Chapter 10 - Life Goes On
It has been two years since Nikki's death. I think about her everyday. I am in my second year at Stanford University studying English. I walked into my class and I sat down and my teacher said ''I hope everyone had a good holiday''.
I smiled and the teacher wrote down the notes and I copied all of it.
I walked around the college and I saw Gabriella sitting down. I looked at her and told her ''Brie''. Gabriella looked at me and hugged me and asked ''what are you doing here?''.
I smiled and looked at her and told her what I was doing her and what I was studying. Some guy walked over to Gabriella and kissed her. Gabriella looked at me concerned and told me ''this is my boyfriend Caden. Caden this is my old friend Cameron''.
Caden put his hand out and shook my hand. The weird thing about Caden is that he looks like Gabriella perfect guy, blonde hair, blue eyes, looks very athlete.
Caden kissed Gabriella and told her ''I got soccer practice with the guys, see you late babe''. Caden ran off and Gabriella looked at me and I said ''why didn't you tell me about him?''.
Gabriella sat on the chair and told me ''because you never phoned me Cam, I left straight after the funeral and you never followed. I realized I had to live my life and then I met Caden''.
I sat down next to her and said ''I never knew you left. I was heartbroken when I couldn't find you. You where part of the reason I wanted to come to this college''.
I walked to my dorm and sat on the bed. My new room mate looked at the photo of Nikki and asked ''is that your girlfriend?''. I smiled and looked at the photo and told him ''yeah she was, she died of cancer about two years ago''.
My room mate looked at me and said ''I'm sorry dude, I am Lucas by the way''. I stuck up a photo of Gabriella and Lucas asked me ''is that your girlfriend''.
I shook my head and laid down on my bed and told me ''no, she is my friend, we did have history but it's over now. She is at this college studying pre-law''. Lucas sat on the bed next to me and said ''I think I have seen her around''.
I walked into the school canteen and saw Gabriella sitting down with Caden. I wanted to speak to her but not with that guy sitting next to her. Caden kissed Gabriella and said ''I got to go, I am playing soccer with the guys''.
Caden walked away and I sat down next to Gabriella and said ''so Caden loves playing soccer''. Gabriella looked down at the floor and told me ''yep more than me ''.
I looked at Gabriella and told said ''you know if you were with me, I would treat you right''. Gabriella looked me in the eyes and she told me ''I know, but we never lasted''.
I looked at Gabriella and I said ''so when you said I love you, you didn't mean it''. Gabriella put her hand on face and she told me ''I did, I still do but I needed to move on and I did''. Gabriella looked at me and walked away and I shouted ''I love you Gabriella''.
It has been eight years since I shouted I love you in the Stanford Canteen. I walked to the graveyard and I looked at Nikki's grave and said ''hello Nikki, I am everything I wanted to be. I am an artist and a writer. I have a beautiful family. I still love you the same as I did when I was younger. I always will but with the love you gave me help me move on and live my life. Thank you Nikki''.
I put some flowers on her grave and said ''here you go''. Gabriella walked behind me and told me ''I can't believe it has been ten years since Nikki's death''. I smiled and kissed her.
A little girl came running over and hugged me and said ''daddy, play''. I smiled and kissed her forehead and told her ''later, Nikki''. I put my arm around Gabriella and Nikki and said ''just like Nikki wanted for us, to be together and happy''.
The last ten years have been hard without Nikki but a part of her was telling me to be strong and be happy. Four years ago showed me that life really does go on and that was baby Nikki, she looks like Gabriella in every single way well apart from my eyes.
We named her after Nikki as memory to her life and as a thank you for bringing me and Gabriella together. In everything I do, Nikki is always there giving me the strength to go on.
Nikki is always going to be there and it seems like she is living on in baby Nikki and that really does prove that life really does go on.