The quiet sound of the pool water splashing against the sides was all Camila could hear as she ran her hand through it.
"What's your laziness level right now?" Camila asked the boy beside her. She and Shawn were laid stomach down beside each other near the corner of the pool, each with a hand to feel the coolness of the water in the summer heat.
Shawn thought for a second before responding, "Six. How about you?"
Camila raised a brow, "Hmm... eight. And a half."
"And a half?" Shawn questioned with a laugh as he opened her eyes and hoisted himself up so he was sitting on the edge of the pool with his feel dangling in the water.
"It's the last day of summer. I don't want to do anything. I can't imagine going back to school, even if it is our junior year." Camila's dull eyes stared blankly at the water.
"I sure can. Our summers are never exciting. They're always so boring. Not that I don't love spending every day by the pool with you, Mila." Shawn said, jumping into the pool.
The brunette flinched at the feel and sound of the water splashing in surprise. She smiled once she heard the sound of Shawn popping back out of the water and taking a big breath. "Well what are you looking for in our summers then? What do you want?"
Shawn rested his arms on the side of the pool to hold himself up. "I want something interesting. You know, romance."
"Romance? You're such a hopeless romantic. Didn't you say all of the girls in our class look like frogs?" Camila laughed out as she sat up and felt around for where Shawn was. He brought his hand out to to touch hers.
"Well, yes, but she doesn't have to be in our class. It could be anyone. You know, most people aren't as hesitant as you to kiss someone." The boy grinned.
"Hey! I'm just waiting for someone right." Camila snapped grumpily, and splashed some water towards him.
"There's always Colson." Shawn let out a laugh and Camila furrowed her brow again.
"Oh, Colson. He's such a womanizer. He's interested in every girl, and not just for sex, just for the entertainment of dating someone." Camila scoffed. "I wouldn't let him kiss me in a million years."
"Well who do you suppose you're going to kiss?" Shawn asked and Camila took a few seconds to respond.
"Well I could always just kiss you." The boy went red where he wasn't already burnt from the sun a little. He wasn't opposed to the thought of that. "But that's not how ai want my first kiss to be. I want it to be special. I want him to be romantic and dreamy."
"Who's the hopeless romantic now?" The brown haired boy laughed and gave her a gentle shove. "Are you coming into the water or not?"
"Of course I am!" Camila laughed and hoisted herself into the water.
After hours of swimming and sunbathing, the two finally began to dry off.
"I can't believe the days almost over already." Shawn said as he began guiding Camila back into the house.
"Yeah, me neither, I wish we had more time to just do nothing." She laughed and reached out to feel her surroundings.
"Careful, there's the door here." Shawn paused and waited for her to step over the bottom stop of the sliding door before closing it behind them. "Your clothes are in the living room, let me go grab them." Shawn offered and ran off before returning shortly. "Do you need help?"
"No thank you." Camila replied, taking her clothes before grabbing one article and feeling it to determine what it was. After feeling the cotton texture of her shirt she began to put it over her head and over her bikini.
"I felt like we spent today to the fullest." Shawn laughed as he pulled his own shirt on and watched Camila use her hand to balance against the couch as she put her shorts on.
"Yeah, my hairs going to be gross from all the chlorine though." Camila laughed and waited for a sign that Shawn was ready to leave.
"Forget your hair, I think you got a little burnt on your cheeks there, Mila." The boy let out a laugh and gently grazed his fingers across the red skin on the younger girl's cheeks.
Camila flinched at the sudden contact and then giggled embarrassedly, "My bad."
Shawn laughed in return. He gently grabbed Camila's hand before placing her flip flops in it. "Here you go. Are you ready to leave?" Camila put the shoes on before reaching out to grab Shawn's arm and then nodding.
"I hear there's going to be a camping trip for biology this year. It's the same one that the juniors all brought alcohol to last year and apparently it was wild. I don't doubt Justin's going to bring something on the trip." Shawn laughed as he walked Camila home. She only lived five or six houses down, but he liked to help walk her since it was rather hilly.
Camila's face fell from a smile and she sighed. "My mom would never let me go. They won't even let me go home by myself on Fridays when they're both working late."
"Well you'll never know until you ask. Keys?" Camila reached into her pocket and pulled out the keys to her house before handing them to Shawn, who unlocked and opened the door for her. "I'll see you tomorrow at school, okay Mila?"
