Ethereal

Twenty

Camila sat in her seat on the large plane tapping her fingers nervously on the arm rest. This was going to be her first time seeing her mom and her sister in 4 years. She was so nervous about seeing her little sister. Sofia was her whole world. She wondered if the young girl would even remember who she was.

"Hey, what's wrong Camila?" Lauren questioned her voice soft yet full of concern.

"I'm just nervous that's all. I'm fine honestly." Camila shrugged her shoulders and bit the inside of her cheek. She ran her hand through her hair, it was a habit she was sure she picked up from Lauren.

The green eyed girl pushed the arm rest up so it wasn't in between them. Camila immediately rested her head in Lauren's lap. She traced hearts into the older girl's thigh as Lauren ran her hand through the small girl's hair and ran her nails lightly up and down Camila's arm.

"Camz this is Sofia we're talking about. I know I've never personally met her, but the way you talk about her. You talk about Sofi like the world revolves around her. I can tell how much you love her. And from the stories I've heard, she loves you just as much. And same goes to your mom too. I know you've had a hard relationship with your papa, but that doesn't mean it's going to be the same for your mama. And I can assure you I'm not going nowhere, even if you try to push me away." Camila was sitting up at this point. Lauren pushed Camila's hair behind her ear and smiled sympathetically at the younger girl.

"I just don't know if I can handle anymore bad. I don't know if I can take anymore pain." Camila admitted honestly.

"We've gone over this. Its your family Camila." Maybe Lauren was right, why would they hate her? They were the ones who left her. If anything Camila had the right to be upset with them.

-
Camila rested her head against the cool window of the cab. Sinu and Camila agreed on meeting at the hotel instead of at the airport. It was pretty late in the evening, around 7 and it was already dark out.

Camila suddenly felt butterflies erupt in her stomach. She thought she had fought off the nerves. But they were back and ten times worse. Lauren noticed the change in the small girl's demeanor, and Camila started twirling her hair, camila only did that when she was nervous.

"Okay we're here." The driver announced, pulling into a spot in the full parking lot. Camila took a deep breathe and stepped out of the vehicle, while Lauren paid the driver and thanked him. Camila felt a weight pulled off her as the suitcases were lifted from her hands.

Maybe they should just go Lauren's house first? Surely the green eyed girl wanted to see her family when she was less then 15 minutes away from them. Now is not the time to chicken out Camila. She told herself.

Camila followed behind Lauren until they were standing outside the hotel room. She cautiously checked the number a few times but it was the right room, room 304. Lauren raised her hand to knock on the door, looking at Camila for approval. The small girl nodded hesitantly and Lauren raised her first again. "Never mind Lo. I'll d-do it."

Camila quickly knocked on the hotel door before she could convince herself not to. The door opened immediately and Sinu was standing on the other side.

"Come in mija." The women pulled Camila into the hotel room.
"And Lauren, it's nice to finally meet you."

"Sofia." Sinu pulled the young girl off the bed. Camila felt tears spring to her eyes. She had grown so much. And Camila wasn't there to see it. She needed her little sister, she really hoped Sofia didn't hate her.

"She's a little shy now. We've been through quite a lot since we left Miami." Camila's mother stated in her thick accent.