"But Y/N, I wanna learn!"
"Sam, you're gonna get hurt."
Sam continued clutching on my leg as I tried to steady myself on my bike. She's been following me since I wheeled it out because she said she wanted to learn. But she was only six years old and didn't have enough leg or coordination to ride it successfully.
"I won't if you just teach me!"
She had a point there. I glanced towards the front lawn and saw mom talking to dad who was setting up the barbecue. They would probably kill me for what I'm about to do but I never was one to resist my sister's pout.
"Alright," I said, moving down from the bike. "You can ride it but I have to help you get steady."
She beamed at me and I had to admit, my heart melted at the sight. I steadied her on the seat but she insisted she wanted to pedal instead, so she inched forward until she was out of the seat and was instead on the body. I held the bike steady as she positioned herself comfortably on it.
"Let's go, Y/N!"
I laughed as I ran and rolled the bike with me. We weren't going that fast but Sam was laughing as the wind kissed her cheeks. She looked so happy, so carefree—I'm glad I was making her smile. We went around the block with me just running and rolling her along. We stopped as I planned to roll her back home.
"Ride with me," she said.
I furrowed my eyebrows and pouted. "That's dangerous, Sam. I'll just roll you back home."
"Please, Y/N? I wanna experience riding it. Please?"
I groaned as she pouted again. God, the power my sister had over me. "Alright but just this once."
She clapped as I instructed her down the bike. I positioned myself on the seat and told her to sit princess-like in front of me while giving her my helmet. It was a little bit hard to handle since Sam's weight added to mine was unbalanced. But I managed to make it work as we rode down the street.
Sam laughed as we neared our house and I couldn't help but smile with her. She had such a child-like wonder that I had to admit, I was jealous. Everything was beautiful in her eyes—everything was perfect.
The cat jumped out of nowhere and I jerked the pedal to the right. At any other time, it would've been a successful evasion but Sam's added weight caused the bike to steadily fall. However, in a split second, I managed to wrap my arms around her and cushion her from the road.
That meant, however, that I got the brunt of the fall.
We rolled a few feet but I just held Sam tightly in my arms so she wouldn't get any scratches. The moment we stopped, I finally let her go and she lifted her head from my chest.
"Sam, are you okay?"
"Y/N! You're bleeding!" I didn't really care about that and surveyed her body, checking for scratches. Luckily she had none so I laid my head back down on the pavement. After a few seconds, I heard the voices of my parents calling for our names.
I was so in trouble.
"Y/N? Sam! What happened?" my mom cried out.
She grabbed Sam from on top of me and checked her for scratches. I sat up and met my father's eyes as he knelt in front of me. "I'm sorry, dad, it's my fault. I know you told me not to let Sam ride my bike but I still did it."
Dad just looked at me for a few seconds before sighing and pulling a handkerchief out from his pocket. He carefully dabbed my forehead with it and I noticed the blood stains my injuries left. "I'm not angry, Y/N. Rather... I'm proud of you."
My eyes widened. "Wha—what? Why?"
He smiled and began cleaning out the scratches on my arm. "Because your first instinct as a sister was to protect Sam" He reached up and began stroking my hair. "There will come a time when your mom and I won't be here anymore. And Sam would only have you left to protect her."
"Dad..."
"Will you promise me something, Y/N?" he asked and I nodded. "Will you always protect your sister? No matter what happens, will you always be by her side?"
"Of course," I answered. He grinned at my answer and began ruffling my hair. I looked at my mom who was smiling at me and my sister who was looking at me curiously.
"You're a good sister, Y/N," he said. "I'm proud to call you my daughter."
-//-//-//-//-//-
Tears were falling from my eyes the moment I woke up.
I didn't know if they were born from joy that I saw Sam again or sadness because I've lost two people in that memory now. I wiped the tears away, intent on being strong and on top of the situation today. The moment I reached beside me, however, I instantly frowned.
Camila wasn't here.
