Could it Really be You??

He began to pull her closer, and her feelings, her emotions, all seemed to be sinking deeper within. As her face came inches from his, her eyes fixed to his, and she listened to what he said. The words were enough to melt a little bit of the ice that was now her heart, but his lips pressed to her own, and she felt warmth where she had been cold for so long. Slowly, lovingly, she wrapped her arms around his neck. He was right. What they had growing up had not changed. With him before her, all those old familiar feelings came rushing back in. She had been too young, too naïve, too shy to express them the way she wanted to, but now, with him her, thousands of miles away from her father and all his plans for her, she found the strength to let some of her walls down.

Breaking the kiss, her lips still so close to his, she whispers to him, “I wanted to do that for so long.” She kissed him without hesitation, without abandon. Her arms pulling him in tighter as the other campers passed by. Their hushed whispers meant nothing to her. The stares didn’t exist. All that mattered was the person in her arms.

She released him, still holding him close. “A promise? For me? For forever? Robbie,” she began. “You are….amazing.” She looked into his eyes as her heart raced. “Tonight, can we just be together? I want to sit next to you at the bonfire. I want to be yours. Will you sit with me, hold me, kiss me goodnight when we have to part? Tonight can we be….together?” She wasn’t referring to sex. In her own sweet, innocent way, Callie was just asking him to be her boyfriend even if only for one night. What Robbie, what none of them knew, was she had never given herself to anyone. There was such a growing fear at first as she was the shy, nerd at school. As time passed, she became the bitch that had attacked Michael.

She reached down, taking his hand in hers’. “Come on Robbie. Say yes. Say you’ll go with me. If not, I understand,” she told him looking down and releasing his hand as her old doubts and fears crept back into her mind. “I can go by myself. I’m rather accustomed to it.”

"Don't be dumb" he said with a grin, taking her back into his arms as she pulled away.

Her lips had tasted so sweet, sweeter than the teenaged Robbie had ever imagined in his wildest dreams, and now he wanted her more than he could ever imagine. She had whispered her words to him, opened her heart to him, and there was no way in hell that Robbie was going to forget that. Or allow it to slip.

He entwined his fingers with hers. Took her hand in his. Brought it to his mouth and kissed the back of her hand. It was smooth and a little hot, maybe excited by their contact. He smiled. "I can't think of anything I'd ever want more in the entire world than to spend time with you Callie" he said softly. "I've...." he blushed, chuckling, as he caught her gaze. "I've fancied you for so long. I was beginning to wonder if the candle I held for you was in danger of burning out. But seeing you here....reconnecting with you....."

He looked at her earnestly. "It can't just be one night Callie. It can't. It has to be forever." It seemed rash but, deep down, this was how he felt.

Looking down at Serenity a strange calm settled over Michael, his own thoughts of being at the camp had gone from a wistfulness of the past, to anger and now rested on a satisfaction that he had done the right thing. As the campers passed by them, eyes looking at the odd pair, while used to being the center of attention this was one time Michael felt annoyed by it. Not for him, but for Serenity as he could see the eyes judging. Judging her. That was uncool.

A breath of fresh air from the trees brought him back and he smiled, taking her arm in his and smiling. Let them think what they want, for the moment he could give everyone else something to talk about. If anyone said anything to him about Serenity they'd get it all back, in fists.

"Well you know me and Callie, like oil and water," he sighed as they walked back. Wondering if he could ever make up with her, the thoughts passed over him. Michael wondered if it was tough to lose a friend, when you had already been cut out of their life was it that much worse? No answer came to him as they walked along the cabins, the shadows playing over them as he remembered the camp being much bigger.

"I do hope I still get you, and you me," he stopped a moment, "I do wish someone would get me. I've missed that." Flashing Serenity a smile it would be nice to have someone to talk to again, someone who could call him out. "The bonfire was corny, but I did like it. Best time to scope out the babes you know," he told her with a wink she couldn't see but the elbow in his side told him she knew it was there regardless.

Serenity had grown used to the looks she got from people. She did dress to stand out, and to be her own person so it was not anything new when the passing by campers glared and judged. The fact that she stood pretty much chest to chest with a jock, now that probably deserved some attention in its own.

Without hesitation, her elbow linked with his just like it had years ago. As they walked, it was silent for awhile until she laughed. "Yeah, oil and water, night and day...The list could go on." she smiled thinking about the past and times when they hung out and it consisted of the two bickering non stop the whole time. Slipped her free hand into the back pocket of her jeans she continued to walk.

"The chances of that are slim Michael, its been to many years and it is pretty obvious we are totally different people." she shook her head. "It would be nice, but I wont hold my breath." she muttered. Without thought her elbow sprang to life catching him in his side. He had not changed a bit with that comment. "Yeah babes you can chase all summer long and not get lucky with huh?" she teased as the drew closer to the bomb fire. "But hey, don't let me chase them away." she stated as she started to pull her arm away.

