Here is my entry for the Valentine's showcase 2009, my new story and it's only chapter one. That means there is more to come. It is called Childhood sweethearts and I think this is my best cover yet. Let us hope it gets through. Anyway, please enjoy this story and sign my guestbook at the end. Tarrr. :)

Natalie Darwin
The prospect of going back there was almost exciting, but the thought that he may still be living there angered me. I dug sharply into the soft centre of the pancake and chewed nervously on the toffee covered goodness. I couldn't put down the offer as if I showed off my true potential I could be promoted. The thing that tortured me most was that the murder I was going to be reporting on the news was my old neighbour Mrs Creevy, the old lady that used to give me sweets and a hot chocolate in the winter on the way back from school. "You're going to be great." Ginger smiled encouragingly towards me but that wasn?t the reason I was nervous.

"I'm not nervous about that Ginger. What if I bump into him?" I looked towards Ginger for an answer; she had become my best friend since I moved here ten years ago. She had gotten me through the heartbreak when I realised James was never going to reply to my letters. James and I were friends since first year in primary school; he had defended me against the school bully Rosie Trafford. Ever since that day I was madly in love with the guy but the day I realised he was not ever going to reply to my letters I had gotten over him; it was May 16th 1999; a day after my 12th birthday.

"Well maybe it would do you some good if you bumped into him or even found him yourself. You can ask him why he ignored your letters and move on with your life knowing the answer to your biggest question." I bit my lip and nodded, I was leaving tonight for the Harrington Hotel a street away from where I used to live; two doors down from where James used to live.

"Maybe." I sighed, I decided I wasn?t in the mood for anymore of my delicious pancakes as the thought of throwing up crossed my mind. "Thanks, Ginger." She nodded appreciatively and I chucked the plate carelessly in the dish washer I was surprised I didn?t break it. I looked at the clock on the wall and swore. I was late for work; again. If I rushed I would be able to make it in fifteen minutes as long as the traffic wasn't too bad.

"Bye Hun." Ginger called to me as I exited the door after rushing on my clothes. I fumbled furiously in my purse which I had grabbed by the front door on the way out luckily I had left it there in case something like this would happen.

"Aha." I shouted in joy as I found my keys to my white Citroen. I chucked the bag on the front seat as I jumped in the car. Crap. I had forgotten to feed the animals, hopefully Ginger would remember before she left for the restaurant. I furiously twisted the keys in the ignition. "Start you stupid thing." It suddenly roared to life and I backed out of the parking lot. I soon hit traffic as I entered the city; I relaxed against the car seat and closed my eyes. I was going to be here for a while.

"James!" A small blond girl squealed as she chased after the boy called James. He was running through a garden filled with trees and flowers he had a small teddy bear clutched in his hand. He wove between trees and plants and occasionally glancing back to see how far away the girl was. He halted to a stop once he realised the girl was now sitting on the ground, her arms were crossed angrily and streaks of tears were running down her face. His features softened as he walked back towards the girl.

She looked back at the boy, she couldn't read his reaction as his face was frozen in place. Her mother put her into her car seat and they drove off without looking back. If Natalie Darwin had looked back at that moment when the car sped off she would have seen the smile that was now plastered on James's face, his hand moved slowly to the spot where she had kissed him. His smile turned into a disappointed frown, that was the last time he was going to see her; he had thought to himself before running back to his house.

"Hey lady!" My eyes fluttered open as I heard the several annoying beeps and shouts from cars that were behind me. I shot up suddenly when I realised there angry tones were aimed at me and sped down the street which was now suddenly empty of traffic. I looked at the time and half an hour had passed since sitting in the traffic. London. Who could like such a place. I licked my lips as I felt the air go dry. It was another gloomy day in the city, I missed the countryside; it would be nice to go back there but going back to a countryside where there had been murder. Was that such a wise decision? Especially being a snoopy reporter like myself.

After another fifteen minutes of torturous traffic I arrived at the office. I parked carefully in the last parking spot trying not to hit the limousine which was parked awkwardly. I slammed the car door shut and made my way across the concrete jungle. The outside appearance wasn't very attractive, it was a dark black colour with no windows, the office was converted from an old warehouse that made car parts which were then shipped to manufacturers.

The inside was a lot different of course; it was bright and colourful but was only two stories high. The main office for the newspaper was located in the middle of the city; its appearance was extravagant and was run by the boss's daughter Emma. The boss was retiring this year, he had grown tired of running the small offices around town and he was giving these to his other daughter Lauren who was twenty five years old. The upstairs part of the office was very handy and was used for the anchorwomen and men. They were always up there and we had to stay quiet when they were broadcasting as the walls were as thin as ice.

