Christmas passed quickly and before she knew it, New Year's Eve was upon them. Camila was half-hopeful that she would bump into the pale Latina and half-relieved that she didn't. She felt the need to apologise and perhaps give the older girl another chance, but she had no trust and little love for the girl. Her nerves over seeing Lauren once again were messing with her head and she still hadn't completely decided on whether she was even going to the New Years party. But of course, as soon as the usual text message came, Camila had already replied with her "yes" before she had even read the message let alone thought her decision through.
Camila was oddly nervous despite the fact that she had been preparing since Boxing Day for the event. Not liking her current wardrobe, she had gone out to buy a new dress and heels, and had already decided upon her accessories, clutch, hairstyle and even makeup for the night. She would almost say that she were actually excited for the event. She missed having friends to laugh and joke with, even if her friends didn't always get her jokes and sometimes acted like her opinions were irrelevant.
She also missed having a boyfriend; someone to hold and cuddle on those cold and lonesome nights, someone to chat with and take on dates. Austin was never a great kisser, she'll admit that, and the sex was relatively underwhelming, but despite the asshole he turned out to be, they had some amazing and fun times.
Her mind couldn't help but float back to the first New Year's Eves party that she had celebrated with Austin. To say that it was a total disaster would be an understatement and in hindsight, she probably should have dumped him then and there. After all, it would have saved her a lot of heartache.
**Flashback**
Three years prior
It was the afternoon of New Years Eve and Camila was eagerly awaiting her boyfriend's arrival in his new car. He had been excitedly boasting about buying his very own first car, after convincing his parents that his motorbike – a Triumph Storm – wasn't romantic enough for his girlfriend. Camila had swooned a little when he confessed to her that she was the main reason behind him wanting something a "little more spacious". With that charming grin of his, he had promised that his "gorgeous girl" would be the first to ride in it to appreciate it's "full beauty".
According to Austin, they were supposed to be heading to a party along the beach in Key Biscayne, a wealthier area where many of his friends lived. Her boyfriend had told her that it was one of his close mates' place, and that it was "practically a mansion" with some amazing views from the balconies. The perks of living in Miami meant that it was always warm, which led her to ponder over whether or not to bring her bathing suit.
Her indecision was interrupted by the familiar minion ringtone that her friends had been begging her for months to change. She fumbled, hastily answering as she finished the final touches on her make-up. "Hello?"
"CC, babe?"
"Hey Aus!"
"Guess which handsome guy is outside your house?" the smile evident in his voice.
"Hmm... Ryan Gosling?"
"Think better, babe," he replied.
"Better than Ryan Gosling? Impossible."
"I guess I should have expected that," he chuckled.
"You really should have, baby. But don't worry, you're still my number one handsome guy."
"Why do I get that feeling that you're lying?"
"Oh, I wasn't talking to you when I said that, Aus, I was talking to Ryan."
Camila heard him chuckle, before he replied, "Fair enough babe. Now come out and give your REAL boyfriend a hug, will ya?"
"Ryan Gosling IS real."
"Yeah, but he's not your boyfriend though."
"Way to crush a girl's dreams..."
"I don't know whether to feel threatened by the dude or not!"
"Don't worry Aus, you're my Noah. And he's better than Ryan Gosling anyway. Besides, we all know that every guy is a lil' gay for him," she added with a small laugh.
"Where is the lie, babe?" he joked.
"Anyway, Aus, I'm gonna have to hang up on you, cause there is a special someone waiting outside my door for a hug."
"Someone special??? Should I be jealous?"
"Yes, it's Ryan Gosling. Now, hang up, you dork!"
"Says the girl going on about Ryan Gosling while she's on the phone with her boyfriend!"
"Whatever," she huffed in defeat. She hastily muttered a "Love ya, bye!" before ending the call. She grabbed her bikini and hastily stuffed it into her clutch, then raced down the stairs whilst attempting not to trip over her own feet in the process.
Austin almost toppled over backwards when the small bundle of adorable energy flung open the door and collided with him, full force. Camila grinned down at him with her limbs wrapped tightly around his fit body. Her lips met his in a dizzying kiss that seem to steal any words he had planned to say from his thin lips.
After a few moments, he managed to find his words again. "Okay, cutie. Hop down."
After she untangled her limbs from around his body, he slung his arm heavily around her shoulders and deposited a wet kiss to her forehead. She inconspicuously wiped the additional slobber from her forehead, as he led her over to an expensive looking car.
"Look at this baby, babe," he muttered adoringly, running his free hand lightly along the chassis of the shiny new vehicle. "Brand new 2013 Ford Mustang GT convertible, driven right out of the dealership! How hot would the sex be in the back of this baby?" He wiggled his eyebrows up and down and gave her a sly wink, which slightly made her stomach turn. "I was thinking of going with the Vanquish - it's an Aston Martin - but then saw the Mustang and I thought of you. I was like, how sexy would my girl look driving around in my Mustang...and there was my answer."
