CALL IT EVEN | shawmila

eight.

Eight Years Ago...

Camila couldn't stop giggling, Shawn's hand tight around hers as they crept the stairs of Brian's house. She hadn't even drank that much at the after-party, just one beer, but it just felt so silly to be sneaking around. She promised her mother she was spending the night after prom at Brooke's house, and Shawn told his parents it was just going to the guys at Brian's.

She knew they'd get in trouble in their parents knew they were spending the night together, but Camila was used to gently breaking the rules.

"Shh, babe, you have to be quiet, okay? Brian's mom is asleep right downstairs, remember?" Shawn squeezed her hand.

"Sorry." She giggled, clutching her sparkly prom shoes in the other hand and trying to lift her skirt off the stairs.

Finally, Shawn let them into the guest room and closed the door. He sighed in relief and took off his tie and jacket. Camila dropped her shoes on the floor and reached for the bag Brian had let her hide up here the day before. She found the pajamas she'd packed and took them out. She looked over her shoulder at Shawn, who was going through his own bag.

"Um, I'm gonna go change in the bathroom, okay?"

She nodded, finding it kind of cute that he was so shy. They'd been dating for months now, but they'd never spent the night together like this. He closed the door as he went out into the hall and Camila went to get changed.

She struggled to reach the zipper on her dress. Her hands were just so sweaty and she couldn't quite get it. She was afraid of tearing her dress, especially after her mother spent so much money on it. She heard a soft knock on the door and knew Shawn was back.

"Come in."

"I thought you were getting changed?" Shawn was in just sweatpants and a t-shirt, his tux folded over one arm.

"I can't get my dress off, will you help me?"

"You seriously can't get it off?"

"I seriously can't, please help!"

"Okay, hold on." Shawn gently draped his tux over the back of the armchair before coming over. "Hold still—"

Camila held her arms out, her breathing hitching in her throat as she felt Shawn standing behind her, felt his hands on her back, his fingers on her zipper. His hands were shaking just slightly as he gently pulled it down, exposing her back.

"There—"

"No, wait, it goes down farther."

"Can't you get out of it now?"

"I don't wanna rip it, my mom would have a cow. Come on, unzip it all the way."

"Fine, hold still—"

Camila held her breath, her heart pounding as he pulled her zipper down the rest of the way, right to the top of her underwear. She wiggled out of her dress, shaking nervously as she had only her underwear on underneath, no bra. She stepped out of her dress and reached for her clothes on the bed.

She glanced at Shawn, seeing his back to her, facing the wall. She giggled as she pulled her t-shirt on over her head.

"It's okay, you can look if you want."

"No, um—" He cleared his throat. "I'm good."

"You're good? Are you saying you don't wanna look because I'm ugly?" She asked, pretending to be serious.

"What—no—"

"So you do wanna look?"

"Yes—I mean, no—" He tried to backtrack as she kept giggling. "I'm just trying to be a respectful gentleman, okay?"