"THEN he had the nerve to ask why we celebrate all these things."

"Why do you?"

"Great, now you’re going to start too!"

"No, Alli, I just was curious. I never remember being this extreme in high school."

"Things are different now-a-days mom! Plus, I think I loved him."

"By the sound of your voice, I wouldn’t use the past tense of that word just yet." she pauses. "Why don’t you go to sleep and see how you feel in the morning."

"Ok, good night, mom." Alli goes up the stairs to her room and Amanda follows to hers. As Cameron was taking a shower, Amanda got into her comfy pajamas and snuggled into bed.

"Mmmm... early Christmas present?"

"Keep your towel on, I’m too bummed for Alli."

"It’s contagious. How is the kid?"

"She fine I guess. First love always is a bumpy road, especially in high school."

"I wouldn’t know. I didn’t meet my first love until I met you."

"Pulling out all the smoothness tonight aren’t ya! But if that is true, you know how hard it has been."

"I meant about the whole high school thing."

"Can you imagine if me and you met in high school."

"You mean like, back then or in this day and age?"

"Yea, if it was now-a-days and we had the same background, but attended the same school and grade."

"Never would have crossed my mind."

"Just weird to think about how things would turn out. Like, would I have had Alli, or would you have killed your father?"

"Ya know, for a blonde, you think a lot!" Amanda gasps and playfully hits him. Cameron counteracts by catching her arms and encircling her waist. She falls asleep in his arms but Cameron is not a bit tired. He is too busy wondering about Alli, and now he couldn’t help but think about Amanda’s little wondering.

"What would it be like..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The bell rings. It was time to go home. The halls of Rule High were piled with kids leaving school for the weekend.

"Are you going to the game tonight, Amanda?"

"Would I pass up the chance to see our football guys win?"

"What was I thinking!? I’ll pick you up at six."

"Actually, I’m sticking around for Art Club. So, I’ll just catch you there."

"Ok, bye then."

"See ya later, Susan." She walks down the hall and up the stairs to the Art room. There was a note on the door. ‘Needed to go home early. Sorry. Mr. W.’ Amanda, now ride-less, decided to go to the pizza place near the school and wait till the game. Amanda walked out the front doors and out of the corner of her eye she spots a guy sitting on a bench with a bloody Kleenex to his mouth. "Are you okay?"

He jumps, startled that there were still people here. "Yea, ya know, just.. Uhh.. Waiting for the big game."

"There is still like, 4 hours, till the game. Why don’t you come with me to the pizza place. You can hang out with me and my friends and maybe get that cleaned up." she points to his lip.

"That’s okay. The players have to be here early, so I really should get going."

"Ooh! You are a player. My name is Amanda Cory."

"I know." He says and dashes into the school before she even has the chance to ask him his. Before any time at all, the stands were full and fans were cheering on the school’s football team. It was fourth quarter and the Rule High Tigers had the ball with only 1 play left and they were down by 5.

"Number 77!" screams the coach. "Get out there. Run play # 52 Blue and lemme see ya run boy!"

"Yes sir!"

"The quarterback has the ball. Number 77 is wide open. We saw this kid go all-state last year as our running back. Can it do it this time?"

Everyone was on their feet cheering.

"HE CAUGHT IT!" Screams Amanda as her, Susan, Evan and everyone else watch number 77 run 68 yards without getting touched. The Tigers won the game and it was off to the victory party. Unfortunetly, after only being there an hour, Amanda found herself sitting on a couch having little-to-no fun at all.

"For he’s a jolly good fellow, For he’s a jolly good fellow, For he’s a jolly good feeeellooow... Which nobody can deny!" Amanda joins in the toast to the man of the nite.

"Come on you guys! Geeze!" he said as he looked over and saw Amanda.

She gasps "It’s you."

