Phantasm (Phantasm, #1) - Camila/You

Chapter 28 [📱]

There weren't many chances for me to leave town when I was still living my old life.

Sometimes, Stuart would give me his car and ask me to get some deliveries. There was that time I went to Disneyland with my family. But practically my whole life only settled on a place where everyone knew everybody and no one dared to leave. That's why I planned my future as someone who would salvage my family from obscurity.

So it was ironic how I was looking forward to seeing the one place I've longed to get out of my whole life.

"Are you nervous?"

Honestly, Phantasm looked more nervous than I was. For the first time since I met her, I saw pure shock on her face when I told her I needed to go back. She thought I was talking about a total reset but I told her I needed to go back to where I came from. I needed to know what happened to the things I left behind. And I guess, in its core, I missed my old life.

"I don't know what I'm feeling, to be honest," I answered. "I don't even know if this is the right thing to do."

Phantasm scooted closer to me, her words hushed so Jackson wouldn't hear us. "There's nothing wrong with wanting to reminisce about the past. What I'm wondering though is if it's just a peek into the past or if you're thinking about staying in it."

"It's weird because I thought I forgot about it all." Tall buildings I've gotten used to for a year were gone now and replaced with simple houses with simple people. "But then something pulled me back again."

"Remember when you and Sam had a fight because you said you couldn't make it to her play?" I turned my head at the mention of my sister's name. Phantasm smiled and chuckled. "You said, and I quote, 'I'm not going to rely on my wishes all the time. As much as possible, I want things to be done through my hard work'."

I felt my lips curve into a smile and was thankful that she was making me feel better. "And you said I was no fun."

"You've grown so much in only a year. You've grown confidence and learned how it's like to love someone and be loved in return. Regardless what happened in this life, you shouldn't regret a minute of it."

I smiled at her and rested my head on her shoulder. "It's not that I regret it, Phantasm. It's the fact that everything I have was given, never earned."

After that, the drive to my old home was silent with only the low hum of melody from the radio between us. The sun was high up in the sky once we arrived and there weren't many people outside, probably since it was the middle of the day on a weekday so everyone was either at school or at work.

Jonas slowed down since he didn't know the ins and outs of the town but I was all too familiar with it. Every house, every car, every smiling face—I knew them all. It was like I was never gone.

"Go straight and turn at the third street on the right," I instructed.

My heart raced as Jonas turned and I saw my house only a few meters ahead. I told him to stop in front of it and he looked between me and the house. He probably couldn't believe that someone like me could live in a house like this.

Phantasm followed me as I climbed out of the car. I slowly made my way to the front yard and kneeled in front of some bushes—or rather the remains of one. My mom told my dad that the yard would look good if we had some rose bushes planted in it. My dad was apprehensive about it, my mom wasn't really that good of a gardener. But when I asked for it too, he let up. I remember taking care of it with my mom.

And when my dad left, I was the only one left to take care of them.

But now, they were dead.

I stood up and walked to the front door. The wood was already rotting, along with the whole house. The knob only jiggled as I turned it but didn't open. Phantasm stepped beside me and looked at me knowingly.