The beach was my favorite place to be. Especially on that day. We got to the beach by 2:30. Sydney wasn't annoying at all. She was bounding with energy and up for anything I suggested. The ocean was kind of cold, but nothing we couldn't handle. We played football and walked on the boardwalk; she even let me put my arm around her, though I think she saw it as more playfully than flirty. If only she knew that I already had a crush on her after meeting her earlier that month. We did exchange phone numbers at some point during the day, though, which made me happy. Sadly, the day had to come to a close at around 6 when Sydney told me she planned to go to a movie with a friend later. The last thing Sydney wanted to do before we left was have a final race into the water.

"Okay, so we start from here, then whoever dives into the waves first wins!"

"Oh, you are so on. You want a head start?" I asked her, being the polite boy I really wasn't. She snorted.

"You're gonna need a head start, buddy. Too bad I don't believe in them. On your marks, get set, GO!" We both tore off, bounding towards the water like idiots, neck and neck. I had to admit, she was really fast. Then, when I lost focus for one second when we were close to the water, she cut me off and sped up, laughing. She was not getting away with that. I got faster and faster, catching up to her, until I was right behind her. We were knee deep in the water by then. I grabbed her by the shoulders and tackled her down into the water. We both sat up in the water, gasping for air and laughing.

"I win!" She said giggling.

"What? No way, I totally won, I'm the whole reason you went in."

"No, I was planning on falling like that before you tackled me!" We had a good laugh and dried off. Then I had to take her home. When we got into the truck, she slid in close to me without protesting and put her feet on the dash once again. She was quiet, so I took the time to think. Is this considered a date? I asked myself. We were halfway home when I looked down to see her sleeping on my shoulder. I smiled to myself, thinking about all of the cute and ditzy moments she had today, like when she asked for a hot dog at the pizza place. She was adorable. I woke her up when we were about ten minutes from her house.

"Hey, Syd, wake up, we're almost home." She opened her eyes groggily. She seemed a bit puzzled.

"Cameron?"

"Yeah?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, I fell asleep." She lifted herself off of my shoulder.

"I noticed," I smirked at her and pretended to brush off the place on my shirt where she slept. She laughed and slapped me playfully. When we got to her house I walked her to her door like a good date should. She smiled at me when we got to the door.

"Thanks for putting up with me all day."

"Putting up with you? It was awesome, I had so much fun."

"Sweet, then we can do this again. You're really cool, Cameron." I smiled. I don't know what got into me but I got the courage to say,

"I really like you, Sydney." She smiled back, and the next thing I knew her lips were on mine. The kiss wasn't extremely passionate, just gentle and tentative. We both pulled away with small smiles. She stared at me for a while until suddenly laughing under her breath and turning on her heel to open the door and walk into her house.

"Bye, Cameron," I heard the smile in her sing-song voice as she shut the door in my face.

"Bye, Sydney," I said, though I was completely aware that she couldn't hear me. I probably stood there for three minutes, thinking over the day, until I walked out to the driveway and got in my truck to go home.

Sydney's P.O.V

"Hey, Tanya," I said to my best friend as I greeted her at the movie theater. Her hair was always straightened and almost black; there were large chunks of subtle purple in it that almost glowed in the florescence of the theater lobby lights. She looked extremely thin in a black camisole, leather jacket, flattering black jeggings, and black leather boots with no heel. She looked like a biker chick, even though I knew she was the most funloving teddy bear of a girl. Classic Tanya. She gave me a hug, looked me up and down, and gave me a knowing stare.

"Something happened. With a boy! Was it that Cameron guy you were talking about? Tell me!"

"Yeah, but can't we at least watch the movie first?"

"No!" She practically yelled as we walked into the theater and took the seats all the way at the back in the top like we always did. I don't even remember what movie it was, because we spent the whole two and a half hours discussing the events of my day and dissecting Cameron's dialogue. The young-ish lady in front of us kept shushing us. After a while, Tanya opened her big mouth and whisper-yelled,

"Oh, shut up, lady, like you've never met a hot guy and had your first kind-of-date and kissed him and not even know if he likes you as much as you like him and freaked out before!" The lady was really interested, so she just moved to our row and chatted with us for the rest of the movie. She was probably in her late twenties/early thirties. Turned out she worked at one of those love counseling offices, so it wasn't as creepy as I thought. When she found out his name was Cameron, she asked what he looked like. I told her, and she said,

"I think the guy you're talking about is my nephew, Cameron. What was his last name?"

"He told me, but I don't remember how to say it. He said it was spelled with a Q." I told the lady.

