Beyond the Deep Water

Friendship

Locking herself in her room, Camille can't find the energy to face reality. The only way she can think of to ease everyone's pain is to take a break from everything. She lumps herself in bed trying to forget that she has been capable of breaking Adam's heart. Although the silence is not at all quiet, her thoughts rumble in the depths of her brain, making it difficult to think coherently. The mysterious man that comes to her like a guardian angel, full of glory and serenity.

"Camille!" a voice calls behind the door, making her flinch to reality. Camille sits up as Paige opens the door.

"What are you doing here?" Camille asks evidently surprised.

Paige has always been a good friend to her, stepping up to her bullies, making her house somewhere she can run off to when Steve turned into a monster. Even with all her support, Camille hasn't been able to notice the dilemma she has been struggling with.

Unable to see anyone else because she's been so caught up in her misery she can't be a reliable friend to anyone. Paige stomps forward and locks the door behind her, Camille stands beside the window looking at the world outside her room. Crossing her arms over her chest, Camille holds in tightly to the amulet her mother gave her.

"I just need time," Camille's voice drags on as her eyes focus on the outside, where another nostalgic sunset starts to build up. Knowing that another lonely night will fall soon, making her heart shake with a deep emptiness.

"Time? For what?" Paige asks not letting her off the hook. Camille turns to her friend.

Paige holds her ground, she's known for facing her problem face on. Camille can only feel guilty to see her friend standing strong and brave. She never lets anyone talk her down, or step on her spirit. But, Paige has been silently watching how Camille is fading away, and Adam suffering behind her.

"Why did you break up with him?" Paige demands, her voice sharp and angry, furious for the sudden decision that now destroys her with responsibility.

"Do you really not love him? Or is it because of me..." Paige pushes Camille to be honest with her.

"This is not about you." Camille sighs, holding in her frustration for causing distress to everyone around her.

"Then about what, Camille?" Paige fights back with determination to get an answer.

"You never think about Adam's pains? About your mom's, about other people's pain... Open your eyes, you're not the only one suffering!" Paige hisses in frustration by Camille's unhappiness.

"You know Kate and the rest are just jealous of you... Yes, I'm jealous of you too. I admit it." Paige admits with evident regret and shame to say it out loud. A confession that only hurts Camille even more.

"You're beautiful and kind. You're, like a princess... You have this nice and warming energy... It's just nice to be around you... I knew Adam before you did, I knew how girls felt about him." Paige recalls, knowing well enough the reason Adam would always choose Camille and not any other girl. She knows that even with the beauty she has, there's something else pulling him in.

"I'm not going to stand here and lie. What Kate said, it's the truth..." Paige forces the words out of her throat. Finally, ready to tell her side of the story to her best friend, she stands next to her as they both gaze into the sad sunset.

"I'm sorry. I didn't want to be like those girls, they hate you for a stupid reason, so I decided to stay his friend, and be your friend... From the moment Adam told me about you, I understood that; I wasn't the one for him..." her voice shakes a little with the confession.

"He would never see me the way he saw you; because since the first time we shared a classroom in middle school... That time, I knew immediately how much I liked you, just like Adam did, just like him, I felt your warmness." Paige confesses as the same warmness builds up in Camille's chest.

"Yes, I was in love with him, but I love you too and I hate to see you suffering, I hate to see Adam suffer," Paige says her voice breaks to know that she might be the one responsible for such a sudden breakup. For hurting Adam, for hurting her friend who has enough to deal with. Camille sighs exhausted of making people think she's so good.

"You don't understand, and Adam either." Camille interrupts tired of making up excuses or dragging everyone else into her own darkness.

"This is not about you or Adam... It's me, Paige..." the pain and emptiness in her voice feel heavy on Paige.

"It's me. I feel like this is not my place to be. I don't belong here." Camille turns to meet Paige's puzzled eyes. Right behind her, Camille catches a glimpse of her mysterious dress, still hanging in her closet.

"I don't know where I was, but I want to go back... Wherever that place was, I want to go back." The frustration making her heart squeeze.

"What are you saying? You don't even know..." Paige says in disbelief.

"I don't know what it is... I don't want to drag Adam with me, I want him to be happy, to find his happiness." Camille slowly tries to put into words what she feels.

The sadness that consumes Camille has always been different. Like a living angel, not only in image but in energy, the gentle way she sees the bad in people. How she forgiveness and doesn't seem to bother over simple problems, like bullying, disloyalty or abusive parents. Paige knows that her friend is beyond the reach of humans, she sees it. Camille is suffering and there's nothing that she can do to help.

"Believe it or not, most of us can see it too," Paige whispers as her eyes turn to the darkening sky.

Just when the sun disappears in the horizon and the coldness picks up, birds chirp with less energy as they look for a place to sleep. The stars start to shine with more light. The twinkling lights on the roads as cars pass by, the nostalgic sentiment of an ending day, of an ending agony. Deep down Paige feels something tighten up in her chest.

"You're right. Maybe you don't belong here." Paige whispers with tenderness, realizing that it's time to let Camille go where she can find herself.

"You should really search deep within yourself and find what you looking for, or else this won't end up good, for you..." Paige turns back for the door, holding on to the desire to cry that takes over her heart. Paige knows that to find her happiness, Camille has to move on and find her way where that doesn't seem to be in this world. Taking a deep breath, she swallows the bitterness to push her voice out.

"Make the heartbreak worth it and find for your happiness. Okay?" Paige's voice makes something clench in Camille's heart. Feeling like this is the last time they'll be having a conversation. Camille turns to her and gives her a bright grin as her heart squeezes inside. Needles twist in her throat pushing tears out, but she fights them back.

"I will" Camille answers feeling a sudden relief to not be in bad terms her best friend. Paige smiles, turning to the closet, where part of Camille's gown comes out.

"I wish you could stay though, but I believe you will be happier where you can be free," Paige says and turns to walk away before tears start to show up in her eyes.

Camille's eyes glued to the door where Paige has disappeared, letting her tears flow she breathes in deeply and turns to the window.