By: Shelby
Cameron and I started dating November, 20 2010. We met through mutual friends at a party. He was originally invited for a friend of mine, but we were just drawn to each other like magnets. Something was pulling us together, no matter how hard I tried to stay away. I couldn’t help myself; he was just so cute and sweet. We went on two dates before he asked me to be his girlfriend. I knew on our 1st date we’d be together forever. He’s the sweetest man I’ve ever met, and I can’t see myself growing old with anyone but him. He wasn’t planning on joining any military branch until he got to talking to my brother who was home on leave for Christmas. January, he signed up and got his ship out date and we were playing the waiting game. We spent 7 straight months together. Holidays, birthdays, weekends, everything. From day one, we were inseparable. Then one day in July we started our journey in military life, and we haven’t looked back since.
Waking up without a “Good morning babe!” text is something I doubt I’ll get used to. I start my day at around 8:30 am while he starts his day around 5 am. I roll over to the right side of my bed holding the stuffed elephant he gave me for Christmas and look at our picture sitting on my mini fridge. I see his smiling face with the fohawk he had when we first started dating and that left eye that always squints when he smiles, like Popeye, and it makes me laugh. I check my phone anyways just to make sure I didn’t miss a random text, or picture message, but nothing like always. It’s okay though, I know around 6 pm I’ll be getting one. I get dressed and get ready toting my phone around my room with me as if one foot away from me is a mile I couldn’t travel if the phone went off, even though I know it won’t till 6. A girl can hope though. I look around to make sure I don’t forget anything for class and I see the 2 vases full of dead flowers. He surprised me with flowers on Valentines Day, and again while he was boot camp. I will probably never throw the vases away, but eventually the flowers need to go… eventually.
I get to school at 9:25, just enough time to get to my first class. My professors’ hate seeing cell phones out but I honestly could care less. I go from class to class, checking my phone for every 5 minutes for an hour straight around 12 pm in case he has enough time to text during lunch. He was busy today it seems, as I look at my empty inbox. I get out of school and hurry home to eat, and change for work. As I drive to work around 12:45 pm, I hear “Wherever You Will Go” by the Calling. My eyes tear up as I remember him singing it to me around Christmas. It’s “our song” and the only song that makes me cry at a drop of the hat. I sit in the parking lot at work and dry my eyes before I go in. Some days are super slow at work, so I read through my saved messages. “You’re the reason my life is so great” or “I can’t wait to marry you” are my favorites.
I finish filing some papers for my boss, or making labels and I have at least 2 hours left to just sit. I usually keep my phone in my purse under my desk at work so the customers won’t see. It’s around 2:30 pm now and I hear BUZZZZ BUZZZZ. I nearly spin in a whole circle trying to get to my purse, I push the unlock button so hard my phone almost breaks in half. It’s not him though, just a random friend who I never see cause I’m either at home studying and texting Cameron, or working to save up to see Cameron. Even on my off days most of my friend don’t want to hang because they’re all single and I’m a boring old faithful girlfriend. Even when we do hangout they get tired of hearing about Cameron. I can’t help myself sometimes though, he’s my best friend. He’s the only person I feel comfortable crying in front of, or telling him how ugly I feel without makeup. He gives me advice on everything, and he never tells me what I want to hear, even if I’ll get my delicate little feelings hurt. I put my phone in my purse and see my “I <3 my sailor” keychain. I smile thinking about how proud I am of him. He is so dedicated to his job, and what he’s doing for our country. He inspires me some days, and I love him so much for that.
I get off work at 5pm, and drive home listening to his iPod he left for me to use. When I get home, I change clothes and cuddle up on the couch with my fat miniature dachshund, Kobe, who is absolutely IN LOVE with Cameron. Sometimes I say, “Where’s your Cameron?” and he perks up hoping his friend is coming over. Once he realizes I was being mean and playing a trick on him he lays his head on my arm and sighs. “I miss him too Kobs, don’t worry” I say. Around 6pm (5:54 pm to be absolutely pathetic) I finally get that long lost message I’ve been waiting for. We text until about 9pm, then I finally get to hear the only voice I want to hear. We stay on the phone for about an hour then it’s off to bed. “I love you, Goodnight” are the four words I love/hate hearing. I love it because he’s saying it, but I hate it because it’s another goodbye. After we get off the phone, I roll onto to the left side of my bed, his side, and look over at his Navy picture of him in his dress blues, and smile yet again. I toss and turn for about an hour, wishing I could just call him back, but I know he has to put his phone away when he sleeps. I think about our future, and our past. I close my eyes and envision us 70 years old, sitting on our front porch watching our grandbabies playing with our 8 dogs I rescued, and just rocking in our rocking chairs, holding hands. I close my eyes, trying to make him my last thought so I’ll dream about him, and I feel that tugging at my heart that I felt the first time I met him. He’s 960 miles away, and he’s still somehow pulling me towards him.
Shelby
