You Had Me At Hello (Texting Story/Camren)

Sixty-Six

Arriving at the front of her childhood home, Camila took in the memories that came flooding back to her. They were good memories; memories she had as an adolescent. The brunette remembered the times she had spent with Sofi and her parents when everything felt and seemed so much less complicated. Now things were different.

The young entrepreneur walked the stone pathway leading to the front steps before ringing the doorbell.

"Come in," Sinuhe said, not even giving her daughter a chance to be greeted, but it wasn't like Camila cared anyways. She was solely there to see her sister.

The older woman led the way to Sofi's room before stopping at the door and beginning to speak once again.

"Your dad and I tried everything, but she won't talk to us," Sinuhe addressed. "You know very well that your sister wouldn't hurt anyone so we don't know where all this is coming from. The teacher also said that she was the one who hit first."

"Well, maybe it's not entirely Sofi's fault. Sometimes people can be provoking and can lead you to do things you will probably regret in the future," Camila sighed. Her words seemingly having a double meaning.

"What do you mean by that?" Sinuhe crossed her arms and seemed to catch on.

"Nothing," the smaller girl replied as she remembered that this was not the time to argue with her mother. "I'll go talk to her."

Camila's jaw faltered along with her heart as she slowly opened the door and saw her sister. Sofia Cabello was sitting cross-legged on her bed but looked up as soon as she saw her older sister.

"Sofi, what happened?" Camila asked worriedly as she walked towards the younger girl, giving her a hug and wanting to protect her at all costs.

Sofi was badly bruised. The side of her left eye had a purplish mark along with what appeared to be stitches just above her eyebrow. Her lips also seemed to be swollen.

The younger girl reciprocated the embrace almost immediately but began to cry as soon as she did.

"Who did this to you?" Camila asked concernedly, pulling away from the embrace in order to face her sister as she wiped the girl's tears with the pad of her thumb.

"These girls at school," Sofi said, her tone of voice was soft and low.

"But why Sofi?" the older sister asked, tucking a few strands of hair behind the other girl's ear. "Mom said that you hit one of the girl's first?"

"I only did it because they were saying some bad stuff...," the younger girl tried to reason. "They were saying bad stuff about you."

"About me?" Camila quirked.

"Yeah," the younger one replied. "They were talking about you and saying how I'll end up being a crackhead like you are," Sofi said, the last words making her choke up a bit.

Camila furrowed her eyebrows. She was angry at the girls whom her sister have fought with, but also felt as though the fight had occurred because of her.

"Why didn't you tell Mom and Dad?" Camila asked.

The younger one broke away from her sister's gaze as she began to speak.

"Because... I didn't want them to blame you."

"Sofi...," Camila uttered. Now she was really beginning to feel bad.

If there was one family member who truly understood Camila, it was Sofi. The two have been inseparable ever since they were little. They knew about each other's secrets and understood one another on a deeper level. Though Camila moved to New York, she still kept close contact with her younger sister. Seeing the younger one's current state of mind and as well as her physical state made Camila feel as if she didn't do her duty of being the protective older sister that she felt obligated to be.