"Was it Quiseng?"

"Yes!" She smiled.

"Then that is my nephew. I'm Evie Quiseng. He's such a sweetheart, he's only had one girlfriend, Emily, and she cheated on him for money." Tanya was really into all of this.

"No way! What a lousy sl-" I stopped her

"Tanya, we're in public!"

"Right, sorry."

"Anyway," Evie continued, "he was heartbroken, and hasn't been the same since. But if he acted the way you say he did on your kind-of-date, then it sounds like he's gotten over Emily. Maybe for you, Sydney." Just then my phone vibrated. I had a message from Cameron.

Cameron: Hey:) I know ur probably in the movies right now but i thought i would tell u i had a lot of fun today:) i hope we can do that again:)

When I showed Evie the text, she got extremely excited.

"See, that's the old Cameron's texts, full of smiley faces and caring! Girl, I owe you!" By then the movie was over. "Here, take my card, and if either of you ever want to talk, just call me or text me. And I'll talk to Cameron for you, Sydney, see what I can get out of him. It was nice meeting you girls!" After saying our goodbyes, Tanya and I went to hang at the mall. It was about nine thirty. We just browsed through random stores and bought a couple things. Then we went to the food court and bought a bunch of different foods, sat at a table, and started devouring it. Halfway into a burrito, I saw this group of boys about my age walk in. They were pretty hot, so I nudged Tanya and gestured toward them, which earned a "OOOH!" from Tanya and a look from the boys. I immediately dropped my burrito and elbowed Tanya as they started walking towards us.

"Tanya, Cameron's in that group of hot guys!"

"NO WAY! WHICH ONE?"

"Be quiet! The one with the messy dark hair and green eyes that's talking to the other ones."

"HOLY CRAP! HE'S HOT!"

"Shut up! They're coming over here! Don't make any comments, you hear me?" By that time they were right in front of us. Cameron smirked at me and sat down at the table, scooching closer to me with the three others behind his chair.

"Hello, ladies. I'm Cameron, and you are?" he said, staring at me with those amazing eyes, apparently expecting an answer. Just as I opened my mouth to answer, he said, "No, wait let me guess. It's either Mary, Kelsey, or Lisa. I'm guessing it's Kelsey. Or Bertha." He grinned at me, not being able to keep a straight face anymore. "Hey Syd." He then looked at Tanya, and I could tell she was practically swooning. "And you are the girl that stole my precious Sydney," he joked, grinning and clinging onto my shoulders for dear life, as if he was protecting me from Tanya. Then he held out his hand. "Nice to meet you."

"It's Tanya," she said ignoring the gesture, now scrutinizing him to see if he was good enough for me. Oh, how I loved my best friend. Just then, as if someone signalled it, Cameron's three friends simultaneously dragged over chairs and sat down with us. A cute boy with dark hair and bright blue eyes smiled at me and said, "So you're the famous Sydney we've heard so much about. I'm Zach, " Then looking at Tanya, he said, "And you're obviously Tanya."

"Ooh, cheetos!" said a boy with dreads and darker skin. "May I?" He asked. Tanya nodded. He grabbed a bag from our table and started chowing down. "Shup I'b Naffen." After swallowing, he repeated it, "I said, 'Sup I'm Nathan."

The last boy, who looked Filipino and was all dimples, smiled and said, "Michael Martinez, the Finest, just for you, baby girls." I was still proccessing what Zach had said. Cameron talked about me? Yay!

"Syd!" I came back to earth with Cameron poking me in my side.

"Huh? What?" Cameron grinned at me.

"You zoned out, Syd. Where were you, France?" Just then Nathan laughed, cheeto bits flying everywhere, and said,

"Yehhhh che wath ind a pomanthick paffishan dgemlen reshton wiff camelon!" He swallowed, and said again, "Yeah she was in a romantic Parisian dreamland resturaunt with Cameron." I blushed and threw a fry at him and it whacked him square in the forehead. He picked it up and ate it smirking at me. Just then Tanya decided she was bored.

"Hey, Sydney, wanna come to Hot Topic with me and annoy the guy at the counter again?" I didn't want to leave, and I didn't think Cam wanted me to either. Zach popped up out of his seat.

"I'll go with you!" Tanya kept a straight face, but her eyebrows were doing this twitchy thing they do when she's excited.

"Cool. Let's go, Zach." They left to go wreak havoc on a goth cashier. Then Nathan and Michael decided they wanted to go to the music store.

"See you guys," Michael called over his shoulder, winking at me. Weirdo.

I was all alone with Cameron.