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{Camila}

The car's engine hummed as it drove through the vacant town, there was not a single person in sight. The radio produced nothing but static which didn't help the awkward silence.

"Do you mind if I play something," Shawn asked pointing to his phone.

I gestured toward the aux chord hanging from my radio, "Sure."

The town that I lived it was substantially far away from any large cities. We only got two radio stations; country and top 40. Country music isn't quite my cup of tea and the top 40 station becomes quite repetitive. I usually stuck to my own music.

An electric guitar was violently struck before an obnoxious beat pulsated through my speakers. I bobbed my head trying not to judge his taste in music.

"So what do you think," Shawn asked as the song continued to blast throughout the car.

"Uhh," I paused trying to think of how I could put it lightly. "Its good," I lied.

Shawn chuckled, "Oh really? I think it fucking sucks. And its my own song."

A few seconds of silence passed, "So what do you really think of it?"

"I think its fine," I shrugged.

"Come on..."

"Its boring. I feel like if I turned on the radio right now the same exact song would be playing."

"So you're saying its so good that it would make it to the radio?"

"Well I don't think any of your songs are good enough to be the radio yet every time I try to listen to music I hear your annoying voice," I couldn't help it. He was cocky and needed to be knocked down a few pegs. "Oh my god I'm so sorry that was really mean."

"No I totally agree. With everything except the annoying part, I did take that personally," Shawn said with an uneasy grin.

"Why do you release the music if you don't like it?"

He rolled his big brown eyes, "It's not my choice. I release what my fans will buy, I do what ever my management tell me. I don't even get to write my own music anymore."

My house came into view causing our deep conversation to come to an end. I surveyed the screen trying to figure out how to get Shawn to my room without my parents noticing. I barely ever have friends over let alone sneak boys into the house. Luckily for me to my parents I might as well be invisible to them.

"Alright follow me," I said to Shawn as I turned the car off and excited the car quietly shutting the door. Shawn did as I told him, following only a few inches behind me. I opened the front door then quietly shut it once we were both inside. We tip toed down the hallway to the kitchen were I could hear both of my parents carrying out different conversations.

"Up the stairs. First door to the right," I whispered to Shawn. I left him in the hallway as I entered the kitchen to distract my parents. My father was sitting at the kitchen table with a highlighter and a stack of papers. My mother was standing over a boiling pot of water opening a box of spaghetti noodles. Both of them with a phone glued to their ear.

"Hey mom," I smiled. "Hey dad."

Neither of them looked up from what they were doing. In my peripheral vision I saw Shawn sprint past. My parents never paid any attention to me, they were always so busy. My mother is a therapist who can never seem to leave her patients at work. Dad is the town's sheriff I don't remember the last time I saw him not filling out papers or making phone calls.

"I'm failing all of my classes," I tried to spark any type of emotion. "Really?" I loudly exhaled before heading upstairs.

"What did you need Camila," My mom yelled to me.

"Nothing," I mumbled not loud enough for her to hear.

{Shawn}

Burgundy painted walls peaked out from behind hundreds of pieces of art were that were plastered against Camila's room. Each piece was different. Beautiful in their own way. My eyes were drawn to a painting that was hung next to her bed. The canvas took up most of the wall space, it was just about as long as my arm span. Perfectly shaped lips were illustrated in black and white paint. The lips were parted revealing straight teeth. The paint was smeared across the canvas causing the lips to loose shape on the left side. Perfectly imperfect.

If only closed minds came with closed mouths

I traced the words at the bottom of the canvas with my index finger. The words were painted red, standing out against the white and black painting that covered the vast majority of the canvas.

The door opened suddenly without notice. I quickly pulled my hand from the canvas and turned toward Camila.

"This is amazing."

She smiled while pulling her hat from her head. Camila ran her fingers through her long dark brown hair, removing all the imperfections.

"Thank you."

I continued looking at each paper hanging from the walls, "Where did you learn?"

Camila unbuttoned the first three buttons of her uniform revealing the top of a grey sports bra.

"I kind of taught myself. I've always liked art, its kind of my thing. I uh I need to get changed then we can go to sleep."

"Okay I'll just uh," I turned my back toward her trying to give her some privacy.

Camila's adorable giggle filled the room, "Can you go in the closet please?"

I turned back around and looked at her with furrowed eyebrows, "That closet?" I pointed to the door behind her. Camila nodded then opened the door, one of the few things that didn't have any art hanging from it. Without argument I entered the dark closet.

I stood in the dark for what felt like an hour, "Its really dark in here."

"Alright you can come out now."

I laughed to myself, "I don't know if I'm ready to come out of the closet yet."

"Wow you're fucking hilarious," Camila pulled the door open then plopped down on her bed. I laid on the queen sized bed next to her. She shook her head while wiggling her index finger at me. Camila smiled revealing her perfect teeth she pointed at the ground next to the bed. A large comforter was folded on the ground, a pillow and another blanket laid on top of it. I dramatically groaned and dropped to the ground.

"Good night Mila," I smiled to myself.

"Good night Shawn."

---

I don't really like this chapter but I'm bored so I figured why not post it now instead of tomorrow. I hope you guys are enjoying this book so far. Thank you - R.L.T

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