Is it Really You??

Robbie froze as he caught sight of CC. She was...so utterly different to how he remembered her. He'd seen her picture in magazines, of course, alongside her father, but it was strange seeing her here in the flesh. She had changed to much. Not just older and more beautiful but more stylish. And she seemed to hold herself differently. Like she was someone else entirely. The blue hair, the angsty attitude, her very demeanor....only her eyes were the same.

He let Atti put his arm around him, the big guy's words hardly registering as he reeled from the shock of seeing CC. "Hi Atti" he started to mumble, frowning at how quickly being around these three had pushed him back into his old, quiet, shy self. A self he thought he'd left behind a long time ago.

Then he felt Serenity push away, snapping at the others and at him, storming off towards the camp.

"One of us should go after her" he said in a small voice, looking up at Atti. It was a reflex - they were much closer in height now than they had been - but Atti just felt bigger. As he always had. He couldn't look over at CC, not yet, but could feel his eyes drawn to her against his will. Secretly he hoped that, even though it should probably be he who went after Serenity, that Atti would go instead. Would leave Robbie and CC to talk.

“Memories,” she called out to her. “It’s not just the memories I want gone! I want my name off that stupid tree! I want out of this camp, and I want as far away from this place as I can possibly get! How’s that?” How dare she have the gall to have such an attitude with me. She’s the one that broke her word. She’s the one that stopped writing. “Get over yourself Serenity. It’s not my fault you never got the chance to leave this smudge on the map.” She wasn’t sure if she could hear or not as Serenity had walked away.

Turning she saw Robbie and Atti standing there. Atti was trying his best to retain the delusion that nothing had changed among them all. “Give it up Atti. You look pathetic with your arm around him. What? Would you two like some privacy?” Robbie had mentioned someone going after Serenity, and all CC could do was shake her head at the thought. “If you think I’m going after HER, you better think again. I want nothing to do with her. It’s an insult to even be at this waste of a camp with her. I just want my name off that stupid tree. So if you two will excuse me, I’m….I’m….not going to be able to find it in the dark. Tomorrow. I’ll find the stupid thing then and scratch my name off of it. I don’t want….” Her words trailed off as she looked at Robbie. Suddenly it didn’t so important anymore. “Robbie. I….I….have to go.” Her voice was low as she turned following the same path Serenity had just taken. She paced herself at first, but she ended up catching up to Serenity and pushing past her. “Out of my way,” was all she said as she hurried up the path in the direction of the cabins. This summer can not end fast enough she thought.

Watching Serenity leave, Atti didn't want to see that. It was as if she didn't want anything to do with the rest of them. He sighed and looked at Robbie hearing his words. "Okay, I'll go talk to her. She isn't quite fond of me right now I guess, but I'll try." He left Robbie after CC had departed. Making his way through the dark he caught up to Serenity. He never thought she would snap at any of them. She was always the sweet girl to them, much like CC, but they all say how CC changed.

"Hey.....wait up" he said to her. Even in the dark he could see something was wrong with her. "Not exactly a reunion I'd pictured. Everything okay?"

Serenity walked up the path, her mind shattered at everything going on. How was it that they all managed to make it here this summer. The summer before their real lives started. She didn't hear CC approaching, with out thinking she shoved back. Making the girl she used to know stumble. "Don't ever touch me." She growled. "Why don't you take the rich pathetic self you are and go home!" She yelled sniffling a sob back in her throat. Watching CC dissapear she stood there a moment.

Hearing Atti, the tears fell silently. "No Atti it's not, non of you... Non of us belong here." Crossing her arms she hugged herself. "I'm leaving Friday, and no to be honest I have never imagined a reunion. When you all left, that was our good bye." She headed for the cabins. "Enjoy your summer Atti." She relied before walking away again.

Robbie watched first CC and then Atti depart within quick succession. Was this going to be it then? The whole group as pushed apart as possible within minutes of rejoining? He stood there for a second, transfixed, unsure which way to go. Should he go after Atti and Serenity? Help them sort it out. Or should he....