He leaned down and gave her a quick peck as she admired the car. Due to her father's enthusiasm for cars, she had a basic knowledge of the makes and the brands of different muscle, sports and luxury cars. In her opinion the 2013 model was not the best designed Mustang she had seen. She was also aware that the Aston Martin would likely have more horsepower and was far more luxurious due to its additional cost, but it wasn't her car to decide. He slowly lead her around the car, pointing out the additions that he had asked his parents for; the racing stripes, the scoops, the new rims and the wings to quote on quote "add style".
As he rambled on, pretending like he knew exactly what he was talking about, Camila couldn't help but conclude that his new car was a typical rich-boy "muscle" car infamous for being owned by gullible douche-bags. As much as she appreciated her boyfriend's "new ride" she couldn't help the uneasy sinking feeling that manifested in the pit of her stomach, as he raved about his new "baby". There was something off about the way he went about it all.
Insisting that she "hear her roar", Austin jumped into the driver seat – leaving Camila standing by his open car door – and started the car giving it a couple of revs.
"Listen to her! Beautiful. V8 engine and all."
Camila rolled her eyes in response while Austin was too busy focusing on the humming of the vehicle beneath him. She doubted he even knew what a V8 engine meant. He finally turned back to her with a wild grin and a youthful spark in his eyes.
"Hop in babe!"he exclaimed distractedly. Camila was a little disappointed when he just sat there fiddling with the sound-system rather than opening her door romantically or even bothering to acknowledge her beyond the brief statement. For all the extra time and effort she had put into that night's appearance, he had barely wasted a collective total of two minutes paying any sort of brief attention to her which was all about showing off his new car. It was a little disheartening to say the least.
They sped through the night while his right hand found its new place mid-way up her thigh; a little awkwardly on Camila's part. He shifted it into the top gear once they got along a straight stretch of road and zoomed forward, throwing them both slightly against their seats due to the increased momentum of the vehicle. She felt the panic flood through her system when only minutes later she could spot the sharp turn in the road rapidly approaching.
"Aus, slow down!" she cried while he seemed unphased.
"Austin, slow down!!!"He ignored her.
"AUSTIN!!!!!" she shrieked, as they almost hit the corner.
She screamed and squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the inevitable impact, but it never came. Instead she was thrown sideways as the tires screeched along the road. Upon further inspection she realized that they had drifted miraculously around the corner.
Austin laughed manically, his eyes wide with adrenaline. "That was so. Fucking. AWESOME!"
"Are you crazy?!?! You almost got us killed!!!" Camila screamed, slapping his hand away when he tried to place it back on her thigh.
"We were fine. I knew what I was doing!"
"Did you now?" she asked sarcastically. "So you're now an expert stuntman?"
He shrugged in response, barely glancing at her. "It was a bit of fun. Nothing to get your panties in a knot!"
"Are you kidding?! Pull over right now."
"What?! Why?" he questioned her incredulously, finally glancing over at her for longer that a couple of seconds.
"Because I want to get out."
"Uh, how about no?!" he responded, his tone seeming to imply that she were the crazy one.
"Um how about yes?! I – I want to get out," her voice starting to tremble toward the end. She was fighting back the weak tears that threatened to spill and therefore refused to look at him. She had been so terrified and was still slightly in shock from the dangerous manoeuvre he had pulled; a manoeuvre that could have easily killed them both horrifically.
"CC, I'm sorry okay? I'll go a normal speed from now on."
"I want to get out and walk," she whispered stubbornly, but almost defeatedly.
"You can't walk all the way there! You don't even know where it is!"
"I can try."
"No you won't. Now sit there and stop fucking whinging. I'll go a normal speed," he commanded angrily, pointedly focusing his eyes ahead rather than affording her a glance. "Can't even have any fucking fun..." he grumbled under his breath, causing tears to prickle in Camila's eyes. She tried to focus on the trees and houses that passed by in a dark blur, hoping that Austin wouldn't notice the tear tracks down her face or her hand discreetly brushing them away.
As soon as they arrived Austin was out of the car, tapping his foot impatiently on the ground as he waited for Camila to join him. Camila herself was trying to clean herself up after the tear-fest that she unceremoniously had to attend to in the passenger seat. She quickly got distracted by the enormous white mansion that they were parked before. It was quite regal in appearance and was likely three-storey due to it's impressive height. As she climbed out of the car, the smell of salt and sand hit her and made her long for the warmth of the sun. She silently joined Austin by his side and without a word he turned on his heel to walk toward the palace-like structure.
