New Beginnings: A Normila Story (NOT FINISHED) (CLOSED)

Part 2

It's an anxiety-filled drive home. I don't know if hatred is lurking around in my head, or if it's sadness. Confusion? It's definitely confusion. How could I never know? What was wrong with me? It's been almost TWO YEARS, and I'm just finding this out now? Have I been too wrapped-up in school to realize this was going on behind my back? So many question linger. So many, but not one answer.
-
I walked through the door and went straight to my room. No comments were said from anyone. I'm pretty sure everyone saw the anxiety on my face. I quickly threw my packed clothing next to my bed and flew back down the stairs. I say "Hi mom, bye mom", and before my mom can even acknowledge my words, I am pulling out of the driveway and on my way to Hailey's house.

After a 45-minute drive, I pull up outside of her house. I grabbed her phone out of the glove compartment and turned the car off. I was numb. I couldn't see or think straight. I looked down and stared at her phone in my hands. "Should I look inside and dare to find out anymore?" No. I knew I shouldn't do it. What's the point? I already have all of the information I needed. She has a fiancé lurking around here somewhere, and that was all I needed to know.

I walk outside and in front of her patio door.
'Knock knock'
Her grandmother answers the door.
"Oh, hi sweety"
"Hey Mary. Is Hailey home?"
"Yes she is. Right upstairs in her room. Go ahead up there if you want."
"Thank you."
"No problem honey."
As I begin to walk inside her house, I begin to ask myself if I should ask her grandmother if she knows about this mystery woman. If she did, then why would she welcome me inside her home like she normally did? I brush off the thought and slowly but surely make my way up the stairs and knock on her door.

I gently knock on her door three times, rhythmically. I hear someone jump up pretty quickly and rush to the door, "mum mum, I'll be right there!" Oh. This is going to be funny.
She rushes the door open and to her surprise, she sees my makeup-less face on the other side. "Oh.... What's up? What are you doing here?"
I took the phone from my pocket to show her.
"You left something at the hotel, I just thought I should return it."
"Oh, yeah thanks. I've been looking for it all night."

"A hotel?" I heard a very faint voice in the background.
I then realize that she's only wearing a pair of small shorts and a bra. What the hell is going on? What am I about to witness? I took my hand and powerfully push her door open at her surprise. At MY surprise, however, I see a dark-haired, crooked-teeth woman who looked like she was in her twenties on Hailey's bed and cover by a comforter.
"Oh, you sure know how to pick them Hailey. Congratulations on your engagement, hope you work on your head-game, because it could use some improvement." I then throw her phone on her bed at her fiancé, and walk out the door and back into my car.

I drove about 5 minutes away, then I realized that my eyesight was getting glossy. "No. You are not going to let this happen, Camila", I thought to myself. I pulled over, and I let my mini-waterfalls pour from my eyes. The internal pain that is associated with heartbreak follows on cue with the tears. If I let it out, it'd be over and done with. After a few minutes of consistent tears and overwhelming thought, it dissipated enough to where I was able to make my way home.
-
Almost a month has gone by. I have not spoken or texted a single word to Hailey. Although the memory of the last events of that relationship haunted me, I once again became the content teenager I always wanted to be.

It was graduation time. As I walked down the isle, I waved to my family, and then to Lauren's family in the crowd. We walked together. I stepped up to the podium to give my valedictorian address, and standing next to me was Lauren. She was the salutatorian. After I gave my address, she walked up to introduce the guest speaker, then we both made it back to our seats. As I looked at our class, we glistened. The metallic black and army green looked stunning because of the way the lights were shining on it. Surrounding us were 50 of the freshmen I have trained. They were holding a flag, each one represented a different state, and they were proudly standing at attention.

Before we knew it, we were throwing our caps into the sky and making our way off of the ceremony grounds. I hugged Lauren, and said goodbye to the friends that I knew I wasn't going to see in awhile as they begin their new lives. I made it back to my family after several rounds of photos from a variety of people ranging from friends to army instructors. "Hey." I heard a disturbingly familiar voice behind me. A voice I didn't want to hear.

Hailey.

It was Hailey everyone.

She was holding a bouquet of flowers with two cards; one of those cards said "I'm sorry, forgive me?" I have NEVER rolled my eyes so hard in my entire life. "Can we talk?", she said with a concerned tone in her voice. "No." She then grabbed my wrist as I began to walk away.
"Look. I'm sorry, okay. I don't apologize often to anyone and you know this. You deserve one though. Yes I had a fiancé, but the engagement is off. I only want you."
I looked at her as if I just saw the world's dumbest scenario occur right before my eyes. I knew it was bullshit. For some odd reason, I said "Really? Okay. We can try to make it work."

*Pause*

I don't know what to say. Maybe I was high off of the adrenaline of graduation day. Maybe I was high off of the air. In some way, shape or form, I must've been mentally impaired to let everything that happened between us disappear like it never existed.

*Presses play*

The rest of the night consisted of a graduation dinner, opening of gifts and talking about my future plans. I leave for UCLA in two weeks. The university just started a special program for incoming, first-year students called the "Pathway" program. Only a select amount of students were invited, and I was very glad I was one of them. They sent me paperwork which included my weekly schedule, where I was going to live and the job I was going to have. I was scheduled to take an English class, a math class, and two workshops that helped to settle us into college. I was pretty excited to get going.

I began to pack my belongings the day after graduation. I started school in 10 days, and I had a flight to catch in 9. I didn't want to slack on packing, only to have it crash and burn in my face later. My mother and I went dorm shopping. I bought a new bed-set, Christmas lights for lighting, I printed out pictures of my family and friends for decorations and I bought food... Lots and lots of food. When I got home, I put everything where it belonged. I received an email a few moments later from UCLA. My roommate's information was listed and I decided to give her a call. She was very sweet and soft-spoken. I could tell we were going to get along great. Now, I had nothing to do but wait for the next 9 days to pass.

A/N: Hey, if you reading this, thank you! Please vote and leave a comment. Feedback and your opinions are always welcomed! Thanks 😘
-J