He made up his mind and raced up the path, blurring past Atti and Serenity as he fell into his usual track pace. This was something new about him, he thought wryly, as he pushed on. Something they'd not known in him before.

He caught up with CC at the edge of the group of huts, skidding to a stop in the gravelly ground.

"CC" he said, panting only slightly, and looking her dead in those angry eyes. He was suddenly angry, looking at them, furious. Annoyance bubbled in him. Who was she to get so high and mighty? His blood was up and he spoke without thinking.

"CC, what's the hurry? You really think I deserve getting cold shouldered like that? Not just the others, but me especially?" He jabbed his hands angrily as he spoke. "You and I were always friends and even if you've not answered any of the ton of letters I sent you over the years I think I deserve a little more respect than a fucking cold shoulder right?"

Her eyes widened in anger. Anger was an emotion she knew quite well. "Tons of letters? You've lost your mind." She shook her head and looked away. There was no way he wrote her. She never got a single letter from him. Did the post lose them all? Not likely. She forced a smile looking down at the ground before looking up at him. "You don't have to lie to me Robbie. You don't have to be my friend. You don't even have to call me CC anymore. Nobody ever does. I left that nickname, along with all my friends, behind when I had to go with my family. So you're off the hook. You can flirt with all the girls here. I'm sure they'll fall at your feet. A handsome guy like you is sure to get plenty of girls." A blush spread across her face, but Callie was unaware. "We, all of us, had our time. It was fun. It was something to remember, but now it's over. Time to move on. Time to grow up." She turns and heads away from him disappearing in her cabin.

A few hours later, among the snores of the other girls in her cabin, Callie sat staring at the lake. All the memories of the late night swims came flooding back to her. A huge smile across her face, she figured why not. Grabbing a towel, a bottle of water, and a bag of cookies she had brought in, she silently crept from the cabin and down to the lake. Walking along the shore, she followed it until she found the pier. Laying her items down, she pulled her robe from her body. Slipping off the pier into the water, she felt invigorated and at home. This one memory that was amazing to have. The blue dye in her hair, not meant to be permanent began to wash out revealing her black hair. Along with it, some of who Callie had become began to fade. She rested on her back, floating in the water, and her mind played through a barrage of memories. She saw all four of them swimming, splashing each other, eating cookies, laughing, and sharing secrets. They made a life, memories, to last a lifetime. Now everything was so different, so messed up. She missed it all. She missed them, but they forgot her too. They didn't write her, they didn't call, they did nothing. They just let her father, a man who could care less about her, whisk her a whole other world away, and they forgot about her. Friends don't do that. Her father had told her over and over again it was time to grow up, forget them, and move forward. She had done that. Now it was their turn.

Atti walked with her not wanting to leave her yet. "Wait, don't go yet. I want to talk to you Serenity." He reached out to grab her hand. He knew this was an opportunity for all four of them to have proper closure before life began for everyone. "Listen, you can stay up for a little bit longer. Walk with me" He pulled her to him wanting all four of them to have a proper sit down together and talk about what was bothering everybody. This would be their last summer together, he didn't want it to be in vain. "Serenity, we each need to put our bad feelings aside and talk to each other."

Serenity sighed, there was always something about Atti that kept her in her place. As he pulled her she started to walk with him. His hand rather warm on hers, letting go she slid her hands into his back pocket. "There's no point in talking. It's obvious we have all grown apart and have changed." She sighed. " CC... I'll never speak to her again, she made her choice by not returning calls,email or letters." She shrugged "You and Robbie just stopped calling, you can't expect us to be able to talk." As they walked their way through the paths, leading to the opposite side of the lake. Sitting down she fumbled in her pocket. The pack of smokes still there. Laying back in the grass she looked up at the stars. "What's the point?"