Austin barely acknowledged her as they walked up the front garden, and it was no better once they got inside. A couple of people approached as they entered and Camila was left to assume that one or both were the hosts as Austin never even bothered with an introduction. There were people hanging about mainly around the pool and the bonfire further down on the sand, and Camila felt her nerves flair up as she watched them all chatting and joking around. These were all the rich, popular kids; the ones that would become models, lawyers or CEOs due to their privileged upbringing. To say that Camila felt completely out of her depth, was an understatement and it didn't help that she had angered her boyfriend, who was now all but ignoring her.
She barely knew where to begin. She didn't like the idea of having to cling to Austin's side like some needy trophy-wife, but she was well aware of her awkward ways and inability to make small talk with strangers. She decided it would be best to confront her boyfriend about it, despite his mood, and see if he might introduce her to some people.
"Aus?" she muttered softly, tugging at his sleeve. He was listening to a conversation with a couple of what she assumed were his mates, so she tried again a little louder, "Aus?"
He turned his head and grumbled a harsh, "What?!"
Camila flinched in response, her doe eyes staring up at him anxiously. "I – I don't know anyone here," she mumbled in a small voice.
"Well go and talk to people and then you will," he shot back in a sarcastic voice, before turning back to his friends dismissively.
"But..." she whispered to herself. She looked about timidly once again and spotted a group of girls that seemed to be joking around together.
She decided to wander over there, but at halfway she almost froze. They too were all stunning. She felt as if she had walked into a Vogue magazine or something out of Gossip Girl, and it was unsettling to say the least. None the less, she still found her feet making a path towards them.
"Uh, hi," she said, with a nervous smile and a lame wave. The laughter almost immediately stopped as all eyes fell on her. She could feel each pair brush over her, scrutinizing her from head to toe in silent judgement.
"Hi, and you are?" a blonde Lucy Hale-esq girl questioned in an inquisitive tone.
"I – um – I'm Camila Cabello. I, uh, don't really know anyone here," she mumbled nervously.
"That's cool," she stated and quickly introduced herself as Monique before pointing at each girl and giving them a name. "Come. Sit." She patted the spot beside her by the pool and the conversation resumed. Other than a few very awkward interjections into the conversation, Camila remained quiet throughout, until suddenly the conversation was directed at her again.
"So Camilla what brings you here? Are you from Miami? Like, do you live in Key Biscayne?"
"Uhm, not really. I was born in Cuba until my parents moved to Miami when I was two."
"So you don't remember anything from there then?" one of the girls, Jess, asked. Her tone sounded dismissive, as if the fact was pointless if Camila couldn't entertain her with it.
"Uh, no, not really." Camila decided not to mention that she remembered her Abuela's hugs and the homely smell of the place, knowing that this input would not be appreciated by these girls.
"Damn, I was gonna ask her if the guys there were hot!" one of the girls exclaimed, as if Camila was not just sitting right there. Most of the girls laughed and started chatting away about what they thought the men in Cuba were like.
"They're probably really ripped, and like SUPER tan."
"And like romantic and shit. Like they're Mexican," she screwed up her facial features in disgust, "but better. Which means they can like play guitar and be all brooding and sexy, unlike the guys here."
"So true!"
"Yeah."
"Although they're probably all, like, drug dealers and mob bosses and shit. Which is hot and all, but, like, no."
"Oh my god, totally, right?"
"Yeah."
Finally they turned back to Camila who had lost interest in their babble. She felt as if the set of 'Mean Girls' had forgotten some of their cast post-production
. "Cuba's pretty povo, yeah?" the blue-eyed brunette, Julietta, asked her.
"Uh, not really. I mean kind of?"
"So yeah, that's why you moved here and stuff, because, like, you would probably not be going to school or could get some disease and die. Either that, or get shot."
"Well, actually, Cuba has one of the best education and health systems in the wo–"
"So anyway you live here now? Oh my God, were you, like, one of those illegal immigrants that you hear on the news?"
"I – uh – yeah. My parents risked everything to come here. My mum brought me over and left my dad behind because we had little money. She was apparently living paycheck to paycheck, until she managed to get hired by an architecture firm. She was a highly skilled architect back in Cuba, but America didn't recognise her qualifications. My dad joined us when I was four."
"So cool."
"Did you have to hide from the government and stuff?"
"Yeah, have you even got a social security number?"
"Oh my God," a girl that was introduced as Tiffany gasped, "Are you even American?"
"What? Of course I am! And yeah, I do have a social security number. And no, I don't think we had to hide from the government or anything..." she stated, trying not to get frustrated with the stereotypical and the bigoted questioning.
Monique decided it was time to move on from that line of questioning. "So Camilla, have you got a boyyyfriend?"
