A Happy Ending (Shannon and Cammie)

Chapter 7

Shannon POV

I don't know if it was the wind, or the water, or the way her lips caressed mine, but my body was trembling. I wasn't cold or tired. I was just excited. I was on a high that I never wanted to come down from. She made me feel like I was floating. 

We walked back into my apartment with our hair and clothes dripping wet. Those water scenes in movies look extra romantic in all, but they don't tell you how uncomfortable it is to sit in wet clothes while driving home. 

"I need to get out of these clothes," I laughed, peeling the shirt from my body. 

"I know, I smell like seaweed," she whined. 

"Look at that, another reason for you to not like the ocean. It is pretty smelly," I agreed while teasing her. 

She smiled and stepped closer to me, both of us now shirtless. "But now I have one reason to love it," she planted a kiss on my cheek but immediately scrunched her face, "you taste salty." We both laughed. 

She was right about one thing, though. Well, I probably did taste like salt, but tonight also did give me another reason to love the ocean. The beach was always a special place for me, I just liked it there. Now I have a reason to. 

We both stripped off our clothes. I pulled my hair into a messy bun and let Cammie shower first. It was getting a little late, and I was starting to get hungry again so I went down to make some food. Amy was sitting on the couch, as if she was my dad waiting for me to get home from a date. 

"Sooo, how was it?" She asked like a small child. She'd secretly been vying for Cammie and I to get together since the first time she caught me flirting. 

I pretended I had no idea what she meant, of course. "What do you mean?" I said as seriously as possibly, trying to hide my excitement. 

"Oh come on Shannon, you're the worst liar. Spill," she was right, I was a horrible liar. It didn't help that I was as excited as a kid on Christmas morning. I sat down and told her everything that happened. "Wow, romantic Shannon is a side I have yet to see. This should be interesting," she winked and I playfully hit her shoulder. 

I got up to get something to eat, which was why I had come downstairs in the first place. Amy came and sat at the bar while I poured myself a bowl of cereal. "Can I ask you a serious question, Shan?" I immediately got worried. 

"Yeah, what's up?" I answered with a mouthful of Froot Loops. I had also just heard the shower turn off, so I needed to speed this conversation up before Cam heard any of it. 

"Do you really think you're going to be able to do this with her, even when the newness wears off?" She didn't have to elaborate, I knew where she was coming from. I had a past, we all do. It's just that, mine seemed to be perpetuating. I kept trying to get out of the rut I was in, but I always kept falling back into it. They don't lie when they say old habits die hard.

"I like her, Amy. Not like I've like anyone else. Those girls didn't make me feel the way she does," I said, truthfully. 

"Just, make sure this time. She seems so sweet and innocent. Don't break her," she warned. I nodded in agreement, there was not arguing it. I started to hear footsteps that sounded like they were coming out of my room so I figured it best to stop the conversation now. 

A few minutes later Cammie came downstairs, carrying her bags. I had gotten so caught up in everything tonight that I forgot her apartment was ready. To be honest, though, I was hoping she had forgotten to. 

I met her coming down the stairs and helped her with her bags. "Here, let me walk you out," I smiled as I grabbed the suitcase from her. 

"You don't have to, it's only across the hall," I gave her a confused look. 

"I know I don't have to, but I want to," she seemed shocked by my response, and then shock turned flattery. Her face changed to my favorite shade of rosy pink. It was so cute making her blush. 

"Do you want to come in," she asked as we stood between her door and mine. 

"I'd like that," I smiled, accepted her offer. 

She opened the door and I went to step in behind her, but she placed a hand on my chest, stopping me in my tracks. "On one condition; we have to watch a scary movie," she giggled. I did promise her I would, so it was only fair. 

I sighed, "Only if you'll hold my hand." 

"I won't let go," she mocked me, as she grabbed my hand and led me into her apartment. It had been off limits for the past week with the exterminator being here, so I still hadn't seen it. She showed me around a bit. It was just as I had imagined; almost an exact replica of my apartment just without the upstairs. She didn't have much for decoration, rightfully so, but what she did have was tastefully simple. I liked her style. 

We sat down on the couch and I started getting nervous when she was looking at scary movies. I guess she noticed because she came closer to me so our legs were touching. She picked out a movie and I got scared just listening to the music in the intro. She slid her hand under the blanket that covered us over and slipped her fingers into my palm. I opened the tight fist I had formed and allowed our fingers to intertwine. 

Partway into the movie, we repositioned ourselves so that we were laying down. I was laying on my back, with my head resting on a pillow. She was laying partially beside me and partially on top of me. I stopped paying attention to the movie, probably so I wouldn't have nightmares, but also because she distracted me. I ran my fingers through her hair and stroked her back. I watched as her eyes slowly started to get heavy with each pass. Eventually she was asleep on my chest. 

I sat for a minute without moving, just admiring her. I had noticed how beautiful she was before, but this was different. This was effortless. She was an angel. 

The movie had ended and I didn't even realize. I tried to get up without waking her so that I could carry her to bed, but it didn't work. She stirred awake just before I went to pick her up. Instead, she stood up and started to walk into her room. "Do you want to stay?" She asked the question that I hoped she wouldn't, but so desperately wanted her to. 

I hesitated for a moment. At first, I didn't even think about saying no, but I knew it wasn't right. "Of course I want to, Cammie. But I really want to do this right with you. Let's move slow. How about instead, you go on a date with me tomorrow night?" I suggested.

She looked baffled by my words, but in a good way. "I would love that," she grinned. 

I pulled her in for a hug, "goodnight, princess," I whispered before pulling away and giving her a kiss. I intended for it to just be a peck, but she pressed her lips harder against mine when I went to pull away. After a couple seconds, we both started smiling with our lips still attached. She finally pulled away, even though I would have preferred to stay like that forever. "Goodnight, Shan," she smiled before slipping into her bedroom.