KISS ME

PROLOGUE

SHAWN – AUGUST 14, 2015

Shawn watched from side stage, unable to take his eyes of her. He had opened for Taylor Swift earlier in the evening, to the arriving crowd, but now the stadium was full and going crazy for Fifth Harmony. They were all wearing electric blue, Taylor was wearing a costume too, almost identical to Camila's, who looked amazing with her long black hair smooth and straight hanging down her back, swaying as she flicked it back and forth to the catchy rhythms of "Worth It". He had thought his little crush would have faded since the Austin Mahone tour but it didn't seem like it. Of course, he was seventeen now, and she was eighteen, it sort of felt like they were so much older and closer in age than before, or maybe that was wishful thinking. The song finished and after a couple of bows, the girls came off stage, squealing with excitement. He hung back, and last to leave, Camila saw him and came running over.

"Canada!! How are you Shawnie-boy?" She flung her arms around him and he felt his face go red. She was still pumped, all hyped up and excited.

"Great performance!" he said.

"Thanks! It was so fun! Oh my GOD, how do you do it, open for her every night?"

"Not every night, but yeah, it's pretty fun."

"I've missed you!" she said, hugging him again.

"I bet you've been too busy to even remember me," he laughed.

She looked at him strangely. "Of course I remember you, Shawn. You are one of the nicest people I know, and one of the most talented."

He blushed again. "Thanks, that means a lot coming from you, Camila."

Did her cheeks just go pink too? She looked really serious for a minute then peered around.

"Come with me," she said and pulled him by the hand into a dark corner behind the stage, giggling. What the heck was going on?

"I...um...I wanted to say, I really have missed you Shawn, I meant what I said. You are so sweet."

"Thanks," he said, mortified to hear his voice break a little.

"Anyway," she said, then leaned up and kissed him, on the lips. His mouth opened in surprise and she took advantage, adding tongue to the kiss, making no bones about what sort of kiss she was interested in. He was too shocked to respond and she pulled away, looking embarrassed.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I'm really sorry."

"Camila, it's OK, I was just surprised..."

Her face was bright red and her eyes were shiny with tears, and then she was gone.

From then on, she avoided him wherever they turned up at the same place. If she had to speak to him or be near him, she was cool and polite. She had obviously just got overwhelmed by the high of being on stage with Taylor and he had been the closest thing, and now she was regretting it....which was a shame because he'd had such a crush on her, and that kiss had just made it worse.

CAMILA – JANUARY 2018

"Hello! It's Camila Cabello! Hi!"

The reporter called her over and she approached him with a smile.

"Congratulations, you have had a pretty amazing year! And about to be even more amazing!"

"Thank you, yes, it's been incredible."

"So the album, 'Camila', it dropped two weeks ago, debuted at number one, and I have to say it's incredible! Are you hoping to be back here next year, perhaps with a Grammy nomination?"

"That would be out of this world, I can't even imagine it to be honest!"

"Well in the meantime, you have the number one movie at the box office with "Shop Girl" and you are the favourite for Best Supporting Actress at the upcoming Academy Awards for your role in "Borderline". I bet you couldn't have imagined that either, when you left Fifth Harmony under such controversial circumstances?"

Camila smiled, cringing inside. She hated discussing anything to do with leaving the group. On one hand, she was still smarting from the way she had been treated by the other girls and most especially management, who had held her to her contract, which meant she couldn't perform or release any recordings for twelve months after leaving, which made it December 2017.  On the other hand, if it hadn't happened she would never have been offered the part of the young Latina girl in Borderline that had garnered her an Oscar nod, and set up her film career.

CAMILA – FEBRUARY 2019

Camila didn't usually get nervous at award ceremonies. Being both an actress and a musician, she had attended all the big nights, and been nominated and won at many. This year she was nominated for two Grammys and the thing that made her most nervous was so was Shawn Mendes.

It seemed silly that after all these years, she was still too embarrassed to speak to him. It was over three years ago she had kissed him backstage at Taylor's concert, finally brave enough to give into the crush she'd had for ages. In the meantime, he had become one of the most popular male artists on the scene, won so many awards and had a huge fandom. She was so happy for him, and strangely proud of him, but whenever she saw him, she was eighteen again, throwing herself at him, and all she could ever see was his startled face.

She arrived on the red carpet in her designer gown looking every inch the movie star she was, and posed for the cameras, as she was accustomed to doing. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a flash of navy. It was Shawn. Her heart stopped. He looked incredible, as he stood tugging the cuff of his designer suit, smiling, then looking serious, laughing at what they said to him. He barely resembled the kid she had once known. This was a man, confident, mature, in his element. She had dated a few men in recent years, but no-one serious, no-one that made her heart race like this.

She couldn't believe he still had this effect on her, after all these years.

SHAWN – FEBRUARY 2019

Shawn sat in his seat in the front row, nervously awaiting the start of the ceremony. Then the announcement came for the opening number.

"Please welcome, Academy Award winner and nominated for her first two Grammys tonight, Camila Cabello!"

She walked out in a yellow two piece number and he sat stunned for the whole performance as she sang and danced, joined by Young Thug, Ricky Martin and J Balvin in a Latinx extravaganza. How had she become even more amazing than she had been at eighteen? He had watched her movies multiple times, listened to her album on repeat, he was so proud of her, and every time he did, he was seventeen again, too immature to kiss her back when she laid one on him back stage at the Taylor Swift show, something he regretted on a weekly basis.

Straight after that awkward interaction, she had begun avoiding him and he had been too embarrassed to make a move, so he stayed away from her as well. It helped when she moved into film, he didn't see her much for a year or so, but then she released the new album and since then he'd been dodging her on red carpets at all the award shows. They were up against each other for album and single tonight, it felt a bit surreal. He had his own performance with Miley Cyrus later, too. He wondered if she'd go to the after parties. He was pretty sure wherever she was, she would make sure it was far away from him.