ashes to ashes ➵ camren

2. start all over

Listen while you read - 'Polaroid' by Imagine Dragons

Camila clammers into the shop, bursting through the door and freezing when she realizes Dinah's already there. Her blonde friend has her hair tugged back into a loose ponytail, and she pauses while wiping down the counter to look up at the girl in the doorway.

"Generator shut off again," Dinah nods once, tossing the rag over her shoulder and leaning against the counter. "All the food in the fridge has gone bad."

Camila can't help but let out a sigh of relief when Dinah doesn't acknowledge her unusual timing. Instead, she immediately falls into routine, helping her friend restock the shelves and clean out the fridges as best as they could.

Camila's distracted, though. She keeps knocking things over and accidentally putting things in the wrong place, and Dinah notices this. The Polynesian girl pauses, watching as Camila scrubs down a counter that she's already cleaned two times in the past ten minutes.

"What's gotten into you?" Dinah laughs, raising an eyebrow at her friend. Camila stops to look at the girl, who sends a knowing look in her direction.

"If you scrub that counter any harder you're going to get splinters," Dinah nods, laughing softly. "What's up?"

"Nothing," Camila shakes her head. Her eyes continue to flicker over to the clock every few moments, which Dinah notices.

"Get out," her friend shakes her head, knowing Camila is itching to escape to somewhere. She's not sure where, but she also knows it's not her place to push questions out of the girl. "There's only ten minutes left. I've got it from here."

"Thank you," Camila breathes out, shaking her head and tossing her towel aside. "I owe you," she adds quickly, giving her friend a hopeful smile before grabbing her worn backpack from the door and disappearing within seconds. Dinah raises an eyebrow as the door slams shut, leaning against the counter and wondering what exactly has gotten into her friend.

Camila gets home as fast as she can, anxious to try and figure out what to do with the stranger who'd practically washed up on the beach.

The moment she throws open the door, though, Camila's heart practically drops all the way down to her stomach.

Sitting at the kitchen table, eating a bowl of cereal, is her dad. Laying at his feet, is Brutus. But Camila's more focused on the fact that sitting across from him, shoveling spoonfuls of cereal into her mouth, is the same girl that was supposed to be hiding in the attic.

Camila's eyes widen, and both her and the stranger exchange confused glances. She then looks to her father, who is already on his feet and pulling her into his arms.

"Mila, just in time!" he chuckles, ruffling his daughter's hair and squeezing her shoulders. "Look who's here! Do you remember your cousin?" he turns her to look at the girl seated at the table, who pauses with a mouthful of cereal and looks at her, just as confused as she is.

"My... my what?" Camila stammers, turning to look at him. She watches as he squints his eyes to get a better look at her face.

"Your cousin, mija!" he shakes his head. "We got a letter from your aunt and uncle a few weeks ago. Your cousin Ariana is staying with us for a while, just to be safe," he nods. "They must've found the money for a train ticket sooner than expected."

"Cousin Ariana?" Camila raises an eyebrow, glancing at the stranger. "This isn't-,"

"Of course, look at her, mija! She's got the same long brown hair," he walks over to the girl at the table and motions to her. "Don't you remember her?"