fix you | c.m.

"pretend i'm the boy you like"

- n o t e d i t e d -

- camilo's pov -

"Mind telling me where we're headed now?"

I asked as the girl beside me leads me through a dim-lit road.

After countless attempts in trying to get her to go back home, I was instantly shut down with her explaining that she would never be able to sleep until I saw for myself the place she wanted to take me, and so, I blindly followed her to the path I was strangely familiar with. The sense of familiarity was that, as I learned shortly afterwards, it was the same route going to school from my apartment.

I was not much approving of the thought that we will be visiting the school in the middle of the night, but my disapproval was soon replaced with surprise once we went beyond the main school gate and turned a corner to the right where we crossed a street to an unknown area.

"Are you sure it's safe to go here this late?"

I asked out of worry, knowing the many dangers lurking around, especially with the presence of a girl.

When there was no response, I walked faster and got ahold of Alaina's arm, stopping her in her tracks, "You're worrying me. Is this about Les?"

"No. Of course not. We're already there," she grinned and pointed to a building in front of us that looks too abandoned to be open to public, "no need to be scared."

"If you say so."

I loosened my grip on her arm and trusted her to lead us inside, and once we were in, the first thing that came to mind was the furniture, or rather the amount of it piled up in the first floor. The beds, chairs, and other furnishings blocking our way to the staircase gave me the feeling that this used to be a motel in the past, and I was proven correct as we passed by a sign on the wall that says 'Love & Joy Couples Motel'.

There was another sign that caught my attention, however, when I stopped to read what it says, Alaina walked back to where I was and took hold of my wrist.

"Come on. There's not much time."

For a second, my heart stopped.

Sue said the same thing once.

Not knowing how to reply and even look at Alaina, fearing I will be reminded again of the past I'm desperately trying to forget, I shook her hand off my wrist. This didn't show any hint towards her, and instead, she put her hand around my wrist for the second time.

"I-"

"Sorry, it's a mess here," she interrupted as I was about to say something, and while we walked to the stairs, her one hand was busy pushing away the obstacles in our path, "this building belonged to my sister's fiancé."

I nodded, relieved to finally have a piece of information about this place. "I'm guessing they both moved somewhere else from how this motel isn't operating anymore."

"Oh, my sister," Alaina paused, and although her back was the one facing me, I can sense her chuckle, "is not here anymore."

Could that mean she-

"She died."

For a moment, I had no idea what to do. I did not know whether to say words of comfort, ask about her death, or do nothing at all. My lack of interaction with people didn't really give me the opportunity to prepare for scenarios such as this, and so, what I deemed best was to wriggle my wrist out of her grip and hold her hand.

Alaina stopped in her tracks.

I thought it was because of my sudden gesture, but then she said, "we're here."