Mixtape - Side A || Shawmila [Completed]

track 6

Iris - The Goo Goo Dolls

«Camila, you know the next track very well. I like to think it's our song, after all, it was while listening to it that we said 'I love you' for the first time. And now, just like back then, I want to reiterate that you're the love of my life, the only one who has truly known me for who I am, the only one who will always have a piece of me. I love you.»

Olivia had tried not to stare at her mother for too long while the woman was lost in her memories. She imagined that the boy's voice, trembling and hoarse with emotion, still had some kind of effect on her.

Olivia was torn. She had no doubts about the love shared by her parents, a constant that had accompanied her since the day she was born. Yet, a part of her couldn't help but wonder how her mother's life would have been if this boy—who now seemed to be nothing more than a forgotten memory in a box—had stayed by her side.

Her mother had never hinted at a past with this boy, their love, or their presumed breakup. As far as Olivia knew, this guy could have vanished into thin air. Her mother had a nostalgic air, and Olivia couldn't tell if she missed the boy or if she was simply longing for that period of her adolescence.

"When did you say 'I love you' to each other?" she finally asked her mother, eager to know more.

The woman smiled. "Just before Thanksgiving break..."

... It hadn't started snowing yet, but the winter cold was already chilling her bones. Camila's house was filled with the scent of spices, as usual during that time of year. The air always carried a festive feeling: chocolate, cinnamon, coffee, apple pie—Camila's mother had no limits.

She had always taken that joyful atmosphere for granted, but being with Shawn had taught her that it wasn't the same for everyone. Her boyfriend's large house was often empty and desolate. There were no decorations to warm it up or people to fill it with their chatter. That's why she didn't mind spending a lot of their time together—time they could have spent alone—at her house. She understood that Shawn needed that affection more than anything else in the world.

This meant enduring her mother's intrusive questions and her father's warning glances. And even though the mere thought of the two lovebirds being locked in a room together made Camila's parents cringe, she knew they had both come to appreciate Shawn. She knew their affection for him was sincere and deep. She could see it in the small daily gestures, like her mother inviting him to dinner or her father playing poker with him.

She could see that Shawn was happy with them. His gentle eyes spoke for him, as did the tender kisses he casually placed on her face while they snuggled on the couch. Interlaced hands, sweet caresses, whispered words... there was no way for Shawn to hide the love he felt for her.

Finally, on a late November evening, they confessed what they had been feeling for months. They were at Shawn's house, and the music in his living room reverberated perfectly. The fireplace was lit, and their cheeks were reddened from kisses. Snuggled on the couch, they talked about this and that, exchanging laughter and stealing kisses between sentences.

Then an old 90s song started playing on the radio, a classic that probably everyone knew. As the first chords resonated from the guitar strings, Shawn became incredibly serious. His gaze was intense, fixed on Camila, while a whirlwind of thoughts clouded his eyes. His fingers moved forward, caressing her hair and tucking a strand behind her ear. "You're beautiful, you know?" he asked with a deep voice, filled with emotion. "And I'm not just talking about your appearance. I've never known anyone like you, Mila. Sometimes I think heaven sent you just for me."

For a moment, Camila didn't know how to respond. She had never seen him so serious. "I don't think it's like that. I believe heaven created us to be together. You and me."

Shawn kissed her slowly, taking her face in his hands, pulling her closer as if he wanted to merge their bodies. "Are you listening to the lyrics of this song?" he whispered, still pressed against her lips. "I don't want the world to see me... I just want you to know who I am." He tightened his hand around hers. "You did it, you truly got to know me. And I love you."

"Shawn." Camila gently caressed his face, trying to etch that important moment into his memory. "I love you too. There are no words to describe what I feel for you."

Their kisses, initially slow and almost timid, soon turned into a need for closeness like never before. Those simple words, which had remained a secret guarded by their hearts and minds for many months, had become a promise of love. Nothing was the same as before; it was impossible to erase the weight of their confession...

... When she finished her story, Camila had tears in her eyes and a lump in her throat. Recalling that moment had moved her more than she had anticipated.

"It's a beautiful story, mom. You must have loved each other very much," observed Olivia.

"I've never loved anyone like I loved him," the woman confessed.

"And then what happened? What happened to this boy?"

Camila smiled sadly. "Then we grew up."

Olivia shook her head, incredulous. "No, I don't want to believe it. It can't be that way."

The woman approached the stereo, took out the tape, and handed it to her daughter. "Don't you know there are always two sides to a cassette?"

The End