Present Time.
Camila stares blankly at the night sky full of stars while sitting on the lawn chair of the balcony in her condo. She was like this after knowing that Lauren is pregnant and the father is Brad. It hurts her to the core and she became numb after knowing the news thru text that Ally her best friend and Dinah Jane confirmed that Lauren is indeed pregnant. While staring at the night sky she didn't notice that her tears had fallen wetting her cheeks. She loves Lauren but what can she do if the damage is already done? Lauren chooses to ignore her feelings and goes to her religious beliefs that only a man can marry a woman, she don't know too if Lauren had the same feeling towards her and she can't do anything about all of it, she had no other choice but to let her go and move on with her life.
Then her pager number rang and a voice can be heard in the background: Ms Karla, it's me Normani, I don't know where you are but I need you right now, your mom needs you, please go home, Madam Sinu...she's in the hospital right now, please come home before it's too late, I don't know what to do anymore so please, come home..." and it cut off.
Camila contacted Normani to its cellular but never spoke then hung up but Normani knows that it was Camila because Normani herself only give her personal number to those person she knows. So after that day Normani always leave a message to her trying and hoping to talk to her but Camila never accepted her calls.
Camila closes her eyes tight and sob uncontrollably.
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4yrs ago....
Karla Estrabao or rather Camila Cabello, the name she choose so that her mother and Normani, the secretary and also who became her sister, will not know where she exactly is. She roamed her eyes at the large and wide building of Miami U. She just arrived 1 week ago and immediately processed her forged documents so that she can enter and go to school as Camila Cabello taking the course of Computer Engineering where she is good at. Actually there's no need for her to take the course since it's her specialty it's just that she wanted it and feel what it feels like to enter in a normal school like a normal teenager. Since she was a kid she was home schooled, taught by her mother and later on by teachers, different professional teachers that is good in everything when it comes to computer, not just that, she knew mixed martial arts too, for her self-defense because in the future when she's ready to take over the ETG someone or rival company will surely want to take her down, if not thru business then it will be physical by kidnapping her and it's possible in every way. About her father, her father who we will not be named left them when she was 4yrs old, later divorced by her mother, so she didn't know much about her father. Her full name when she was born was Camila Karla Estrabao Cabello, which later renamed by Sinu's order to Karla Estrabao, forgetting the name of Camila Cabello. She knew that her mother will hate the name Camila Cabello so she brought that name up so she can be free.
Now, she left her motorbike in the parking lot of a dine-in restaurant which is near by the school, she walked the path through there, stuffing both hands to the pocket of her leather jacket. Wearing her black leather jacket, white plain shirt in the inside, her faded black ripped jeans and her white Nike shoes, her brunette hair was tied in a lose bun, wearing the ID of her chosen university. She was excited but when she noticed the eyes of those women and men it will not be easy as it seems to be. She sighed and stepped inside the entrance of Miami U. Those eyes that she hated is still looking at her and she knew that they're judging her, she almost forgot that Miami City is bound by religious belief that's why she's here, but she don't care, it's her life and no one will ever change that.
She was near the building when she heard a ball fast approaching, because of her training she enhanced her hearing sense and based on the tailwind it was near at 4secs, fast approaching her so she took a step from right and catches the ball from her left hand. It spins against her palm then she grips it in order for it to stop then she stared at it, a baseball ball. She looked up and saw a woman wearing a red baseball jersey uniform saying Soar Miami U and a number 16 on the right chest, a raven haired that was tied in a tight ponytail, her head was covered by a baseball cap and she's holding a bat. She shifted her eyes and those eyes are still there waiting for her to make a mistake so instead of giving it to the woman who wears #16 she step back her right foot and throw the ball hard back to the field. She didn't care if the woman frowned at her, it's better if she made that first impression, she doesn't want that kind of attitude. Based on her training, the behaviour of each person will adapt thru environment and she's 100% sure that #16 is the same as those guys, judging her. She spun to her heels and headed to the building not caring what they think of her, but she's sure that the #16 was mad at her and she don't care even a single bit because for her they're all the same.
Camila grabbed her phone to see her saved blueprint of Miami U, she was used to not seek help from the others, it's one of her many trainings, to be independent and solved things on her own way.
'80 meters to the right then a left 100 meters,' and she nodded, 'so, that will be the registrar's office,' then she stuffed her phone back on her black leather jacket. Then she heard a noise and in the distance a group of football men circling around to whomever that poor man for them to hit on but her nose flared because it's not a man, but a woman, blonde woman. She looked around and no one dares to help the woman, they are just looking, but there's one man doubting if he will help the woman or not, he was clenching his fists and she saw that he was about to take a step so she made the move first and approached the football players. She began to hear the murmurs when she approached them. She halted near the #12 jersey and touch his shoulder, it look back at her and gave her a cold stare. Before the #12 make a move she halted him by kicking his groin and it make him groan and knelt to the ground, because of it she grab the other football players' attention and gave her a cold stare.
"Pick your own size, will you?"
"What is it to you huh mushroom?"
Camila is only 5 foot 2 in height, she may be small but she's dangerous.