"I – yeah, I do!" She smiled happily until it faltered once she remembered how he had been acting toward her. "He's the one I actually came with tonight. We've been dating for just over a couple of years now."
"So, what's his name?"
"Yeah, and what's he like in bed?" a few giggles broke out, causing Camila to chuckle nervously and blush.
"I – uh – I'm dating Austin. Austin Mahone"
There was a collective gasp, followed by what Camila found to be an awkward silence.
"Y-you're the one dating Austin?"
"Uhh, yeah?" Camila responded tentatively.
"You?"
"Wait, but..." a girl muttered and her eyes moved over to Monique. Immediately Camila could feel the shift in the mood of the group, and her stomach began to clench.
"Why? Is there something wrong?"
"Oh, no. It's nothing," Monique dismissed flicking her hand nonchalantly. "I just heard this rumour that he had Herpes or something, "spoiled goods". It's a shame really."
"H-herpes?" Camila stuttered, her face filled with apprehensive horror.
"Yeah, that permanent sex disease that causes sores and itching. You can get it from kissing, you know? And you wouldn't even know you had it," she continued with a shrug. There was a slight gleam in her eyes, that could almost be mistaken for mirth. "It was just some stupid rumour though. You've been checked out, yeah?"
"I – um...er – yeah..." Camila lied. The truth was that they had only had sex a couple of times, the first being only a few months prior, and both times had been woefully underwhelming. Austin had always tried to push for it, but Camila had always insisted that she wasn't ready, until finally she gave in to his persistence. She hadn't bothered with a doctors check-up as Austin insisted that he was clean.
"Anyway, we're all going to go for a bit of a swim now that it's dark."
"Wait, we are?" Camila thought she heard one of the girls whisper.
"Did you wanna come with?" Monique offered.
Camila cast a quick furtive glance around, debating whether or not to trust Monique and accept the offer, or try and acquaint herself with someone else. "Um, yeah, sure. That sounds great!" her enthusiasm sounding rather fake to her own ears, but if anyone picked up on it, they didn't say anything. It was likely more the case of they simply didn't care.
They all made their way down to the beach, but instead of jumping in they continued to walk along the sand, away from the lights and people. Camila focused up at the stars as idle chatter surrounded her, and she couldn't help but smile back at the winking lights.
"Okay, here seems good!" Monique exclaimed, pulling off her blouse and shimmying out of her skirt. The other girls were doing the same, so Camila followed suit, but to her surprise everyone kept going until they were naked. "Well, what are you waiting for?" Monique yelled back at Camila, as she waded her way in.
Camila felt hesitant at first, but debated the worst case scenarios in her mind. Coming up essentially blank, other than, like, the girls drowning her or someone catching all of them stark naked, she decided to risk it. She had never been skinny dipping before and she felt inexplicable nerves flare up as the water began to engulf the skin of her feet. The water was cold, freezing to her unacclimatised body – she was used to warmer waters. The cold water brushed over her skin as she quickly entered, knowing that a faster entry would be less painful than if she had slowly inched her body in. There was something scandalously delicious about the way the water embraced her naked body, hugging her every curve. She grinned to herself, throwing her head back in peaceful glee. She could hear the other girls chatting and giggling, rather than admiring the beauty around them or having fun splashing about. There was just something so...bland about them, as if they didn't have their own personality; as if every thought and action was dictated by the group.
The need to conform, the thought hit Camila like a burlap sack full of potatoes. Even if they disagreed with the common opinion, they would dismiss their misgivings to become more agreeable and fit in. That in turn moulded and reshaped those opinions into the same ideal design as every other person, resulting in a group that essentially thought the same.
How sad...
Lost to such thoughts, Camila didn't realise that people were talking to her until someone clicked their fingers in front of her face. Camila blinked and turned to see who it was.
"What?"she asked with a befuddled expression crossing her peaceful features.
"Are you staying? Because we're all leaving," Jess asked.
"I –" she cast a glance around and noticed nobody was in the water any longer. Most were shimmying on their clothes or drying off. "Uh... I'll be out in a few minutes. I can catch up."
"Okay, whatever. Suit yourself." She shrugged and joined the others while Camila enjoyed the serenity of the night for a little longer.
She could spot the group of girls making their way back along the beach, the giggles and annoying voices carrying back toward her. She walked over to where she remembered she had placed her clothes – having stuck two sticks in the sand to ensure that she was able to find them – but instead of finding her clothes she found only her phone with a photo of a message written in the sand.
Camilla,
You really thought you could be one of us???
This is for stealing my man, you dirty Mexican whore!
You're only the warm hole he likes to stick himself in.
– Love, Monique
P.S. If Austin has Herpes it's only because you gave it to him.