Serenity could not risk the good byes again. She decided to keep her walls up and let the summer play out, knowing in just a few short weeks everything would be shattered as the two went separate ways once again. The sounds of campers became loud as the fire started to come to life. Serenity wanted nothing more then to run and hide in her cabin now, escape the awkward good night and hope that tomorrow non of this was happening.

Callie’s face drained of all color as she looked at him, listening to the words he spoke. “I,” she began even though she had no idea what to say to him. Her brain searched for the right diplomatic words that would allow her to handle this situation, but her heart simply would not be contained. “I’ve wanted you for so long Robbie,” she blurted out. “I held a candle, thoughts, fantasies of being with you for so long, but I never thought in any of my wildest dreams that you would feel the same way back. I thought when I left, and I didn’t hear from any of you that it was over, that those wonderful times from growing up were all destined to become nothing more than a memory. You, Robbie,” she reached up to caress his cheek with her free hand, “were my sweet memory that I held on to for so long, and now you’re here, with me. I don’t care if this a dream. I don’t want it to end. No matter what.” The words had keep coming from her lips once she started, like an avalanche. It was all the truth, and Callie felt a sense of relief for telling him.

She turned on the path and started towards the bonfire. The light and the warmth slowly reaching out to the two of them as she held his hand tight. Her hand squeezing his as if to reaffirm that he was real and holding her as well. She didn’t care what anybody thought about the two of them holding hands. ‘Let them talk,’ she thought.




She found a place close enough to the fire to feel the warmth but far enough away they wouldn’t be noticed too much. Sitting in front of him, she wrapped his arms around her and leaned against him. Callie had no idea how long they were going to stay there. Truthfully she had no idea where they could go when they left the glow of the of the bonfire. For now, she would sit wrapped up in his warmth. “Robbie,” she spoke up. “I’m glad I found you again. You’re my light Robbie. You’re my bonfire keeping me warm.” She looked over her shoulder at him wanting to kiss his lips. It took every bit of her self restraint to keep from doing so. “I’ve missed you.”

There were lots of couples gathered around the fire but, as she sank to the ground, Robbie only had eyes for Callie. Only for her. He let her take his arms and place them around her, enjoying the soft sensation as she sank back against him. She was gorgeous, this girl, and he still felt strangely dream-like. As if she had tumbled from heaven and into his lap. It still didn't seem real. He stroked her arms, gentle hands caressing the cool flesh.

"Callie" he murmured, pressing his lips to the back of her head. She smelt intensely feminine, mixed with the smoke of the bonfire, and he kissed her hair again.

"How long are you staying here for CC? I...I can't let this just be a fleeting thing" he said impulsively, his arms cradling her. "I won't just love you and leave you. I...I...I've loved you for so long that I couldn't possibly do that. Tell me you're staying for a while. Please."

They sat around the fire, the flames heat was intense very close but taking a space a little out of the circle it was ok for the summer. The occasional flare of a log with the pitch catching up brought small cheers from the assemblage, like a small firework in the column of fire the wood would crack and split sending showers of sparks in the air. The red embers fading quickly once out of the flames. Serenity hung nearby, together in an orbit that drew them close, but never together. It had always been that way. Michael was constantly moving onto the next thing his parents wanted, and Serenity was forever putting up walls.

Looking over at Serenity knew she was right, they were different. At least on the outside. She with the clothes, the bleached hair and excess of eye liner, as if in trying to look so different she was trying to hide. He was the jock, the big man on campus, and he could see the other girls looking over at him suggestively calling him over. At school he'd be with them, the cheerleader types with the perfect hair, designer bags and all that money could buy, except a personality, a warmth one could connect to. Michael had long ago learned how to be as fake as the rest, but it always nagged at him.

Across the fire he could see Callie close by someone else who looked familiar, the memory of the lake still fresh in his mind. The slight twinge of pain in his back at the rock. Grinning he almost laughed aloud, she'd thrown a rock at him. Him! Typical of her, though he doubted it would matter to her he'd apologize tomorrow. Do the right thing at least, he didn't want to break their last connection, their last meeting over something so stupid. It wasn't how he wanted to spend his last summer here.

Moving a bit closer to Serenity, falling back into familiarity he did not look at her, knowing that would make it more awkward. Piss her off and put up more walls. They were better at off hand comments, avoiding the real issues. Glancing out of the corner of his eye at her knew just when he was beginning to bug her, the set of her chin, the way her cheeks tensed, he had to time it well. Once it was second nature, but after so many years he was slightly out of practice. As he watched her hunch her shoulders he said it, off offhandedly like they used to. Just staring ahead, let the words flow.

"Are we really so different? You know people are people, so why should it be you and I should get along so awfully?"