The flight to Tulum was awful. I've flown plenty of times before but the fact that the love of my life could be hurt or dead made my insides twist and flip inside out the whole time. I was nervous and anxious and overall thankful for the fact that I had a private jet and could lay on a couch or puke in my own toilet if needed. I feel so sick and the only cure is knowing that Camila is okay and having her in my arms again.
The Cabello flight attendant Kim brought me another glass of ginger ale even though I asked for a beer. Kim looked at me knowingly, but proceeded to hand me the soda anyway. Even in the air, the Cabello's were taking care of me. Before I left James had given me an envelope full of both American and Mexican money and my mom and Sinu had given me a small bag of clothes for Camila. Aaliyah installed a translator app on my phone to help me; that is, if I remember to use it. I no little to no Spanish and I'm kicking myself as we make our decent for not listening to Camila more when she spoke in Spanish, even during sex.
The pilot comes overhead to announce to prep for landing and that he's got a small strip to land on since half appears to be destroyed from the earthquake. I clench my fists as I feel the plane hit the runway and I'm thrown forward slightly as the pilot stops to a halt.
Kim makes sure I'm okay and once the pilot says it's safe to exit the plane; I grab my bags and get off as quickly as I can. One of the many things Sinu and James set up for me was an American "bodyguard" if you will. Someone to keep an eye on me. With a natural disaster like this, all sorts of people came out of the wood work; and although things are just things, I needed to have something when I found Camila. Besides that, and I'm a famous race care driver so I need to stay somewhat safe and somewhat incognito.
I meet my bodyguard Josh and we head to an all back SUV. Once I have everything loaded into the car, we head towards where we believe Amansala is. As we drive through the city, the destruction is unbelievable. Buildings completely flattened; streets cracked and many times we were stopped by men with large guns to get directions around the damage.
The farther towards the coast we get, the worse the damage gets. At one point me have to stop. We can't drive any more. The roads are too broken and there's too much debris in the way. It's almost like a scene from a movie. Too real to actually believe. Dust fills the air, the sun beating down on us. As we begin walking and climbing over the damage to get to where we need to be, we are passed by so many emergency workers. So many bloodied and injured people and too many drape covered gurney's to count. Each time I see a small frame under a drape my heart drops, the thought that Camila could be under one of those sheets makes my skin crawl and I'm trying so hard to not completely lose it.
My heart drops and the nervous pit in my stomach only grows stronger. I can't see straight as Josh grabs me before I collapse. The heat getting to my head as the farther we walk, the more my hope dwindles. I know it shouldn't, but it just looks so bad. There's so much to take in.
Josh and I push forward after stopping to take a break. As we get closer and closer to the shore, I can smell the warm sea salty air and I know we are getting close.
A few times I stop and pull out my phone, showing a picture of Camila to the emergency personnel. Pointing to my screen I shrug and hope my face conveys that I'm asking if they've seen her. Frustration boils over as I let out a scream because no one understands myself or Josh. I'm slightly pissed I didn't get a Spanish speaking bodyguard but I'll take what I can get at the last minute.
As we continue to hike through the debris, I have to stop again because my legs start to throb. It's been months since I've walked this long and this far and it's a constant reminder that I'm still not 100% healed and I really shouldn't push myself, but I'm not thinking about that. I'm only thinking about Camila.
After a few minutes and a bottle of water, I regain some energy and we trudge on. Even though I just met Josh, he's a source of comfort to me and I thank whoever I need to that I'm not entirely alone in this.
Although the cell service is basically shit now, I try to call my parents and let them know I made it and I'm okay. My dad tells me that Sinu and James, as well as Emma, Niall and Connor are staying at their house. Everyone is waiting for some sort of news. I realize my cousin Kayla is set to come this week to spend December with us, so I guess she'll have to formally meet Connor on her own. I could drag myself into a tortuous hole thinking about everyone else being with their significant other, or new found love; but I know I can't do that. My gut has never steered me wrong and I know Camila is here somewhere. I know she is alive.
Shaking my head out of my momentary day dream, I hear Josh yell to me. I run over to him and come to a dead stop when I realize what he's looking at.
It's what's left of the sign for Amansala. There isn't much left, but I know we are in the right place; the smell of the ocean so strong.
We keep walking and enter the grounds to the resort. As I look out in front of me; my heart stops. The place has been completely flattened. Gone are the beautiful wooden buildings Camila had sent me pictures of. Gone are the once in a lifetime pictures on the beach. It's almost as if this place got hit by a bulldozer. Men and women in fluorescent yellow vests are walking around, just like everyone else we've seen pulling people from the rubble. There's a hustle and bustle; but there's also a complete silence. The air around what was once the resort just seems dead. As Josh and I push forward, I pull my phone out and get the picture of Camila ready.
We walk up to the first of many people in vests and masks. The dust still so thick so we found someone to give us masks as well. As we walked around, the more I showed Camila's picture to more head shakes 'No' I got. It seems as though no one had seen her.
It got harder and harder to breathe as I felt my lungs constrict. It seemed less likely we would find her here. If we found her at all.
Holding on to a fragment of hope, we walked up to a younger looking woman who looked a lot like Bella, Camila's friend. She was covered in dirt and had significant cuts and bruises all over her body. She seemed to be looking for something and as we approached her, I realized it was Bella. My heart skipped a beat as I realized at least someone I knew was alive and maybe she knew if Camila was too.
"Bella!" I called out.
I watched as she turned to follow the voice that called to her and she instantly broke into tears. She fell to her knees and Josh and I went running to her.
"Bella....Bella you're hurt, what are you doing here?" I ask her as I pull her in my arms. Sobs wrack her body as she clutches to me.
"I....I couldn't find h...h...her... I don't want to go...go..without her!" She cries. "They wanted me to go to the hospital buttt, but I couldn't just leave without Camila!" She sunk farther into my arms.
I held her as she cried, tears of my own falling down my face as I notice Josh continuing to ask people if they've seen Camila. Each time a head shake 'No.'
Bella let's out a scream as she starts to shake violently, her fingers pointing at something one of the emergency personnel is holding.
In his hand is a yellow sundress; one that looks exactly like the one I bought for Camila before she left.
"That's Camila's!" She cries. "She was wearing that last time I saw her" she says quickly as her cries get harder.
"No...nn..nnn....no....NOOO" she cries as I hold on to her tighter. I watch as Josh walks to the man holding the yellow sundress. I have so many questions running through my mind as Josh shows the man his phone. Anxious, nervous energy fills me as I await some type of response from Josh.
The man shrugs and then says something I can't decipher before Josh nods and walks towards Bella and I.
A solemn look on Josh's face makes my heart sink. All the breath leaving my body as I go tunnel vision on Josh. He starts to talk and all I make out is "Camila", "dead" and "hospital" before I can't see straight and break down, still holding Bella in my arms.
YOU ARE READING
Racing for Keeps
FanfictionThey've been through so much already... Can they make it through what comes next? The much anticipated sequel to Driving Me Crazy. ** You need to read Driving Me Crazy first or parts of this book won't make sense as the story continues.