Slowly, I sat up and looked around but she was nowhere to be found. As soon as I thought that, I felt my heart ache. After my dad and Sam, did she finally leave me too? Was I the reason why everyone was leaving?
"She's in the bathroom," I heard someone say. I looked around and my eyes landed on my phone on the nightstand. "Surprised to see me on your phone again?"
The last time Phantasm and I talked, she was hugging me and telling me I should attend the funeral and be strong for my mom. She drove me there but didn't get out of the car. When I came back, she was already gone.
"So could you get out of my phone at any time?"
Phantasm nodded. "I don't like doing it much because some people get scared that I can live in their world instead of just this world," she replied, motioning around her. "Did Camila help you get a good sleep?"
For the first time since I can remember, I felt a genuine smile cross my face. "She did. Being with her helped me see Sam again."
Phantasm smiled back. "She didn't leave. When she woke up she made sure to place a kiss on your head before she went to the bathroom."
"You must be happy about this," I said, grinning.
She answered with a sad smile. "Not until you open up your heart to her again."
After all of this loss, was I ready to let Camila in again? Phantasm thinks so. Heck, even my sister thought so. Whatever decision I make, I just hope I make the correct one.
I cleared my throat and took a deep breath. "I need to make a wish. What's my requirement for the day?"
"Let Camila help."
"What?" I asked, visibly surprised.
"Whatever you plan to do today, let Camila help. This," she held up a hand to stop me when I opened my mouth, "is not about me wanting you two together. This is about Camila being right and the fact that you need someone to be with you right now. Don't shut out the people that want to help."
"Phantasm, I don't—"
The words melted from my mouth as Camila made her way out of the bathroom. She was drying her hair with a towel as our eyes collided. She was wearing my clothes and for some reason it took my breath away.
"I—I'm sorry I didn't ask you for—"
"Oh, no it's okay," I said, waving off her concern. "I was the one that told you to stay so you don't have any change of clothes."
She just nodded and made her way towards the sofa. "Did you get a good rest?" she asked as she sat down.
"I did. I... had a dream."
Camila dropped the towel in her lap and smiled at me. "What was it about?"
"A memory... when I rode a bike with Sam. She almost got hurt but I protected her."
"I'm sure Sam appreciated that."
"I don't know if she remembers but I'm just glad I protected someone important to me."
Camila stood up and sat next to me. She rested her head on my arm. "What're you gonna do today?" I looked down at my feet as dread crept up on my heart. I thought I had made up my mind but now, I wasn't so sure anymore. But at the same time, I knew I needed closure. So I took a deep breath and hardened my resolve.
"I'm gonna see my dad."
I felt Camila's head rise before I turned to her. She looked at me curiously before speaking. "Your dad left, didn't he? I'm sorry, I read it somewhere."
I smiled to assure her it was okay. "Yeah, I—I think it's time I faced him again. Plus I need to tell him about Sam."
"Are you sure?" Camila asked, her hand gripping mine tightly.
It was probably going to be the most awkward reunion in the whole world but I was certain. I was going to face him and show him what I've become.
"I'm sure."
"Do you... need me to be there with you?"
Camila tilted her head to the side and studied me. Even if I resolved myself to meet my father, I still wasn't sure what I would tell him. Should I give him a recap of my life without him like a damn TV show? Do I throw a punch and ask him directly why he left? There were too many scenarios and possibilities.
Did I really want Camila to see that?
"Yes."
I do. Even more than getting my wishes for the day, Camila has been there with me whenever I needed someone the most. I broke her heart and yet here she was, giving me all her strength, no questions asked.
"Then I'll be there," she assured me. "As long as you need me, I'll be there."
-//-//-//-//-//-
It took no trouble before Phantasm found my father. She sent him a priority e-mail about meeting me at a coffee shop downtown and she made sure he would come. However, the one thing I wasn't expecting was who he became after leaving us.
He was now the husband of a governor's daughter.
