Beyond the Deep Water

Light

Waking up to a cloudy morning, a slight wind clogs up the air with humidity. Camille opens the window of her room to breathe in but there's a certain heaviness that stops her from seeing the beauty of the day. Between her friends and the man in her dreams, Camille can't figure out what is the right thing to do.

Half of the morning she spends it with her mother. Silently watching an episode of Hell's Kitchen, Camelia curls with Camille in the living room. Until Jordan demands his time with his sister, Camille tries to enjoy every moment with her family, understanding that her uneasiness comes only when it's about Adam.

Since the very beginning, her evenings have always been dedicated to Adam. And even though she's holding on to her mixed emotions, Camille wants to keep the traditions they had before. In the hope that she may rekindle her lost feelings for Adam, they watch every sunset together, until the first star twinkles in the horizon. Although the days seem to be less sunny and rainier instead, something they don't seem to mind at all either.

Adam is happier now that Camille is back in his life, seeing her try her best to go back to a normal life gives him a sense of courage to be patient like he's always been. But the truth is. Camille has never been normal, she has never had a normal life. Before her disappearance, she never smiled like she does now, which Adam takes as a reward but a reward at what cost?

Camille forces her mind to forget about everything when she's around people. They have worried enough about her and for now, keeping that carefree smile on her boyfriend's face is a priority.

"You look pale, are you eating enough?" Adam comments as he leans closer to her face, resting his forehead of hers, he stares directly into her violet eyes. Camille freezes for a short moment by the sudden approach, although this would be a gesture that makes her nervous, now she hesitates to react at all.

"Me? Take a look at yourself, you look horrible!" Camille exclaims reaching out to rustle Adam's messy hair. He pulls back and lets a vivid laughter echo in the air, a sound that reassures her of her choice.

In many ways, Camille looks like a breakable doll to Adam, a living antique with smooth skin that, even her pores are invisible sometimes. Eyes so big and perfectly shaped like an almond, so bright with violet color that captivates everyone. Her chin with just the right size to give her cheeks the right plumpness. A mouth so small but the fullness of her lips is just right, her hair cascades over her shoulder in big defined curls that slightly touch her middle back. Camille has the beauty of an angel to his human eyes.

"Stop already," Camille blushes as Adam's eyes peer her from close up, she stops for a minute, wondering how can she avoid the subject of not eating enough and her lack of sleep.

Can she hide the fact that every time she goes to sleep, mysterious dreams torture her? The wishful feeling that enfolds inside every time she's alone. The sensation that someone is watching her every night while she's trapped in a dimension that looks and feels too real. But the suffering seems easier when Adam smiles. His happiness is all she needs to survive this phase.

"Okay, drink some water and we start," Adam hands her a bottle of water.

Camille tides her waves into a high ponytail and takes a sip of water as Adam stretches his muscles, taking a few deep breaths before they start running.

"If you can't catch up, just call out," he suggests with a wink, making Camille roll her eyes as she stretches next to him. Adam grins enjoying the little changes he sees in his girlfriend. Every new gesture is a treasure for him.

"Ready?" Camille asks with a sudden determination, he nods and starts jogging away from her.

Camille watches Adam pace away further from her as she still stands in place looking at his back becoming more distant. Motionless under the drizzle, Camille muses the strange feeling of being left alone as a shadow starts to lurk invisibly from the surrounding trees. Goosebumps rise up as an alerting sign. A deep sentiment of abandonment wraps all over her body as the distance between Adam and her gets bigger and bigger.