Nothing had changed about my room, not even after I left for college and my dad had threatened with turning it into his cave or something like that. He wasn't serious. It's both comforting and weird. It's like time had frozen inside and for a second I could pretend that everything was fine and I was just a 17 year old who had all his friends by his side and hadn't experienced a life changing car accident. I lay in bed and stare at the ceiling. Does Camila feel the same way I do about this? Is her room the same as before?
[S: How's it going?]
I text her and put the phone down in my chest while I continue staring at the ceiling. I did that for several days once I was home from the hospital. Just stare and try to make sense of what had happened. I never could though. Somewhere in my brain, the idea that Luke or Jess would call and tell me to meet them somewhere still feels too real and plausible.
[C: Good but it's weird to be back]
Coming here was her idea, but I was selfishly rooting for it and did everything I could to make sure she wouldn't back down. Now I don't know if that was a good thing. I am overwhelmed every I come here. I can only imagine how she feels after so many years.
[S: We can go back whenever you want], I offer.
[C: We just got here lol I can stay 24 hours at least]
[S: Ok, just saying]
[C: How are you?]
[S: Fine, just laying in my bed. You?]
[C: I'm watching a movie in the living room. I can't stay in my room]
[S: Why not? Is it different?]
[C: No, it's just the same. Feels weird that nothing has changed]
[S: Same here]
[C: It makes sense tho. We never remodeled them]
[S: Yeah, but I never felt the need to remodel before]
[C: And it seems pointless now]
[S: You're right]
[C: Look at us agreeing on something haha]
[S: Some things do change ;)]
[C: I guess they do]
[S: My mom is baking cookies and her cookies don't change]
[C: Gosh I love those cookies, I hope they never change]
[S: Come over then]
[C: Really?]
[S: Yeah, if you want ofc. Aaliyah's boyfriend is coming too since I couldn't meet him last night, I don't wanna do that alone]
[C: Maybe I wanna see that]
[S: Or maybe you wanna see me]
[C: Maybe I just want the cookies]
[S: Ok fine but come here]
[C: I'll go eat cookies and see you]
I change clothes even though there was nothing wrong with my outfit. I try to put my hair in place but some curls just refuse to do so. I feel like this is the first time I'm experiencing what's like to bring a girlfriend home, even though I did that once when I was in college. With Camila everything feels new and exciting again.
"He's here", my dad whispers when I go downstairs. I frown and he looks over at the kitchen where I can hear people talking.
"The boyfriend?", I ask and my dad nods. I guess he has been feeling outnumbered before and needs my presence now.
I walk over to the kitchen and my dad follows me behind. Aaliyah is sat at the kitchen counter while my mom talks to a guy almost as tall as me.
"Oh here he is. Dylan, this is Shawn, Aaliyah's brother", my mom introduces us and he wipes his hands on a kitchen cloth before shaking mine.
"Hi, man. I was looking forward to meet you. Everyone here talks wonders about you", he says.
"Thank you. Nice to meet you too", I reply.
"Shawns came back this morning since the storm was too heavy last night".
"Good call", he nods paying attention to my mom now. He seems like he was helping her cook.
"We're so happy to have you here", my mom smiles. "And Camila too. She brought an old friend home, we hadn't seen her in years".
"Camila is here?", Aaliyah turns to me to ask me.
"Yeah. Didn't mom or dad tell you?", I ask back. My sister wasn't home when we arrived and came back from the store an hour later so Camila had already left.
"No, nobody said anything about her", she says with her mouth opener in surprise. "How is she?"
"Oh she's great", my mom fills her in. "She was so sweet, well like always, and..."
"She's actually coming over", I murmur and everyone turns to look at me. "I told her you were baking cookies", I shrug.
"Well that's great", my mom announces. "You'll like her, Dylan".
My dad and I return to the living room and he eyes me suspiciously when we are on the clear.
"So?", he raises his eyebrows.
"I don't know, we barely spoke a few words", I murmur. I don't have an opinion on the guy just yet, but my mom seems to like him.
"Yeah but anything?", he frowns.
"He looks fine", I say and then he sighs.
"He is", my dad says.
My dad has always been a quiet man, maybe because my mom has energy enough to make the talking for the two of them. He sits back on the sofa and his shoulders go down. I think he was looking for a confirmation Aaliyah was in good hands, since my mom also likes all people and often misjudges them, and he finds just that in the way I reacted to Dylan.
I peer out the window to see if Camila is coming and sure enough I can spot her tiny body walking outside still a few houses away.
"What are you doing? You're going to freeze", she yells when she see me get out of the house and walk up to her in just a long sleeve top, no sweater or jacket.
"It isn't that bad", I say close the gap between us to kiss her.
"You're warm", she whispers over my lips and lean into my body. She has a puffy jacket, scarf, beanie and gloves to cover her from the cold.
"You look like a snowman", I tease her and she slaps my arm and begins walking without me. "A very cute one", I add with a chuckle.
"I'll need those cookies you promised", she tells me.
"They're inside", I murmur as I open the door for her.
She puts her stuff on the rack by the door and goes inside greeting everyone again. Every time she was in my house, ever since we were kids, this placed turn louder.
