~~~ Flashback (Third-Person POV) ~~~
Ring! Ring! Ring!
Camila’s phone vibrated on the bedside table, waking her from sleep. She groaned and reached for it, still half asleep.
It was 5:00 AM. She looked at the caller ID.
It was her cousin Daniela.
"Hey, Daniela. What’s with the call this early in the morning?" she asked, yawning. The bedsheets felt warm and tangled around her legs.
"I’m coming back to the country today," Daniela’s voice came through the speaker.
Camila sat up immediately, fully awake.
"What?"
"I said I’m coming back." Daniela laughed softly.
Camila rubbed her forehead. "Don’t tell me you’re actually coming back because of Amelia."
There was silence on the other end. Then Daniela spoke.
"Mila, I’m sorry. I can’t continue this one-sided love anymore."
Camila sighed heavily. "But she’s not into women."
"How do you know?" Daniela asked. "You told me yourself that she has never dated anyone."
"She has an arranged fiancé," Camila said quietly.
"Exactly," Daniela said. "An arranged fiancé. Not someone she chose herself."
Camila pulled the phone away from her ear and stared at the screen.
Sometimes she genuinely didn’t know what to do with her cousin.
"Okay. Do whatever you want."
"Really?" Daniela shouted joyfully.
"No."
Daniela laughed loudly. "Too late. I already booked my flight."
Camila rolled her eyes toward the glass window.
"I love you, Mila," Daniela said, lowering her voice.
The call ended before Camila could reply. She stared at the phone for a few seconds.
Her phone rang again. It was her mother.
She picked up immediately.
"Hello, Mom."
"Honey, how are you doing?" Her mom said softly.
"I’m fine. Did you call because something is wrong?"
She always knew when something was wrong. She could tell from her mother’s voice.
"Your friend Amelia seems to be in a complete mess right now." Her mother said, sighing.
Camila immediately sat up straighter.
"What do you mean, Mom?"
She had just gone on a business trip for two days, and already her friend was in trouble.
Her mother told her everything.
The birthday party.
The DNA test.
The real daughter.
Everything.
The more Camila listened, the paler her face became.
As soon as the call ended, she immediately called her father’s secretary.
"Book me the earliest flight back."
"Miss Camila—"
"The earliest one."
"Yes, Miss."
Camila ended the call.
She rushed into the bathroom to freshen up. When she was done she changed clothes, grabbed her luggage. The sound of her suitcase wheels clicking against the floor echoed in the hallway as she left the hotel.
By 3:00 PM she had already landed.
The first thing she did was call Amelia.
"Hey, Lia." She said warmly.
"Hey, Cam. What’s up?"
"I’m fine. But I hope you’re alright, Lia." She said, sounding worried.
"You heard what happened, right?" Amelia asked.
"Mmm." She said quietly.
"I’m fine, Cam."
Camila was quiet for a few seconds because she knew Amelia wasn’t fine.
"Let’s catch up." She said, her voice shifting to something lighter.
"Mm—"
"I won’t take no for an answer." She said, interrupting her because she already knew exactly what Amelia was going to say.
"Okay. Where then?" Amelia asked, laughing softly now.
"Our usual spot."
"Okay then, meet you soon." Amelia said and hung up.
Camila smiled.
At least Amelia sounded a little better.
Her phone vibrated again. It was a text from Daniela.
[My flight will land soon.]
Camila stared at the message and sighed.
This was going to be troublesome.
"Take me to the café." She told the driver.
The car pulled away immediately. Streetlights passed slowly through the window, flickering across her face.
...
By 9:00 PM Camila’s phone rang again. She already knew who it was.
She got dressed, picked up her phone and car keys and drove to the airport.
When she arrived Daniela was already standing near the entrance, looking around.
The moment she spotted Camila, she smiled and waved.
"Mila!"
She ran over dragging a small suitcase behind her.
"Is this the only thing you brought?" Camila asked, pointing at the suitcase.