"Alright! Don't forget a pencil, stupid." Camila laughed and closed the door. She extended her hand out to touch the wall with two fingers and felt her path through the hallway and into the dining room. "Mama?" Camila called out as she felt along the table to find the chair at the end and took a seat.
"Camila! Estoy aquí. I was just finishing dinner. Where have you been?" Camila's mother raised a brow and set their meal down in the middle of the table.
"I was just swimming. I'm sorry I didn't call." The brunette apologized and tilted her chair back so she was balanced on the back to legs.
"Well you're burnt, mija. Did you wear sunscreen?" Sinu raised a brow and looked at the red going across her nose and cheeks.
"I did but the sun was too strong. It didn't work." Camila shrugged.
"Are you sure?"
Sinu grinned, and Camila sighed and mumbled, "You know I hate sunscreen. Its so oily, it makes my skin feel weird and you can't get it out. Besides, I usually just tan, I've never had the problem of getting burnt."
"Well you evidently do now. Next time wear sunscreen, Camila." Her mother took a seat and she suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder.
"Camila, what did I say about the chair." Her father pushed her down so all four chair legs were on the ground.
"I must have super powers because you keep telling me I'm going to fall yet I never do." Camila smiled and Alejandro rolled his eyes.
"Have you pack for school tomorrow yet?" Her father asked as he pulled some chicken onto his plate.
"No, I was at Shawn's pool swimming all day. I'll do it before I go to bed." Camila felt the table, looking for the fruit basket that was generally left in the middle of it. She felt the softer shape of a peach and brought it to her mouth to take a bite as her father began to talk.
"I saw Shawn the other day at the grocery store with his mom and I was surprised." He laughed as he began to cut Camila's chicken for her.
Camila furrowed her brow and grinned, "What was so surprising?"
"Well, he's all grown up now. It seems like just yesterday the two of you were little kids but you've grown and become real people now." Alejandro said sincerely but Camila laughed.
"He has grown to be quite an attractive young man. He is rather nice too, don't you think, mija?" Camila's mother looked in Camila's direction to see the girl leaning back in her chair and balancing again.
"Well I can't exactly confirm that he's grown up to be attractive, but he is still just as nice as he was in second grade." The brunette laughed.
Alejandro pulled her arm to get her to sit up correctly and Camila grinned. "Lo siento, Papa." Alejandro reached for Camila's hand and opened it so he could hand her her fork. "Gracias."
"Camila, before I forget to tell you, your abuela has an appointment this Friday. She won't be home by the time you get back from school. Is there a friend you can go home with?" Camila set her peach down on her table and swallowed before speaking.
"Why not let me stay here by myself?" The teenaged girl protested. Alejandro and Sinu exchanged glances, and although Camila couldn't see it, the long silence made her uneasy. "What would be the problem in that?"
"Well... how will we know if you made it home safely? What will you eat?" Sinu said worriedly. Camila had never been left home alone for long amounts of time, especially since her mom worked from home most days. On Friday's she usually spent the afternoon at her grandmothers, and her parents would pick her up at around 7 o'clock or so.
"I'll call you the moment I get home, Mama. And I can easily make a sandwich or eat some fruit. I'm not completely incapable of taking care of myself." Camila pleaded.
"Alright, alright. You have to make sure to call us frequently though, mija. We won't be back until seven." Camila's father raised a brow and Camila groaned.
"I'm sixteen. You do trust me, don't you?" Camila leaned her back against the chair and waited for a response.
"Yes we do. You can stay home, but make sure Shawn helps walk you home as usual." Alejandro said sternly and Camila smiled and continued to eat her dinner.
Her parents never left her alone at home. It seems ridiculous to her but even Shawn seems agree with it. He always told her it wouldn't be safe in case there were an intruder or if she fell or something like that. Of course, she always replied by telling Shawn that she's blind, not an old woman.
Camila laid down on her bed after dinner. Junior year is supposed to be when everyone grows up. While she felt she was mature for her age, she never felt like she was treated as anything more than a child. She was going to make change, and she was going to become just a normal teenager. There was nothing she wanted more, especially not some summer romance like Shawn talked about. After all, what's love without independence?
( a/n : This is just a quick prologue, not very well written either, but I wanted to go ahead and get started on this au since it's been something I've been thinking about writing for a long time. This is just to get the scene set. Just a note, it is heavily based off of the amazing independent film called The Way He Looks. You can watch it on Netflix if you'd like to get an idea of where this fic will be going. Tell me if this is something you want updated by dropping me a comment or just giving some feedback, I always love that! And as always, sorry for typos )