Pepa places a hand on her hip, staring at me expectantly.
"Well? What were you and my son doing?" She asks while narrowing her eyes. I stare at her blankly. Mirabel looks between me and Pepa before making up some excuse as to why she has to leave. As Mirabel practically runs away, I try to whisper plead for her to stay. She looks back at me for a second and then up at Pepas forming cloud. She gives me and apologetic look then mouths "I owe you one," before running off. Great.
I exhaled and turned my attention back to Pepa. Her intense stare made my knees wobbly and I felt a light drizzle rain down on us from above. I wasn't quite sure what to say, what if Camilo didn't want his mother to know about his nightmare? It wasn't my place to tell her what her son was going through.
"Well we were just- hanging out?" I say biting my lip. Wow, that was unconvincing.
"Hanging out?! I don't believe that for a second!" The cloud over her head grew and rained down on us and I was trying my best not to tremble. I began to raise my now soaking wet finger in hopes of giving a better explanation but I was interrupted by a stout man grabbing Pepa by the waist. It was Félix. He pulled her close to him and she instantly relaxed.
"Mi amor! He's 17 almost 18, he's allowed to have a girl in his room!" Félix says calmly, shooting me a wink. Pepa rolled her eyes with a little smile. Her cloud began to fade as she said-
"I guess you're right... he has to grow up some day."
I look at them, my jaw basically dropped. They definitely had the wrong idea, but they were okay with it? Just as I began to correct them, Camilo swung his door open. He rubbed his eyes wearily and yawned, but once he noticed his parents who had practically cornered me, he rose an eyebrow.
"Long night?" His father said while shooting finger guns at him. Pepa elbowed her husband for his remark. Camilo looked at them with a horrified expression on his face.
"Um... what?" He said while looking over at me with wide eyes.
"Yes yes I'm sorry... I won't embarrass you!" Félix said as he made his way over to Camilo. After his dad fist bumped him and whispered something along the lines of "Nice job," Félix pulled him in from the side and started to drag him over to where me and Pepa stood.
Camilo's face turned into a smile and he stifled a chuckle when he saw my absolutely puzzled expression. I shot him a death stare.
"Ahhhh... Just like your mother and I." Félix practically sings. Camilo's nose scrunches as he smiles, and he breaks away from his fathers grasp.
"I don't know what you guys think happened," Camilo says while walking over to my side, "but nothing like that happened last night, y/n was just helping me... through something." He drapes his arm loosely over my shoulder, not minding that my soaked clothes are surely getting him wet.
His parents instantly looked at him concerned.
"What happened?"
"Is everything okay?"
His parents began to question.
He chuckled sadly as he brought his free hand to the back of his head. "I don't really want to get into it, but I'm okay. I'm okay now." As he says those last words he looks down at me sweetly. I look up at him too, giving him a soft smile. When we both look back his parents are clinging to each other and looking at us teary eyed.
"I'm glad you have someone, Camilo. I don't know where I would be without your father to keep me sane." She smiles and looks at me gratefully. I return the smile.
"I am really glad too. Well uh- this seems like a good time to tell you guys that we're... dating." Camilo says while shaking his hands in the air as to say, "surprise!" His parents laughed and pulled us both into a tight hug. When they pulled away Pepa waved her finger at us.
"Now, I want grandchildren eventually but not anytime soon, okay?" Pepa said sternly. I almost broke into a fit of laughter at the irony of that statement.
"Mama!!" Camilo said embarrassed.
"Just saying!" She responded. Camilo sighed and I laughed.
"Alright well we'll better leave the two lovebirds alone!" Félix said while prompting Pepa to follow him. After we said our goodbyes they made their way downstairs.
Camilo exhaled heavily. "Sorry about that."
"No no it's fine, they're nice." I responded reassuringly.
"I guess, they just can be annoying sometimes." He shrugged. I wish I still had parents to call annoying. It's a simple luxury that not most realize they have.
"Well let's get you dried up." He said while looking down at my sopping wet skirt and blouse.
"Yeah, that's a good idea." I say as my teeth began to chatter.
He leads me back to his room and walks me to the center. Just like earlier the room spins until I'm standing in a spacious bathroom.
"Here, you can get in the shower and I'll head back to my bedroom and wait till you finish. I can give you some clothes to borrow while yours dry." He says.
"Wait, if you go back to your room won't the bathroom just disappear?" I question.
"Nope, just because I change the rooms doesn't mean the other ones disappear." He explains.
"Ah okay. Sounds good then!" I add with a head nod. He goes back into the center and sure enough, since I'm not in the center with him he spins and disappears leaving me all alone.
—-
The shower was amazing. The water was warm and the products smelled just like Camilo. I laughed when I saw them all. He had several hair products and body lotions, scrubs, ect. At least I knew he was hygienic. As I stepped out of the shower the his smell radiated off of me. A mix of sandalwood, freshly brewed coffee, and vanilla.
I breathed in deeply and smiled. I began to look around for a towel, or something to dry my self off with. Nothing. I opened cabinets and drawers, checked around every corner, but nothing. Where were the towels? After about 5 frantic minutes of searching I heard a gasp from behind me. I whipped my head around and my hands instantly flew to cover my body.
Camilo shut his eyes tight and dropped the extra clothes he had brought me to cover his eyes with his hands. He began to profusely apologize. I ignored him.
"Um towel?" I said in a panicked voice.
"Uh what- oh!" He stumbled forward blindly as he tried to navigate the bathroom with his eyes still covered. After a while of him patting down every surface he pressed down on what appeared to be a flush piece of wood. As he pressed down the wood popped up and revealed a stack of towels. I never would've found that.
I quickly grabbed one and wrapped it around me.
"Okay, I'm covered." I reassured.
He hesitantly peeked through his fingers and then slowly removed his hands. He was entirely red.
"I'm so sorry again, I should've announced myself or something. I usually take like hour long showers so I thought you would still be in there. That's my fault I-" He frantically explained.
"Camilo!" I hugged out a laugh, "it's all okay, you're forgiven." He sighed in relief and bent down to pick up the clothes he dropped earlier. He brushed them off a little and handed them to me. I excepted his offer gratefully. He stood there staring at me.
"Uh Camilo?" I said with a soft laugh.
"Right! I'll let you change! Bye!" He shook his head and walked back to that center mark and disappeared.
—
After changing into Camilo's clothes, his signature yellow Ruana and some sweats, I returned to his room. Once I stepped out he looked up at me from his position laying down on his bed. He perked up. I lifted up my arms and the Ruana hung loosely from my shoulders. He chuckled.
"It's a little big on you but it looks great." He remarked while fully sitting up, motioning I come toward him. I walked over to him slightly confused. Once I arrived at the edge of his bed he grabbed my waist and pulled me close to him. He smiled once my eyes met his gaze.
"I want to show you something tonight. Can you sneak out of Mirabels around midnight?" He asked hopefully.
"Of course, what are you going to show me?" I question.
"Ah ah ah, now that's a surprise," He stands up to plant a kiss on my cheek. "I'll see you tonight."
"Tonight." I repeat the corners of my lips curving upwards into a smile.
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I'm back!! Also I don't think I'm going to stick to a set posting schedule although I will try my best. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'm so sorry I've been away so long. I really am trying my best to get back and write for you guys. Thank you so much for your support. It means the world to me. Have a great day <3