Cameron wakes up from his daydream. "One AM!" Cameron looks down and sees Amanda is still peacefully sleeping. He slips down into the covers and falls asleep too. However, unknown to Cameron, Amanda wasn’t just sleeping, but dreaming as well...

~~~~~~~~~

"So now are you going to tell me your name or will I have to refer to you as Number 77... or Jolly good fellow, whichever you prefer."

He smiles and begins to talk but some of his football buddies drag him away cheering for him. He starts to walk back but is stopped by his brother.

"Evan, come here. I know that guy. Who is the guy next to him."

"I know Gary, who is the football player?"

"That’s his brother. Any more information is going to cost you." he says and licks his lips.

"You being allowed near me isn’t enough of a payment?"

"Feisty! Ok, The kid’s name is Cameron. Big athletic guy but I heard that he only plays football to stay in shape for track. He doesn’t talk that much, except to his brother. It’s said they are close because of something with their home life."

"After all that you didn’t tell me if he liked long walks on the beaches or not. And you call yourself the Rule High Guide to everyone!"

"Hey...shut-up, you asked!"

"Yes. I did." Amanda says as she eyes Cameron leaving with Gary.

"So, how was the game, bro?"

"You didn’t catch it?"

"Nah, I was too busy getting mom to the hospital."

"What happened."

"Dad threw a chair at her at dinner because there were lumps in his mashed potatoes. Hurt her leg pretty bad."

"What a dick." Cameron and Gary crept into the house and down to their room. Cam felt bad about what happened for his mom, but he couldn’t help but think about Amanda. The next day after-school, Amanda saw Gary walking and caught up with him.

"Hey Amanda, what’s up?"

"I have a favor to ask."

"Sure, what do you need?"

"Where can find your brother?"

"Why." Gary says really fast and defensive.

"I just wanted to talk to him."

"Oh, well.. Um.. he.. Got sick.. This morning.. So... he is.. At home."

"Oh." Amanda says disappointed. "Ouch. How did you get that bruise on your eye?"

"I, um.. Got in a fight."

"Oh yea, with Cameron. I saw his bloody lip."

"Uh, yea, that’s right. Well, I got to go this way, and you that way, so I’ll catch you later."

"Yea, but if you could...could you give Cameron my number, so I can talk to him?"

"Yea.. Sure. Bye Amanda."

A couple of days go by and it is time for another football game, but what is a football game without a pep rally? The captain of the team gives the usual speech but he said that Cameron wouldn’t be playing.

"Evan, why won’t Cam play?"

"Might be hard for a klutz to play."

"What are you talking about?"

"Word has it the kid fell down the stairs and is in the hospital."

Amanda sits there in wonder, just waiting for the bell to ring. Normally pep rallies fly by but this one was dragging for Amanda. The bel finally rang and she was on her way to the hospital.

"What room is Cameron Sinclair in?"

"Is he expecting you?"

"Probably not?"

"I’m sorry miss but his father has requested no visitors."

"But, I’m his.. Uhh... girlfriend. I’m sure his dad wouldn’t mind."

"Oh, you’re probably right. Love can heal anything, right? Room 512."

"Thank you." Amanda picks up her bag and walks down the hall to the room. She walks in and is shocked to see all the cuts and bruises he had. "How could a fall down the stairs cause this much?"

"I guess.. I’m just... talented like that."

"You’re awake."

"I thought I died and went to heaven cuz an angel was with me."

"I’ve never heard you talk like that, Casanova."

"Never knew you would want me to."

She blushes a little and takes his hand. "So how did this happen?"

"Doesn’t matter, that which doesn’t kill me only makes me more diabolical."

"Interesting philosophy. It is going around school that you fell down the stairs."

"Can’t they think of anything better. Like maybe, I got attacked by wild llamas and dragged away never to be found again."

"That would be better?"

"No, I guess not." Cameron laughs but then grabs his side because his ribs were bruised and it hurt.

"So Gary said you were sick, but I didn’t know he meant this bad. But at least your lip healed, how did you get that again?"

"Oh, I ran into something."

"Really, cuz Gary said you and him got into a fight."

"Yea, we did. I, uh, ran into his fist."

"What happened? The truth."

"Amanda, don’t. Just walk away, okay."

"I don’t want to."

"Well I want you to. Please leave." She is about to say something, but stops and walks out of the room. Amanda sees Cameron at lunch on Monday, but neither stop to say hello. Amanda sat with her clique and Cameron with his. Both were listening to the conversations at their tables, but were only thinking about each other.

"So you want to come, Amanda?"

"Huh? Oh, no. I have plans."

Cameron left after football practice, not knowing that Amanda was following him. She was walking as far behind as she could but she didn’t want to trail off too much because she was unfamiliar with this side of town. She saw the house Cameron walked in to, built up her courage, and knocked on the door.

It flung open revealing.......

"WHAT!" screams a drunken man.

"Oh, is Cameron here?" Amanda asks halfway between startled and scared.

"Yes, and the little twit better be doing the dishes or he’ll pay." as he holds up a shoe.

"If it isn’t too much of an inconvenience, may I please speak with him, sir."

"This whole family is an inconvenience!" and he throws the shoe into the wall and grabs Amanda’s arm. "I think you should forget about talking with Cameron tonight. He is too busy being an idiot to talk right now."

"Sir, you are hurting me."

"WHAT!?!?" as he raises his other hand.

"Dad, no!" screams Cameron.

"What did you say boy?" he viciously lets go of Amanda’s arm and starts to walk towards Cameron with his belt. Cameron runs out the backdoor and comes back around. He takes Amanda’s hand and they run until it was safe to walk. Amanda was still a little scared, and she could see the tension in Cam’s face, but she felt as if all danger disappeared when Cameron held her hand.

"So you get stuck doing the dishes, huh?"

Cameron laughs. "Yea." There was another long paused. "So why did you come?"

"To see you. To tell you I am sorry."

"Could have told me at school."

"When? When you were avoiding me in the halls? Besides, that’s not really you."

"It’s not?"

"No, that’s Cameron the jock that everyone thinks is great. I wanted to talk to Cameron Sinclair, the guy that I love."

"Amanda, you don’t know how many times I’ve heard you say that in my dreams, but we can’t happen."

"Why not?"

"Hello! Were you not there tonight? I can’t bring you into that."

"I can help you out of it though."

"That sounds great, but it won’t happen."

"Oh come on, the hospital thinks we are a cute couple.

Cameron laughs remembering how she told him how she got to see him in the hospital that day. Then he starred into her eyes. So pure, so full of passion. He turns away and stares at the sky.

"It’s a nice night, huh Cameron?"

"Yea, really clear. You can see all the constellations."

"Like what?"

He turns his head to look at her and sees that spark in her eye that first attracted him to her last year when he saw her picture in the school newspaper. He paused, then put his hand on her lower back and pulled her close to him.

"Amanda, I..." Cameron chokes on the words he has wanted to tell her for so long. Amanda has never felt this way about anyone. The urge that when he is around she could do anything. That impulsive feeling... it made her feel great. He was so intelligent and talented, but so closed in from the rest of the world, except her. His whole attitude just melted when they talked and her tendency to not trust people faded away.

"Cameron, I need you." and she took her hand to the back of his neck and pulled his lips to hers. That first kiss deserves to be put in a box so she could show her friends how perfect it was. It was the start of something both of them never knew they always wanted.