I barely contained the venom in my eyes as I heard the news. He let us live close to the ground while he let himself live up an ivory tower he mooched off someone. But then why am I starting to remember the good times I had with him? It's like my heart wanted to hate him but my mind was telling me otherwise.
Camila plopped down on the seat beside me and placed a coffee cup in front of me. "Drink, Y/N."
I gave her a small smile before getting a small sip. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Camila take a bite out of a banana. She looked at me curiously when she heard me chuckle.
"Plátano," I said as she tilted her head to the side. "It was my name on your phone."
Camila giggled and took a sip of her drink but not before I heard her mutter something under her breath that made me smile. "It still is."
It was fifteen minutes later when he arrived. His hair was longer than I remembered and fell like loose curls around his face. His once smooth face was rough as he nursed a thick beard on his chin. Honestly, I was surprised I even recognized him. But I guess you never forget the face of the person who single-handedly ruined your family.
He froze in his tracks once our eyes met and I would've paid to know what he was thinking right that second. He was looking at me like I caught him doing something illegal. Camila must've noticed my gaze because I felt her grab my hand under the table and give it a reassuring squeeze.
Now that he was seated in front of me, he refused to meet my gaze. I noticed the lines etched across his eyes and mouth, making him look older. I began to wonder what he was doing in those two years that he was gone that made him age so fast.
I don't know how long we sat there, with me staring him down and him looking at anything but me, before Camila decided to speak up for the both of us.
"Umm, Mr. L/N, it's good to meet you. I'm Camila, Y/N's—" She stopped and looked at me but I didn't say anything back so she sighed and continued. "—friend. It's good to meet you."
My dad's face lit up, probably relieved that at least one of us wasn't hostile towards him. "Nice meeting you, Camila. I'm Devon. Thank you for taking care of my daughter."
"Don't," I spat out, earning glances from the both of them but I just glared at my father. "Don't call me that. You lost your right to call me your daughter."
The tension between us was almost visible that if someone waved their hand in front of our faces, they would probably get a jolt. Camila's hand was still steady on mine and was the only thing stopping me from popping him one square in the jaw.
"I—I'm actually happy you—you asked to meet," he stuttered.
"Why? In the last two years you couldn't do it yourself?"
He immediately looked down at his hands and I jumped at the sudden pinch on my side. Camila was glaring at me then typed something on her phone. She pushed it towards my face once she was done.
I know you're angry but this is not the time to push his shortcomings on him. Be a little more civil please?
I scoffed but knew she was right. So I took a deep breath and focused on the things I had to tell my father. "So why'd you leave?" I said in a monotonous voice. I could imagine Camila rolling her eyes as I felt her lean back on her seat.
"Well—" he started, looking at the table.
"My eyes are up here," I said. He looked up at me and I could see the sadness in his own. "It's not that I want you back in my life. I don't really care. But I think I deserve an explanation as to why my hero that I looked up to since I was a kid left without even looking back."
"I—I didn't... want to leave."
A groan almost escaped my lips but I managed to contain myself. I took a glance at Camila and saw her looking intently at my father. He took a deep breath before continuing.
"I loved all of you so much. You, your mom, Sam," I winced at his mention of my sister but luckily he didn't notice. "But I—I made a mistake." His eyes started tearing up but he wiped them away before they could fall. "One drunk night led to a mistake—a mistake that came haunting me nine months later."
It took me a few minutes until I finally connected the dots. The moment I did, however, my hand was too fast for Camila to stop and I slapped my father across his cheek. Glances all around the café immediately turned to us but no one came closer to inquire.
"You... slept with another woman?"
"It was an accident!" he cried out.
He jumped the moment my fist connected with the table. Our cups clattered and the coffee spilled from its brim. "When Sam and I fell off a bike, that was an accident! You don't slip and fall into someone else's vagina!"
Camila immediately grabbed my hand from the table and held it on her lap. I was thankful for her because if she wasn't here, I would've just jumped across the table and knocked him out.
