Nikki had left the house in a rush after telling Ava about meeting Cameron a little before noon. Her heart was racing as she rode her bike for a few blocks to the promenade, thinking the whole way there how she was going to greet him. She ran through a few lines in her head, but ultimately decided they all sounded foolish.
Arriving at a quarter till twelve, she parked her bike outside of the Tiki Squeeze and looked around for Cameron.
"Nikki!"
She heard her name and her leapt into her throat, blocking her mind from forming any type of sentence. Slowly, she turned around and saw Cameron walking toward her.
'Think Nikki! It's just Cameron, be yourself!' her conscience screamed at her.
"Hey Cameron," she said, waving.
"I'm glad you could meet me. I wasn't sure if your aunt would let you out."
"Oh, yeah. She just wants me home by dinner."
"No problem. So, you thirsty?"
" I'm famished."
"All right, let's go. My treat."
He led the way in, Nikki smiling while her stomach did flips. She was amazed that she could feel this way about a guy. No wait, not just any guy. This was Cameron Bale; Nikki's other half, and possibly more than just a friend.
Once inside, they ordered their drinks and found a table by the window. For the next hour, Nikki and Cameron talked endlessly about themselves, giving the other one more understanding about who they were. Cameron talked about his parents divorce and how weird it felt having to ask to visit one or the other. Nikki briefly talked about losing her parents and moving to Playa Linda, at which Cameron added he was glad she was here, making Nikki blush. They laughed about getting caught alone on Founder's Day and making up for it the next day.
After their smoothies were drained, they decided on a movie to temporarily escape the heat. On the way there they held hands, Nikki singing an Alleluia Chorus in her head. During the movie, she gathered her courage and laid her head on Cameron's shoulder making him smile.
Around four thirty, Cameron and Nikki rode their bikes home, relieved that the heat had died down just a bit. Nikki parked her bike around back and Cameron walked her to the front door. They stopped there, Nikki's heart pounding so loud that she was almost afraid he would hear it.
"I had a really great time today. Thanks for meeting me."
"You're welcome. Thank you for inviting me, I had a wonderful time too."
Cameron smiled nervously, as did Nikki.
"Well, I better get going. I don't want my dad to worry."
"Yeah, I better get inside too."
Cameron's mind was racing, he couldn't think straight. He could feel himself starting to sweat.
"Well, bye," he said and to Nikki's dismay, turned away.
"Bye," Nikki said trying to hide her disappointment. She began to twist the doorknob when he turned back around.
"Nikki, wait."
She turned back to face him and he said, "I forgot something."
He brushed her cheek lightly with his fingertips making her knees tremble, and lifted her chin up so she was looking into his eyes. She felt her breath catch in her throat and closed her eyes. He leaned down slightly and kissed her, feeling himself linger his lips on hers. Nikki certainly didn't object.
They pulled away, somewhat reluctantly, but knew they couldn't remain in the moment, and after a minute said goodbye. Nikki came in glowing with the radiance of a thousand suns. She made her way up to her room and closed the door, turning on the radio to one of her favorite songs. With a gentle sigh and smile, she collapsed onto her bed and hugged a pillow to her chest, humming along to the music.
'…Just another day that I had the best day of my life.'