SWEETENER (Camila x Ariana)

Chapter 5

~Ariana's POV~

I was in the state that was half between a dream but also half awake when memories from last night pounded their way into my head one after the other. I jumped a mile, nearly falling out of the bed and onto the floor. I grabbed onto the closest thing I could find- Camila. Her eyes shot open and she, without even thinking about it grabbed my arm and pulled me back up.

Neither of us said anything though. I sat perfectly still, clutching the blanket to my chest, not sure of what I was supposed to do now, what was I supposed to say? Although I knew the answer to my question I asked it anyway, hoping it would end the silence.

“Did we..?”

“Oh yeah.” Camila wasn’t looking at me and I couldn’t get myself to look up at her.

Last night was filled with way too many emotions. We were both vulnerable, and just took our anger out on each other… at least there was no crying. Even though last night was far better than anything I’d ever experienced before, I still in a way regretted it.

It was silent for a while and I glanced over at the Latina, her plump lips parted as she stared at mine.

“I should go.” Today was the wedding and as much as I didn’t want to go to that, it definitely beat sitting naked in her bed in awkward silence.

I was desperate for a shower, so I tried to quickly but gracefully get dressed and out of there. My makeup was smudged across my face, my hair must’ve been a mess, and I had broken into this disgusting cold sweat. “I’ll see you around.” It sounded more like a question than a sentence.

“Yeah, and good luck with your,” She was struggling for words. “Family problems.” That also sounded like a question.

I left then, clutching my heels in one hand and squeezing the key to my hotel room in the other.

How come we were able to act like good old friends at night? We were able to have fun and not care about anything or anyone but each other. It was comfortable at night, but the minute the morning came around everything changed. I had no idea what to say to her and she apparently felt the same way.

The entire way back downstairs to my room, I couldn’t help but replay the events of last night. The way she excitedly nodded her head when I offered we go up to her room, the way I tripped as we sped through the lobby, the way she carried me bridal style until we got into the elevator. A smile crept up on my lips as I thought about how completely casual we acted on the elevator, and how the old couple who was on it with us didn’t suspect a thing. Then my cheeks began to heat up as I remembered how that civilized front completely went out the window the very second she unlocked the room door to her massive suite.

Camila had picked me up effortlessly and pinned me against the wall, my memory of last night was sharp, it was crystal clear, and I remember exactly how her fingers-

My thoughts were interrupted by the sight of my mother in my room, frantically going through my things. “Where were you??” She demanded. “You disappeared yesterday without telling anyone a thing, and by the time we got back to the hotel you were gone. Do you know what you put me through, Ariana? You may be twenty five years old now, but that doesn’t give you the right to completely disregard my feelings and do something like that.”

“I’m sorry I just-” I just had nothing to say. What was I supposed to say? Please let me shower, I’ll apologize for whatever you think I did later, that’s what I wanted to say but she didn’t give me a chance to. Maybe that was a good thing, it might’ve just gotten her more upset.

“You just what?” She asked. I shrugged my shoulders, wondering why my mind was so cloudy, why I was at such a loss for words. All I had to do was lie, come up with an excuse, any excuse! “You had sex.” Mother stated. “You make it so obvious, Ariana. It’s written all over your face. Who was he?”