"You're—you're right," he said, burying his face into his hands. "I should've known better."
"Mr. L/N," Camila spoke up. "Can you tell us what exactly happened?"
He nodded and took a deep breath before speaking. "I worked as a personal bodyguard for the daughter of a governor. It was obvious as I worked that she liked me but I always pushed away her advances because of my family."
He stopped and looked at me, surveying if I was listening or not. "But then one night, I was asked to go to a party at their house. I only had a few drinks but the governor insisted I have more. That's the last thing I remember before my memory faded. The next morning I woke up in the daughter's bed, naked and next to her."
"You said your memory faded. Could it be that you didn't really do it?" inquired Camila.
My dad's lips formed into a sad smile. "I thought that too but as time passed by, my memory returned bit by bit until I remembered it all."
"Then what happened?" I asked.
"Nine months later she had a kid who she told me was mine. I asked for a paternity test and... my worst fears came true." He ran his hands through his hair. "Her father, the governor, told me that I needed to marry her or he would use every bit of his influence to make my life and my family's miserable."
Suddenly, the memory of my prom night came to mind. "My prom night, you told me something." He peered at me through hooded eyes. "You said that I could go to college. You said you found a way."
"The governor offered me money to divorce your mom and marry his daughter. I asked him if I could stay another year with my family and he agreed."
"And that's why you left after my first year."
He nodded and looked between Camila and I. "Your mom knew, I told her what happened. She was angry but she told me not to tell you and Sam the truth. She told me to hide it—that it would be better if I just left without a word."
"But—but mom said she was waiting for you. Everyday," I said, my mind reeling from thoughts fighting for dominance in my head.
"I told her that I would do my best to come home. I told her I would come back to her. But I guess I broke that promise too."
So my father was living with his very own mistake. How ironic that no matter how much I hated him, we were more alike than I thought. If it wasn't for Sam, would I really have been as pathetic as him?
"That's why I'm glad you invited me here," he said, grabbing my other hand on the table. "Because now I can explain. My children need to know the truth. Will you let me meet Sam too?"
Camila and I instantly looked at each other. She had a tight grip on my hand as she gave me a small nod of encouragement. My dad looked confused and I don't blame him. Slowly, I pulled my hand from my dad's touch and cleared my throat.
"Sam's dead."
The silence that followed was deafening. He was frozen, as if his mind was just now processing what I said before he chuckled and shook his head. "You shouldn't joke like that, Y/N. Your sister—"
"Do I look like I'm joking?"
He stopped again but just continued shaking his head. "I'm not going to do anything, I'm just going to talk to her. Please, let me explain to my baby. I miss her so—"
"Devon, stop." He did and his eyes were hard on mine. "Sam got into a car accident three days ago. She's dead," I spat out, my teeth shaking due to the emotions I was keeping inside. "You'll never see her again."
That was when he started bawling and clawing his hair. It was hard to keep my face blank as I watched him cry his eyes out. He kept calling out Sam's name like she was going to appear any second if he just kept doing it.
"My daughter... my Sam," he said in between sobs. I knew telling him anymore would break him but for some reason, I wanted to. I wanted my father to feel what my family felt when he left.
"Do you know what Sam told me in her dying breath?" I said in an icy tone. "She told me not to be like you. She told me not to leave and instead, stay with the people I love."
"No... no... Sam..."
I leaned my arms on the table and waited until he looked up at me. "How does it feel now, Devon, that we're the ones leaving you?"
He kept his head low even as I stood up and held Camila's hand. I led her to my car and we just sat there. My grip on the steering wheel was rock solid as I grit my teeth. It felt good to finally have closure with my father but seeing him break down like that gripped my heart. Would Sam get angry at me now that me and my father were more alike than I thought? Would she hate me?
Camila must've noticed my distress because she unbuckled herself and reached over so she could hug me. Her head was settled comfortably against my chest and heart as she wrapped her arms around my neck.
