A/N: Uhm... Wow. Can't believe I updated in such a short amount of time, but with all the love you guys are sending me, I couldn't stop writing. So thank you for fueling my creativity. Hehe. Anyways. Enjoy the new chapter, it's a little shorter than usual but still very good... hopefully.
As usual. Enjoy and let me know what you think. Vote, comment, do your thing :D
Have a great day!!!
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Camila's POV:
I was running so fast that everything around me was blending into each other. I bumped into a few nurses and transportation clerks while muttering apologies here and there, not stopping due to the determination to reach my destination. I knew I looked like a manic freak at the moment and I didn't care because I was a manic freak at the moment.
"Mama," I nearly shouted as my crying mom came into view.
She was trembling uncontrollably while my dad was sat opposite of her, closed off to the world as he stared into nothingness. He didn't even acknowledge my presence as I came near. Or he chose not to.
When my mom saw me, she sobbed even more and stood up embracing me like never before. It was when I was in the embrace that I took note of the scratches on her arms and hands. The cut just above her eye. The nonexistent glasses that she would always wear. Her disheveled hair. Her busted lip.
I caressed my mom and rubbed her back, trying my best not to break down right there and then.
I turned towards my dad. He should be comforting my mom, but instead he was just sitting there. His head was bleeding, or it was. The dried blood had caked over his face. Cuts were all over his face and when he finally looked up at me, his eyes showed all I needed to know. He was in pain. Emotionally and phyiscally. Probably even mentally. Cursing himself for letting this happen.
All of our attention turned towards the doctor in scrubs as he walked towards us. I tried to read his facial expression for a hint of what we were all about to hear, but like many doctors, he had his face neutral and well practiced.
"How is she?" I asked, knowing both my parents were in no condition of talking at the moment.
He looked at me and then my two distraught parents. He looked down at his feet then back up to meet my eyes. That's when his face released the truth I didn't want to know.
The memories rose up as I stood in a similar waiting room. This time it wasn't filled with my family but a collection of my friends who were worried sickly about someone else. Deja vu to the worst of extremes.
"Harry, man, you have got to sit down. You are giving me a head spin with you pacing around like that," Louis complained as he tried to calm his anxious and nervous friend.
"Then don't watch me pacing around. Problem solved," Harry gritted, continuing on with his pacing. "What is taking so long?" he groaned as he brushed his hand through his hair.
"Harry," the youngest of the room pulled him down to her height. "You need to calm down. You're part of her pack and she needs you to be calm when she comes out of here."
I subconsciously moved my hand towards my neck where my necklace laid upon. The jade lion that Sofi and I, along with the rest of the girls. I looked over and the girls were doing the same thing. Our pack was broken and another one was about to be as well.
"You have to stay strong, Harry. You have to stay strong for her," the little girl continued, breaking me away from a memory.
Why were the younger ones always so wise beyond their years?
Harry sighed and lowered his head in defeat, sitting down beside Louis, the little girl following suit.
"She's a smart one, that one," Ally smiled as she looked on. Harry and the little girl were now talking about the pack and the boys were asking if they were a part of the pack as well.
"Miss McKenzie," a doctor in the basic white lab coat and stethescope ensemble entered the room.
We all stood up and awaited for more from the doctor.
"It was just another hiccup from her prior injuries. She's stable now, if you all want to see her. Though, I suggest only a couple at a time. We don't want to overwhelm her recovery again. She needs her rest."
And with that, the doctor left without another word or glance.
An awkward silence caused tension to build within the room. Who was the first to see the sleeping beauty? Wait... Did I just say beauty?
"Can I go see Alex with Harry, mom?" the little girl asked, not realizing she helped ease the minds of everyone by volunteering as tribute.
The mom smiled down at her youngest daughter and kissed her head, agreeing for Harry to accompany her. Harry smiled down at her as well and held his hand out for her to grab.
"Come on, Belle, let's go see Alex."
One by one, each left to see Alex. Some in pairs. Liam and Niall. Lauren and Zayn. Louis and Dinah. Normani and Ally. And others wanted to go alone, like my mom, Jessie, and Jessie's mom.
Everyone all had their turn and soon I was the only one who hadn't seen her yet and I was dreading it.
What was I going to say? Do I smile? Or was this a serious matter where I shouldn't smile? Do I say something? Like introduce myself? Crap. Why did I have to wait last minute and become partner less.
I walked down the hall while all of these thoughts and questions were circling through my mind. I didn't notice that I was already at the opened door when I heard someone clear their throat.
Charlie.
I smiled down at him, grateful that someone was already in the room. I then took in the image of the famous Alexandra McKenzie as she lay unconscious on the bed before him. Charlie was grasping onto her hand protectively.
"I was wondering when you were going to appear," he commented as he kissed Alex's hand before letting it go and coming over to embrace me in a warming hug. "How are you doing?"
