THE SLOPES | shawmila

six.

Camila woke early again the next morning, starting the coffee pot and smiling when Shawn wandered downstairs still in pajamas, his hair messy from sleep.

They went to the porch for yoga, doing their warm-up stretches before moving and posing in sync, breathing in and out. Camila was still in just a tank top and Shawn in a t-shirt. She tried to pretend they both weren't staring at each other.

Camila knew how to make pancakes, so she helped Shawn with that after they meditated. All the silence of sitting together didn't help with her thoughts, but she still felt calmer, despite her racing heart.

Shawn showed off flipping the pancakes with just the pan and Camila laughed when he dropped one on the floor.

She took out her phone and played music again, grinning in satisfaction when Shawn started his bad dancing. Camila laughing when he took her hand. She didn't let him lead this time, instead wanting to show off that she had some semblance of rhythm where he horrible lacked one.

"Hey, you actually know what you're doing." He sounded surprised as she held his hands, one at their shoulders and one down by their hips.

"Yeah, sort of. I've danced in about a hundred auditions."

Shawn kept having to look down at his feet, something Camila definitely wasn't used to when dancing with other actors, but she found it very endearing. She giggled, enjoying just the feel of his hands and the look on his face.

"Hold on, I think I've got the hang of it." Shawn let one hand go, touching her gently on the waist. "Like this, right?"

Camila jumped back when she heard someone on the stairs. Their sisters were laughing in the living room, turning on the tv and talking loudly about breakfast.

Camila kept her hands to herself, blushing and watching Shawn's smile slowly fade. Aaliyah walked in the kitchen and went for the coffee.

"Oh, pancakes! Are they ready yet?"

"No." Shawn turned towards the stove. "...Not yet."

Camila knew Sofia would have something to say when Camila told her she and Shawn were staying behind in the cabin that morning.

"Don't you wanna ski?" Aaliyah asked as she and Sofia pulled on their boots.

"I gotta work on my set. Trust me, I suck at skiing." Shawn said. "The working on music—that's the fun vacation part for me."

"Camila?" Sofia glanced over.

"I'm sick of being cold and falling down." She said flatly. "I'm staying here."

Camila expected some look or comment from Sofia, but Aaliyah took Sofia's hand and whispered something in her ear, giggling loudly. Sofia bit back a smile and nodded and the two hurried for their scarves and hats.

"Hey, be back in a few hours." Shawn called as they left. "—And stay on the safe slopes!"

"I guess they're happy not to have us watching them too much." Camila said.

"Yeah, at least now I can get some work done."

Camila waited by the fire, leaning with her back against the couch. Shawn came down with his guitar and sat down across from her.

"Okay, so, I was thinking of leading with something else." He put his hands on the strings and Camila stared. "Let me know what you think of this..."

"...My friends told me one day I'll feel it too.

And until then I'll smile to hide the truth, but I know I was happier with you..."

She kept her eyes closed, just focusing on his voice and the words. Her heart raced like crazy. She finally opened her eyes when it ended. He was smiling at her, giving her that same expectant face.