry of joy. She nearly dropped the phone in excitement. "Can I speak to him?" she asked, trying to contain herself. "Please?"
The doctor hesitated for several moments before replying, "I'll just see…" and then he put the phone aside, making Cammie wait nervously, ready to jump up and down.
After a wait of six intense minutes, the phone was picked up again and Cammie heard that amazing familiar voice. "I love my Christmas present, Cam. Merry Christmas," was all he said.
"That's good…" Cammie wasn't exactly sure what to say. She had so many things running through her mind.
"So I'll see you soon."
"It'd be sooner if you were crazy, too," she replied through her tears of joy.
x-x-x-x
December 31st
The door to Cammie's room opened just as she finished putting the final touches on that night's dinner. She had invited Bex, Liz (one of the nurses who helped Zach) and Macey, Jonas and Grant (all friends of Zach) over for a cheerful New Year's dinner. She figured she didn't want to spend it alone.
"Hey," called Zach, grinning widely and holding up a small, shiny, silver object in his hand. Cammie beamed back at him. "Let this forever be part of our history: the very first time Zach entered Cameron's apartment with his own key!"
She chuckled and threw one of her oven mitts at him. "I can take it back if you want."
"Oh no, how else am I going to sneak in and steal those cookies you make?"
"The balcony?"
"Far too Prince Charming-ish," replied Zach, seating himself down at the table and glancing over the enormous effort Cammie went to.
The small table looked as if it were going to collapse under the weight of steaming dishes, all of which were cautiously prepared by Cammie herself. She watched Zach inspect her food, trying not to notice how charming he looked in his white shirt and blue jeans.
Although, when the smoke alarm began to beep due to smoke rising from the stove, Cammie was saved from any more awkward thoughts.
"Shoot!"
It took ten minutes to flush all the smoke from the room, even with every available window and door open. Cammie and Zach were still laughing as the sat down once again.
"You, my friend," Zach said between breaths, "are a neglectful cook."
Cammie shot him a look which he could only describe as hilarious. Being with her was so much fun; he didn't know what his life would be like if they never met.
Smoothing down her deep purple, floral dress, Cammie smiled. To Zach, there wasn't much more that was beautiful than that in the world: the sight of his best friend, finally happy.
x-x-x-x
Dinner was fun. Grant turned out to be a joker who Bex found was amusing. Even little Ollie had warmed to him, telling Grant all about how this girl in his class threw some of the water in the fish tank at him, so he threw Poppy, the goldfish, back at her.
Jonas, Liz and Macey got into deep, humorous arguments over anything and everything. Jonas could hack a computer in eighteen seconds, whereas Liz could do it in twelve; Macey could parallel park perfectly, while Liz once ran down an old lady in an attempt; Jonas could play soccer, and once won a match for his team in high school, whereas Macey was more than a little uncoordinated.
When it was time to pull the Christmas crackers (Cammie thought they needed something fun to do, and she found spare crackers in the cupboard), they were shared around to everyone, and then they chanted, "3-2-1!"
Loud cracks exploded in the festively-decorated room, as paper crowns and horribly bad jokes burst from the used crackers. Cammie helped Zach fix his own green paper crown, laughing as he read out his joke.
"What does Santa suffer from as he climbs up the chimney?
Claustrophobia!"
"That is seriously awful, Zach."
"What do you call a French man who wears sandals?
Phillippe Philloppe!"
"It's painful reading these jokes."
Cammie and Zach watched their friends' conversing, content. They were as full as anything, but not even close to being drowsy. While the others sat around the rather stingy heater, talking, Cammie went over to the CD player she borrowed from Zach and turned it on to some more traditional Christmas carols.
She swayed on the spot, sipping at her drink until someone took it gently from her hand and placed on a nearby stack of cracker boxes.
"Dance with me," Zach said, offering her a hand, a big grin plastered on his face.
Hesitantly, Cammie allowed Zach to take her hand and pull her in close so they could dance around the room filled with laughter and music. Without any warning, he spun her out and then back.
"I didn't know you could dance, Zach," Cammie said, smiling at him.
"And I didn't know you couldn't."
"Hey!"
They twirled around the room several more times, loving the whole moment. As the small clock hanging on the wall by the little bookcase chimed midnight, Zach dipped Cammie low and breathed, "Happy New Year, Cam…"
And then he kissed her gently.
"You lift my feet off the ground,
You spin me around,
You make me crazier, crazier
Feels like I'm falling,
And I am lost in your eyes,
You make me crazier, crazier…"
I hope you liked this. The idea just sort of...came to me - as cheesy as that sounds. I kind of feel like Cammie's a little needy at the end, but fingers crossed you don't.
But, hey, if you appreciate the enormous length, please review. It'd mean a lot. And maybe karma will get you back some time.
Meh. It's not my best work - by far - but I needed something to do other than write my other stories.
So, yeah! Any of you fans of TSwizzle? Wanna burn her hair? Anything? Review your rants/thoughts/reindeers/likings/dislikings. I told you I'm no good at romance already ;]
Mmkayy,
~Jenna