And the other men laughed.
Camila sighed and said, "move back before I hit this football ball in one of you, you don't want to follow that man right? If I were you before his balls crushed, take him to the clinic and leave the woman alone."
Their jaws are clenching and also their fists because their mate is groaning and crying.
"You're new here, aren't you?"
"What is it to you? You will bully me? Go on and let's see who will back out and regret it all in the end," she said mockingly.
"Well then, mushroom, welcome to hell."
Camila smirked, "if you don't know I came from hell, the devil himself reserved a seat for me there, a special seat and you are just my followers," and she saw him tightened his jaws.
"Come on guys," he said with clenched teeth, "let's take him to the clinic."
She watched them walking away while she stuff her both hands on her black leather jacket then she bend her knees down looking at the scared blonde woman.
"Hey, are you okay?"
"Please... don't hurt me... I beg you..."
Camila's jaw tightened when she heard her pleas, "don't worry, I will not hurt you and they already gone."
The woman looked up, her face stained with tears and looked around, the brunette woman was right, "w-what did you do...?"
"Scaring them away."
"Are you crazy?! They might come back to you! You shouldn't have helped me."
"And you think it'll help me, letting them bully you?" and she shook her head, "if these idiots watching us, letting you getting bullied then they are crazier than me," and she heard the students rant at her and she smiled, not caring one bit.
"Why? Why are you doing this? Why did you help me?"
"I wanted to, is that wrong?"
And the blonde woman slowly shook her head, "they will come back to you, are you not afraid."
"And I will let them come to me," and she handed her hanky towards the blonde woman.
The blonde woman stared at the hanky and slowly reached for it and wipe her tear stained face, "thank you, you're new here, am I right?"
"Yes, I am."
"I see," and she sniffed, "what happened today is not enough for you to know what Miami U is."
"I already saw it and it's ugly, but it's fun."
"You're really are crazy."
"And it makes you smile."
"I'm Ally Brooke, 2nd year, Computer Engineering."
"Camila Cabello, same as you," she saw her widened her eyes, "what?"
"Y-You're Computer Engineering too?"
"Yeah, why, is there something wrong?" and she handed her hand when she stood up.
"Nothing," and she accepted the offered hand and she stood up on her feet, combing her blonde hair, "you know that in our course, there are only two of us women."
"That is fun, but why there are two of us?"
"It's because it's a man's course."
"Really, is it because of the religious beliefs here in Miami?"
"Yes."
"Really huh, then that's lame," and she walked away.
"You're silly, uhm where are you going?" and she followed her.
"To the registrar."
"I can accompany you there."
"Thank you but you don't have to do that and besides look at their stares you might not want to get involved with me."
Ally shook her head, "I don't care, I sometimes don't like it, so please let me uhm—take it as a thank you."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah."
"Okay, then, thank you."
"You're welcome, can I call you, Mila?"
"Whatever makes you comfortable."
"Mila, then, uhm—friends?" and she handed her hand.
"Friends," and Camila shook it lightly.
Camila knew that she is not welcome when she entered the room that is full of men, but Ally helped her and she appreciate it.
"HEY Hansen, I heard that there's a transferee, your friend Brooke now has a friend in the Engineering Department."
"Hmm really?"
"Yeah and what I heard that she scared those football players away and one of them is absent during practice because he think that his balls are crushed."
"What? Who did that?"
"The transferee, she kicked him in his groin, she's fun, I want to meet her."
Hansen sighed and shook her head and then someone bumped at her that makes her stop on her tracks, she looked back and saw a few feet inches lower than her, probably a 5 foot 2 tall compared to her 5 foot 6 tall.
"Instead of staring, why don't you apologize for bumping at me?"
"Why would I apologize, you're the one who bumped at me, look down so you will know."
And Hansen did, the pipsqueak was right, "I will not apologize, it's not my fault that you're small."
"Then don't, but be careful on your way your head might smash something because you're tall," and she left.
Hansen was fuming, she's amazed because the pipsqueak was not afraid at her and can stare directly at her eyes, the pipsqueak gained a point from her.
"Come on, Hansen, let her," and she pulled her, "she had guts for talking at you without fear."
"She's just lucky."
And the woman shook her head, "come on, now."
ALLY was smiling when she approached her friends, Dinah Jane Hansen and Lauren Jauregui, she dropped her bag on the cemented table and settled herself and asked them because they're not at theirselves.
"What happened to you guys?"
The two huffed in frustration.
"DJ," "Lauren?"
It was Dinah who answered first, "I met someone and she hurt my ego!"
Then Lauren continued, "I met someone too and I'm sure she's transferee, instead of handing the ball at me she throw it away back to the field and hit a lamp there, my coach let me run for 3 rounds in the field, backwards, my legs are aching," and she slumped forward on the table.
"And you're happy Ally," Dinah commented, "does those boys didn't bully you?"
"Hmm they actually bullied me but someone helped me."
Dinah and Lauren's face light up, "really, that's good."
"Yeah, she's my friend now."
"The transferee?" Dinah asked.
Ally nodded with a smile.
