Summer Child-Cam Cameron

Prologue: Locket

Prologue: Three Summers Ago...

I don't think i've ever been this happy in a long time. We took our bikes for a ride down the beach. I was in the lead right now trying to pedal the beach cruiser as fast as I can. I can hear his laughters and smack talk in the back. "I'm catching up Gwen!" He calls out. I shake my head and laugh. "Not a chance Cameron!" I taunt back.

Cameron decided to race me to the beach by my house after we got ice cream. We did this almost everyday since I've gotten here. My two braids dance in the wind as the loose hair whips me in the face. But i still don't slow down.

It wasn't until I saw Cameron right out of the corner of my eyes right next to me. "Eat my dust, Russels!" He screams as he speeds off leaving me a few inches behind. I scoff and lift my bottom off the seat to stand and pedal. It makes me feel like i'm going faster. Likely I wasn't wearing a sundress like I did majority of this summer. Instead, I wore my shorts overalls with a white tank top that had a pink stain from the strawberry ice cream that melted too fast.

However, I couldn't catch up. My beach cruisers was no match for his BMX bike. Once I saw him turn right, I knew it was over. I lost. I reached him a few seconds later and saw his big smirk like he had won the olympics. "I thought it was gonna be you this time Gwen." He now taunts back.

I roll my eyes and prop down my kickstand. "I did in the beginning." I tell him as fix my hair. He laughs and walks over to me helping me with my hair. I look up towards him watching how focus he is trying to retie the pink bows at the end of the two braids.

"I like these."

"What?"

"The bows. I like them." My heart swelled once he said that. I smiled and thanked him for helping me out. Tomorrow is my last day in Cousins before my dad takes me and my sister back to the airport to go back to California. I was gonna miss it here.

"So, what did you want to show me?" I ask taking a step back so that we're not as close. Cameron let out a small smile and reached in his back pocket. "Close your eyes first." He insisted as he clenched his right hand. "Are you gonna leave me here again. That wasn't funny." Cameron laughed again and shook his head.

"I promise it's actually something this time. Close your eyes and turn around."

I gave him a suspicious look before doing as he instructed. I closed my eyes and turned myself facing the ocean that held a pinkish blue sunset just beyond it. I could hear the ocean splashing to the shore and the seagulls squalling around. I could feel him behind me mumbling to himself about something I can't make out.

It wasn't until I felt cold metal around my neck. I jumped slightly but I realized he had put a necklace on me. I could feel his breath on the back of my neck as he stayed for a while after he clipped the necklace.

"Open." he says softly.

I open my eyes and look down towards the gold heart shape necklace he just placed on me. It was beautiful. Stunning. Confused on how a fourteen year old could've possibly afford something like this. "Cam." I say breathless. He smiled at my reaction. "How much was this?" I asks holding onto the heart. "Don't worry about it." He shrugs.

"Check it out." His hands go to the heart and open it up. "Look." I furrow my brows and look inside the locket heart. It was a picture. Of us. It was a picture of us at the beach that my sister took of us. We had ice cream in our hands. My head was leaning out his shoulder and his head was on top of mine. "I asked your sister to see it after she took it and it was one of my favorites of us." Cameron say as the left side of his mouth curls up.

Gosh. I wanted to scream and run and jump from the excitement he gave me. I wanted to squeeze him with all the strength I have in me. I wanted to tell him that after all these years I've known him, I've realized how much I'm in love with him.

"I'm hopelessly in love with you."

His face fell. So did mine.

I didn't realize that escaped my thoughts. "Cam," I say softly watching his face to see if there were any emotions. But none. This made my heart start beating faster and my palms sweaty. I ruined it. I ruined my friendship with my best friend. I ruined us.

"Thanks for the necklace i've got to go." I say in the rush as I kick back the stand by bike was resting on. Everything was like a jumbled mess in my mind. As soon as I got back on my bike I could hear him calling for me.

"Gwen! Wait! Guinevere!"

I pedaled as fast as my legs could. My braids were flying in the wind and the pink bows were getting untied about. My tears made it worst. I can't believe I said that.

"Stupid. Stupid. Stupid." I muttered to myself wiping the tears with the back of my hand. When I got home, my dad was in the kitchen speaking with Conrad Fisher who was helping with some lawn work to make extra cash. "Gwenie? You home?" I hear my dad call out. "Yeah." I replied snuffling making my way upstairs as fast as I can.

I shut my door and slid down. I admired my feelings to him and he didn't even say anything. I didn't come down for the rest of the night. I didn't go surfing with the Fisher boys like I promised Jeremiah I would before I left. It wasn't until I heard a knock that broke me out of my silence.

"Hey, Gwenie." I hear Rory voice. "Yeah." I replied. I was still in my overalls and my braids were messy. The bows fell out a long time ago. Somewhere on the streets probably. "Susannah was asking for you. She said you didn't go back for surfing." I turned over towards her and she gave me a small frown.

"Aww Gwen. What happened?"

I told her. I hated how I felt after I told her but I did. She hugged me as I cried. I think the worst part was he didn't even come by the next day to say goodbye. Susannah and Laurel brought their kids over to say goodbye. I loved them. They were a whole other family I had here.

Usually whenever I would get home, Cam would call me. But not this time. I guess that was it. Feelings were definitely not mutual.

Athena's Corner🧸🪴
Sigh. Sucks being a hopeless romantic. HEYYY GUYS.