"Oh my God", Aaliyah yelled and got out of her seat.
"Is this really you?", Camila acted dramatically before hugging my sister. "Ugh, you're also taller than me".
"Not hard to do", I say under my breath but Camila stills hears me and stares deadly at me.
"You look the same", my sister tells her. "And by that I mean that you look amazing".
"Well, thank you", she smiles. "You are beautiful".
"This is my boyfriend, Dylan, by the way", Aaliyah calls her boyfriend and he walks up to them.
"Nice to meet you, Camila", he says.
"Nice to meet you", she replies. "I hope you're treating her well because I don't know if you've noticed, but her brother is jacked".
My face turns instantly red at her words but everyone just seems to laugh, including Camila.
"I remember eating these and watching cartoons on the floor when I came here after school", Camila comments when we're eating cookies with a glass of milk while we wait for dinner.
"It was the only way I'd get you two to stay still and not fight", my mom sighs but then laughs with the rest.
Instead of telling stories about Aaliyah to her boyfriend, my mom goes on a rant telling Dylan about how Camila and I behaved as kids. She tells him and the rest about the time we broke a window playing soccer in school, or when by accident I ruined Camila's science project so she did the same with mine. My mom also talks about that time Camila felt sick in PE class and the teacher didn't listen to her and she fainted, so I went to yell at him. And when she did all my homework after I got my appendix removed. We had a lot of upside downs.
"I could write a book about these two", she finally finishes.
"We are not that... reckless now", Camila says softly and looks at me with her sweet eyes.
"We've matured", I add agreeing with her.
I wanna hug her and kiss her in front of everyone to show them how cool we are now, but I don't feel comfortable enough to do that yet. It would be a shock for them, that's for sure.
"Do you still have that Stitch figure I got you as a present for your birthday?", Camila asks me and her face lightens up.
"I think so... It should be there", I say trying to remember. I had forgotten about that toy. She gave it to me when I turned 10.
"It is in your room. On the top shelf, next to some books", my mom says.
"Can I see it?", Camila looks at me and I nod.
"I'll call you when dinner is ready", my mom says while we take the stairs.
"Here it is", I say taking the figure and showing it to Camila.
"I knew it was there", she murmurs and takes it from my hands to put it in my nightstand. "I just wanted to come here with you".
"You always made out the best excuses", I shake my head in surrender. I wrap my arms around her waist, smelling her perfume.
"That's true", she agrees and puts her hands behind my neck, massaging the back of my head.
"So why did you want to come here?", I say bringing my lips close to hers but not yet touching.
"I wanted to see if your room had actually not changed", she whispers and her breath crashes against my face.
"It hasn't", I confirm. "It looks the same as when you came here that night and attacked me with your kisses".
"I didn't attack you", she giggles a bit offended.
"You did", I nod. "But I wasn't complaining".
"Well, maybe I did", she sighs. "Just to be clear, I didn't know I was going to do that until I was doing it".
"I'm glad you did it", I admit. "No one had kissed me like that until you".
"No one?", she asks and I nod. "To be fair, you were my first kiss".
That was a piece of information that I did not see it coming and it shocks me for a second.
"Me?", I blink repeatedly.
"Yes", she says and rest her face on my chest while she laughs softly. "I never told you this, but when we played that spin the bottle game at Nina's house... that was my first kiss".
"No way", I breath out surprised. "Are you serious?"
"Yes", she answers. "I don't know why I didn't tell you before".
"You were my first kiss too", I tell her and opens her eyes to look at me too.
"Wait, really?"
"Yes. And I was so mad when that other kid got to kiss you too".
"Ugh, that wasn't a good kiss. I only count yours from that game".
"Good", I smile.
"Wow, this is crazy", she sighs.
"I can officially say you were my first kiss and my first time", I say.
"Well, in that case, you were my first kiss and...", she comes closer to my ear. "The first person to give me an orgasm during sex".
A rush of electricity goes through my body when I hear her say those words. I don't know how 16-year-old me managed to accomplish that but that kid deserves an ovation.
I tighten my grip around her and press my lips against her ear, kissing from there to her jaw and her neck, then back to her mouth. I stop before closing the gap between out lips. I can feel her breathing getting heavier and her skin warmer. I need her in a way only us know how to satisfy.
"Kiss me", she begs really low and I almost feel my knees trembling.
I lower my head and our lips brush against each other, no pressure, just them together. I like feeling her like this. I like taking my time to enjoy her. I don't have to watch my moves in case she thinks I'm acting weird, she knows I'm savoring this moment and so is she. I lick my lips without moving an inch apart and my tongue touches her mouth as well. A gasp leaves her lips and that's the clue to close the deal. We kiss like we hadn't kissed before and yet we knew exactly what to do. All our firsts time felt like that as well, like we knew exactly what we were doing even though we had no clue about it.
"Dinner is ready!", my mom yells from downstairs and the moment ends but the tension doesn't go away.
"Later", I promise gasping while out foreheads lay together.
"Please", she murmurs and I'm really close to say fuck to the family dinner and just make love to her in my twin size bed, but I control myself. Later will be.