Faded Memories

Cameron and I have been going out for a good month now. When I told Autumn and Tiffany (did I mention that she’s a huge Allstar Weekend fan) you could imagine their reactions. The day we came back to San Diego, my sister grinned when she saw us walking hand in hand.

“I knew something was going to happen between you two in New York,” she nudged me after giving her a hug.

But the best part was when I told her we shared a room. She nearly lost her head.

“Oh and Cameron and I shared a room,” I said as if it was just one giant word. Her eyes bugged out and her eyebrows were raised.

“You, what?” She took her eyes off the road and gave me the dirtiest look. Normally when I get in trouble for doing something stupid, I often smirk when someone yells at me.

“Relax, Autumn. I followed everything you said. There was no funny business at all.” She relaxed a little, loosening her grip on the steering wheel.

“I know, I trust you two. You guys are good kids.” She patted me on the shoulder as if I did a job well done on something.

New York was definitely something I was going to remember. Not only because Cameron asked me out, but at the concert the guys dedicated Amy (they changed it to Abby) to me.

“This next song is a song we’d like to dedicate to someone special.” The girls in the crowd screamed at the sound of his voice.

“We’ve known her for a while now and she truly means the world to us. Give it up for Abby Williamson.” The crowd cheered as Zach introduced me. I went up on stage and sat on a stool, surprised at was happening to me. I sat on the stool, blushing every time one of the guys would come by me and flash a smile or two. I could feel a couple of girls giving me a dirty look, but it didn’t matter. I’d probably jealous too if I were in their shoes. During the serenade, I constantly played with my necklace, running my fingers over the key hole over and over. I kept looking at the chain Cameron had around his neck. Whatever was attached to it was hidden and I was determined to find out.



“Would you rather give that man a hug that lasted for a good minute,” Cameron pointed at a man who was panting and sweating up a storm, “or shave his hairy back?”

I looked at the man again who was checking his pulse. His shorts were either too short or he just put them on like that.

Cameron and I decided to head over to the beach for the day. We were sitting by an ice cream parlour that had a small round table and two chairs facing each other just outside.

I looked Cameron who was smirking while eating his ice cream. I gave him a disgusted look.

“You make up the weirdest and grossest would you rather’s,” I licked my chocolate ice cream, suddenly losing interest from the thought of the man.

“Those are the ones that make the game interesting.”

I took one more look at the man who started to run again only to stop once again to catch his breath.

“A hug,” I finally decided and handed him my chocolate ice cream that I lost interest in. His face lit up like a kid in a candy store and held his head high like he had just won a war.

“My turn.” I folded my arms and leaned against the table. “Would you rather love and not be loved back, or be loved but never love?” He looked up from his ice cream and paused to think for a second.

“That’s a tough one,” he leaned back in his chair trying to figure out his final answer. “I mean, what kind of person would I be if I never loved?”

“You wouldn’t be Cameron, you’d be someone else.”

“But the thought of never being loved back hurts. It has happened before and let me tell you, it’s the worst feeling.” He sighed and bit his ice cream cone before answering, “I guess I’ll go with love and not be loved back.” He got up from his chair and took my hand as we headed towards the sandy beach.

After walking along the beach and eating a lot more food, we decided to head over to his house and nap for a little while. We lay on his bed as I nuzzled my head into his chest. The house was quiet and the only thing you could hear were birds chirping just outside. I slowly began to fall sleep as he stroked my hair and fiddled with my fingers.

“I’m going to go and take a shower. I’ll be back,” he whispered and kissed my forehead before he got up. I could hear drawers open and close and things being moved around. He opened a door and closed it before opening another one, closing it and locking it. I heard the patter of the water hitting the tub like rain hitting against a window.

After tossing and turning for 5 minutes, I got up from his bed and stared at my reflection in the mirror. My hair was a complete mess from when I tried going back to sleep, so I tried to fix it. While setting the comb down, I saw what I denied he had. It was the key. I picked up the key, running my fingers around the cool edges. I took of my necklace that lay around me at all times and inserted the key. It was a perfect fit.

“But, how?” I continued to ask myself how it was even possible. I don’t even remember giving it to him. Questions kept floating around my head.

“Hey, you’re awake,” he said walking into his room. He was drying his messy brown hair with a towel with a smile on his face until he saw me holding the necklace. His expression fell as I gripped onto the key that was on the palm of my hand.

“Cameron, why do you…how do you even…I’m so confused,” I tried to form a proper sentence, but couldn’t find the words. He threw the towel into the pile of dirty laundry and rubbed the back of his neck.

“I guess it’s time to tell you,” he said to me. He directed me to sit down on his bed. We sat there quietly, not saying a single word. He took the key and heart from my hands and began to play with it. “I remember you giving this to me.” Giving it to you? Since when?

“What do you mean?”

“Let’s rewind a little.” His voice was calm and soothing. He handed me back my necklace and I put back on. “The first time we actually met was in elementary school. We sat beside each other in class and that’s how we became friends. When we were in high school, I introduced you to the guys and that’s how we all became good friends.” He stopped, trying to gather all his thoughts. I didn’t recall meeting them this way. It was all too confusing.

“Cameron, I don’t–” I tried to say, but was cut off.

“Then there was the day I asked you out and you said yes. We went out for the longest time and I remember the day you gave me the key. You told me how you’re parents had it and that your mom said to give it to the one you’re going to spend the rest of your life with. When you gave me the key, I felt so much closer to you. I really did love you. Then, there was the fight.” He stopped again and frowned while he glanced at the key. He clenched his hand into a fist and released as he started to speak again. “We started arguing and then you left. That’s when the car crash happened. When I got to the hospital, the doctors said you weren’t in bad condition but your parents didn’t make it. He also told me that you had lost a lot of memory. When I went to see you…” he paused.

I looked at his eyes that were filling up with tears he held back. He composed himself and finished his sentence.

“You didn’t remember me. You didn’t remember me or the guys. We tried so hard to try and get you to remember us. To you, we were complete strangers. Even you’re sister didn’t remember us. And then you moved and I gave up.”

It was quiet again. I tried really hard to see if I could remember any of this happened, but it was no use.

“Abby, you have to remember me.” He took my hand, holding on to it and hoping I’d remember. The truth was, I didn’t.

“If you did try, then how come I didn’t remember you?” I questioned, my voice beginning to rise.

“I did try, Abby. I tried every single day and no matter what, you didn’t remember me. Then you left me by moving to Phoenix and I just gave up.” His voice was becoming loud as it echoed in the empty house. “You have to believe me. Just please tell me you remember it all.”

“I-I’m sorry, Cameron. I don’t remember,” I stuttered while I picked my purse up from the floor. “I need some space to think things over. I gotta go.” I got up from his bed and ran outside.

“Abby, please don’t go!” I heard Cameron yell as I started my car that I left at his house earlier that morning. I backed out of his driveway and drove away. I looked in my rearview mirror and saw him standing in the middle of the street, staring at my car.

“It just doesn’t make sense. I would’ve remembered them.” I told myself. My eyes began to well up, making everything seem like a complete blur.