CALLING CAMILIA

I paced back and forth in the forest, behind the house, my phone clutched tightly in my hand.

The silence of the house felt suffocating after Neel and Harry had left. I needed to talk to someone—someone outside this tangled web of confusion I’d woven around myself. My mind kept spiraling back to Caspian, then to Lucas, and to all the moments that had left me reeling over the past few days.

I scrolled through my contacts, hesitating before tapping on Camila’s name. She was the only person I could truly open up to, the only one who would understand and give me some reality check. She might not have a satisfactory solution, but I was sure she would listen without judging me.

My heart raced as the phone rang.

“Hey, stranger!” Camila’s cheerful voice filled my ears, offering a moment of relief. “I’ve been wondering when you’d call. What’s up?”

“You could have called me, too,” I tried to gather my thoughts. Dumping all my problems on her the second she picked up the phone would’ve been a b