𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞, 𝐂𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐚 - ✐

Chapter 2

Same Town, New Girl

ONE THING THAT I never missed about Pinecrest was the never-ending cold, my tight sweatshirt and coat couldn't stop the shivers running up and down my body.

Some would call it a winter wonderland but I call it my personal hell even though it was colder than Santas asscrack here. Juli's crying was attracting the eyes of people crossing through the small outside shopping mall where we were buying furniture for the house. 

I'd already run into 3 people that I've known and I was still waiting for the one person I would dread meeting again. 

Christopher Jaye Dawson

I spotted a clothing store across the street from the tiny furniture shop, "Mama-" 

"Why would put up a display if you don't have it in stock?!" She yelled exiting the shop with frustration on her face. I held a tired Juli in my arms and rocked her to sleep on my shoulder. 

I exited the shop and looked around for Mama, but she was nowhere in sight. She probably entered some other shop. My mother gave me a few bucks in case I saw something I wanted so I went into the shop across the street. 

It looked like the cutest boutique I've ever seen, vines were scattered around the windowsill creating a soft atmosphere. The polished floors and organized clothing gave me a rush as I started to go through the hangers with Juli in one arm.

"Mother and daughter time is always the best right?" I didn't know whether to be insulted or not. I turned around to see a girl with blonde hair wrapped in a claw clip dressed in a simple shirt and some jeans. Her name tag said 'JD/Jennifer"   

"I- uh- S-She's my sister" I stumbled over my words as always but her cheeks grew red with embarrassment. 

"Oh my god! I'm so sorry, I just thought-" She quickly apologized.  

"Don't worry about it, it's an easy mistake" No it wasn't. I looked like a 12-year-old girl in a 17-year-olds body.  

"I just wanted to say that I loved your camera" She pointed to the half bedazzled and stickered camcorder around my neck. I had a thing for photography, along with a fierce passion for dancing. It was safe to say I was never bored.   

"Oh! Thank you" I smiled and Juli started to wake up, she rose and looked around but specifically at JD. 

"Hi, baby!" Juli smiled and yawned before resting on my shoulder again. 

"Sissy! Mama!" Juli pointed at the door and I turned around to see the dark-haired woman identical to me looking around the store sighing when she saw us. 

"I'm so sorry, Cami" She took Juli out of my arms giving her a peck on the cheek and then mine. 

JD was long gone by now attending to another client at the register, we all exited the shop and walk to the car. 

On the walk there I look at a message on my phone from Adrianna when a harsh shove on my shoulder makes me drop my phone and nearly makes me collapse entirely.  

"Watch it, dork!" A high-pitched scream shocked me, a tall blonde in high heels scoffed when she looked at me. 

"You have glasses for what? Do they not work or something?" She flung her hair over her shoulder 

"They work perfectly fine, but for your home training? No puedo decir lo mismo" My Spanish accent laced around my tone. (I can't say the same)    

I nearly didn't catch the dark-haired boy next to her with a scowl on his face, but not at me.

"Let's go Stephanie" I looked at him, he was absolutely beautiful. He was dressed in a white shirt with a hint of his muscles peeking out and a leather jacket decorated in different symbols. His painted fingernails and hands are decorated with silver rings.     

"How about you just go back to your-" 

She was interrupted by my very angry Spanish mother who had already put my sister into the car, "Mira! Watch what you say to my daughter, mal educada!" (Listen - Illmannered girl)  

The boy next to her pulled her wrist muttering a small apology to us and walked away scolding the blonde quietly. 

I picked up my phone and silently made my way into the car fuming with anger. The only comfort I found was in the tiny hand gripping my hand while Juli watched cartoons on her tablet. 

We soon made it to the house and went straight into what would become my room, the bare walls made me anxious. Everything felt new, and change wasn't a strong suit of mine. I got straight to work though, I started putting polaroid pictures of my life back in Spain. The teenage clubs, the gelato dates with Adrianna, the dance studio, and volleyball matches. It would all be missed. 

A tear slowly ran down my face, but a knock on my door made me swipe it off. 

"Camila? I have some bookshelves that your mother could like to put in your room since they don't fit anywhere else in the house" Tomas knocked again and I opened the door.

"I'm sorry for intruding-" He came in with a few boxes. 

"You're fine, Tomas" I smiled at him and he gave me a small smile back. I haven't really been the best stepdaughter to Tomas. I felt as if he was replacing papa even though I knew that was and would never be his intention. 

But ever since I realized that papa would never come back it's been easier to get used to him, just not enough to call him my father. Not yet anyway.

He quickly got to assembling the bookshelves in a tiny corner of my room while the movers helped assemble my bed and I carried boxes and luggage to my room. 

They all soon finished and left me room, it was all set up now. LED lights circled my room with my posters and pictures all over the wall. My desk sat in the tiny corner in between the bookshelves Tomas built making it look like some kind of fortress. 

But overall it looked pretty fricken epic. 

"How do you like your room, Mila?" Mama stood as I looked at the finished product.

"It's nice" I answered laying on the bed. She came and lay next to me with a smile.

"Well that's amazing, but I have some news. The new school you're starting at...is requiring you to go tomorrow" 

"Tomorrow? That's too soon!" I looked at her with disbelief. I had all my school supplies but I had just gotten here and I had to start a new school already? 

"We can't delay your learning, If not tomorrow then a month later and that is just way too long for me" She left the room after that and I was left alone to sulk in my misery. 

This was pure bullshit.  

Hey guys! I would like to thank all of you for supporting this story, I know it's not as recognized or seen as my other books but I can assure you it'll be just as good. 

Love, M.