Meet Cameron Smith, a charismatic and talented athlete, the captain of the university's basketball team. With an arrogant demeanor driven by his success, he exudes confidence both on and off court. On the other hand, there's Elle Davis, determined t...
Cam and I walked side by side, the evening sun casting long shadows across the pavement, I couldn't help but feel like everything was finally falling into place. For weeks, there had been this invisible weight on my chest—this constant tension between wanting to be with him and being caught between my feelings for him and my brother's disapproval. But today, that weight had lifted. Liam had finally come around, and Cam was here, right next to me. It almost felt surreal.
The moment I asked him if he wanted to stay for dinner, his eyes lit up. "Dinner with your parents? I'd love that!" He had said, his voice full of enthusiasm. It was adorable, really. The idea of him being so eager to meet them, to take that next step with me, made my heart swell.
But, of course, my parents had gone out for the evening. I was a little disappointed, but it gave me an idea. I could show him the places that shaped my childhood, the little corners of my world that made me who I am. "Well, they're out," I said, grinning at him. "But I can show you around instead. How about a tour of my favorite childhood spots? It's not quite dinner, but it'll be fun."
His smile was instant, warm, and inviting. "Lead the way."
The first stop was the park. It wasn't anything fancy—just a simple, open space with a few swings, a slide, and a couple of benches scattered around. The grass was a little overgrown in some spots, and the paint on the jungle gym was chipped, but this place held so many memories for me. It was where I'd spent countless afternoons playing with friends, reading under trees, and letting my imagination run wild.
As we walked through the park, I pointed out the old oak tree where I used to sit and pretend I was the captain of a pirate ship. "I used to make my friends call me Captain Elle." I said, laughing at the memory.
He chuckled. "I can totally see that."
We strolled past the swings, where I used to compete with my friends to see who could swing the highest, and the bench where my mom would sit and read while keeping an eye on me. It was strange to see how small everything seemed now, how the playground that had once felt like my entire world now fit neatly into a corner of my past.
Next, we headed to the only theatre in town. It was an old building, probably built sometime in the 80s, with faded red brick and a marquee that hadn't been updated in years. They still played old movies here—classics from the 90s that drew in the locals, who would come to relive their younger days.
"I used to come here all the time." I told him as we stood outside the entrance. "They play the same old movies, but there's something comforting about it, you know? No matter how much changes, this place stays the same."
He nodded thoughtfully, glancing up at the faded movie posters. "It's got a kind of charm to it." he said, his hand brushing mine. "I like it."
We didn't go inside—there wasn't a movie showing at the time—but just standing outside, with him next to me, made me feel connected to my younger self. It was as if I was showing him parts of me that no one else had really seen before, and that made this tour feel more intimate than I had expected.
Our final stop was my favorite place of all—Mr. Goldfish's Ice Cream Shop. The moment we stepped inside, the familiar scent of freshly made waffle cones and rich, creamy ice cream filled the air. The shop hadn't changed a bit. The same old posters of ice cream flavors adorned the walls, and the little round tables were still in the same places they'd been when I was a kid.
"Elle!" Mr. Goldfish's voice boomed from behind the counter. He was an older man now, his hair mostly gray, but his eyes were just as bright as they'd always been. "Look at you, all grown up! How long has it been?"
I smiled, feeling a warmth spread through me at the familiar greeting. "It's been a while, but I couldn't come to town without stopping by."
Mr. Goldfish's eyes flicked to Cam, standing beside me. "And who's this?" He asked, raising an eyebrow in that teasing way he always did.
I hesitated for a second, suddenly realizing something important. Cam and I had confessed our feelings for each other, but we didn't have any labels yet. What were we? More than friends, obviously, but was he my boyfriend now? The thought made my heart skip a beat.
"This is someone very special to me," I finally said, smiling at Cam. I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks as the words left my mouth, but it was the truth. He was special—more than anyone else had ever been.
Mr. Goldfish grinned knowingly. "Someone special to Elle, huh? That's high praise."
Cam smiled, a little shyly, but didn't say anything. I could tell he was enjoying the moment, though, soaking in the nostalgia of this little shop that had meant so much to me growing up.
As we stood at the counter, I told Cameron how, after particularly bad days at school—usually after I'd bombed a test—Mr. Goldfish would give me a free double chocochip ice cream to cheer me up.
"I remember this one time," I said, laughing, "I was so upset about getting a D on a math test that I came in here bawling my eyes out. Mr. Goldfish gave me the biggest scoop of ice cream I'd ever seen. I ate it so fast that I got a brain freeze, but it was worth it."
He chuckled, clearly picturing the scene. "I can just imagine you sitting here with an ice cream cone as big as your face."
"It felt like it at the time!" I giggled, glancing over at Mr. Goldfish, who was busy serving another customer.
As I looked around the shop, nostalgia hit me hard. Here I was, standing in a place that had seen me through so many of my childhood ups and downs, and now I was here with Cam. It felt full-circle in a way I hadn't expected.
We sat at one of the little tables near the window, each of us with a cone of double chocochip ice cream. The sweet, creamy taste brought back so many memories, and as I glanced at him, I couldn't help but smile. This moment was perfect. The weight of everything that had happened over the past few weeks had finally lifted, and all I felt now was pure happiness. "I can't believe how things have turned out," I said softly, taking a bite of my ice cream. "It felt like everything was going wrong, and now... everything's right."
Cam reached across the table, his hand finding mine. "I know what you mean." He said, his thumb brushing gently against my skin. "It's like we had to go through all of that just to get here."
I nodded, feeling a surge of emotion well up inside me. "I'm just so happy, Cam. I don't think I've ever been this happy."
He smiled at me, that easy, warm smile that had always made my heart flutter. "Me too." He said softly. We sat there, hand in hand, finishing our ice cream in comfortable silence. I couldn't stop thinking about how everything had finally worked out—the misunderstandings were behind us, Liam had come around, and now I was here, with the guy I wanted. It was more than I could have hoped for.
As we finished our cones and stood up to leave, Mr. Goldfish waved us off with a cheerful, "Don't be a stranger, Elle! And take care of her, young man!"
Cam laughed, nodding. "I will, sir."
We stepped out into the cool evening air, and I felt a sense of peace wash over me. Everything was perfect. I squeezed Cameron's hand, feeling his warmth spread through me, and we started walking back towards my house. For the first time in a long time, I wasn't worried about what was going to happen next. All I felt was pure, unfiltered joy. And as I looked up at Cam, his eyes reflecting that same happiness, I knew that this was just the beginning of something amazing.
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