beyond the monotonous city

fourty eight

Lauren felt as if she were merely just counting the weeks until she left her home to go to university.

They couldn't roll around faster. She spent the most she could before leaving the town, including doing as much charity work. Sometimes with Shawn at the local orphanage, but usually at the hospital where the staff knew her already. It was a lot fun to her, and it felt good to her to make other people happy. She felt a tinge of sadness as the kids will never see Camila ever again. She tried to brush the thought as everyone was in a happier place now. Weren't they?

Her dad had moved in perfectly fine in their home. Lauren couldn't describe how much happier her mom got ever since he came back. She would watch her be happy whenever she cooked or when she laughed at her dad's jokes. It felt weird, but it was a change she was happy to embrace. Her siblings would be coming over soon, maybe for good the next few weeks and Lauren couldn't wait for what that would bring to her life then.

It was kind of sad how her life fell into place when she's nearing her time in Miami as she's set to go to Massachusetts. Everything seemed to be in order, everyone as happy. The only real difference was Camila's absence and it made her sad Camila never got to see her as happy as she was then. Maybe that was the way it always was supposed to be. Camila was happier gone. She said so herself she wasn't scared to die. Her family seemed to cope well, maybe even better than Lauren did and that was Camila's only worry.

Sinu sometimes invited Lauren for dinner. Most times, Lauren would decline as she felt she was overstepping her boundaries sometimes. But some nights, she did accept as she wanted to feel what Camila felt whenever she sat down with the people whom she loved the most. During those times, Lauren felt as if she was the focus of the camera in a movie as people around her went on with their lives. But that was only then.

Most of the time, her life went on.

She would call or videocall Shawn, who moved back to his hometown. They sent Shawn off at the airport, with Dinah and Ariana as he gave a tearful goodbye to his friends. Ariana left early for college two days after, she went to New York with her family so that they could enjoy the city. Dinah was the least reluctant to go. She would be the last to leave among all of them since she was waiting until her dad got off his old job. Lauren understood why. She had not only her roots here, but also the ones she shared with Camila. Sometimes, Lauren saw Dinah at the Cabello's and it made her smile.

Being left behind was not a new feeling to Lauren. But her days did hold some surprises though.

It was one afternoon as Lauren helped her mom and dad renovate the roofing and walls in the back of their house. There was a doorbell and Lauren offered to get it.

She hurried, wiping her paint splattered hands on the kitchen towel before opening the door.

She saw wide brown eyes that belonged to Keana.

"Ke, what are you doing here?" Lauren asked, surprised.

"Hey, Lo. Mind if I come in?" she asked. She was tapping her foot, evidently in a hurry.

Lauren let her in the living room. She sat and that's the only time Keana sat down. She had a package in her hands.

"Listen to, I got to leave in a while. I'm not even supposed to be here. I'm with a couple of college friends and we took a road trip to Florida, I suddenly remembered something and I asked them to wait for me." Keana said, in a hurry.

Lauren frowned. "I'm not following."

"What day is it today?" Keana asked, straightforwardly.

Lauren looked out the window. Then at Keana. When she saw her brown eyes, how they looked weary, that's when it hit her. "Oh God. I can't believe I forgot-"