Baby, Don't Cry

Chapter 14

*Mariana's POV*

I stood there with a smile plastered on my face while Camila just stared at me. After a while she whispered, "Mariana." which only I could hear. I stood there confused while Camila moved closer and closer to me. She wrapped her arms around me and silently cried into my shoulder.

I noticed that Demi was trying to speak to me, but I just shrugged and she nodded. Dallas cleared her throat, "I'm going to go check on the uh- chicken upstairs in the oven!" She said. Demi laughed and followed her.

After they reached upstairs, I heard movement and the sound of Dallas' voice. "Damn it, Demetria! You burned the god damn chicken!" She said laughing. Demi sounded as if she were going to pee her pants any second now. Then the loud sound of a door shutting filled the house.

Camila pulled back and laid her hands on my shoulders. "There's so much that I need to tell you, but I can't. It's too dangerous." She whispered. I looked from side to side. How does she even know me?

"I don't know what you mean. I mean, I don't even know you." I said, but she covered my mouth which made my eyes widen. "Why can't I speak?" I said. She looked down, "Not too loud!" She said. I rolled my eyes and moved so that her hands weren't on my shoulders anymore.

"Anyway, Hi, I'm Camila. I'm your sister." She said smiling. I almost fainted! "No, you're no-" I began, but she cut me off by pulling up her sleeve revealing the birthmark that looked like Abraham Lincoln on her arm. Yeah, weird. I know.

I almost began to tear up, but I didn't. "It's actually you?" I said. She rolled her eyes, "Obviously! How many people have a birthmark the shape of Abraham Lincoln?" She joked. I laughed a bit.

"I'm so glad I've gotten to see you, but nobody can know that I'm your sister. I know I made them suspicious already, but don't keep the conversation going if they ask you." She said. I nodded and smiled thinking about which question I should ask first.

"Now may not be the time to ask, but how'd you end up with Dallas?" I said. She sighed. "She found me. I was walking and she turned me in and decided to keep me a while back." She said. I smiled at the thought that Dallas brought her in. Such a kind act.

"How's mom and dad?" She asked worriedly. I mean, I know she's wondering why I'm with Demi and not them. I frowned and sat her down on the couch.

"Uhm, dad committed suicide a bit after you left. It's never been the same after that. Mom developed an addiction for drugs and alcohol and it turned out to be the worst thing that's ever happened to me. She abused me every day and I-" I said, but she cut me off by hugging me. I could see her fighting back her tears, but she was trying to stay strong for me I assume.

"Girls! Come up here!" I heard Dallas scream. I laughed, trying to lighten the mood while she released me. I ran up the stairs and followed the smell into a room further down the hallway than mine. I stopped as I entered through the doorway.

"You seriously burnt the chicken?" I asked as I saw the chicken placed on the stove. "Who has a kitchen upstairs in their house?" Camila said making all of us laugh.

I know, it's not normal to have a kitchen upstairs, but believe me when I say that there's a whole dining room also! Well, now I know that I can make dinner in the middle of the night without having to go down tons of stairs.

I sat in the seat beside Demi, meanwhile Camila sat across from me next to Dallas. Demi blessed the food and they began to eat. There's so much going on inside of my head right and I really don't think that I can eat.

From out of the side of my eye, I noticed that Demi was staring at me and wasn't eating her food. I picked up my fork and slowly began with the small portion of salad on the right side of my plate.

"It's okay, baby girl. You can do it." Demi whispered into my ear. I nodded and picked up a piece of lettuce with my fork and placed it in my mouth. I chewed for what felt like hours before swallowing it.

"Mariana, I know what's going on. I don't want you to feel like you can't address your problems with us, because we're all family, right? You've been through a lot. Let Demi help you. Please, eat your food?" She said smiling. I smiled a bit and nodded slowly.

It's been a while since I've actually felt the need to eat my food. I guess it's just the fact that Camila's here and a piece of my good life is back. It took me a while, but I noticed that I had finished my food when everyone at the table began smiling in my direction.

Relief.

Anyway, my mind diverted to the fact that I needed to throw this up instantly. I plastered a smile on my face before taking off downstairs into the bathroom. If I went upstairs, they could've caught me.

I was nearing the toilet and began to shove two fingers down my throat when I felt two strong hands pull me back into their lap. "Shh. It's okay." I heard Camila's soft voice whisper from behind me.

Tears began to fill up my eyes. I could see a blurry Demi wrapped inside of a Dallas' arms. "I'm sorry I didn't get back in touch with you. I should've and maybe none of this would've happened. I'm so so sorry." Camila whispered into my ear while kissing my forehead between almost every word.

I nodded and laid on her chest. It was silent for a while and I had almost fell asleep before Camila lifted me into her arms and began to walk upstairs and into my bedroom. She closed the door behind us and put me into bed. She sat on the end just staring at me.

"What?" I said sitting up.

"I know." She said.

I weirdly eyed her. What does she know about?

"Obviously, I know about the eating disorder, but I also know that you self-harm. During dinner, your sleeve pulled up and I saw your cuts and bandages." She said tearing up.

"Save your tea-" I spoke up, but she cut me off. "I'm not saving my tears. I've wasted my tears on irrelevant things for so many years, but you? You're important. You're worth it. And I hope you learn to realize that." She said wiping her eyes.

I nervously looked down at the floor and sighed. I immediately looked up at her and smiled, "So, how's your life? What's going on with you?" I asked. She smiled.

"I have a child." She said.

I almost spit out the water that I didn't even have in my mouth. I completely went into shock! I'm an aunt? "You have a what? A whole person who basically belongs to you?" I asked. I can't believe I didn't know this!

Her eyes softened, "Where is she/he?" I asked. She shrugged, "I don't know, I hope to find him very soon. It's a boy, by the way. Alejandro." She said smiling.

"We've got to get home!" Dallas said from down the hallway. I frowned a bit. You know that one person who you lost complete contact with or you just stopped talking with, you see each other again and it feels like you haven't even been disconnected? That's Camila to me.

I sighed and led her out of the room and down the stairs, with Demi and Dallas following.

Camila turned and faced me, "It was nice meeting you, Mariana. I hope to see you again." She smiled giving me a hug.

I immediately headed for the couch and plopped down after Demi locked the door. She sat next to me and wrapped her arms around me.

"Thank you for putting up with me." I said twirling my fingers around each other. I could feel Demi smiling down at me, but I chose to keep looking down.

"I don't mind now and I never will, baby girl." She said kissing my forehead.

"I love you, Mariana." She said.

And I believed her.