SOOO I felt like writing fanfiction, and I felt inspired for this idea, so here you go! The first part of this had been written since February of 2011, WOW. So I edited it, added to it, and voila! First chapter produced! This story is going to be short and sweet, as will all of the chapters. Enjoy.
James waltzed through the Palm Woods lobby, humming quietly to himself as he returned from a late evening jog. Since he was merely donning a casual tank top and a worn pair of sweatpants, he made sure to waltz extra speedily, hoping that nobody would see him. He didn't want to—heaven forbid—be sighted by the public in such a state of unfashion. He quickly rubbed his sweat rag over his face and gave it a quick swipe across his forehead, just in case someone were to see him. That way he'd look at least somewhat presentable. Maybe the gleam of his sweat would even look like a naturally healthy shine. Just as he passed the doors to the pool, a quiet sniffling noise caught his ear. James halted both his humming and his waltzing, and listened. Sure enough, someone was crying quietly. Curiosity piqued, James hesitantly entered the pool area, making sure he was still obscured from sight.
He saw Camille, hunched over on a lounge chair, hugging her knees to her chest and shielding her face with her hair. Her whole body trembled with her soft sobs. Thoughts of his ragged appearance vanished as James dashed to the lounge, quickly kneeling beside it. He couldn't help it. He'd always had a sort of…respect for Camille. He secretly admired how boldly she pursued her dreams, her determined nature and confidence often reminding him of himself. Plus, she was funny. And pretty. And maybe James still didn't fully regret that one time he kissed her a little longer than he should've. And he just naturally had a big heart beneath his godlike exterior, so really. He simply couldn't stop himself from bounding to the rescue.
"Camille? Camille, what's wrong?" he asked quietly, gently laying a cautious hand on her back. He didn't want to be too forward with her. That could land him an authentic Camille slap across the face.
Camille jumped at the touch in surprise, and James flinched, mentally preparing himself for the burning sensation that was sure to follow. But instead, Camille raised her head and looked at him with red, puffy eyes, makeup smeared and cheeks reddened from crying. James' heart broke a little at the sight. This was the kind of thing that got to that big heart of his.
"J-James?" she sniffled pretty loudly. To the average person, the noise might've sounded really gross, but not to James. "What're you doing here?"
James smiled weakly, "I heard you crying in the lobby."
Camille didn't say anything. She just stared at her feet, snuffling as a few more tears dripped down her cheeks. "You…you wanna talk about it?" James ventured nervously, praying he wouldn't upset the girl further. He could talk to girls pretty easily when it came to flirting, but if he was being honest, talking to girls about girl problems was not a skill he had mastered.
Camille turned to eye James again. Her lip quivered and before James could blink she had flung herself into his arms, crying loudly. "He broke up with me, James!" she wailed, "Logan broke up with me! He said 'never again' and that we should see other people and not waste our time with petty relationships."
James was startled, and he tried, to the best of his ability, to rub Camille's back as she wept incessantly into his shoulder. The cogs in his head, which oftentimes experienced a great lack of use, were now turning full speed. Logan broke up with Camille? Again? Forever? James frowned thoughtfully, pushing his brain to its limits. But why would anyone want to do that? Especially Logan of all people—the really smart one! Because sure, James supposed Camille was probably a tad too dramatic at times and she might be the kind of girl that was just generally fussy about things. But she was also the kind of girl that was really awesome, so James didn't understand why in the world Logan would ever give her up. It wasn't like girls were lining up to date the braniac either, so yeah. James didn't follow his motives on that decision.
"Gee Camille, I, uh, I'm really sorry," James said, stumbling over his words slightly, his brow knit together in thought as he tried to say everything just right.
Camille sniffed again, pulling out of James' arms and rubbing her eyes, smudging her makeup all over her face. She looked pretty scary, but thankfully, James wasn't that easily scared. "Thanks, James," she choked out, voice tight and strained, "I guess it's for the best, right? I mean…everything happens for a reason, right?"
"Right!" James was about to agree wholeheartedly, whatever he needed to say to cheer Camille up, but it was then that she relapsed into another onslaught of tears. "I just don't know what I did ruh-wrong!" she blubbered, "We were so in love and so happy, and it all just happened so fast! I just want to go back in time and be happy again and get him back—"
Camille stopped mid-sob, her eyes suddenly brightening at a frighteningly quick rate. James had zoned out during the story, but the immediate change of expression caught his attention once more. He began to grow concerned, especially when Camille giggled giddily, a smile breaking across her face. "Uh, Camille?"
"Get him back! That's it!" Camille clapped her hands once, giggling once more, "I just need to prove to him that I'm right for him! If I can make him as happy as he was before, he'll have to take me back!"
James was not the brightest of persons, but even he frowned a bit at the plan. "But didn't he say 'never again?'" James reminded her pensively.
"Oh, he didn't mean that!" Camille brushed off the comment carelessly, "Besides, even if he did, I'll be sure to change his mind with my new plan: 'Luring Logan into Love!' Or 'Plan Triple L,' as I call it."
The announcement of the plan's title had been accompanied by a dramatic flourish of Camille's hand. Her eyes had turned dreamlike, obviously already envisioning her success and very happy future with Logan. To James, the entire operation already sounded very grandiose. "So are you sure this will work?" James asked cautiously, still quite baffled by the process.
"Of course it will!" Camille waved her hand flippantly, signifying that the whole scheme would be a cinch, "Especially since you're going to help me!"
"I am?" James had already forgotten that he'd volunteered. Oh wait.
"Of course!" Camille took James' hands into hers excitedly, "You wouldn't turn down a friend need, right? That's why you came over here, right—to help me? I mean, you want me to be happy with Logan, don't you?"
James had to squinch his eyes shut, both brow and nose thoroughly wrinkled as he tried to intake this cornucopia of information. So many questions! All of this was happening exceptionally quickly, and it was beginning to remind James of the first algebra final he ever took. "I guess so?" James figured that was a fairly safe answer.
"Great!" Camille clearly translated James' uncertainty as an affirmative, "Our first 'Plan Triple L' meeting will be tomorrow! Oh thanks so much, James! You're the best friend ever!"
Camille tossed her arms around James' shoulders once more, embracing him fully to show her gratitude. Before James could react, she had sprung off of the lounge chair and was skipping into the Palm Woods. James sat there, dazed. And very perplexed. And in pain—or at least his brain was. He hated headaches, and he could feel a pretty big one coming on.
What had he gotten himself into?