One Shots

Catherine and Cameron Quiseng

            Eight months today. We’ve been together eight months today. I think to myself as I crawl out of bed and walk into the bathroom. I look in the mirror. I have a terrible case of bedhead. I jump on the shower and then dry my hair. After it’s dry I curl it on the ends and go downstairs to get some breakfast. Cameron and I are going to hang out for most the day today. He told me we’re going to the beach. Since its July 4th I decided to put on my red, white, and blue bikini and wear my white cover-up and my American Flag flip-flops. There was a knock at the door and I opened it to see Cameron standing there smiling. “Morning babe” He said. I smiled. “Morning” I said. Cameron leaned in and kissed me softly. “Ready to go?” Cameron asked. “Just a second” I said. I went back upstairs to get my sunglasses and towel. I put my sunglasses on my head and put my towel, sunscreen, our beach blanket and two water bottles in my beach bag and went back downstairs. “Now I’m ready” I said. Cameron took my hand and we headed to the beach.

            Since my apartment was only a few blocks away from the beach Cameron and I decided to walk. “It’s a beautiful day out, isn’t it?” I said. Cameron nodded. “Just wait until tonight when they do the fireworks” Cameron said. “Have you seen them before?”  I asked. “Yeah, Zach and Michael and I saw them once a few years ago” Cameron said. “When Nathan was still here…” Cameron got quiet. “So what are these things like?” I asked, changing the subject. “I’ve never been to a huge LA beach barbeque before” “Well, you talk to people you know or don’t know if you want to. You eat food, you mess around in the water, you can tan if you want to, and then at 10 o’clock they start the fireworks which go until about 10:30” Cameron said. “10:30? That’s a long time…” I said. “Yeah but it’s worth it” Cameron said smiling. “Well, I can’t tan” I said. “I am literally incapable of doing it. I burn instead…” Cameron laughed. “Well, we can just mess around in the ocean then” He said. I smiled. “I’d like that”

            We got to the beach and Cameron and I found an open spot and we laid out the beach blanket and Cameron set up the umbrella over it. I put my bag down next to it. “Hey Cam, will you put sunscreen on my back?” I asked, tossing him the bottle. Cameron caught it and squirted it onto his hand and then started rubbing it into my bag. His hands are so large and warm… “You would make a good masseuse” I told him after he finished. “Well, I can always take that up if this band thing fails” Cameron joked. “Don’t even think about it” I said laughing. I put my sunglasses in my bag and started to say something else when Cameron picked me up bridal style and started running down to the water. “Cameron!” I yelled. He continued running and when he got to the water he just threw me in. “Cameron Quiseng!” I yelled. Cameron started laughing and then I grabbed his feet with my legs and pulled him down with me.

            I started laughing as Cameron rolled around in the water. After a few minutes he sat up and looked at me. “What?” I asked. Cameron continued staring at me but didn’t say anything. “Is my top down?” I asked. I looked to make sure my bikini top didn’t come off when Cameron threw me down. Nope… it was still perfectly fine. “What is it?” I asked Cameron again. Cameron grinned and then rolled over and pushed me down and he rolled over on top of me. “Hello Catherine” Cameron said staring down at me. I started laughing. “Hello Cameron” I said, mocking his tone of voice. Cameron leaned down and kissed me, letting the waves splash around us. A few minutes later Cameron rolled back over and we sat up. We turned around to where we faced the water instead of the sand. Cameron wrapped his arms around me and I crossed my legs over onto his. We sat there watching the sea and letting the waves wash up on us.

            At about 2 o’clock everyone went to get a burger or hot dog so Cameron and I got up and dried off and then went to grab a burger. We went and sat back down on the blanket and ate and talked. “This is a really good burger” I said, shoving it in my mouth. “Best you’ll ever get that aren’t from In-N-Out” Cameron said smiling. “You’re going to have to take me there too” I said. Cameron smiled. “Will do” He said. I smiled and we continued eating. After we ate we laid back on the blanket and talked. Cameron put his arms around me and I laid my head on his shoulder. “How long until fireworks?” I asked. “About 7 hours” Cameron said. I turned my head to get a better look at him. “Why don’t we take a walk” I suggested. “Where?” Cameron asked. “Along the beach” I said. I grabbed my sunglasses and stood up. “Come on” I said, holding out my hand for him to take it. Cameron took my hand and stood up and we started walking along the beach.

            “You shouldn’t wear those sunglasses” Cameron said. “Why?” I asked. “It’s sunny” “Because they hid your pretty eyes” Cameron said. I blushed. “But you’re not even looking in my eyes right now” I said, laughing a bit. “So?” Cameron asked. I laughed again. “So I don’t need to not hide them” I said. Cameron laughed and the two of us continued walking along the beach. Cameron and I would walk more towards the water then the sand and we’d let the water wash up on our feet as we walked along. We walked and talked about just about everything. We talked about Zach and his awkwardness, Dillon and how his favorite word is shit, Michael and his new obsession with Orangutans, and Brent and his crush of the day. Cameron and I would just burst out laughing at certain things and people would turn and give us weird looks.

            Before we knew it, the fireworks started to go off. “Wow, is it 10 o’clock already?” I asked. Cameron checked his watch. “Yup…” Cameron said. We stopped walking and just stood there and watched the fireworks. Cameron wrapped his arms around me from behind and put his chin on my shoulder. “Wow…” I mumbled. “I told you there were breath taking” Cameron whispered in my ear. I nodded. “Breath taking is right…” I said quietly. Cameron stood there holding me as we watching the fireworks. We watched them for about fifteen minutes and then decided to start walking back, quicker this time, so we would have some sort of light to find our way back to our belongings. I started walking back but Cameron wasn’t following. I turned around and walked back and stood in front of him.

“What are you doing?” I asked. Cameron grabbed my hands and pulled me close to him. He kissed me long and soft. When we pulled away he stared into my eyes. “Catherine” Cameron said. “I love you” I smiled and tears started running down my cheeks, happy tears though. Cameron hadn’t told me he loved me before. This was the first time… I threw my arms around him and gave him a hug. Cameron held me tightly under the light of the fireworks. “I love you, Catherine” Cameron said again. I smiled again. “I love you too, Cameron” I said. And with that, Cameron grabbed my hand and we started walking back the other way with only the light of the fireworks lighting our path.