I chuckled at his concern. "I should be asking you that question," I turned towards her. "Or her."
Sadness fell upon my face knowing that she wouldn't know that I came to visit her. Wait.. What? Why does that concern me? She doesn't even know me. She probably wouldn't even care. She was freakin' Alexandra McKenzie. Heiress of a multi-billion dollar group and company.
"I'm fine. Nothing can stop this old man," he chuckled, turning his attention back towards the young lady. "I've seen worse," he confessed and looked down sadly before clearing his throat once again. "Alex will be fine as well," he stated, trying his best to sound convincing. "She just needs to rest up."
"Oh, maybe I should get going then," I said as I turned towards the exit.
"Don't," a mumble turned my attention back towards the bed. "Kaks," she sleepily whimpered, eyes still closed.
I froze, eyes widened. What did she just say?
"Alex?" Charlier went over to her to see if she was in need. He grabbed her hand but there was no response. She was still sleeping.
Was that my mind playing tricks on me? Or did she really just call me that?
I walked out of the door without looking back this time. I had to be hallucinating or hearing things. There was no way she called me by that. Heck. There was no way she was even calling for me. She didn't even know me. She probably didn't even know my name.
Walking back into the waiting room everyone was getting cozy and comfortable with each other. Jessie was talking amongst some of the gals and guys while Lauren was off with Zayn discussing something. Harry was chatting away with Belle and her mom, whom I later learned to call Annette instead of Mrs. Marshall.
Their attention turned towards me once I set foot into the room and I coughed my discomfort, avoiding everybody's gaze.
"She's asleep now. Maybe it's time we should go," I suggested, having more than one reason to wanting out of this place.
My mind was confused and fogged with emotions that I wasn't ready to feel. Just seeing Alex in that room brought way too many to bare with. I had to fight the urge to just want to go over to her and cuddle up to her sleeping body, rubbing her arms to make sure she knew I was there right beside her. But what was I thinking? We weren't even close to even touch each other. Maybe a handshake or slight hug, but cuddling? That was completely out of the question. And yet, here I was, fighting the urge of that feeling of wanting to be close to her, even now I was yearning to feel her, to touch her warmth and share mine with her.
Gosh, Camila snap out of it.
We were back in our house, the girls were lounging around while I was sitting down in our balcony looking up at the open night sky. Gosh it was a beautiful night. Stars were bright and shining down upon me.
I closed my eyes and a recollection of memories resurfaced about nights just like these.
"Kaks, how many stars do you think are up in the sky?" Sofi asked as she looked up, gazing upon the billions stars above.
I walked over to her and wrapped my arms tightly around her small body frame, cherishing these special moments I had with her. I had missed her so much over these past couple of weeks and I was happy I was able to get a break from our tour to visit her and the family.
"I'd say an infinite amount of stars," I answered, not really knowing the truth.
A couple of minutes went by in silence and I thought it was because Sofi was just content with the answer, but I was wrong. Instead, I felt her quiver in my arms and a small sob escaped her mouth. I quickly turned her face gently to look up at me, and to my surprise, tears were cascading down her adorable face.
"Sof, why are you crying?"
"That's so many," she replied, her tears continuing to fall.
"What do you mean?"
"Nana said that the stars were loved ones watching over us. That means there's an infinite amount of people who died," she explained, rubbing her nose which was now running because of her crying. "It's too many."
Aww, my little Sofi.
"Sofi, listen to me, okay?" I started as I bent down to her level. "Yes, there's a lot of stars up there and that means a lot of lost loved ones and that is sad, I know, but it's not something to cry about because those lost loved ones are happy up in the sky. Do you want to know why?" She nodded. "Because of moments like these. Where people, like you and me, look up at the stars acknowledging their presence as they watch over us. You want to know why they shine so bright?" Again she nodded her head. "The brighter the star, the happier they are for not being forgotten. So, you see, since you can see billions and billions of stars miles away that mean billions and billions of those loved ones are never fading in people's hearts. And that, Sof, is something never to cry about because they know they are still loved even while up in the sky."
Sofi's tears had now subsided and she was simply sniffling away.
"Don't ever forget me, Kaks," she told me, looking up at me.
I looked back down at her wondering where that had come from. Of course I would never forget her. She was constantly on my mind while I was on the road without her in my arms. She was the reason why I smiled in the morning and laughed before going to bed.
She was my everything.
I caressed her reddened cheeks, making sure saw the truth in my eyes.
"Like I could ever forget you, Sof."
I stared up at the night sky and searched for the brightest star of them all.
"Shine bright, Sof."
I wiped away the stray tear from my cheek and walked back into the house knowing Sofi was up there looking down on me.
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A/N: Hope you all liked the update. :D I'm working on something new as well. This time it's more action filled, so look out for the prologue which should be coming out soon because I can't stop thinking about this new concept. :)