a supercut of us

xii-xv

xii.

Camila spends most of her time in Miami sleeping and hanging out with her family. Lucy had left for Puerto Rico the day after making amends with Lauren, but she isn't very bothered by how little time they had together in her hometown because she'll go stay with Lucy after her week vacation in Cozumel.

Every now and then she's hit by guilt that she isn't in a studio working towards her next album but what is a three-week break in an almost five-month tour anyway? She's been writing a lot and after the tour ends she'll be able to focus on making music, there's no need to obsess over work now when resting is of more use to her.

Cozumel is a lot of fun. They stay at a resort and busy themselves with different touristy plans. So far, Camila's favorite has been the morning they spent at some sort of stingray farm, learning about stingrays, feeding them and swimming with them. Sofia was the happiest and there are few things that make Camila feel more accomplished than that.

She tries her hardest to be present at all times – fame already steals her away from her family so often –, but there are still moments when she catches herself smiling at her phone or when she excuses herself to call Lucy.

It's not her intention to draw attention to her behavior or to keep secrets from her father and her sister. She doesn't know why she hasn't told them yet.

(or she does. it doesn't matter how deep she is in her feelings, the sad truth is she's still expecting Lucy to leave her sooner rather than later.

there's no point in disappointing more than one person in the family.)

Nevertheless, it is kind of obvious and on their last night in Mexico, her father approaches her when she's enjoying the hammock in the porch of their exclusive bungalow.

"Hace mucho tiempo que te veo feliz, pero estás con un brillo diferente ahora," he says, aiming for nonchalant but failing miserably.

Camila smiles. It's impossible not to.

"I'm very happy, yes."

"¿Y quién te hace sonreír así?" Alejandro asks, taking a seat on the bench against the wall. "Hay algún chico por ahí?"

"There's no boy, papi."

He hums and then opens his eyes wide. "¿La Lauren finalmente ganó juicio?"

Camila snickers and purses her lips. "This isn't about Lauren. She's still not talking to me more than what's strictly necessary."

"Rezo todos los días por esa niña," her father says under his breath. Camila hears him anyway. "¿Pero es una chica que te está haciendo feliz?"

"Yes."

"And you are dating this chica?"

"Sí, papi."

"¿Y cuándo vamos a conocerla?"

"It's too early for that."

"Ni parece cosa tuya." Alejandro frowns and Camila shrugs. "Cuando estás enamorada no te callas nunca."

"Everything is very new. We started dating, like, a little over a month ago and I don't want to bring her into our family before I'm sure."

"Sure of what?"

"I don't want Sofi to get attached to another person who will just disappear."

That much is also true. Her father doesn't have to know about her crippling fears and doubts.

"¿Sabes lo que me parece?" he asks after a minute of silence. "Me parece que esa chica es importante para ti y que estás con miedo que ella te haga lo mismo que te hizo Lauren."