"What's her name?" Lauren asked.
Ally almost answered when they heard some commotion so the trio looked up and saw the football players.
"They're starting again," Dinah commented.
Ally on the other hand gasped when she saw Camila, "oh my..."
"That's her!" Dinah and Lauren said at the same time and they looked at each other.
"That's the pipsqueak that bumped at me in the hallway!"
"That's the brunette that throw the ball back in the field, serves her right."
"No," Ally said with worry.
"What?" Lauren asked in confused.
"She's the one who helped me from them, I knew that they come back, they will not let her passed," and she quickly collected her things, "I must help her," and a hand stopped her and she saw Lauren, "Laur..."
"Don't, Ally, remember our beliefs, we must respect men."
Ally's lips are quivering and looked at to Camila.
Dinah stared at the pipsqueak and her hand is clenching silently cheering her, she's tired of those beliefs, how can she respect men if they're like that. A smile slowly curved up in the corner of her lips when she saw pipsqueak dodge the man's punch and grab a food tray and smashed it to him. She was amazed of her fighting skills, dodging them like they are nothing. The fight ended with those football players groaning on the ground.
"I'm sorry guys but I'm going to Mila, she's now my friend," and she quickly left.
"Ally!" and she looked at to Dinah, "are we letting her, that brunette are a trouble, she's a bad influence, she might influence Ally."
"Ralph, that pipsqueak just defended herself, they're the one who approached her and no, I don't think she's a bad influence to Ally, can't you see that she helped Ally, either of us can't defend her like what that pipsqueak do."
"Are you defending her?"
"Whatever Ralph, don't stop Ally."
"She's a bad influence, period," and she stood and left Dinah.
Dinah sighed when Lauren left, this is the reason why she's sometimes silent when it comes to belief and she knows that Ally too but chose to be silent but not now because the pipsqueak defended Ally, their friend. Lauren just showed that the belief is important than their friend.
"MILA!" Ally called when she saw Camila.
Camila looked back and saw Ally, "hey, what are you doing here?" she asked in worry, looking back to where Ally took.
"I saw you earlier, are you okay? Are you not hurt?"
Camila smiled and shook her head, "thanks for your concern, your friends might scold you for approaching me."
"What do you mean?" and she saw her nod so she looked back and saw Lauren.
"Go to her," and she left.
"Mila!" and she saw her wave.
"Ally, what do you think you're doing?" she asked holding Ally's arms preventing her from following the brunette.
"I'm not doing anything, Mila is my friend, is that wrong?"
"Ally, she hurt those football players, those men that we need to respect!"
"I need to respect them but they don't know how to respect me, how can I do that, Laur, tell me," and she shook her head, "I'm tired, I rather break my beliefs than to abandon my friends that just defended herself, those men abuses the beliefs and it's not right, so I'm sorry Laur, I'm sorry because from now on I will not let them hurt me again, I hope you understand," and she left Lauren and followed Camila.
"You will chose that Mila, than us?"
"She's now my friend Laur, a friend that was not scared and didn't regret for defending me, it's not that you and DJ can't defend me, she's just different," and she left.
"She's a bad influence!"
Ally stop on her tracks and look again at Lauren, "she is not Laur, don't judge her because you don't know her," and she left, following Camila.
Lauren clenches her fists while watching Ally left.
ALLY saw Camila near the pond, she got smiled and approached her.
"You followed me."
"Why not?" and she sat beside her, "you're now my friend, Mila and if they really treat me as a friend, they will understand because if they don't..."
"They're not your true friends," she continued, "I know, thank you."
"You didn't do anything."
"Don't be guilty though."
"You already warned me."
And Camila smiled, "hey, what do you mean earlier, about being tired, what do you mean of that?"
"Oh, you hear that," and she sighed, "tired of my beliefs, I don't know anymore if I can still hold tight to that belief because you opened my eyes, I'll be on the end of the tie and I don't care, you know, those football players will pick me again and bullied me, they're abusing the beliefs that we've grown into, respecting men whatever they did that they're the only one who can make women happy, that's ridiculous, you know, yes they can surely give us family but—"
"Hold right there," Camila cut Ally's words, "you know what I've learned, that family doesn't only consists of blood line, family isn't just one word Alz, as long as you experienced happiness, sadness, excitement and other feelings then they can be called family, just like what you've feel about your friends, you felt it all and they're your family."
"You're right."
"Believe what you believed in, Alz, just follow what your heart says but as long as you bring this," she said while pointing her head, "then you'll be fine, no matter what we do, we always make mistakes, we're only human and I'm sure God already expect that, we sometimes misunderstood the beliefs, it'll be really unfair if you let those men hurt you, it's not good, not really cool."
"I know, that's why I sometimes questioned it and I didn't bring them out."
"Because you're afraid," and she saw her nod, "we've grown accustomed to it, that's when I finished college I will not live here, but on the other city."
"You can do that, we're not perfect, it can't be dodge but as long as we learn from those mistakes we already made then we'll be fine, you'll be fine."
"Thank you, Mila."
"You're welcome."
And they continued their conversation until it rang for the afternoon period.