I hope my father regrets leaving—regrets his mistakes. The same way I do everyday of my life.
-//-//-//-//-//-
The drive to the hotel room was silent. Only when we were the only ones in the elevator did Camila speak.
"You know, I dated someone who cheated on me before."
"Is this an indirect to me?" I joked.
She laughed and looked down at her shoes. "Whenever I asked him about it, he would always say that they were just friends. So imagine my surprise when not even twenty-four hours after we broke up, they were snapped in a Jacuzzi together."
"This is... Austin, right?"
Camila nodded. "That's why I kinda admire your father for having the courage to tell your mom the truth."
It was my turn to laugh now. "You admire a cheater?"
She groaned and rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean."
We kept poking fun at each other until we finally reached my floor. I had to admit, this back and forth Camila and I had was comfortable. Even if we couldn't be together, she was still one of my closest friends. Those thoughts kept me distracted that I didn't notice Camila wasn't following me anymore. I turned around and saw her looking at me as the elevator doors were closing. Luckily, I managed to shoot my hand out and stop them.
"What're you doing?" I asked.
"You don't need me anymore, Y/N."
The doors were struggling against my arm but I didn't budge. "What are you talking about?"
"You've made your peace with Sam's death and you've made your peace with your dad," she said with a smile. "I don't need to be with you anymore."
That's what she said and yet why was her smile so sad? I stepped inside the elevator, making sure my hands were still stopping the doors, and faced Camila. It was wrong for me to be this selfish but if she wanted it too, would it be okay?
"Just for one more night, Camila," I said and watched her intense eyes. "Just for tonight, stay with me."
She smiled and placed a lingering kiss on my cheek before moving past me into the hallway. I tried to contain the grin on my face before I followed her. Immediately, I noticed her frozen figure near my door.
"Camila, are you—" I froze beside Camila as I saw a lone figure sitting in the hallway, looking up at the two of us.
"Lauren?" I finally called out. She slowly stood up without taking her eyes off us. A few minutes passed until someone finally spoke up.
"I—I'll go ahead," I heard Camila say. I watched her leave as she walked back to the elevators and left Lauren and I alone in the hallway.
"Lauren, I—"
"Open the door, we need to talk," she said, cutting me off. I just nodded and proceeded to do as she said. The awkwardness didn't leave us even when we walked in the middle of the room. Lauren had her arms across her chest and I began to wonder what should be the best way to defuse this situation? Should I ask if she wants some drinks? Food maybe?
"Where were you?"
I was so invested in thinking about what drink to offer her that it took me a few seconds before I realized she asked me a question. "Oh, uh, I met someone."
"With Camila?"
"Yeah, she uh," I said, scratching the back of my head. "She came to me when I... met my father."
Her features immediately softened letting me know that she knew the deal with my father. But as she spoke, her words were still hard and icy. "Why didn't you call me? I could've come with you instead."
I groaned. "It doesn't matter who comes, Lauren."
"It matters if it's Camila."
"Look, I know the deal between you two, okay?" I said raising my hands. "I know you guys aren't talking which is bullshit because you're a band. And I know I'm the reason which is bullshit again because you two are best friends. Why are you fighting over me?"
"Because I know there's something going on with you two," she said, her voice raised.
"There is nothing going on between us, Lauren. We're friends."
She scoffed. "Friends with Camila, right."
"What? I can't be friends with my ex?"
"Not when she still has feelings for you," she yelled. "I bet you two are even dating now."
"What the fuck, Lauren?" I stepped closer to her, meeting her glare with my own. "Camila and I aren't dating. As a matter of fact, neither are we so why am I explaining myself to you?"
My words seemed to flip a switch in Lauren because she suddenly had fire in her eyes. "So what? I'm just a fucking two night stand to you?"
"No!" I immediately countered.
"I have been patient, Y/N. I've constantly been here for you—loving you—but not expecting it in return. But you have no fucking right to mess around behind my back like that."
