Camila a receptionist on a unit her father built for "special victims" is best friends with Detective Shawn Mendes of the Toronto Special Victims Unit. They've been inseparable since they met at a college party a few years ago. Both are adventure...
"Babe, how should we tell everyone that we're together? I mean I'm sure they already figured out you and I going away alone for your birthday trip could lead to something." I say while we are packing our bags at the hotel. Today's out last morning in Banff and I never want to leave. This trip has been some of the best days of my life.
"Well...what if I set my camera up really quick and I'll think of something." Shawn says as he grabs his camera and sets it up on the table by the couch in our room. I finish packing my things, grab my cup of coffee and sit down in front of the fire. I hear Shawn grab his cup as well and he comes and sits next to me.
"I got it babe!" He says suddenly. Getting up he positions his camera so that it's focused between us. Clicking the button to take multiple pictures, he comes and sits down next to me again. Grabbing his coffee cup again he tells me to just relax. We are both wearing our matching bracelets and I'm so happy you can see them in the picture we decided on (pretend they have matching bracelets on).
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DetectMendes: She said yes on my bday weekend to Banff! Banana, THANK YOU for saying yes to being my girlfriend! I feel like the luckiest guy in the world ❤️.
"Awwww Shawn I love it!" I say as he shows me his post. I'm not back on any social media yet so he has to show me what he's wants to say. I'm surprised at how quickly he got the pictures on his phone and then I remember they are connected by Bluetooth so that's how we were able to see the pictures from his camera.
"Do you think anyone will be surprised? I ask him.
"Honestly babe, I don't think so. I think everyone has seen this coming for us but the timing was never right." He replies.
"Oh shit!" I screech. "We have to tell your parents, my mama and our sisters before you post that! They would be so mad if we didn't tell them first!" I say suddenly realizing we haven't really communicated with anyone from home since we got here. A part of me thinks they left us alone because they know how much this trip was going to mean to both of us and was going to give us a chance to heal together, even if we just came back as friends.
He chuckles..."Yeah...that's probably a good idea. Let me go grab your phone and we can call mama and Sofi first." He goes to get my phone, kissing my cheek as I use his phone as a mirror to make sure I don't have make out hair or swollen lips.
We decided a few days ago the topic of sex was off the table for awhile. I still get nightmares and even though I don't remember Andy raping me, I remember everything leading up to the time I blacked out. My therapist told me I'll probably suffer from PTSD, maybe for the rest of my life, but if I work hard to try and make new memories and not turn off all men....there's a chance that eventually the nightmares and flashbacks will stop. She also told me that the first relationship since the rape will be the hardest one and that I should only proceed with things if I'm 100% sure it's what I want. I know without a doubt that Shawn is more than what I want, he's what I need. Everyone has been commenting on how surprised they are that I let Shawn get so close to me after everything, but to me, he was the only person I felt truly safe with...I'm sorry it just so happened to be a guy....but nothing about my life have ever been "normal."
Shawn comes back and I snuggle closer to him and he finds mama's contact in my phone and requests a FaceTime. My mama is so bad about answering her phone sometimes so I hope she answers. After a few rings Sofi's face pops up on the screen.
"Hola Sofi, what are you doing answering mama's phone?" I ask. "She's cleaning and I'm helping her bake something for when you guys get back. The Mendes' are here too, Aaliyah and I were working on something for school and Manny and Karen are helping mama clean." She says.
I lean my head on Shawn's shoulder and Sofi's eyes get really wide, a huge grin spreads across her face. Shawn leans down and kisses my forehead and I think Sofi might have died. She's screaming so loud that Liyah, Manny, Karen and mama come running into the kitchen to see what all the commotion is about. We just giggle and Liyah screams "OH MY GOD!!!!! Did you? Are you guys? Shawn!!!!" Her and Sofi start dancing around the kitchen and the phone screen becomes a blur of color and movement. "Sofi...give someone else the phone please, your making us sick." I laugh as she hands the phone to mama.
Mama tries to hold her phone back far enough that we can see all three of our parents and once she's succeeded Manny pipes up "I'm assuming by all the screaming and make shift dance parties happening in the Cabello kitchen right now that you guys have something to tell us?" He chuckles.
"Yes...we do." Shawn says as he takes my hand with one of his and wraps his other arm softly around my waist pulling me closer to him. "I asked Camila to be my girlfriend on my birthday, and she said yes!" He grins so wide and his eyes light up, I want to cry of happiness. We hold up our matching bracelets with the hearts and now mama and Karen are screaming and Manny has to quickly try and save my mama's phone from dropping to the ground. "I KNEW IT!" Karen screams and her and mama grab each other in a hug while tears fall freely down both of their faces.
Sofi and Aaliyah are still dancing around the kitchen now singing about Shawn and I kissing in a tree. Little do they know, when we went out on a hike yesterday, we actually did and Shawn has pictures to prove it. Everyone is so happy for us as for the first time in a long time, sitting next to my boyfriend watching our families react to the good news, I'm extremely happy and a warmth I haven't felt I years washes over me. I don't care who's watching, I grab Shawn's face and crash our lips together. At the sudden contact, he reaches out and helps me steady the phone. More screaming ensues as we continue to kiss and Manny finally loudly clears his throat. "Eh hem...guys we are so happy for you, but I'm going to let you go so you can continue that and I can calm the girls down." He smiles and we break apart just long enough to wave bye before the screen goes black.
Placing my phone on the table I find myself in Shawn's lap now kissing him with all I have. His hands find my waist and he gently rubs circles on my lower back with his thumbs. I love kissing my boyfriend and I'm secretly very glad that we are extremely good at this because if things didn't end up like this, I don't know where I would be right now.
Breaking the kiss, he rests his forehead on mine and smiles. His eyes still closed as we share breaths and rub noses. "I love you Camila." He whispers as he rubs his hands the length of my back. A chill races down my spine even though we're by the fire and I visibly shiver. "You okay baby?" He asks concerned.
"Yes...yes I'm fine babe." I smile back at him. "I just really like being in your arms." I lean forward and kiss each of his cheeks before kissing his lips.
"And Shawn?"
"Yes Banana?"
"I love you too Canada!"
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BRB currently crying just a little. I'm so happy with how this chapter turned out.❤️
