long distance | caminah

nine

For weeks now, Camila had been dreaming of meeting her internet best friend. She had rehearsed how their conversations would happen, she imagined how Dinah would smile face to face, she thought about how wonderful it would be to finally hug the person who made her so happy. All of these daydreams, however, couldn't compare to the feeling Camila had right now.

She was still in the car with her mom, Sinu, nearing the location of the restaurant. Camila was bouncing from nervous to excited as they got closer, the opposing emotions battling inside of her.

"What if we get there and she doesn't like me?" Camila had asked for about the millionth time now.

"Mija, you're a lovely girl, she's your friend, she's going to adore you," Camila's mom told her, taking her hand off of the steering wheel to pat her forearm.

Camila bit the inside of her cheek, fumbling with her phone. She stopped messing with it, unlocking the phone and going to her messages.

Camila | 10:45 AM
what does your mom's car look like?

Dinah | 10:46 AM
dark gray suv

Camila | 10:46 AM
okay
i'll be there in about three minutes
nervous?

Dinah | 10:47 AM
i usually don't get nervous but this is freaking me out

Camila | 10:47 AM
me too, it'll change once we see each other

Camila locked her phone, fumbling with it one again. The time on the GPS kept counting down, and Camila was increasingly worried. She kept thinking back to the kids at school, the ones who tormented her on a regular basis, and she wondered if Dinah would be the same way. For the first time in a while, Camila had found a friend who loved her for her personality, and she was deathly afraid she was going to screw it up somehow. 

The car slowed, and Camila saw the restaurant that she had been staring at on Google Maps since the night before. It was quaint and small, surrounded by palm trees and parked cars. Camila's eyes searched for Dinah's mom's car, and when she found it, nerves raced throughout her body. 

"Which car is their's?" Sinu asked, turning into the parking lot.

"The gray SUV," Camila responded, about ready to jump out of her seat. 

Sinu parked the car, and as soon as the car stopped, Camila opened her door and got out. Dinah's mom, Milika, smiled at Camila as she turned the key in the ignition. 

"Camila!" Dinah yelled, appearing from the other side of the car.

Running forward, Camila embraced the taller girl, squeezing her and refusing to let go. Dinah laughed out of pure happiness, hugging her best friend as tight as she could. Camila brought her legs up to Dinah's sides, embracing her in a koala hug. Both of the girl's mother's greeted each other in the background, but they were oblivious. 

"I can't believe you're real!" Camila said, putting her feet back on the ground. 

"How are you even cuter in person?" Dinah asked, giving Camila a tighter squeeze.

"Oh my God, you're so tall," Camila remarked.

Dinah pulled away from the hug, poking Camila in the cheek as she spoke, "Wanna know what my first thought was when I saw you?"

"What?" Camila asked, a little afraid of the answer.

"How tiny you are in person," Dinah responded, smirking. 

Camila playfully smacked her friend on the arm, "Shut up! You're rude even in person." 

Dinah's beautiful, loud laughter rang through Camila's ears, and Camila couldn't believe this was actually happened. The girl she had had so many late night conversations with, the one who looked pixelated through her webcam, the one Camila found a wonderful friendship with, was standing right in front of her.