I ran my hands through my hair. "I am not messing around with Camila."
"Then choose."
"What?"
"Camila or me."
I looked at Lauren, fully expecting it to be a joke but she just stared me down with her green eyes. Deep inside, I knew I had to confront this question one way or another. But I've been holding back and keeping both of them within arm's reach. Now, I needed to let one of them go.
Sluggishly, I made my way to the bed and sat on the edge. Lauren was standing a little ways ahead of me with her eyes set on mine.
At first glance, I knew my answer should be Camila. She was the one I loved after all and as she proved to me today, she loved me as well. But I wasn't in a situation as easy as that, was I? I looked up at Lauren and saw she wasn't glaring at me anymore. She genuinely looked expectant yet scared as the same time with my answer.
When I told Lauren that it didn't matter who came with me, did I really mean that? If Lauren was there with me instead of Camila, would she also comfort me and hold my hand as I faced my father? I knew the complications that arose from picking Camila. But if I picked Lauren, it would be easier, right? I mean, at least her love was real.
At least she wasn't lying to me.
So I stood up and walked towards Lauren. Her eyes never left mine as I rested my hands on her shoulders and gave her a lingering kiss. "You're right," I said. "You love me and I shouldn't take advantage of that. I'm sorry."
My heart leapt when she smiled at me. She pulled me down again for another kiss before she wrapped her arms around me. Lauren wasn't going to be hard to love, at all. She was kind, caring, and honest when it came to me and I knew she was one of a kind. There was no doubt in my mind that someday I would learn to love her.
But then a strange thought crept on my mind. It was a cautious question that always haunted me since I learned about Camila's secret. I didn't want to ask her but then, what's the worst thing she could say?
"You would never lie to me, right?"
The instant I felt Lauren's body tense, I immediately regretted my question. She stayed in my arms for a few more seconds before she slowly pulled away. I tried to look at her face for any trace of emotion but she was hiding it behind her hair.
"Lauren?" I called out. "Lauren, look at me."
She looked up but refused to meet my gaze. My heart was racing at the numerous possibilities but I refrained from jumping to conclusions. I calmed my heart down as best as I could and repeated my question.
"Lauren, you would never lie to me... right?"
This time, she met my eyes and I felt my palms getting sweaty from anticipation. It shouldn't be a hard question, right? I mean, all she had to say was 'never' then it'll be okay. But why wasn't she saying it?
It took Lauren two minutes of silence before answering. "Y/N, I love you."
I opened my mouth and chuckled. "I know that, Lauren. I know. It's what you're not saying that I wanna know." She winced and that was the moment I knew she really was hiding something for me. So I hardened my heart in anticipation of the heartbreak that was going to come next.
"What're you hiding from me, Lauren?" She looked at me but didn't say anything else. Just when I thought she wasn't going to say anything, I heard her husky voice again.
"When you got drunk... I wasn't the one that brought you back here."
"What?"
She bit her lip and sighed. "Shawn didn't call me. He called Camila."
"No, but—but you were in the bathroom," I stuttered.
"Camila took you from the club to your hotel room with Shawn. She was the one that cleaned you up and... she was the one that brought you the aspirin. She was even the one that wrote that 'Drink me' letter."
"B—but how—"
"She called me," Lauren continued. "She told me to take care of you. She also told me to pretend that I was the one that got you home. Camila said that she didn't want you to get angry at her because even if you don't care about her anymore, she still cared deeply for you."
All the breath in my lungs left me at that moment and I wobbled my way to the bed. While I sat there, I finally let myself remember the events of that night. Someone knelt in front of me and grabbed my face then I kissed their palm. And she said something.
You'll be okay, I'm here. I'll take care of you.
And just like that, I heard Camila's voice in my head saying that over and over again. Even when I broke her heart, she still came and took care of me. Somehow that knowledge warmed my heart. But the warmth was gone as soon as it appeared. What did it matter if she was there? She was still there because she thinks she loved me. It still didn't correct my mistake.
