Chapter 3
"Nikki, wait up!" Amber called after her.
Nikki fought back tears as she hurriedly made her way back to her cabin. The last thing she needed right now was Amber. She shouldn't be crying. She didn't even know if Cameron had liked her in that way. Sure they had gotten along great but maybe that was because he was just trying to be friendly. That was it. He had just been trying to be nice to her. She flopped down on her bunk and gave her pillow a good, solid, punch. It just wasn't fair.
"Oh honey, I'm so sorry," Amber opened the door. "I didn't know that you liked my boyfriend. I suppose I could have broken the news to you a little better huh?" Nikki didn't reply. "I just assumed you'd be smart enough to put two and two together, you know? The best looking girl and best looking guy…although I must say that brother of yours…."
"Don't talk about my brother like that! You've already got a boyfriend. Amber can you just go please," Nikki sniffed, "I really don't want to talk right now." A few moments passed with neither girl making a move. Amber obviously wanted to discuss their current situation more and Nikki was avoiding it like plague.
"Fine," Amber turned, "when you're ready to be mature and talk about this I'll be on the porch."
"I don't have to be mature and talk about this!" Nikki exclaimed. "There's nothing to talk about. Cameron is your boyfriend. I didn't know. Now I now; end of story. Why don't you go sit on your own porch? This is my cabin…."
"Oh, I think I'll just sit here for a while," she smiled, "Your brother may come by and I want to talk to him."
"Fine, just don't expect a lively conversation out of me." Nikki rolled her eyes as she pulled the pillow over her head.
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Slam! A door slammed up ahead of the two figures hurrying along the trail. They turned and looked at each other. Silently they picked up the pace. They may have already been too late. Cameron silently cursed himself for getting Nikki into this situation in the first place. He should have told her but how was he supposed to have known that Amber would still think they were going out. He was as surprised as she had been when he had heard. They could see the cabin now. Amber had resigned herself to staking out the front porch seemingly guarding it from intrusion.
"Wait," Bradin stopped, "should we both go?"
"Yeah," Cameron replied, "I've got to get this straightened out. Amber and I are over. I mean, even if Nikki and I are just friends; that's better than nothing, right?" Bradin nodded. "Do you think she'll still want to be friends? It wasn't my fault…."
"I think so," Bradin began, "It'll take a lot of explaining and maybe some begging. I think it will be alright though. She really seemed to like you. It was strange. I was watching you two and if I hadn't known that you had just met I would have thought you guys had been together forever."
"That good, huh?" Cameron smiled.
"That good." Bradin nodded. "Now, let's go see if we can get this thing figured out." They began walking again this time with a steady, not so rushed, pace. After all, they didn't want to alarm Amber.
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Nikki had stopped crying and now was reduced to an occasional sniffle. She lay facing the wall of the cabin…the cabin where she would be spending the next two months of her summer with ten, high school, boy crazy girls. What fun this would be. Was Amber still on the porch? She wondered. She hadn't been paying attention. Listening now, she could make out the sound of feet coming up the steps; two pairs of feet…Bradin and Cameron.
"Amber what are you doing?" She heard Cameron say. Was that annoyance she detected in his voice? No, she must be imagining things.
"Oh, I'm just waiting for Nikki to grow up…" Amber smugly replied. Nikki shook her head. Amber was the one that needed to grow up. Talk about rubbing something in!
"Come here for a minute." Cameron's voice was cool, "We need to talk." She could just picture Amber's face lighting up in victory. Nikki let out a big sniff.
"Nik, are you in here?" The door opened and her brother walked in.
"Go away Bradin," She softly replied.
Bradin's face fell when he saw his sister curled up on her bed facing the wall. Nikki slowly turned to face him. She had obviously been crying. Nikki normally didn't take stuff like this seriously. He wondered what Amber had said to her. From what Cameron told him he knew that she could be pretty cruel.
"Oh Nikki," Bradin sat on the edge of his sister's bed, "Come on…it's not that bad…." She didn't reply, only rolled her eyes.
"He lied to be Brade." Nikki said quietly, avoiding her brother's gaze.
"No he didn't," Bradin replied, "I don't recall the topic of boyfriends and girlfriends ever coming up this afternoon."
"Well he could have said something," she insisted.
"Nik," he gripped her shoulders, "I want you to listen to me alright?" She nodded. "Cameron doesn't have a girlfriend. He's not dating Amber now. He wasn't dating Amber when he met you."
"No," Nikki replied, "I sat right here this morning and listened to amber go on and on about her boyfriend. Why would she lie about that?"
"Why would Cameron lie?" Bradin persisted. Nikki said nothing and rolled back to face the wall.
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"What is it sweetie?" Amber smiled at Cameron, oblivious to the obvious annoyance shown on his face.
"Why are you doing this? You know we're not together anymore…" he looked back toward Nikki's cabin where Bradin had taken a seat on the steps. "That wasn't right."
"Well yeah," she continued, "but I want to be with you again!"
"Amber…" he rolled his eyes, "you're annoying, clingy, and obsessive. Why would I want to date you again?"
"Well, what makes you think that this little Kansas tramp is any better?" She asked. Cameron didn't answer her. He knew Nikki wouldn't be like that. He didn't have to argue his case to Amber or anyone else. It just wasn't worth it.
"I just know, alright?" He replied. "Look, just stay off my case this year…and hers. Aside from our group activities I don't even want you to come near me." He turned and walked away.
"Fine," Amber said under her breath, "just don't expect me to play nice with sweet little Nikki when you're not around to protect her."
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"Did you get Amber straightened out?" Bradin asked as Cameron reached the steps.
"I think so," he replied. "I don't know why she's doing this. I haven't even talked to her since last year. This is nuts." He paused to push some hair out of his eyes. "Is Nikki alright?"
"She will be," Bradin shifted on the steps, "she's pretty upset. Like I said before, she must really like you."
"Should I go talk to her?" Cameron's gaze fell on the door.
"You can try…she's pretty cranky right now though." Bradin rose, "I'm gonna go back and finish unpacking. Good luck!" Cameron nodded.
The main door to the cabin was wide open. The screen door was closed but he could here a soft sniffle coming from within. This was so messed up. He had finally gotten rid of Amber or at least though so and then she to mess this up. He had hoped to get better acquainted with Nikki. Now Cameron wasn't so sure. After today she may not want anything to do with him. Granted, he hadn't asked her out or something so she really had no reason to be upset but Cameron new better. Neither one of them had to say anything. There was a mutual attraction and they both knew it. Anyone could have seen it. He had to fix this.
"Nikki?" He slowly pushed the screen door open.
"Cameron, just go away please." Her back was facing him as he approached her.
"No," he quietly replied, "You need to here me out. I'm not dating Amber. We dated for a while last year. That was it…nothing more." She rolled over. Her eyes were red, puffy, and bloodshot from crying. He cursed Amber for doing this to her and himself for not seeing it coming. "Are you going to say anything?" His eyes franticly searched hers.
"Cam…" she sniffled, "I…"
