The Lies We Tell Ourselves

Chapter 16: Third Time's the Charm

Selena's POV

The air hung thick with the scent of burnt coffee and stale cigarettes, a potent reminder of the cafe Angel and I had been holed up in for the past hour. My stomach churned, not from the food, but from the emotional hurricane raging inside me. The conversation with my mother had been brutal, a final blow that severed the last thread of hope I'd clung to.

'Girl, fuck your mom,' Angel had blurted out, her voice rough with anger and a raw, heartfelt sympathy. 'You have a good ass woman who has loved you and your baby unconditionally. She let you into her heart and home when you needed it the most. She defends you and your daughter, that's sexy by itself. But in all honesty, this is your third chance, Sel. Take it. You and Kelly deserve happiness. And Camila? She took you and a ten-month-old in, put that responsibility on herself. Think about that. She has done everything right. She has a heart of gold to do that, carry your burdens and her own, and not complain once. She's not Eric, Sel, or Kelly's father, whoever that is. She's different. She wants to love you, not hurt you. Let her.'

Angel's words, laced with the familiar bluntness and unwavering support that had always been her trademark, struck me like a lightning bolt. She was right. Camila had been nothing but a rock, a beacon of stability and unconditional love in the storm of my life. My anger towards my mother had been simmering for years, but it burst into a roaring inferno after that final argument. Camila, with her gentle, unwavering presence, had been the only reason I hadn't completely crumbled.

I remembered the first time I saw Camila, her eyes crinkling at the corners as she laughed, a warmth radiating from her that felt like a promise. The way she'd held Kelly, a soft, comforting presence, had calmed the frantic little girl who had been clinging to me like a lifeline. The way she'd looked at me, with a tenderness that was both familiar and foreign, had sparked a flicker of hope I hadn't known was possible anymore.

My past was littered with broken promises and shattered expectations, a tapestry woven with the threads of pain and betrayal. But Camila was different. She saw me, the real me, the messy, flawed, heartbroken me. And she loved me anyway.

The thought of giving up on us, on the fragile, blossoming love we were building, filled me with a terror I hadn't felt since the day Kelly was born. The fear of losing her, of shattering the sliver of happiness I'd found in her arms, was a nightmare I couldn't bear to entertain.

Angel's hand squeezed mine, her grip firm and reassuring. 'This isn't about your mother, Sel. It's about you and Kelly. About finding peace and happiness. And Camila is the key to that, believe me.'

The words echoed in my mind, a lifeline thrown across the chasm of my doubts. I looked at Angel, her face etched with concern and hope. My heart ached with a love for this woman who had been my constant through thick and thin. And then, a silent promise took root within me. This time, I wouldn't let fear dictate my choices. This time, I would choose love, choose Camila, choose happiness. This time, third time's the charm.