Apprehension. Humiliation. Pain. Betrayal. Sadness. Shame. Anger.
These were the emotions that filled Camila one after the other forcing a wave of sickness to wash over her. The thing that hurt the most was that, in the back of her mind she knew – she could feel the foreboding lingering in her gut when she stupidly decided to half trust these girls. Now, because she was too gullible and too blindly trusting, she was left shivering, naked and alone in the wet sand on New Year's Eve.
She let out a frustrated growl, and spat, "Why are you so fucking stupid?" at herself as she felt the telltale sting in her eyes. As much as she wanted to refuse to allow these girls to get to her, the traitorous tears still made their steady journey down her cheeks. She wiped them away angrily and pulled her knees toward her chest, trying to allow the beauty of the night to overtake her tumultuous feelings. Her breathing slowly evened as she rocked her body to a silent lullaby. She heard movement in the sand but paid no mind, assuming that it was only an animal.
"I've always wondered what it would be like to find a gorgeous girl naked in my backyard. Seems like tonight is my lucky night," a feminine voice spoke out, drifting along on the wind.
Camila spun around fast, before recalling her naked state and whipping her body back around with a blush. "I – um – I-it's not what it looks like?" she mumbled timidly.
"So there is NOT a naked girl sitting on my doorstep?" she asked with a raised brow and a chuckle.
"Well, uh, I can explain!"
"Let me guess? You're from the party down the road?"
"S-something like that."
"And I don't see any clothes. So either you've drunkenly wandered here naked or someone has stolen your clothes. Well, that is, unless you fell from heaven like a lost angel, but as much as I'd like to think it's that, I doubt it."
"Are you really trying to pick up a potentially drunk naked girl?"
"That depends... Is it working?"
"...Maybe. You're, um, doing a damn better job than my boyfriend."
"Ah," she exclaimed, clutching her chest as if wounded. "And the gorgeous angel before me is taken. A fucking shame!"
"Well the way the night is going, not for long," Camila mumbled under her breath.
"Anyway, I'm Keana," she introduced, thrusting a hand out before remembering the other girl's nakedness.
"Uh, I'm Camila," she mumbled with an awkward blush.
"Your name is fitting. A beautiful name for an exotic gem," she sent a sly wink to the flattered girl. "But looks aside, you look like you need some clothes. Gimme a few minutes, you can borrow some of mine." She raced back inside while Camila clutched her knees to her bare chest. There had been a cool change sometime in the hour that she had been sitting there, and she was definitely feeling the cool tendrils of the night air wrapping themselves around her goose-like skin.
She sighed in relief as Keana returned, dropping a pair of black lacy lingerie in the sand before averting her eyes. Camila blushed as she took in the g-string piece, which was far sexier – and far more expensive – than anything else she had ever owned. She cleared her throat anxiously, awaiting Keana's next delivery of garments. Keana turned to faced Camila once again, noticeably appreciating the mouth-watering sight of the exotic beauty before her. She couldn't help but imagine how amazing they would look together, not to mention the Cuban Latina's amicable personality.
Wordlessly she handed the small pile of clothes over to the brown-eyed beauty, and waited for her to completely dress herself. Camila briefly observed the set of clothes that had so graciously been lent to her by the model-like beauty that had appeared from nowhere. A white, low-cut v-neck t-shirt, which Camila hastily pulled over her head, along with the lamb-skin pure leather jacket to match, and a pair of dark blue skinny jeans. The warm, insulated sensation provided by the borrowed clothes made Camila feel far more secure and boosted her confidence. She brushed away the stray sand that dusted the clothes, before placing her hand gently on Keana's shoulder.
A raised eyebrow and an appreciative smirk graced Keana's stunning features as she admired the gorgeous girl before her. It was almost a shame, in Keana's opinion, that she had not gotten the chance to fully admire the sight of the stunning Latina's body before it was all too soon hidden away behind the soft materials that now adorned it. "You look even better in my own clothes than I do!"
Camila pulled her lower-lip between her teeth anxiously, as her blushing grew once again out of hand. "I, uh, highly doubt that...but, um, thanks." She offered a small smile, which was returned with triple the amplitude.
"Look, why don't we go and find your shitty-ass boyfriend and tell him that you're leaving early, yeah?"
"I – uh – dunno how he will feel about that..." Camila trailed off, nervously playing with her fingers.
"Who cares how he feels about it?! You clearly feel uncomfortable at a party where you know no one, and he hasn't once bothered to help you socialize or even check up on you... Fuck him."
"But..." Camila weakly attempted to protest, despite knowing Keana words to be true.
"No buts, babe, you're coming with me and that's final! It's New Year's Eve and no one deserves to be feeling alone and shitty while the rest of the world parties. I'm heading to a party closer to main-town Miami. You can come with, if you like, or I am happy to drop you home either way. Just as long as I know your safe and comfortable, 'kay?"