Robbie wanted to say something else, to try to rescue the situation, but it was spiraling away too fast. CC....No, Callie, clearly now, was already storming off again and this time he didn't follow. It was enough. Too much. He sighed, feeling the air leave him and his confidence, built up over the years he'd been away from Cherryville, evaporate with it. Robbie had never been the most confident guy before and, now, he felt alone. Utterly alone.

He wandered back to his cabin, vaguely greeting his new roommates. Atti wasn't amongst them, it seemed, and he didn't know if that was a relief or a pain. Instead he went running. He ran and ran. Through the forest, along the trail, trying to clear his head. Trying to leave everything behind. God he was stupid to come back. He should have stayed in Kentucky. Why had he written all those letters? Turned down the couple of girls interested in him? Held onto a vision of CC that wasn't even real? He ran faster, tears stinging his eyes, feet pounding the rough track.

Suddenly he was at the pier. He stopped, panting with effort, hands on his knees. This was where they would come, swimming, enjoying themselves. Robbie was struck by the sudden urge to swim. To have time off from everything else and slip into the cool water. He tugged his way out of his tracksuit, leaving him in just his boxers, and then he sprinted along the wooden pier. He saw the towel and the other belongings as a blur as he passed, his head twisting comically around to stare at them even as he launched into a dive. Instead of a graceful arc he splashed, limbs waving, into the water. Surfacing, wiping his hair out of his eyes, he was struck by the sight of a startled Callie, head bobbing above the surface, looking back at him. "CC!" he blurted, feeling eight all over again, unable to stick to her real name even though she'd told him.

She felt all the ill and unrest feelings drain from her body flowing into the water. Finally some peace. Finally something that felt right. She had longed for that since she stepped inside the camp. Atti, Serenity, and Robbie were all so different. Of course she had known time had already done that to them all. Why the lies? There had not been a single letter? Why had Robbie even mentioned that? It was so cruel of him. It had hurt her deeply because she was madly….She shook her head trying to push the thoughts, the feelings away, but it was to no avail. The thoughts and feelings had already crept in. All the times she saw him, when he spoke to her, how it made her feel, it was all there right in front of her. Her face scrunching up as the tears threatened her, she stared at the stars. Robbie had always made her feel so different than any of the others. Serenity and Atti were her best friends, and she loved them dearly, but Robbie was special.

The sudden splashing startled her from her calm, and she jerked about in the water until she was upright, bobbing with her head just above the water. As the water settled, she heard his voice. “Robbie! What are ya doing?” She covered her mouth embarrassed that she reverted back to the same young girl she was back then. Taking a deep breath, she lowered her hand into the water tilting her head at him. “You scared me. You came out of nowhere. Wh-What are you doing here?” She pushed the tears back and down. All she wanted to do was swim over to him and embrace him. Her old familiar feelings of anger and distrust started to rear their ugly heads though. She in fact began to distance herself from him. "Why did you lie? I thought we were friends! Why would you lie about something like that? Why would you say you wrote me letters? I waited every single day! A letter from you....well....it NEVER CAME! I....I liked you Robbie! I mean I really liked you! Why," she asked her voice beginning to crack. The tears she had pushed so far down were fighting their way back up and winning. "Why did you lie? Why didn't you write me?"

Atti laid back in the grass beside her. He looked up at the stars in the sky. All the familiar constellations were there that he had spotted over the few summers they were there together. He looked over and saw her with her cigarettes. He reached over and took those away from her "Hey come on, shouldn't be smoking. When did you start anyway?" He looked back up at the sky, letting out a sigh "Yeah, you are right. Life did happen to us all. We became different people. I can't speak for Robbie, but the reason I never called was because I never could figure out what to say to you. I mean after being away for a long time, what could I say?" He knew it wasn't a good answer, but he was being honest with her. What could he say? 'Hey Serenity, it's been a long time since we've talked to each other, but what's up?' "I did miss you a lot Serenity."

He stared at her above the lapping of the waves, watching her rage and glare at him, her voice coming to a high-pitched and emotional sob. She was pedaling back a little in the water, flailing with her arms, her face a mixture of hurt and anguish.

