Cruel Summer

23. Glow of the Vending Machine

[Camila's POV]

 I'm talking to Shawn when I see Aaliyah walking our direction with an arm cast and my mom by her side. She comes sit next to us while my mom walks to where Karen is.

 " Hey, how are you feeling?" Shawn asks her with concern.

 " It hurts a lot, but I'm fine." She says quietly. " I can't believe I have to use this thing for a least a month." She adds frustrated.

 Shawn gives her a side hug, being careful not to touch her arm, and she lean her head on his shoulder. A smile forms on my lips at the sight in front of me, it warms my heart to see how sweet Shawn is to his sister.

 It takes longer than expected for Karen to figured the whole health insurance thing out, and at some point she calls Shawn for help. He gets up leaving Aaliyah and I alone, and I feel her looking at me like she wants to ask something.

 " I'm hungry." She says after a while. " Can you help me with the vending machine?"

 I nod my head and we walk to some vending machines in the corner. I get her some chips and a soda and we seat in the ground in front of one the machines as she eats.

 " Did you tell Shawn?" She asks after a long moment of silence.

 " Tell him what?" I ask to test if she's going to tell me anything.

 " You know what I'm talking about." She says looking to where Shawn and our moms are. " I know you saw Sabrina and I that night."

 " I didn't tell him anything." I say as she finally looks at me. " But both him and your mom think you have a boyfriend, she overheard you two talking on the phone."

 " Please don't tell them." She asks with pleading eyes.

 " Don't worry, I would never say anything. It's not my place to do so." I say stealing a chip from her. " Are you afraid of their reactions?" 

 " Yes, I don't think they're going to be mad but I'm still a little scared."

 " So, are you and Sabrina official?" She nods her head smiling.

 " Since december."

 " I guess you finally found out what it feels like to kiss someone." I say teasing her.

 She laughs and pushes my shoulder slightly, and as we laugh I see Shawn walking our direction. He smiles and says we can go home, so twenty minutes later we're back in the house. Shawn and I sit down at the couch after helping my mom get her table out of the car.

 " Are you excited about New York?" He asks playing with my hair. " I thought you would be talking more about it. It was your dream."

 " I know, I am excited." I say taking one of his hands in mine. " I'm just afraid of screwing things up once we're apart again."

 " That's not going to happen, we'll only be a one hour and a half drive apart." He says cupping my face with both of his hands. " I'll drive to see you every weekend, even more if I have to. I meant what I said, you're not getting rid of me this time." 

 I smile at his words and he places a kiss on my lips. He places one arms on my back and one behind my knees and gets up, carrying me bridal style.

 " What are you doing?" I ask laughing.

 " We're going to the beach." He says walking outside as I hold on to his shoulders.

 He runs to the water still carrying me, and then I feel the cold water hit me. A wave almost drown both of us, making us laugh as he tries not to let go of me. He finally drops me in the water and takes his shirt off, throwing it in the sand, then he pulls my dress off too doing the same with the item. I jump on him and wrap my legs around his waist, kissing him just in my underwear. After a while we start getting cold and get out of the water. Shawn leans down to take our wet clothes from the sand when I jump on his back, making us both fall to the ground laughing. We lay with our backs in the sand and I lean in to kiss him, still laughing out of pure happiness. I lay head on his chest while he holds me and we end up watching the sunset laying down in the sand. As I watch the beautiful scene in front of us, I can't help but think that being here with him again is fate.