Foreign

22

CAMILA

"Shawn. What are you doing here?"

I stood frozen on the doorstep of my apartment. Unbelieving the presence of this man in front of me. Shawn, he's a good friend of mine from the industry, he was on a break from his career and I really wonder why he is here, exactly inside my apartment. How did he even find me or had access to my newly rented apartment? Yeah, I only rented. Not that I am going to stay here forever.

"I heard you were here, you know. You're kinda all over the news so I figured I'll pay you a visit. And oh, I found a spare key under your pots, Mila. You never change." He chuckled. " Hope you don't mind. Kinda scared that the paps might spot me outside." He explained, scratching the back of his neck.

"Oh, I don't. It's nice to have you here, Shawny. Come on, give me a hug." I opened my arms to him, genuinely missing the tall boy. I melted into his embrace and sniffed his familiar scent. Well, Shawn and I are best friends in the industry because we share the same industry trauma. It bonded us together and here we are. Kinda upset he had to barge into my apartment without my knowledge though.

We took a sit on my small sofa, with his arms on the back of the sofa making me snuggle closer to him. My apartment is not that big, a living room, kitchen and a bedroom. Not big but this is close to home for me.

"So tell me Mils, how did you exactly get here. I mean you are clumsy but not this kind of clumsy." We both laughed at his statement, it's true though. Now that Shawn mentioned it, I realized how much this accidental trip changed me and I don't know if I can still live without these people in my life.

"Well, first; I mistaken Philadelphia from the Philippines and kudos to my identity that the airline let me in without a ticket and a passport. They're idiots." I laughed. "Then, I kinda had a panic attack on the airport and that's when Lauren found me and helped me to calm down." I continued.

"Wait, Lauren? Is this the girl in the photos? The one you had, uhh, on the beach?" How did he - oh yeah, the paps. Almost forgot.

"Uh yeah. After the incident at the airport, she insisted for me to stay with her, I couldn't say yes or no. I was pretty shaken up so she had no choice. It was so weird because she was gentle with me and you know she knows how to handle me, I figured it was because she was a psychologist but it's not..."

Now, more things are making sense. The way Lauren insisted on me to stay while me being a total stranger, the way she kissed my forehead the first few days I was staying there, the way she stared at me, held my hand, spent her time eating with me and her friends completely accepting of me. Wow. How could I miss the signs?

I sighed. I miss her. I miss everyone.

"Woah, where did you just go, Mils? You spaced out."

"Where was I?"

"Lauren was weird, like she knew how to handle you."

"Oh yeah, turns out. I knew her from the past." Shawn was about to open his mouth but I signaled for him to let me finish talking first.

"Well, she is - was my fiancé. I had accidents, take note of the S, making me not remember her and everything from the past. You know this. You know my amnesia but I did not expect my past life to be as chaotic and beautiful as this. It is so surreal. I mean, how did I end up from being the iconic celebrity to being almost married? The biggest plot twist is that we have a child and that Dinah was also my friend in the past." I explained. I looked at Shawn and he looked at me with disbelief not believing what I am saying. Me too, this will be forever surreal to me.

"Wow..." He breathed out.

"I know."

"I mean wow...Dinah knew? Wow. That's quite a story, Mila. And a child?! Oh my god. Where are they now? I thought you were living with her?" He asked.