Robbie pushed forward a little as she went back, not saying anything, pressing forward in the water until she was backed against the wood of the pier. They were almost in the shallows of the water again, the sand and gravel grazing the tips of he toes, and CC had her back against one of the supports. They were both breathing hard, eyes locked on each other, unable to look away.

"I wrote to you all the time CC" he said softly. "Every week. For ten years. What I was doing. How my family was. What music I liked. Hell...everything. Everything was in those damn letters. I...."

Suddenly the blood was pounding in his ears, he pulse racing, and he pushed forward in the water against her. He felt her body, soft against him, and her breath hot on his face. Their noses were touching, they were so close, and he gazed deep into her eyes. "I loved you CC. I never stopped loving you. For ten years I carried that flame, like a delicate little candle, from place to place. I wrote to you every week and told you. Even when I heard nothing back. I love you Calie."

Then he pressed in and kissed her, his lips hot on hers, their bodies pressed together in the cool water.

He started to move towards, and a surge of panic took over. Her movements quicker, more frantic, as she tried to escape him. Her back smashing into the unforgiving wood, and CC knew she wasn’t going to get away from him.

His words struck a nerve deep inside her. He….had….written? Her face showing her confusion, she shook her head slowly. “No. That’s impossible. My father would have told me.”

She gasped as he pressed against her. Electricity sparked anew an throughout her. This felt so strange, and yet there was something exhilarating about being so close to him. It seemed right, so perfect, so incredibly perfect. Her eyes at his. She never looked away.

At first, as he spoke, it seemed the words weren’t really real. It was more what she wanted him to say, a dream, anything but reality, but as the water stilled and her nose rested against his, she realized this wasn’t some dream she was having while resting at home in her bed. This was real. This was Robbie before her confessing his love. Something she had always wanted. Something she certain she would never have, and now here it is. He was right there before her, and she could reach out and touch him, hold him, kiss him, tell exactly how she felt. Before those words were given the chance to pass from her lips, his were pressed against her own. She felt the kiss linger, and slowly she brought her hands up to cradle his face.

As the kiss came to a close, her nose rested against his once more. “Robbie….I….” She paused still locked to him. “Robbie I love you. I always have. I was just too scared to tell you. What if you didn’t like me? What if you laughed at me? What if you rejected me? What if told everyone that I loved you as a joke? Well I spent the time we had together before so afraid of the ‘what ifs’. Now that I am fortunate enough to have more time with you, I won’t waste my time. I may get into so much trouble with my father, but, “ she shook her head, “I don’t care. Say it again Robbie. Then, if you want to, kiss me.”

Serenity glared at him as she reached back for them, over reaching she rolled on top of him. "They are mine, and two years after you all left." Yanking them from his hand she slipped them back into her pocket. Listening to him she realized he had a point. Looking down at him she smiled, maybe he was still the same deep down. "Your right, even if any of you called it would be akward and strange." She rested her head on his chest just under his chin. "I missed you too." She whispered, not wanting to move but she pushed herself up slowly and started geting up.

When she started to get up, his hands rested on her waist. He was very relieved to see her smile at him again like she always used to do. He was glad to be able to have a conversation with her finally without her storming away. Their last time together here, all they had was that kiss, as well as the slap she gave him. Not even a satisfactory goodbye between them. Things felt different now, like the way they used to feel.

"Wait." He looked up into her eyes giving her a smile "Don't get up. Let's stay just like this for a while."

As he stared into her eyes he leaned up and pressed his lips against hers softly, hoping this time she wouldn't smack him.

She....she'd loved him. Always loved him. And, like him, not said anything. Robbie's head felt light, his thoughts flitting like a million little paper pieces in a breeze. My God....

He felt her body, in its sheer swimsuit, shift gently against him as the water of the lake lapped around them. Her nose rested against his.

"I love you" he breathed into her face, leaning into the soft hands that held his face. "I love you Calie. Love you love you love you love you...."