"I, um, thank you," she mumbled, as she gazed up appreciatively into Camila's eyes. "I don't know how I can ever pay you back for all this. Like, seriously."
"Just promise me you will dump that asshole if he ever does something like this again, yeah?"
"I – I will."
"Good. Now let's get lit and paaarty!!!" she screamed into the night, causing Camila to laugh. The sound was infectious and soon they were both exchanging laughs and innocent glances.
As they walked in a comfortable silence back toward the mansion Camila had come from, they each found that their hands were brushing more often than not, so Keana somehow plucked the courage to finally settle Camila's slim hand softly in her own. They tried to avoid being seen by the cliché that had humiliated Camila, and stuck to the edges of the property before slipping inside the house. Camila didn't know who Keana was looking for, as she was tugged in random directions, but for some inexplicable reason, she trusted her not to humiliate or betray her.
The girl zoned in on a boy Camila recognized from before, and Camila realized with a start that this must have been the home-owner. "Act drunk!" Keana hissed in Camila's ear as they approached.
The boy was surprisingly quite sober, and his eyebrow raised when he spotted the two girls. "Keana Marie Issartel. What brings you to my humble abode?" he commented with a bemused smirk.
"I'm just looking out for my drunk friend, Camila, here. She's looking for her boyfriend?"
"Ah! And here I was thinking you had yourself a pretty nice catch, although," he scanned Camila as she allowed Keana to prop her up as she continued her drunk façade. "Too...exotic for my taste."
"Ha, yeah," Keana scoffed in return, "I forgot that you only went for blonde potatoes on a stick."
"Don't knock 'em 'til you try 'em!"
"I've been there, done that, and I can safely say that I prefer women who have intelligent thoughts running through their heads rather than women who fantasise about pin-up boys all day and allow reality TV show drivel to numb the few brain cells they actually bother to use."
"We like what we like. Besides wasn't...Camilla, wearing a dress earlier? I recall her being quite...striking before."
"Yeah, we ran into a bit of an accident earlier on which meant a change of clothes for her, but I'm planning on taking her home and getting her sorted out."
"Why how chivalrous of you!" he quipped sarcastically. "Expecting her to cream her panties when you open her door for her?" Camila shuffled around awkwardly at the explicit turn in conversation. She forcefully fought down the blush that threatened to fill her cheeks a ruby red. She decided to just focus on staying in character, and allowed the room to overwhelm her mind and distract her concentration as the other two continued their amicable banter. "I'm actually surprised you took an interest in her. After Austin introduced her as his girlfriend, I doubted she was your...type; kinda thought she was more of mine, if you know what I mean. But Austin seems to have somehow done well for himself, much to everyone's surprise."
"Trust me, I'm as surprised as you," she exclaimed dryly with an raised eyebrow, glancing down at Camila who was acting ditzy and distracted. "I would have never guessed the pair while talking to her. Anyway, do you know where he is?"
"I – uh – no. Nope, haven't seen him since...about an hour or two ago."
Keana nodded, a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. If she was reading the situation right, the gorgeous girl in her arms was going to suffer far worse than she could ever deserve. Keana hoped that for her sake, Camila would realise she could do far better before she could eventually discover the truth. "Okay, thanks Matt."
"And good luck with..." he nudged his chin in what he had assumed was the drunk girl's direction.
"Yeah, not gonna happen. I don't like to take advantage, as you know. Besides, I've got someone else lined up for tonight."
"Ah, why am I not surprised?! You and her a thing?"
She winked in response. "Nah, I wish though! Sexy as all hell, intelligent as fuck, and intimidating as fire; think Megan Fox-esque. Emotionally unavailable though, so as much as little fantasies like to occasionally play out behind my eyelids, they're never gonna happen. Not with her, anyway. But you never know with someone else..." she mumbled the last part, her eyes fluttering briefly downwards only to be met with warm chocolate brown.
"Anyway, I'm going to take this one's drunk ass home, before I get to my booty call!" she winked with a sly grin, and ushered Camila away toward the exit.
As soon as they burst out the front door, they both collapsed into hysterical laughter, each trying to balance the other amidst their mischievous chortles.
"Nice acting back there, Camila!" Keana exclaimed, slightly breathlessly. She offered her hand up for Camila to slap in solidarity.
"Yeah. Thanks!" Camila returned the high-five with a shy smile. There was something about this girl and her infectious nature that attracted Camila, a part of her that reveled in approval. "So, um, what now?"
"Now, we hit the night!" she exclaimed triumphantly, her fist pounding the air above her. "Race you to my house over there," she challenged, pointing to a slightly familiar semi-mansion 500 metres away and broke off into a sprint.
