Phantasm (Phantasm, #1) - Camila/You

Chapter 9 [📱]

In all honesty, I felt nervous about attending the People's Choice Awards. To everyone else, this was just one of the many award's show I've attended, when in reality, this was my first. The last few days have been insane and I haven't settled down ever since I came back to LA. The moment I landed, an older man in a crisp suit walked up to me and began listing off things in his 'itinerary' as he called it. It took me a while to realize he was probably my manager.

I could only understand a third of what he was saying but I didn't let him repeat himself because he was being too chatty and I just wanted some peace and quiet. However, he did make me go to numerous events and parties in different cities and I began growing exhausted.

More importantly, it meant I couldn't come to the girls' recording sessions.

It's been three days since recordings started again and Julian has called me quite a few times already, asking me when I'd get back. I'd probably get back after the PCA's but I wasn't really looking forward to it. Mainly because after the talk I had with Camila that New Year's day, I had no idea how to face her now. I mean I told her all those things about moving on but to be completely honest, my heart was still a hundred percent invested in her.

"Well you look thoughtful."

I looked down and saw Phantasm smiling. Leaning forward, I called out to the people on the front seat.

"I'm gonna take a call."

My bodyguard nodded and turned down the radio. I raised my phone until Phantasm and I were face to face. "Thoughtful yes. But more nervous actually."

After talking with Camila, I decided to apologize to Phantasm as well. I was hard on her before and I knew that in the end, she was only trying to help. She readily forgave me, saying that she can only imagine how hard it was for me to lose a first love.

Then after, proceeding to call me a love deficient cactus again.

"Are you sure you wanna go? I can do something if you're bothered, you know," she offered.

"No, it's okay. I'd have to do these kinda things from now on so I need to get used to them."

"Is that the real reason you want to go to the show?" she asked, her brow raising.

I chuckled and smiled. "Yeah... I don't know if I can face Camila right now. Julian told me the girls weren't coming to the PCA so that's something in my favor."

"How long do you plan on avoiding Camila?"

"Just... as long as I can."

I wanted to face her confidently, like nothing happened. Because I was the one who told her that I would get over her because I didn't want to bother her anymore. If she sees me depressed, she's just gonna worry about me and that's the last thing I want. Because if she even shows me a glimmer of care or love, my feelings would undoubtedly rush back all at once.

"We're here," I heard my bodyguard say.

I looked out the window and saw hundreds of paparazzi huddled behind a wall, scurrying their way to the front just to get a good picture of various celebrities. The people on the red carpet were probably huge stars that I should know the name of but I've never really followed any celebrities during my old life and certainly not now. I was mulling over the thought of wishing for some celebrity knowledge when my bodyguard opened the door and motioned for me to come down.

The roar of the crowd was deafening and I had a hard time looking straight at the source because the moment I put a foot down, all cameras were trained on me. At first, I shielded my eyes from the lights but then again realized that celebrities did not hide their faces. A woman with a headset who looked like she had been awake since three am and going on coffee fuel approached me and moved me to one end of the carpet.