Lost at Sea || Shawmila [Completed]

I won't ask you to wait if you don't ask me to stay

Camila sat at the vanity, pressing the powder onto her nose and ensuring that her lashes were curled and then lengthened with a generous coat of mascara. She had never considered herself a vain woman, and usually didn't fuss much about her appearance, but in those weeks she had paid much more attention than usual to it.

Those who knew her might have thought she was trying to impress someone, and if confronted about it, she wouldn't have been able to deny it. She felt foolish for dressing up every time she went into town. No one in Harbor Cove made such an effort to look perfect for a grocery run, but Camila wouldn't waste any opportunity to try and catch Shawn's attention.

Her efforts were finally rewarded when she bumped into him right down the aisles of the small downtown store. She had tried to appear as casual as possible, as if she hadn't been hoping for a moment like that for days. She and Shawn had talked easily, just like old friends, and had ended up agreeing to a dinner at the diner on Fifth Street.

That evening, as well as the ones that followed, had been pleasant and free of awkwardness. Talking to him had never been difficult, and Camila was glad to know that the distance and the years apart hadn't changed that particular aspect.

She had often wondered why she had never been able to forget about Shawn. Not even a marriage proposal had made her heart race like one of his simple caresses. She knew she hadn't been a great person in the past, playing with the hearts of the people around her. First with Shawn's heart, then with hers and Everett's. Deep down, she didn't even blame the actor for seeking some genuine affection in the arms of another woman. Honestly, Camila could never have truly loved Everett, and the idea of marrying him a few months later sent shivers down her spine. Perhaps she was even grateful to him for unraveling it all.

But how could she say any of this to the man she truly loved? Camila couldn't find the words, let alone the courage. Yet that flicker of hope that had ignited within her after running into Shawn fueled her illusions.

Their encounters had become more frequent and reminiscent of the days they had spent together as kids. Whenever Shawn wasn't busy at the harbor or out on the boat along the coast, he was by her side. They spent a lot of time talking, taking snowy walks on the edges of the woods, and spending lazy afternoons on the rocky shores. And when words became unnecessary, they both found comfort in a cozy silence, relishing each other's presence. It was in moments like those that inspiration struck Camila. She would immediately open her journal and jot down her intricate thoughts in the form of poems.

Sometimes it was just a few lines, a persistent thought that demanded to be transcribed, incriminating her musings on a piece of paper. Anyone who had opened that journal would immediately understand who her muse was.

"The coastal town we wandered 'round

Had nevеr seen a love as pure as it"

"Did I close my fist around something delicate?

Did I shatter you?"

Other times, they were small stanzas that would one day become complete poems.

"Gleaming, twinkling

Eyes like sinking ships on waters
So inviting, I almost jump in"

"There's an ache in you put there by the ache in me
But if it's all the same to you
It's the same to me"

Their outings had continued for weeks, and Camila hadn't felt so happy and alive in a long time. Despite never crossing any boundaries, Shawn was showing her that he still wanted to be a part of her life. She could see it in his gentle gaze and caring gestures, feel it in his soft and velvety voice.