"You're on!" Camila shot back from behind her, hastily picking up speed in order to catch Keana's pace.
By halfway, Camila felt like her lungs were about to catch alight and engulf her body in flames. She was ready to collapse onto the pavement and allow her soul to ascend to heaven. Her muscles screamed in protest at the exercise that they were forced to endure and her eyes burned from the tears of exertion.
Keana had streaked ahead, clearly far fitter than her companion. She turned her body, jogging backwards as she yelled back, "Still alive back there???"
Amidst the breathless huffs and the strained pants Camila returned a breathy, "Barely!" causing Keana to release a hearty laugh.
"Okay, just making sure!" she returned with a playful amusement evident in her tone. She slowed as she reached the house, and waited for Camila to catch up.
Confusion crossed Keana's elated expression when Camila merely ran – or more accurately, stumbled – past her. With a frown she watched as the Cuban girl turned up the driveway to her house and placed her hand on the cool marble pillars that framed the glass exterior of the enormous modern dwelling.
"Beat'cha!" she sang with a smug smile that lit her shapely facial features like the sun brightening the world and bringing life and joy to everything around it. "You forgot to touch it, so I win!" she cheekily reiterated with a broad, infectious grin that was impossible to ignore.
"I forgot I was versing a 10 year old!" Keana teased, as her legs were propelled into motion once again. They slightly rebelled at the movement, the slight ache fading as she approached Camila.
The younger girl merely poked out her tongue as if to prove her point.
"Well if you're so fast, I guess you'll have no trouble getting home then," Keana shrugged, faking nonchalance and trying to fight the grin that was threatening to break out across her features.
"Nooo! I take it back! You win!" she cried, pouting with her brown puppy dog eyes that were practically impossible to deny.
"That's what I thought!" Keana continued smugly. "Now, let's go for a ride!"
She walked down the slope at the start of the driveway and opened a metal box that was attached the wall that braced the roller-shutter. Camila observed as Keana typed in a quick pattern of numbers before scanning her forefinger. The device beeped twice before a whirring noise emanated from the now moving door. They both slipped inside the underground garage which suddenly illuminated as soon as the door finished its journey.
"Holy shit!" Camila's jaw fell open as she observed the number of expensive cars on display. She felt like she was in a 007 movie, or that she had accidentally wandered into Bruce Wayne's secret hideout. There was a couple of Ferrari models, a Maserati GranTurismo, a classic black Cadillac, several Mustang and Camaro models both new and old, and an older style Rolls Royce. Some were hoisted up, suspended in the air by a platform, while others were parked in designated places in a row beneath.
"My dad likes his cars." She shrugged as if it explained to expensive array of beautiful machines that surrounded them.
"Yeah, same. But my dad has them on posters up on his wall, not sitting in his garage!" Camila exclaimed, still reeling from shock.
"My dad works a lot and got lucky I guess," she shrugged. "He has always tried to be there for his family though, which is saying something when I look at most of the other kids around here."
"That's pretty cool. And lucky."
"Yeah, I guess. I never really got spoiled as a kid though, only when I got a bit older and learned to appreciate things fully, ya know? I think it kinda kept me grounded. I feel like a would have been a spoilt brat otherwise."
"I get what you mean. Especially after the party tonight!"
Keana just laughed lightly before leading Camila over to a car in the corner that she had missed upon her initial scan. The dark sheet concealing the vehicle made it hard to spot. Keana gently guided the sheet from the vehicle revealing an older Jaguar, black in colour and shiny enough to believe that it had just been built.
"This," she spread her arms wide with spirit fingers and all. "Is my precious baby. My Jag E-type Roadster 1968 model. I don't care what you think, and you can say whatever you like, but they don't make cars like this any more."
"It honestly looks like something out of a James Bond movie."
"Yeah, that's what I'm kinda going for," Keana winked with a playful smirk gracing her delicate features. "A kinda mysterious, sexy thrill-seeker vibe."
"I feel like I've been the more mysterious one though..."
"Meh, true. But I was the one who saved you and swept you off your feet, so I still fulfill the James Bond criteria."
"I don't know about being swept off my–" Before Camila could even finish her sentence, Keana was beside her and gently lifting her body into her slender arms.
"What were you saying?" she muttered with a smirk, their faces mere inches apart.
Keana couldn't help but admire Camila's features up close, her face inching closer as she felt drawn to the girl in her arms. Camila equally felt utterly breathless and intrigued by the girl before her, her obvious model-esque beauty doing nothing to quell the anxiety in her stomach; or were they butterflies? Their faces somehow drew impossibly closer, their lips a hairbreadths apart each feeling the thick sexual tension that had mounted exponentially. Just as Keana moved in Camila turned her head, their lip narrowly missing. Both tried to fight the overwhelming disappointment that filled their hearts as their bodies still yearned for the touching salve that would soothe the fire that roared within each of them.
