Camila's POV
Christmas arrived, the house was completely decorated.
I saw myself in the mirror for the tenth time that night, arranging the white dress on my body.
I sat on the bed, undoing the smile that I have been trying to keep in my face since I arrived.
My heart is broken.
Nothing seemed to make sense.
At night it is when I allow myself to cry, in these moments I would like to be immune to pain.
I opened a little box that I left under the bed since I arrived. Several photos with Lauren were there, along with the notes that she left in my room when I was in Miami. I took one of them.
Tears again invaded my eyes.
“Merry Christmas, love...” I whispered, feeling a tear run down my cheek.
I heard two knocks at the door, dried my face quickly and got up, trying to balance myself in the jump.
“Come in” I said
Marielle opened the door and entered smiling, with a santa hat on her head.
“MERRY CHRISTMAS!!”she shouted, coming to hug me.
Then she noticed the photos on the bed. And whe saw my face again.
“You were crying. Camila, tell me when you will smile again...” she took a picture of me with Lauren and showed it to me “again”
I sighed and took it from her hand to save it again.
“Forget it” I said and took the picture in the box again “today I don't want to feel sad, it's Christmas” I forced a smile.
Lauren's POV
The pine was completely decorated, as well as the whole house. Outside and inside.
The table was set and we sat around her to give thanks for the year. Drew came to spend Christmas with us, being the only special guest.
So to say...
We all closed our eyes to pray in silence, but Chris began to do it in a low voice, I spied him, he was focused, I noticed that everyone around the table is paying attention to what the youngest of the family said.
“Jesus, thank you very much for giving me a new sister this year, I really liked it a lot” I smiled, with tears in my eyes
Taylor grabbed my hand under the table and pressed it with a smile of complicity
“if you can bring her back, I promise to lend you my toys” I dried a tear that came down.
He opened his eyes and we all looked away. However it is obvious that everyone around the table felt Camila's absence.
Each in their own way. But we feel it.
“Okay, let's eat now” Michael said.
Between talks and smiles we began to eat. Later my dad came down dressed in santa, Chris's eyes shone.
He delivered the gifts, making us laugh a lot. I didn't remember when it was the last time I spent a Christmas in peace with my family.
I usually had dinner and ran out of the house for a party.
Almost at two in the morning I sat in the garden, watching the sky. I remembered when Camila talked about the stars.
And I imagined that, maybe, she may be doing the same now.
I closed my eyes and breathed deeply, feeling the need to return with everything. I didn't hear when my dad approached, I just felt his hand on my shoulder.
“I still have one more gift for you...” he told me, handing me his cell phone.
“You will give me your cell phone?” I asked, confused.
“No, I'll give you the right to a call...” I got a paper with a huge number written down. “You don't need to talk fast, but don't stay an hour hanging on the phone. International calls are expensive” he winked and left, leaving me in a state of shock.
I didn't know what to do, I can't even say that Camila will take care of me.
With shaking hands I dialed the number, my heart quickened only by listening to the tone.
A childish voice answered the phone, for God's sake, how am I going to communicate with a girl? I just said Camila's name several times in a row, listening to the sound of several voices in the background. one
“Hello... ” I remained silent, my body found it froze only when I heard her sweet voice.
“Hi!”