~~~~~~~~~

RIIIIINNNNNGG. Amanda’s alarm clock goes off. Last day of work before her big break but what she wouldn’t do to finish that dream. Cameron was already downstairs telling Alli about the tickets and how he thought she should still go, knowing he had another plan in store for her too.

"It’s alive!"

"Shut-up, Cameron. Maybe you can go to bed at one o’clock in the morning and get back up at seven... but us Corys need our beauty sleep."

"Maybe some day it will pay off." He smirks as he gets up, gives her a kiss and starts towards the door.

"Leaving so soon?"

"Gary called and said he had a pretty big bite and I needed to get in a sap."

"Just as long as you still get your vacation."

"Don’t worry." he kisses both of his women good-bye and leaves for work.

"And how are you this morning?"

"Better, yet worse. It is the last day of school, so I should be psyched, but I know I will see Sean. And then Cameron told me about the tickets, and that is awesome, but I know Sean was suppose to go too, so that makes me bummed."

"Maybe that means you didn’t want to break-up."

"Maybe. But what is done is done." And Alli grabs her book-bag and goes out to wait for the bus to school.

"OK, tell me you are wearing the pants with my bonus in them today because you said I had to be here at nine and then you drag me in here at eight in the morning."

"It’s your lucky day, here ya go."

"Thanks, now why am I here at eight?"

"I have a buddy that works at a bank in Las Vegas and he called me about a lead regarding the missing Cory money."

"Are you serious?!"

"Yea, he called and said there was a guy that asked for a lot of money to be transferred to him and get this. He used "Guthries" death certificate to confirm it."

"So what’s the next move?"

"Nothing, the bank couldn’t do it till past the holidays anyway, and after that it would still take a week or more. So, I say we just go to Cory and tell Rachael and Matt and Amanda and then enjoy our vacation until it is time for us to go to Las Vegas."

"Alright, let’s go."

"Matt, did you look over those papers?"

"Oh, yea. Good job. If we can sell that to the board, we can certainly get some more cash flowing in this place."

"Oh, good, both of you are here. Gary called and said he and Cameron were coming over for a meeting and he wanted you guys here too."

"Why? What’s up?"

"Gary couldn’t say exactly but he said it had to do with a lead on the Cory funds."

"I didn’t even know they were still looking. Gosh, would that help us out a lot."

Beeeeeeeeep Mrs. Cory, the Sinclair brothers are here."

"Send them right in."

Gary tells the gang the whole story about the lead. Everyone was a little anxious to have to wait a couple of weeks to hear more about it, but were glad they even had the opportunity.

"Ok Cam, you are officially off duty. I’m going to go see Josie, but I’ll see ya for Christmas Eve dinner?"

"Sure, bye Gary." he walks over to Amanda as Matt and Rachael leave to go tell the workers they can leave. "Are you free yet?"

"No, still got some paper work to finish."

"Well, that works out perfectly because I’ve got something to take care of before I get back to the house."

"Alli is probably home packing by now. I’ll take her ot the airport and then see you at home."

"I can’t wait." he leave her with a suave kiss.

"Hey Cameron, what can I do for you?"

"Hey Vicki, is Sean home?"

"Oh, yea... SEAN!!!"

"Wazzup Aunt Vicki? Oh, hey Cameron."

"Can you come talk with me outside?"

"Yea, sure."

"Look, Alli told, well, her mom the whole story about you two."

"Yea?"

"So, I had these 2 plane tickets for you guys to go up to New York and Alli is probably on her way to the airport as we speak, but I figured you could trade yours in for a flight tomorrow."

"But I don’t even know what I did wrong. Plus she won’t even talk to me."

"If you don’t know what you did wrong, it should be easy to apologize then! And trust me, you show up and Alli will talk to you."

"You think so."

"I know so. Here. Have fun."

"Thanks Cameron."