I sighed and looked at Lauren. "Thanks for telling me the truth. It wouldn't have mattered if you or Camila brought me home. We still broke up after all. Plus she still kept me hoping for something she was giving to someone else. She asked for time when she was giving it to someone else."
I expected Lauren to laugh. I also expected her to ask me some questions. Heck, I expected her to run towards me and kiss me crazy. There were a lot of possibilities for her reaction to my words.
But her silence wasn't one of the things I expected.
"Lauren, are you okay?"
"Y/N, I need to tell you... the truth."
I chuckled. "You already did."
She shook her head and I could see the start of tears forming from her eyes. "The night you and Camila kissed, she broke up with Michael."
"Yeah, but it doesn't matter. She told me she was just curious—that she was just using me." My heart ached as I let myself remember our night at the pier.
Lauren wiped her eyes. "She was lying."
"Lauren, you weren't there. You didn't see her practically shove me away."
"No, Y/N—"
"I was just someone to pass the time."
"Y/N—"
"She never cared for me."
"Please, just—"
"She said she never loved me."
"Because I told her to!" she yelled. Lauren's voice boomed throughout my room. Her face was buried in her hands while I just sat there with my mouth open.
"What—what are you saying?" I croaked out.
She sniffled but looked at me with reddened eyes. "She loved you, Y/N. And I was angry because I liked you even before we met you. But then when we did, you only had eyes for Camila. I was so angry at her so I told her to help me with you."
Just like that, the conversation I overheard between Camila and Ally made sense. They were talking about Camila helping Lauren with me. Before I could inquire further into my memory, Lauren continued.
"But then I didn't know you guys were writing a song," she said. "I didn't know Camila would fall for you too."
Wait... what?
"What did you say?" I asked, standing up now.
Lauren sighed and gave me a sad smile. "She fell in love with you, Y/N."
"When?"
"The night you two went back to Miami. She called me that night and confessed that she was falling for you. That's why she asked you for more time. Because she wanted to talk to me and break-up with Michael."
My knees wobbled and I found myself leaning on the table for support. Everything that Lauren was saying slowly became clearer and clearer. But of the hundreds of thoughts I had, only one remained clear and distinct.
Camila loved me before I made the wish.
"She pushed you away because of me, Y/N," Lauren continued. All the memories of Camila rejecting me suddenly flooded my mind.
It's not you.
Because she wanted it for herself.
This is not and will never be what you think it is.
All of those weren't real? She... loved me?
"Y/N," I heard Lauren call my name.
"Lauren... leave."
She stepped closer to me. "Y/N, I—"
I held up a hand to stop her. "Please... just go." She looked at me one last time before she walked out the door.
Camila told me when I broke up with her that there was another thing aside from Michael that she always refused to tell me. And based on what Lauren told me, it was her staking a claim on me and Camila respecting that. My mind was reeling from everything when I heard a familiar voice behind me.
"I heard everything."
I stood up and turned around. Phantasm was standing near the balcony with a troubled expression on her face. I was in front of her in an instant. I didn't even care that she was out of my phone because there was only one question on my mind.
"What does it mean?" She furrowed her eyebrows in thought as I waited for her answer. "If she already loved me and I wished for her to love me, what happens to the wish?"
Phantasm thought for a few seconds but as I waited, it felt like hours. When she finally looked at me, I instinctively held my breath. "The wish doesn't come true... because it already has."
A mixture of emotions were pooling inside my chest that I didn't know what to cling to. "Then—then—Camila—she—that means—"
Phantasm held my arms and stared into my eyes before saying the exact words forming in my mind, my heart, and my soul.
"All this time... Camila... really was in love with you."
A/N: What are you gonna do with this revelation? 😧 Will it cause more drama? 😥 Will you confront Camila? 🤔 Will I stop writing 6k word chapters bc they're too damn long? 🤷🏻♂️ Find out tomorrow in another chapter of Phantasm 📱