I entered into the office room, where we write stories for the newspaper. I had two jobs, I was a part time journalist but I was mostly a news reporter who would go out to the scenes of crimes around Britain. I stumbled into the office tripping over a stack of boxes as I came in. The room was almost empty, I stared at my watch and realised it was a minute to the news so everyone was upstairs watching it take place and supposedly taking notes. I noticed the boss standing there, his arms crossed together and his wrinkled face turned into a satisfactory smile.

"Lauren, Natalie's here." The boss shouted towards his old office, he didn't take a glance at me and I respected that; he had a reputation to uphold. Lauren came running over to me once I had settled down onto my desk. "You're late." I heard the boss whisper before he disappeared upstairs, I hung my head ashamed.

"Don't listen to him. He's in a grumpy mood. He's trying to hide it with smiling." Lauren laughed half-heartedly. I gave a short giggle and sat lazily back in my chair; Lauren was still hanging around obviously waiting for a good explanation for why I was late. "Why were you late anyway?" Lauren asked quite casually I knew it was itching at her sides, she was hoping for some interesting details like I was over a guy's house or something around that. I fumbled through my bag quickly and pulled out my glasses, Lauren was still waiting impatiently for an answer.

"I was busy saving the world." I watched Lauren's expression, she could be quite dumb at times. "I slept in and there was a lot of traffic." Lauren produced a frown of disappointment and walked off casually as if she had been called. She was coming with me with of course a few other camera men to the village and would unfortunately for me soon find out about the whole James thing. I simply can't wait for that.

"Let's go." I heard Lauren say after staring at the blank computer screen for five minutes. I looked up at her she had suppressed a smile, obviously excited about getting out of this boring building. "Boss said we could go early. They're re-decorating the place anyway so we'd only be a bother." I shrugged and gathered my bag; Lauren took off my glasses and stared at them. She soon put them back in my bag and walked off towards the car park. I hurried after her lugging my handbag on my shoulder and calling a quick 'Bye' to the boss.

The petrol filled air soon hit me as I exited the building, the uneven concrete road was empty no cars passed here except for the occasional lorry that liked to beep every time it passed the office. I noticed that Lauren had got into her own car, I guessed we were driving separately because neither me or her would want to leave our cars behind. My guessing must have been faltered as she got out of the car and locked it with her keys. She hurried back over to me. "Are you coming?" I was confused by her actions.

"Of course I am, I'm coming with you if that?s OK. I'm leaving my car for Emma to take home; we need to stop off at my place to get my luggage." I nodded, if I had not talked to Lauren just now I probably would have forgot my luggage and only remembered when I arrived at the hotel, I chuckled quietly at my forgetfulness. "You know Emma was upstairs, that?s why no one was in the office." I looked towards Lauren. "They were all giving her attention. I'm sure they'd gladly have her instead of me run the office." I bit my lip, I probably was the only one that would prefer to have Lauren run the office instead of Emma.

Emma was this big diva, she couldn't sing though, I remember hearing her at the karaoke night she was terrible yet everyone clapped and cheered when she had finished her song. Emma was mostly a model, she was hardly in the main office which she owned, she was always off posing for another magazine. I knew she wanted to turn the newspaper into a fashion magazine but her Father was still alive preventing her from doing so.

A loud horn pierced my ears; I opened my eyes and looked around frightened. I was still in the car but we were outside a tall building. "Finally you're awake." Laurens voice was agitated; she was drumming her fingers against the steering wheel. "Boss called. He's set us up with an apartment. The hotel apparently has cockroaches." I made an effective gagging noise which made Lauren laugh. We both got out of the car pulling our suitcases out of the car and through the main door. Luckily, the boss had cooked us up with a ground floor luxury apartment so we wouldn't have to lug our suitcases up the stairs.

"Nice apartment." I could happily live here, it was so much better than my apartment. Before I had the chance to tour the apartment there was a knock at the door. Lauren was nowhere to be seen so I made my way happily over the door, not expecting the unexpected. "J-james?" I choked on my words, he gave a goofy smile one he made the last time I saw him. Then suddenly I remembered the letters, and the time I wasted waiting for him. I could feel my bloody boil the more I looked at him, I suddenly slammed the door and sat against it, putting some force against it so he couldn't open it.

"Nellie, is that really you?" Tears started to escape the barriers I had put up, I hated it when I cried over someone as stupid as him.
"Who'd you think it was? President Lincoln?" I could hear James laughing on the otherside of the door, but I ignored him. "Why did you never reply to my letters? You broke my heart James." My voice was muffled and unclear; I was surprised he could understand me.

"What letters?" I thought for a second that James was joking but why would anyone joke about this. I stood up slowly and opened the door to face the handsome man that was my James. "Hi." He whispered.
"The letters I sent you." I still hung in the doorway, it was not right to let him in just yet.

