Cut!

Take 16 - Right Now

A/N: Please comment as you read. It'll mean the world to me.

After soaking completely under the hot water, I used the soaps, scrubs and face masks Marcus had packed for me. There was nothing like a home spa to freshen up after flying. In fact, I almost felt like myself again.

The hotel had a fluffy bathrobe, and as I stepped out of the bathroom, I buried myself inside it. The air condition in the room made it bearable, and I walked over to my baggage.

Most of my clothes were neatly folded, and I sent a grateful thought to Marcus for being him. It made unpacking so much easier. Once all of my dresses were assigned a coat hanger and my other clothes stacked on shelves and in drawers, I looked at the few personal belongings I’d brought with me.

It wasn’t much really. My lucky bracelet, a couple of books, Harry’s flower and my glasses. I placed the books on my nightstand, making sure to avoid looking at the lily. I didn’t need that extra voice in my head right now.

My bracelet, multicolored beads and all, didn’t fit anything Marcus had packed. Nevertheless, I slipped it on my wrist. It was my reminder that not everything sucked—I needed it.

It was with a sense of melancholy that I turned to the last item. Sighing, I picked up the case and took out my reading glasses. It had been a while since I’d worn them, and if I were to be honest, I missed them. For four years, they’d been my most prized accessory. I took them on and looked at myself in the mirror.

Ludmilla and I had a few differences between us. Of course, no one had really been able to spot them except our parents. But right now, as I looked at my reflection I could see a few of them. My eye color had a darker shade of brown than Ludmilla’s, and there was a couple of freckles over my nose. Ludmilla, on the other hand, were easily tanned, whereas I was stuck with a ton of sunscreen if I didn’t want to look like a cooked lobster.

I sighed. In the back of my mind, I knew why it was important to me to be different from Ludmilla. For the greater part of my teenage years, it had been because I didn’t want to stand in the spotlight. However, now it was because I wanted—I needed—to be my own person too. The borders between Ludmilla and Camilla were starting to blur, and I was beginning to doubt where this would take me.

I grabbed the room service menu and read today’s specials. Nothing really stood out to me. With disappointment, I contemplated another snack bar, but I knew I had to eat.

A knock on my door caught my attention. Could it be Harry again? No, he was with Zayn. I walked over to the door, unlocking it.

Outside, Steven was standing with a large smile. “Hi, Cami. I was wondering if we could talk?”

“Uhm. Sure.” I stepped back and let him in. “What’s up?”

He looked around the room until he faced me again. Opening his mouth, he held up a finger but stopped himself.

“What?” I asked.

“I’ve never seen you with glasses before,” he said.

“Oh, god.” I hurried to tear them off. “Sorry about that. It’s just reading glasses. Part of the disguise to make me seem different than Ludmilla.”

“Aha.” He nodded. “I like them.”

I was beginning to feel slightly uncomfortable. Fiddling with my fingers, I looked to the floor. “You wanted to talk to me?”

“Oh, right.” He clapped his hands together. “Since I don’t want anyone to start expecting anything, I think it’s important to be seen together as usual. So I came to invite you downstairs for dinner.” He smiled. “The others were only told you had a few days off, but I didn’t explain anything further.”