Suddenly he was kissing her, peppering her entire face with kisses, smiling at her as he did so. Murmuring the words into her again and again, writing his love into her skin. It was the truth. He loved her utterly. Had held out for so long. Now it felt like a damn bursting, a torrent of affection and pent up emotion, and he pressed into her, feeling her legs wrap around him as he edged her against the rough wood of the pier. His toes scrabbled in the sandy bottom of the lake as he leaned in and kissed her again and again.

Breaking the kiss he ran a hand through her hair. "Oh Calie" was all he could whisper, gazing deep into her eyes.

Robbie felt so good as she finally gave into something she had felt for as long as she could remember. Even at a young age, meeting him, knowing him, she had loved him. She never told anybody because she knew they would simply look at her and tell her how silly she was being, but here and now, she wasn’t being silly. She was in love.

He covered her face with his kisses, a grin on her lips. Those eyes, that touch, and the words, the sweet words she had wanted to hear from him for so long where breaking through the fog of anger that had long ago settled on her. Robbie had always been the one to get through to her when others couldn’t. When Callie wanted to lock herself away from the world, from her family, he was the one who would reach out and take hold of her.

“I love you Robbie.” The words were so simple, and they came so easy as she looked at him. “I have wanted to tell you that for so long. I’ve wanted to hear those words from your lips for so long. Those handsome, perfect lips of yours,” she said tracing a finger along his lower lip, her eyes following her fingertip. “I might hate myself tomorrow for giving in and letting down my guard,” she smiled. “But right now,” she paused looking up at him. “I don’t care. “ Leaning in she captured his mouth once more wrapping her arms around his neck, pulling him in closer as her legs tightened around his waist.

The fact that he kissed her didn't surprise her as much as she thought it would. Kissing him back she abruptly pulled away, "No, we can not do this.." She wiggled out of his grip and sat up. Her eyes watched the lake Infront of her. "In a few weeks, we will go our seperate ways once again." She sighed. Serenity had regretted slapping him the first time, but she was shocked and not experienced back then.

As her eyes watched the lake, she caught to figures in the water by the dock. "I say...We go spoil thoes twos plans." She smirked. "We can't let the opportunity of fun slip by now can we?" She stood and reached for his hand. "You in for a bit of fun?"

He felt that feeling of rejection when she pulled away from him. He was hesitant to take her hand, but whatever to spend time with her. He sat up sighing a little. He wanted to spend time with her, but he wanted that time to be alone with her. He took her hand and stood and looked out to the water at the two figures. He squinted trying to see if he could identify them. He heard not voices, he could only tell the figures were staying in the same spot together. He thought to himself that he was jealous of them. He had a sense of what they were doing, he just wished he could have that with Serenity, but he felt that she would always reject him. "Lead the way."

She was pressing herself against him, wrapping her slender legs around his waist, and Robbie leaned in to return her affection with eager lips. His tongue pressed into her mouth, CC's mouth hot and tender on his. It was a dream but, really, he didn't want to wake up. He felt himself growing hard in his trunks, his groin rubbing against hers as his feet scrabbled for purchase in the sandy bottom of the lake.

Robbie broke the kiss, pulling apart a little way, about to tell Calie just how much he adored her, how this would be much more than just a one night thing. Then he heard footsteps on the pier. He couldn't work out who it was, unable to see in the darkening sky, but whispered to CC.

"Someone's coming" he said, flushed, pulling back a little further but not wanting to let go of her completely just yet.

Everything about her was screaming more. Callie didn’t want to move, to let go, to ever stop kissing her. She had often wondered what it would be like to kiss Robbie, to kiss anyone for that matter, and now she knew it exceeded any of her expectations. Even her dreams could not compare to this. Bathed in the cool water of the lake, she felt strange sensations, reactions taking place with her body. There was a growing sense of urgency within her as her sex, her hips, all felt warmed.

