Phantasm (Phantasm, #1) - Camila/You

Chapter 18 [📱]

"Sam, listen to me. I want to, I really do, but I can't right now."

"You've told me that a thousand times, Y/N! When are you ever gonna have the time for me?"

I groaned at the tone my sister was using. She called me this morning, asking me if I was going to go home soon. When I told her I had no plans to, she blew up and was now shouting at me again.

"I'm busy with other stuff," I reasoned.

"You're always too busy nowadays. It's like you don't even know we exist," she answered in between sobs. Normally, my heart would waver the moment I heard her crying but for some reason, it just aimed to annoy me at this point.

"I am working, Sam." I made sure to emphasize my words. "I'm working for you, I'm working for mom, I'm working for our family. Do you understand that?"

"I'd rather you not work at all if it means you're never home!"

Before my life changed, I always put my family first. My work at the convenience store never interfered with my home life and Stuart made sure of that. But I had other engagements now and I couldn't be with them all the damn time. My head was starting to ache and I nursed it in my palm as I closed my eyes.

"Look, Sam, I do want to come home but I can't just leave. I'm recording a new album!"

Sam sniffled on the other end. "Okay..." There was silence on the other line for a few seconds before I heard her voice again. "You're gonna be here for my birthday though, right?"

Oh fuck.

I forgot about my sister's birthday. Shit.

I cleared my throat when I realized I froze. But it was too late because Sam already knew the meaning of my silence. "You forgot my birthday?! What kind of a sister are you?"

There was no doubt in my mind that it was my fault. The right thing to do was apologize to Sam and tell her that I would do my best to come to her birthday—no—I would come to her birthday. But the stress of recording and the headache I was experiencing had other plans.

"I'll send you a gift," I simply said—cold, uncaring.

"No!" she yelled. "I want you here!"

And that's when I finally snapped.

"I can't, okay? I can't! So stop whining and stop acting like a fucking immature spoiled brat!"

My eyes flew open and immediate regret dawned on me. I have never, ever, cursed at my sister. And based on the silence on the other end, I knew just how much of an impact that made on her.

"Sam, I—I—I didn't mean—" I stuttered. But it was already too late.

"I hate you." Those were her last words to me before she hung up.

"Shit!" I cried out, tossing my phone on the seat next to me and watching it bounce around until it fell on the car floor. Jackson glanced at me from the rearview mirror but didn't say anything else.

I would have to talk to my mom about Sam. This shouldn't even be my fucking fault. I was working for them, to give them a better life. Do they expect me to be in two places at the same time?

No, this wasn't my fault, I kept telling myself until we arrived at the studio where I was gonna be on an interview with Ryan Seacrest.

After a short debriefing of how it was gonna go down, I was led to a booth where I met Ryan. "Y/N, great to see you," he said, moving in to hug me.

I hugged him back and gave him a pat on the shoulder. "Good to be here, Ryan. Go easy on me, okay?"

He laughed and winked. "No promises."