lights out › charles leclerc.

24 | one truth, too many lies.

I felt my heart drop to the floor, and the engineer in front of me holding my arm tightly was frowning. I couldn't tell where the calmness came from, and I recovered the posture.

—God, I got dizzy!—. I laughed, my chest aching at every giggle. —Thank you, you really saved me from falling.

He, doubtful, accepted my gratefulness and I excused myself. I turned around, wanting to take out the image of Charles holding another woman's hand, I was entirely confused but more than that, I was deeply hurt. What the hell was I supposed to feel? Hours ago we were talking about how we were committed, and he showed up like this. My hands were shaking disgustingly fast and I was beginning to become clouded from the tears, my breath feeling scarce with every inhalation I tried to take. I wanted to run, but I didn't know where to go, I'd lost my friends and my body temperature was hitting rock bottom. The intense shaking of my hands was now transported to my entire self, shivers covering me and it made it harder for me to hold back my sadness. I spotted the bathroom and tried to walk as fast as I could, and my head held low so I could avoid eye contact. I had to look up after I crashed into someone, I wanted to get away from that awkward scenario until I saw who it was.

—Cam?—. Liv asked, and without looking away she knew something was wrong. Of all people, I had to encounter her, the person I had the most trouble lying to. —What's wrong, honey?

I stood up silent, I didn't know what to say. No lies were being produced in my head, it was all blank. A single tear rolled down my cheek, and Liv's face transformed into utter worry.

—Doesn't matter, I'll tell you later—. I said, trying to get past her, as she held my arm.

—Camila, what the hell is going on?!—. She slightly raised her voice, and I knew she was gripping onto my lies and distance. —You've been hiding something from me, I cannot help you like this.

I just shook my head and tried to turn around. I wanted to get out of this situation and find another bathroom to sob in. My gaze landed on Charles' eyes, which widened from the distance when he saw the wreck I was made into, he softened and guilt invaded his face entirely. The blonde-haired girl behind him tugged his arm, and he broke off contact with me, I analyzed her quickly. She was taller than me, almost the same as Charles. She looked like a model, her figure and demeanor were splendid, like she was made to be the spotlight, of course, all of the eyes were on her. Her smile was pulled out from a magazine with whitened teeth and not a single one of them was facing a different direction, not even slightly. I couldn't help but feel a little intimidated, but I still had the pounding headache of thinking over and over, what the hell was she doing here with my boyfriend?

I had to decide whether to pass them by or face my best friend. I chose the latter, turning around once more, and her wide eyes looking at me let me know that she already knew what happened, she only had to observe the way I looked at Charles.

—Oh no, Cami—. She voiced, and my heart shattered right there and then. My secret was over, but it didn't hurt because of that, Liv knowing made it real, made the fact that I was seeing him with another girl real and painful. She held my hand and dragged me into the bathroom, which was enormous, and thank God, it was empty. She sat me down, and without saying anything, started to wipe my face of tear stains and mascara paths on my cheeks.

—Why didn't you tell me?—. She sounded a little hurt, but I could tell she was way more concerned. I just shrugged, not wanting to talk, fearing that I would start ugly crying and wouldn't stop until next year. I took slow breaths and managed to put some words together, and almost whispered.

—It was supposed to be our secret—. I said, and her face twinged, maybe feeling a bit of pity for me right now.

—Why is she here though?