When he pulled away from her, her face burned crimson with anger. Certain he was pulling away from her to leave, she felt abandoned. He spoke, reassuring her there was more to his actions as she too began to hear people. “I hear them,” she whispered. Callie froze in the water still feeling his touch and not wanting him to let go. This was the first time she had felt something good in a long time. Her eyes met his as she nearly held her breath waiting.

Serenity and Atti made it to the dock. Still unable to make out who the people in the water were, she contniued to the end of the dock. Her eyes widened in surprise and shock.."Robbie??" She turned to the other figure. "CC.... Wow, who would have thought you two who hook up and score at camp." She laughed and kneeled on the pier. "So how long have to two been an item, by the looks of it seems like it was before camp... "

It was Serenity. And a hulking shape that must have been Atti. He heard her lilting voice as CC shrank against him, her face flushed with anger and embarrassment. He wanted to be furious, felt he should have been, at the interruption, but the fact that Robbie had suddenly got everything he'd ever wanted in life in his arms just left him feeling ecstatic. On top of the world. He grinned as he watched a pair of legs dangle down next to them.

"Oh all of about five minutes" he chuckled, planting a soft kiss on CC's forehead. "Thanks for coming and spoiling the mood! You always were a moment killer as I recall" he teased, knowing that nothing of the sort was really true. Suddenly, with them all together, everything felt right in the world.

But that didn't mean that he'd let Serenity off with her teasing. Winking at CC he suddenly reached up and, with a firm grip on Serenity's knees, pitched his friend headfirst into the cold water of the lake. He laughed, feeling CC press against him as Serenity caused a small wave, as he watched his friend plunge into the water.

"TAKE THAT!" he shouted, not caring who heard, and roaring with laughter.

CC pressed her body into Robbie. Don't leave me, she thought. Her thoughts turned to anger as she thought about Serenity though. She hadn't written either, or maybe it was her father. With the way she had changed, she could believe it was either of those reasons. "Not like it's any of your business, " she added as Robbie told her how long they had been together. "I'm sure there is some place you can go to smoke or vandalize something. Right? That's what your kind does. Isn't it?" It seemed the second her eyes were off Robbie, the snarky bitch she had become returned. Maybe this was wrong. Maybe her father was right. Maybe it was time to grow up.

As Robbie pulled Serenity into the water, at first she huddled closer to him. Hearing his voice boom out as he spoke to Serenity though, she pulled away from him. "This is wrong. I can't do this. I have to go. You need to grow up Robbie! All of you! This is ridiculous! This stupid camp! Us? Did you really think we could all be best friends again? Look at us! We're nothing like what we once were. Well. Except for the immature part. You three seem to have that down still. Grow up. Nevermind. I'll leave you to play with Serenity. Enjoy it while you can, but don't take anything she says at face value. She. Lies. She'll forget about you the second you're gone. Oh I'll write," she mocked towards Serenity. "Yeah right. As long as there's nothing better to do I guess. Right Serenity? And Atti. You stand there not saying anything, like a dumb jock. Then there's you Robbie." She sighed forcing a laugh. "How could we ever be you and me? We're too different. Camp will end, you will go on with your life, and I will...." her voice trails as she does not want to finish that statement. A truth she didn't want to talk about. "I've gotta go," she tells him pushing his body gently as she doesn't really want him to move. "I can't stay. I can't do this. We have to grow up Robbie. All of us. We have to grow up."

Atti knelt down on the dock when Robbie pulled her into the water. He couldn't help but laugh at her. He always laughed at his friends when they knew it was nothing serious, something that they'd easily bounce back from. He moved to sit on the dock with his legs dangling over the edge. He watched, seeing CC and Robbie close together, seeing the look on Robbie's face that that was his only desire in the world, to have CC there with him.

CC's words rang in everybody's ears. Atti watched as she pushed away from Robbie. Why was CC being like this? This was the moment each of them was secretly looking forward to, all four back together again. Why was she acting like this? Was she running from something? He wanted to stop her, but what could would it do? CC was the kind of girl that when her mind was made up it was near impossible to convince her otherwise. He felt she just needed time to herself. Was this reunion too much for her?