Shawn and Camila are best friends. They've been best friends for as long as they can remember.
On the eve of their freshmen year of high school they make a promise to each other. A promise they will meet under their tree by the lake on the last nig...
Camila came out of the bathroom and Shawn was still asleep. She heard Sofia crying and went to go pick her up. She ran into Marisol in the hall way and Marisol looked at her curiously. "There's a very tall handsome boy in your bed....is it Shawn?"
"Ah...yep.. that's him...we just slept... promise..." Camila said as she kissed baby Sofia and Marisol smiled.
"Your father went out to get eggs for breakfast...." Marisol said. She wasn't sure if he needed to be gone by the time Ale got back.
"Right... I'll wake him up..." Camila walked into her room and Shawn was awake, tying his shoes and then he stood up.
"Hey, little baby Sofia, I have someone I want you to meet...." Camila cooed softly and Shawn looked at the baby in her arms. She looked like Camila....
"You look just like your daddy, huh," Camila kissed Sofia's cheek and then looked at Shawn who looked white as a sheet. Before she could say another word, Shawn fainted and the bed thankfully broke his fall. "Marisol!" Camila called for her and she walked in. Camila gave Sofia to Marisol and tried to wake Shawn up my shaking him.
Shawn came to and he was still pale. "Baby...?" He croaked.
"What?" Camila was confused and then connected the dots. "Oh my god, no no, Sofia is my baby sister!"
Marisol laughed and so did Camila but Shawn was in too much shock to laugh just yet. To make matters worse, Alejandro walked into the house and he bounded up the stairs. Marisol looked nervously at Camila.
"Shawn? Is that you? Oh my god, you're so....grown!? Come here, son" Alejandro pulled him in for a hug and poor Shawn was on the verge of a heart attack but managed to smile. "Stay for breakfast, yeah?" Alejandro slapped his back gently,kissed baby Sofia and Marisol and went downstairs.
Marisol was confused. "My lips are sealed," she said and then she left the room.
"I'm so sorry... I didn't think that through... I.. obviously.. didn't have a baby...." Camila said and Shawn nodded still unable to speak. His color was coming back and he smiled weakly. "Have I mentioned how sorry I am for that...?" Camila nodded kissed his cheek. "It wasn't solely your fault..." and he felt more at ease now.
Breakfast was good and Alejandro caught up on all things Shawn. Shawn learned Camila would be going to Georgetown and he was happy for her, remembering how she loved the cherry blossom trees.
Ale was happy to see Camila and Shawn were friends again. They showed no affection towards each other during breakfast and later, Camila went with him to his house. They both agreed to keep this between them. They knew if their parents knew they had slept together they wouldn't be allowed to sleep over.
Karen and Manuel embraced her with open arms and they could tell Shawn was happier than he'd ever been.
"Camshawn back together again?" Karen laughed and Shawn groaned. "Mom for the last time, stop trying to make Camshawn happen... it's Shawmila!" Everyone laughed and Aaliyah was glued to Camila's side. "I missed you so much. You're so big now!" Camila said to Aaliyah as she held her.
They snuggled on the couch, Aaliyah in between them and then they went over to Gloria's for dinner. Sinu was working the night shift at the hospital so it was just them but Gloria's heart swelled when she saw them together.
"Took you two long enough.. dios mio, I'm not getting any younger!" They both laughed as they made flour tortillas together.
Shawn dropped off Camila at her dad's and for some reason saying goodbye to her gave him anxiety.
"I'll see you tomorrow... at school..." Camila kissed him in the car and then left.
He felt like he was on top of the world.
It took them awhile but they finally walked into school hand in hand and everyone watched as they walked the halls. Some girls swooned, others scoffed. Some guys groaned, and others were happy for Shawn.
"Camila, this is my friend Henry," Shawn introduced her to his curious lockermate. The word friend was ironic seeing as he spent a lot of time bumping into the guy but he saw Henry everyday. Henry nodded, waved, and and walked away. "He doesn't say much..." Shawn laughed as they walked into homeroom together, hand in hand.
They probably shouldn't have but she sat in his lap at lunch in the quad and didnt care if people were looking. They fell in love and kissed like no one was watching.
Hailee sighed and then snapped a photo of them. She was on a deadline to finish the yearbook by tomorrow and even though it meant editing the whole yearbook plus fixing the superlatives page, she did it.
She placed the photo she took today alongside this one she had in her archives. The typed the header. "Hawthorn High's Favorite Couple"
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
She submitted the proof for the yearbook and sent it to print and then left school.
In his bed that night, Shawn looked up how far Duke and Georgetown were.
Camila did the same.
4 hours.
He'd drive 20 hours to get to her though.
Camila knew 4 hours was a small distance relative to the almost year they spent apart.
