Beyond the Deep Water

Familiar

The sun hides behind the dark clouds making the day gray and sad, again. Every morning as soon as Camille opens her eyes, the first thing she asks of God it's for a bright day. She loves the sunshine, but it seems like every day she wakes up her prayers are being ignored. The days are foggy and gray with a heavy feeling of oblivion which it's her own torment. Her own mixed feelings the empty space inside her core, killing her slowly.

Every day she opens her eyes, Camille has to pep-talks herself into believing that she's fine. That she should enjoy the chance she's gotten, to come back and be a daughter, be a sister, be a girlfriend and to stop struggling to try to bring back something she's already forgotten. But the images of such heavenly place keep making her doubt herself, maybe everyone else is right. She's crazy.

"Are you paying attention to my class?" Ms. Catiniah asks standing before Camille, forcing her to snap back to reality. She blinks a few times to focus on her teacher.

Camille's eyes widen with surprise to see the beautiful young teacher glaring right into her eyes. A pair of stunning baby blue eyes that seem to bring back something familiar, something she can't remember. An ageless face with captivating red lips, tall and perfectly curved body. Wearing a classy skirt suit, Ms. Catiniag keeps her gaze directly into Camille's violet eyes, reaching for a glimpse of reassurance that she's finding herself.

"I'm sorry," Camille apologizes with honesty, a gesture that puts a pleasant smile on the beautiful woman.

Although she's a teacher, Camille doesn't feel the threat of being in trouble, instead, she feels calm, and supported. A sense of alliance spreads deep inside, looking at Ms. Catiniah feels extremely familiar and peaceful in a strange way. Although in Camille's mind this is the first time they have ever met, the impression of knowing her from before feels very real to her.

"Please try to stay in the present, Camille." Ms. Catiniah nods at the girl once, in a way to reassure her thoughts. Confused Camille returns the motion.

"She's probably thinking where to disappear next." a voice Camille recognizes very well says from the back of the classroom. The exclusive place where her clique sits, this place where only one kind exists. The rich, cocky and spoiled kids from Primavera Town. Kate's group.

"Just go away already," Kate says as her whole group of followers starts laughing with mockery. Ms. Catiniah glances her way from the corner of her eyes but says nothing.

Camille glances at a group where Adam would belong too if he would only acknowledge and behaves like them. Thankfully, he doesn't, which is why it brings her more oppression and abuse. Making eyes contact with Kate, Brooke, Tyler, and Dominic, Camille feels nothing but sorry for them.

"Seriously, why did you come back?" Tyler asks as Kate rolls her eyes giggling with pleasure to see her disciple behave just like her.

Camille looks at him directly, although she could have the pleasure to take revenge and let everyone know that deep down Tyler is just a sore loser. That can't get in his head that he has been attracted to Camille even when she has rejected him already. Camille doesn't want to be like them, bitter and vengeful.

Fortunately, Tyler knows this and he takes advantage of Camille's good heart, taking his gall out on her in every chance he gets. But, Camille smiles at him because instead of feeling annoyed by his childish attitude; she actually feels bad that he's not mature enough to move on. Tyler flinches at her smile.

"Pitiful, isn't it?" Ms. Catiniah asks looking outside the classroom. The dense clouds forming up in the sky announcing more rain. Camille looks up at the elegant woman that looks more like a model than a simple high school teacher. Confused by the sense of familiarity in her presence. The unnormal atmosphere around this woman is something great and mysterious to Camille's confused senses. Knowing that she has caught Camille's attention Ms. Catiniah turns to glance at Tyler.

Anticipating Tyler's bad intention to say something even meaner Ms. Catiniah steps in front of the girl, letting them know she won't allow anything that can hurt her in any way.

"Going back to where you came from, doesn't sound like a bad idea to me," she comments, although she refers to Camille before she attracts more attention the teacher turns to walk back to her desk.

Directing herself to the rest of the class, she stands tall and elegant. Camille's glued to her, trying to figure out the reason she feels so comfortable and familiar with someone she doesn't know. Knowing that it's more than just being her teacher, Camille waits frantically for her eighty minutes of Algebra class.

Desperate to ask questions, to find out more, and maybe the reason she feels like her comments were actually hinting something more. Something important. Something she evidently needs to figure out.

Camille waits patiently for the rest of the class, thinking of a way not to sound crazy and desperate to someone she probably just met. The bell finally rings to end the class, Camille takes her time to let everyone exit the classroom. Biting her nails, her stomach grows nervous she gathers her courage to walk up to Ms. Catiniah.

Noticing the girl almost chewing off her fingers trying to look calm, but her questions and concerns are clear in her violet eyes. Ms. Catiniah looks up into those hypnotic eyes.

"May I help you?" the politeness in her voice, awakens a mysterious feeling of nostalgia in Camille's heart. Something she has experienced before but not sure where. Ms. Catiniah smiles tenderly noticing her struggle is no match for the prideful man that's losing his mind without her.

"Ms. Catiniah..." Camille tries but stops before she says something that might sound strange to a woman she doesn't know well yet.

Her bright blue eyes holding the truth to what she's missing, but she can't admit it either. Although she wants to, she can't go against her duty which is only to keep a close eye on the girl, for everyone's wellbeing.

"Yes?" she waits for the girl to open up and let her worries out.

Opting to ignore the fact that she's there exactly for what the girl wants to know. The mysterious woman looks into Camille's violet eyes, seeing beyond her facade, beyond her act. The confusion and tormenting voices are taking a toll on her, if she doesn't cut her ties soon, things might end up bad not only for her but for Axl as well. Camille shakes her head, giving up on trying to say something she doesn't even understand herself.

"Nothing, sorry." Camille apologizes timidly and turns to walk out of the room before she says something crazy.

"Camille!" Ms. Catiniah calls her out before she disappears in the hallways. She stops, automatically turning to face the teacher. She turns to the window again, beyond the gray clouds and the gloom. A place where someone else is also suffering the distance and loneliness, the same place she sees in her dreams.

"You're not the only one suffering..." she says with a sad tone that slaps Camille in the face.

Camille follows her eyes, looking at the dark clouds moving forwards. In a way, she understands what Ms. Catiniah says, but she doesn't have an answer. Deep down her heart knows but her brain is afraid of admitting the truth. She's not happy at all.

"Hurry up and break free," she warns her with a pleading tone, turning to face the puzzled girl.

Trying to understand the meaning behind such sad words, Camille's voice is trapped inside her throat. In an uncomprehensive way, she understands what those words mean. She looks in the same direction Ms. Catiniah and smiles.

"I know," she whispers with a fake smile.