Black and white

Chapter 9

[Shawn's POV]

 Winter break comes around, so Camila fly back to Miami to spend Christmas with her mother. I spend it at my parents house, since my grandparents came to town just for it and also because it's my mom's favorite holiday. I know she misses spending time with me so I help her buy a tree and new decorations, but we still don't get to spend too much time together since she keeps having a few work emergencies. I guess that's the disadvantage of being a successful lawyer. My dad seems to complain less about my music after my mom told him about the songs the record label bought and I even caught him looking at Camila's painting my mom bought and hanged on their living room. Camila comes back to spend New Year's Eve in LA since Julia's dad invited us all for a party he's hosting. As we countdown to midnight I can't help but look at her beautiful face and be grateful at the universe for putting her in my life this last year.

 As january goes by Camila's art gets each day more recognition so when February begins Kelly schedules an exclusive exposition only for her work. There'll be lots of important art critics to review her so I don't even have to mention how nervous she is right now.

 " Baby, just take a breath." I say taking her hands before we enter the gallery for her exposition.

 She takes a deep breath while closing her eyes and before she walks to talk to Kelly I squeeze her hand two times so she knows everything will be okay. She spend the night being introduced and talking to so many people that I barely have time to talk to her. My mom buys another painting and I love how supportive of Camila's art she is. After leaving the gallery my mom takes us out to dinner to celebrate.

 " Karen, I haven't said this before but thank for buying those paintings and being so supportive." Camila tells my mom during dinner.

 " Sweetie, you deserve it. You're amazing in what you do." My mom says smiling and taking her hand.

 " Can I cry already?" I ask joking.

 They both laugh and Camila slaps my shoulder lightly. I'm so happy they have a good relationship, it would be too much for me if my mom didn't like Camila and acted like my dad, but deep down I know she would never do that even if she hated Camila. We go back to her apartment and I can tell she's anxious about the reviews, but she'll only be able to see them tomorrow.

 " Hey, come here." I say laying down on her bed. She's looking through the window and I can tell she's overthinking it.

 " Sorry." She says laying next to me.

 " Are you okay?" I ask putting my hand on her cheek.

 " Yes, as long as you're here." She says snuggling on me and kissing my neck.

 " So you don't have anything to worry about. You're stuck with me." I say making her laugh.

 " I'm glad that's the case." She says getting on top of me and kissing me. " And I could really use some distraction right now."

 " Your wish is my command." I say turning us around so I'm on top of her.

 We take our clothes off in record time and I can't help but admire how beautiful she is everytime we find ourselves in this situation.

                          ☆☆☆☆

[Camila's POV]

The next morning I wake up with my phone buzzing but it takes me awhile to open my eyes. I extend my arm in the bed but the space next to me it's empty, which means Shawn is already up. I finally open my eyes and try to get my phone on the nightstand but it slips from hand falling on the carpet. I groan in frustration and when I sit in the bed to get the phone, I see Shawn standing in the doorway with two cups of coffee in his hands.

 " Someone woke up in the wrong side of the bed this morning." He says sitting next to me on the bed and handing me one of the cups after I take the phone from the carpet.

 " Thanks." I say sipping the coffee.

 As I look at my phone I notice the buzzing that woke me up came from a bunch of texts I got from Kelly. When I open it I can see a lot of links that are probably for the reviews and the last text is her congratulating me. If she's congratulating me then the reviews were not bad but I'm still a little nervous to read them.

 " Are those the reviews?" Shawn asks moving my hair behind my shoulders.

 " Yeah. I don't know if I want to read it." I say honestly.

 " That's your choice to make but I think they're probably amazing reviews." He says smiling at me.

 " How do you always know the right things to say?" I ask before giving him a sweet kiss.

 I take one more sip from my coffee and then put the cup on the nightstand to concentrate on my phone. I click on the first review feeling a knot on my stomach but as I read it that goes away quickly. Words and expressions like "very touching" or "a modern classic" started to pop up and as I get through all of them I have a huge smile on my face and even some tears rolling down. I look at Shawn and realize he read the whole thing with me. I jump on him, hugging him tight and end up laughing from how happy I am. I always thought my work was good but to have that kind of confirmation was overwhelming. The words I read in those reviews were exactly what I've always wanted to achieve with my paintings: make people feel something.

 " Come on, let's go out for breakfast to celebrate." Shawn says taking both of our cups back to the kitchen.

 I get dressed and we make our way downstairs to his car but as he drives around the city I realize we're going to his apartment.

 " I thought we were going out for breakfast." I say confused as the car enters the parking lot.

 " We are." He says smiling.

 " We could have eaten in my apartment." I continue still really confused.

 " Wait and see." He says not revealing much.

 We make our way upstairs and when Shawn opens the door I see Lauren, Brian and Alessia jumping and blowing on party whistles. They all hug me and congratulate on the reviews. Just then, Julia and Niall get out of the kitchen carrying several plates of pancakes also congratulating me.

 " Guys, this is too much." I say thanking them and laughing.

 " It was your boyfriend's idea." Niall says.

 " I guess I'm guilty of that." Shawn says shyly.

 " You're too much, but I love you for it." I say kissing him.

 " Okay, enough with the PDA, kids." Brian says attacking the pancakes and making us all laugh.

 We all sit in the table and start eating and those are honestly the best pancakes I've ever had in my life.

 " I swear to god, Julia, everything you cook taste like heaven." I say taking a bite.

 " I know right? At least I have a second option in case my acting career doesn't work." She says laughing. " The perks of having a chef as a father."

 As we keep eating and talking I can't help but smile at the fact that Shawn's friends had become my friends as well, even Lauren started bonding with them too. It was an amazing feeling to be part of a supportive group of friends like this one.