His Influence

14. Birthday

Camila woke up on Saturday morning in her own bed, for the first time in weeks. Her mother had returned home the previous night from her business trip so Camila was forced to return home.

At first, Camila forgot what day it was until Bruno Mars' 'Runaway Baby' sounded throughout her room. She quickly reached over picking up the phone and clicked the answer button. "Hello?" She groggily spoke.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" Hailee's voice screeched over the phone. "What?" Camila asked. "MILA! YOU'RE 18!" Hailee screamed once more.

"SHUT UP HAIZ!" A loud voice came through the phone. Camila grinned, Shawn. "Well, I'm sorry that I wished your girlfriend, Happy Birthday first." Hailee's sarcastic voice replied.

"Haiz. Give me the phone." Suddenly a loud crash sounded and Camila could only assume that Shawn tackled Hailee to the ground. "Get off fat ass!" Hailee croaked. "Mila. Help!" She cried.

Camila laughed through the phone before Shawn's chuckling voice spoke through the phone, "Happy birthday Mila." Camila's smiled broadened. "Thank you, Shawn." She giggled. "You're 18 now, oh the things we can do." He joked. "Shawn!" His laughter rang through the phone.

"I'll come round later to take you out on another adventure." He grinned before clicking off the line, not before Hailee groaned at his weight again.

As Camila got changed she couldn't help but wish her father could be here to celebrate. This was a huge moment for her, this was a step in her independence and how she wished he had never gotten into that accident.

She made her way down the stairs to find her mother at the kitchen counter. "Happy Birthday Karla." She greeted. "Thank you, Mum."

Camila and her mother seemed even more distant from one another than before, they spoke few words to one another in the day if they saw one another. But Camila didn't mind, if it meant she didn't have to deal with interrogations then she didn't care. But still she couldn't talk about Shawn or let her mother know anything about him because she would immediately close her off from everything once again.

"I didn't get you anything." Camila gave a small smile, "It's OK. I didn't want anything." She picked up a muffin and walked back up the stairs.

As soon as she reached her room she felt tears pour down her cheeks as she flopped down on her bed, head dug deep into her pillow. For once she wished her mother would be there for her, be an actual mother.

Her daughter, her only child was turning eighteen and she didn't care, didn't bother to get her a thing. Well, at least she remembered the day.

Camila continued to sob until a hand rested on her shoulder. She jolted before a soft voice called, "Mila, are you alright?" Camila turned around, red-eyed and looked up at Shawn who sat on the side of her bed looking worried.

"It's nothing." Shawn looked down at her knowingly. "Mila, it's not 'nothing' if you're sobbing in your bed on your birthday." He brought his hand up to her face, slowly caressing.

"It's just my mum, she didn't bother to give me anything and she barely acknowledged me. I'm her only child, I'm turning eighteen and it only happens once. Why doesn't she care?" She cried.

"I don't know Camila, but I can make you feel better. Wanna go on our adventure?" Camila nodded, giggling. "Let's go." He picked her up and carried her out of the window to her car.

After an hour of driving, the two pulled up at a beach. "We're not swimming right?" He laughed, shaking his head and lead her down to a picnic blanket, a few metres from the water and pulled her down on his lap.

"Tuck in."

The two ate their food laughing and giggling, Camila completely forgot about her family and friends problems because that's Shawn's effect on her.