"We'll have to discuss this over coffee. Look I have to go, my fiance is waiting for me." Tears whelmed in my eyes again, a fiance? He was engaged? My heart started to crumble but hadn't I gotten over him years ago? Okay yes I had turned down every guy who had asked me out but that was because I didn't want to hurt them like he hurt me. As a tear escaped my barrier I slammed the door shut, I couldn?t let him see me crying, it was pathetic I haven?t seen him for years for all I know he could be a completely different person.

"Nat? You Okay?" Lauren came rushing into the room, I guess I couldn't hide it from her any longer.

James Ian
Stunned I stood staring at the door that had just been slammed in my face; I had caught a glimmer of a tear run down her face once I mentioned that I had a fiance but the most confusing thing was that she said she sent me letters, then how come I never received them. Before I could knock on the door again deciding this was more important than taking my fiance shopping. The horn of the car went off several times; I turned around to give her a fake smile. She didn't return the favour and told me to get in the car. I walked slowly over to the car I kept the fake smile but any smart person would be able to tell it was fake; she however was not so smart.

"Honey, come on. I want my valentine's gift." I stood outside the car door that leads to the driver seat. Valentine's day was one of the many holidays I now hated because of Jessica she spent my money like I had more of it. I didn't have the best job, I was a policeman in the village but it still didn't mean I got thousands of pounds every month. "Aren't you coming?" Jessica's voice nasally compared to Nellie's, her voice was soft and pure like white silk.

"No." I was confused at my own words, I had never said no to her before and I sounded angry and agitated. I was finally doing what I've always wanted to do; deny her from giving her what she wants. I started to walk away from the car, it was time to pay a visit to my older sister. I turned around to find Jessica still sitting there her arms were crossed and her lips were curved into a small pout. I walked back towards the car. "Get out."

"OK." Jessica agreed with me and got out of the car quickly, she walked off calmly without looking at me. It was weird, normally she would throw a strop and refuse my orders; it was suspicious I had to admit. I shrugged it off and decided I would think about it later, right now my sister was my main focus. I could tell that I would get an angry rant later off of Jessica as I would have still not gotten her, her Valentine's day present or should I say presents. I plopped myself down in the driver's seat and drove the five minute journey to my sister's house.

I turned down the radio which was blasting out Decode by Paramore and made my way to the front door. I pressed my finger down firmly on the doorbell letting it ring for at least 10 seconds. My sister angrily stormed over to the door, I was intimidated by her tall figure. It sucked that she was so much taller than me. "This better be good, you've just woken up Hayley." I shrugged, Hayley would be far more amused by me anyway than sleeping. I presumed her words were meant by an invitation and let myself in.

"I want to know what you did with Nellie's letters." I spoke softly sitting down on the comfortable looking sofa, I looked over to my sister who seemed deep in shock. She sat down slowly as if I had pressed the slow motion button on her remote control.

"How did you figure it out?" I shouldn't have been surprised by her words but I still was. So she really did hide the letters from me, I had presumed this from the beginning since I met Nellie but didn't really think that it was true. "That doesn't matter. You must understand I did it for your own good." I snorted, my sister was never nice to me when I was little she was a brat but since she had Hayley she changed. It was good for all of us, especially me.

"What was my own good? To get heartbroken? I thought for ages that Nellie had simply forgotten about me and had moved on but no there she was writing letters to me. You made me look like a complete jerk." My whole body was raging, there was a hidden urge to slap Crystal but I couldn?t. She hung her head as if in shame of what crime she had committed. Crystal had actually loved Nellie as much as I did so then still the question hung in my head; why did she do it?

"I'm sorry, okay? I was jealous that you had found your true love at such a young age; you were eleven for god's sake. It made me look like an idiot in front of my friends, they had dared me to hide the letters that were sent by her and I did it. I still have them if you want them." My eyes perked up like a dog smelling a track that lead to a bone, my heart was racing as desire entered my mind. I was intrigued to see what she had wrote about me. I nodded hopefully, she ran quickly upstairs her feet were heavy against the wooden steps as she stomped back down. "Here." She said throwing them on my lap.

I opened a random letter, and smoothed the letter out with my hand. It was dated the 14th of February 1999; Valentine's day. Dear James. I miss you so much, my life is a bore right now. It has been a week since I have moved in, I don?t know if you got my last letter or not. I wish I could be with you and be your valentine. I?m popular at school with all the boys but the only one I want to be with is you. This is all I can write right now, Love Nellie. Xxx

To be continued...
Things to think about :
? What is Jessica up to?
? Will James reveal his true feelings for Natalie?
? Will Natalie be able to get over James properly now that he is back in her life?
Hope you enjoyed, maybe this story will get into the showcase this time ?
There will be more chapters to come. Thanks ? <3