Keana sighed, moving away and placing the Cuban girl back onto her feet as Camila tried to gulp down the mix of emotions and urges that consumed her body and mind. "I'm...sorry. Really. It's just that... I can't. I just can't be that person."
"I understand. I do," Keana responded with a sigh, a half-hearted smile touching her lips. "You can't do that to Austin. And that is one of the reasons I find you so attractive. Not many people have that strength, even when their partner doesn't deserve it."
"Thanks. For understanding, I mean. Most wouldn't respect that I am part of a committed relationship," she returned the light smile, both of their eyes still swirling with unsatisfied longing. "Austin has been really good to me so far, other than tonight's drama. I couldn't do that to him."
"That's...good to hear, I guess. As long as you are safe and happy, yeah?" Keana's eyes held some indecipherable emotion that Camila couldn't help but ponder anxiously about. They each climbed into the car in their respective seats, yet Camila couldn't seem to shake the sense of foreboding that washed over her as the car roared to a start.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the now familiar voice, "So, where are we off to?"
"I'm in Palmetto Bay, SW 72ndh Ct."
"SW 72nd?" Keana turned to observe her with a raised brow and a surprised expression as she drove out of the driveway.
"Yeah, why? You know it?"
"Uh, not really. It just where I'm headed tonight; for the party and all," her brow was furrowed as she seemed to to contemplate something in her mind. There was a slight pause before she asked the question that sent Camila's mind and soul into a frenzy. "You don't, by any chance know Lauren Jauregui?"
Camila shrugged and told a slight lie, "In passing."
Yet Keana missed the second part that Camila muttered under her breath as they sped off into the night,"Oh, I know Lauren alright..."
**End Flashback**
By the time she was finished 4 hours later, Camila had completely transformed herself. Her eyes and lips seemed more shapely and well defined, her eyebrows were on fleek, her nails were perfectly lacquered, her hair framed her face beautifully, and her jawline had become even more prevalent than usual thanks to a beautiful thing called "contouring". As for the new black dress, it hugged the curves of her body perfectly, the triangular gaps either side showing off a toned flat stomach and the dress ending just below the top of her slender thighs. The neckline plunged at the front of the dress in a sharp V, ending at the top of where the large slits in the sides began. Her new heels matched her clutch better than she had imagined, the high heels adding beautiful definition to her tan legs. She made the final addition of her leather jacket for warmth and further sex appeal.
With once last furtive glance at the mirror, she was ready. Her stomach began to somersault as soon as she stepped foot out of her doorway. She almost retreated in a quick sprint back to safety several times throughout the minute walk to her neighbour's door, but steeled herself forward. She refused to be bested by endless doubts and worries that her mind planted to convince her to bail.
Once she reached the door, she could already hear the bass pounding and a few rowdy shouts. Swallowing her nerves, she stood there for awhile fist at the ready to knock on the door. Suddenly, after several minutes of indecision later, the door flung open and someone almost collided with the confused girl standing there. Green eyes met brown, and for a moment neither of them could look away.
"I – uh – hi?!" Lauren rasped completely taken aback by the girl before her. "I, um, didn't expect that you would actually come!"
"Well, I'm here. Uh, sorry."
"Why are you apologising? I invited you, didn't I?" She laughed, the sound evoking a strange feeling within Camila.
"I, uh, don't know..." She responded lamely, quickly realising just how close they were standing.
Camila took a step away and almost audibly choked once she properly laid eyes on the older girl. Lauren was undeniably stunning and breathtaking sexy at the same time. Camila's head was spinning when the other girl finally met her eyes. Lauren herself was also lost for words whilst blatantly ogling Camila's tight dress and shapely body, but recovered quickly.
"Fuck me," Camila thought she heard Lauren mutter under her breath, mirroring Camila's thoughts perfectly.
After, several gulps of drool and fresh air later, Camila finally shocked them out of each their silent reverie involving the other.
"Are you going to let me in or what?"
"Oh... Right. Uh- Yeah." She mumbled, for the first time in a long time Lauren losing her consistent charismatic façade.
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A/N Edit:
So some of you might remember me mentioning a surprise in a deleted A/N a few weeks ago. Well here it is, SURPRISE!!!
I have extended this chapter to involve Austin and Camila's toxic relationship, and also to expand Camila's character and background. There is a bit of Kemila (is that their ship name, idk???), because...well...why not? :P
So, I hope everyone is doing well and eternal love to all,
Mel <3
P.S. Sorry if I got some of the Miami details wrong as I don't live there or in the US. I tried to be as accurate as possible, though.