THE SLOPES | shawmila

ten.

"Okay, okay." Aaliyah was giggling, her eyes on her phone as she went back through to the kitchen.

Sofia watched as Camila dropped her blanket at the door and started pulling on her boots. Sofia put the blanket down on the couch and dropped her voice low.

"What is with you?"

"What do you think!?" Camila hissed. "I have to get out of here—I have to walk around or something—I can't believe this—"

She snatched her coat off the rack and put it on as she went outside, the door catching behind her as Sofia followed.

"What is the big deal—"

"Oh my God, don't you get it!" Camila rounded on her, the sudden cold air making her breath come out in clouds. "I broke my stupid promise, okay!? I fell for Shawn! And now, now—he's singing with her—and she always gets everything I want! Everything! And now she has him too!"

"Camila!" Sofia shivered as she followed her. "He said he doesn't even like her."

"That's not the point!" Camila snapped. "I just want to be alone. Please... I just wanna walk around for a while..."

"Camila, I'm sorry..." Sofia whispered, sniffling from the cold.

Camila just shook her head and started towards the lodge.

She didn't know where else to go, but it was warm. Chuck was kind to her, letting her take her time with each drink. Though everyone else showed up, had something hot and quick before leaving, only Camila actually drank there long and slow.

She needed to vent, but her fingers hovered over her phone keyboard for a long time. She knew Nick wouldn't understand, and she didn't know what to say.

Part of her wanted to call Sofia selfish, but was she? Or was Camila the selfish one?

It was so hard to call, especially with her foggy mind. Sofia had known Aaliyah forever, but wasn't like that meant Camila couldn't be allowed to like Shawn. Their friendship shouldn't even be a problem. But it really had been the one real thing Sofia asked of her, just spend one week with this guy and don't catch feelings, and she had to catch them.

Camila jumped when a rowdy group of people came in. She watched a guy with shaggy scruff and flannel walk in with his friends.

"Hey, Ricky! Get the big one!"

"Okay!"

Camila stiffened, slipping her phone in her pocket and watching him. This was the guy both Sofia and Aaliyah were hanging around with. Even though Camila was mad at them, she felt her protective side come out. She watched, waiting to see what he ordered.

If he got alcohol, then he was even older than Camila thought, and there was no way she was going to let that slide. Camila glared at him, but Ricky didn't seem to notice. He didn't go for the bar and went right for the dessert case instead.

"Yeah, the biggest one—" He pointed.

Chuck put the biggest piece of cheesecake into a bag and handed it over. Ricky grinned before paying and going back over to his friends.

Camila rolled her eyes and turned back to the counter, wrapping her hands around her beer again. She was just checking her texts again, not hearing anyone behind her until they spoke.

"All alone?"

"Yeah, I—" Camila was prepared to tell Ricky to buzz off and check back when he was at least drinking age, but as she looked up, she saw it wasn't Ricky.

Max was looking down at her and Camila immediately felt trapped in his gaze. His blond hair was still overly perfect, his white ski coat somehow without any dirt on it.