"Yes. I don’t want to carry too much." She said, smiling proudly.
Camila shook her head and helped carry the suitcase to the car.
They loaded it in and drove off.
After a few minutes Daniela finally spoke.
"How’s —" She glanced at Camila before finishing. "Amelia."
Camila turned to her. "You’ll see her tomorrow."
Daniela smiled and sank back into her seat.
She couldn’t believe she would finally get to see the one person she had had a crush on for years.
It had started the first time her cousin Camila showed her a photo of Amelia. From that day she couldn’t stop thinking about her.
She had begged Camila for Amelia’s social media handles. She had even tried bribing her with money once, but Camila had only laughed and refused.
Daniela had never dated anyone. She hadn’t even spoken properly to her own arranged fiancé. The only person she had ever had eyes for was Amelia.
When she first told Camila about her feelings Camila was shocked and confused.
She told her Amelia already had an arranged fiancé. But Daniela wouldn’t give up. She begged Camila to help her, but Camila refused.
"Lia is straight. Don’t you get it, Daniela?"
Camila had said it with tears in her eyes because she didn’t want either her cousin or her best friend to get hurt.
"Just move on, Daniela. Please." Camila said.
"I’m sorry, Mila. I can’t. Not until Amelia rejects me directly," Daniela said, smiling.
And that was the real reason she had come back.
To confess her feelings.
When they arrived home Camila turned to Daniela.
"We’re here."
Daniela looked out of the window. "This place never changes."
She opened the door and got out.
They walked into the house. Camila’s mother was already sitting in the living room.
"Mom!" Camila called, running toward her.
"Easy, honey, don’t fall." Her mother said, standing up.
Camila hugged her and whispered. "I missed you, Mom." She kissed her mother on the cheek.
"I missed you too."
Her mother looked past her and saw Daniela.
"Oh, my sweetheart. Your dad told me you were coming back." Camila’s mom said warmly, walking over and taking Daniela’s hands in hers.
"Auntie, I just wanted to stay with my cousin. I was missing her." Daniela said softly.
Camila nearly choked.
"Missing me? Seriously?" She shook her head.
"Don’t mind her. Go up and rest. Your room is already prepared," Camila’s mother said, patting Daniela’s head.
"Okay, Auntie. Good night." Daniela said and walked upstairs.
The next morning Daniela woke up earlier than everyone else.
Today she would finally meet Amelia.
She quickly got dressed in Camila’s school uniform. She couldn’t wait. She grabbed her school bag and hurried downstairs.
Camila wasn’t down yet. She sat and had breakfast, which the servant had already prepared.
Soon Camila came downstairs humming. Her eyes met Daniela’s and she smiled.
"Look who can’t wait even for a second to meet their—"
"Shhh!" Daniela said immediately, looking around.
Camila laughed softly, sat down and ate her breakfast.
After breakfast they walked out and drove to school in Camila’s car.
They drove into the school parking lot. Daniela looked out through the window.
"Is Amelia’s car here?" She asked.
Camila looked around and shook her head.
"No."
Daniela sighed, opened the door, and got out.
Camila grabbed her bag, got out too and locked the car.
"I’m heading to class now," Camila said, leaning on her car.
"You can go without me." Daniela said, looking around for Amelia’s car.
Camila sighed and left.
Daniela leaned against Camila’s car, still looking around, waiting.
After a few minutes a black sports car drove in and parked right next to Camila’s car.
"Amelia." She whispered.
Her heartbeat immediately sped up. She recognized that car from a photo her cousin had shown her.
The driver’s door opened. And Amelia stepped out.
She flipped her hair over her shoulder and locked the car.
For a moment Daniela forgot how to breathe.
"So that’s Amelia Winston..." She said softly.
A smile slowly appeared on Daniela’s face.
After years of staring at photos, scrolling through social media accounts, and imagining what their first meeting would be like, she was finally seeing Amelia in person.
Daniela took a deep breath and started walking toward her.
~~~~ End of Flashback ~~~~
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