52

CAMILLA’S POV.
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It’s been a week since the death of my mother and I was too melancholy to resume school.
I didn’t want to go to school again, the light keeping me has faded away, so what’s the use?
Going back to school will just make it easier for my mates to ridicule me.
Beatrice and Leticia had tried persuading me to come back to school but I was too adamant, my heart was weak and still grieving.
Lillian had resumed back to work 2 days after my mum’s burial and I wondered how brave she was.
I sat in my bed with my hair messed up, I looked more of a tattered psycho.
I refused to eat, I just wanted to be alone for the rest of my life, I hardly took my bath during the week.
Today was Tuesday and it was almost late afternoon and Beatrice and Leticia would be on their way here from school to remind me of the same thing they had been talking about.
I felt thirsty, my throat had been dry and itchy since I dehydrated myself, I found my weak feet struggling to get out of the bed as I made my way to the kitchen.
I grabbed a glass cup and filled it with water, then brought it slowly to my lips and gulped in some water as it made harsh soreness down my throat.
I glanced at the floor where mum laid when I ran into here and the haunting memories flowed back into my head as I felt dizzy, I threw the glass cup in my hand as it made a shattering and echoing shrills in my ear and due to the distress I was having I screamed sobbing as I squatted helplessly on the cold floor.
“Mum why?” I sobbed wrapping my fingers in my hair clutching it tightly.
Something is not quite alright with me…
I felt it in my throbbing head…
Sometimes I would trail off and stare blankly in the air or just talk to myself for hours.
I heard a knock on the door and I had to drag myself weakly from the ground staggering as I tried to keep my balance.
I sniffed and cleaned my tears with my hand and wiped my nose with the cotton button-down shirt that reached my mid-thigh.
I tried to straighten my hair as the knock became persistent.
“Camilla!” I heard a familiar voice from outside called my name and I knew it was Beatrice.
“I’m coming!” I said weakly but loud enough for them to hear.
I made my way to the door and unlocked it as the door opened and I saw my two caring friends looking at me worriedly.
“Baby!” Beatrice cooed and walked in with a grocery bag in her left hand as she drew me into an embrace.
We broke the hug as I tried to smile and Leticia hugged me next.
“It’s okay baby!” She said patting my hair and I nodded.
Beatrice closed the door and we went to seat on the old cushion chairs.
It hurts to see that I couldn’t accomplish the dreams I wanted for my mother, all the dreams I’ve been trying to pursue so she could live and enjoy a better life, but she’s gone…
“Camilla dear, are you crying again?” Beatrice said sadly moving closer to me and I tried to gaze up at her shaking my head but a tear betrayed me and trailed down my cheeks.
Beatrice sighed sadly and used her thumb to wipe the tears away, then spooned me to herself while I rested my head on her shoulder as she patted my back.
“Camilla, you need to come back to school!” Leticia said taking my hands into hers but I drew them back.
“I don’t want to!” I cracked softly pulling away from Beatrice as I placed my hands on my bare thigh biting my lower lips anxiously.
“Camilla, this won’t help you, you need to say strong and overcome your fears,” Beatrice said taking my hands into hers as she squeezed them lightly.
I lifted my gaze into her eyes and shook my head.
“You don’t know, how difficult this is for me,” I sniffed wiping my watery nose with the hem of my clothes.
“We know baby, we know perfectly well how you feel, but one has to move on and don’t let the past take control over us,” Leticia said taking my other hand into hers as I shifted my gaze to hers and smiled lightly.
“Your mum in heaven won’t be happy to see you this way, Camilla, She wants you to be strong and happy, just for her,” Beatrice said and I remembered my mum’s last statement when she laid weakly on the sickbed.
‘Camilla, I want you to stay strong no matter what happens, promise you’ll do that for me,’
Her gentle voice rang in my head.
I did promise her… But it’s just so fucking hard.
“It’s okay… Shhh! Don’t cry again,” Beatrice spooned me to herself placing her hand at the back of my head as I sobbed lightly resting on her shoulders.
“It’s okay,” She said softly.
They spent some more hours with me and finally decided to leave.
“We brought this for you,” Beatrice smiled warmly giving me the big grocery bag she brought in earlier.
“Thank you,” I said smiling softly as I collected the bag from her and also gave Leticia a warm smile as she nodded back to me with a smile.
My two friends stood up and were ready to depart from me.
“Camilla, do you mind staying the night at my place instead?” Beatrice asked waiting for a reply as she gazed into my eyes.
“N-No!” I declined and she gave me a dejected look but smiled back immediately.
“It’s okay baby if you need anything I’m just a phone call away,” She smiled and pulled me to herself again as she wrapped her hands around my waist.
“Goodbye Camilla, hope to see you soon,” Leticia smiled as Beatrice pulled away from me as she gave me a light peck on my cheeks.
“Thank you for coming,” I smiled feeling a bit calm.
They nodded and stepped out of the house as they made their way to where Beatrice parked her blue sports car.
I stood at the doorway still staring at them as they got into the car.
I waved at them as they drove out of the park and into the main Street as they waved back too.
I sighed when they were out of sight and closed the door behind me.
I’m so happy to have friends like them, I wonder what I would have done if they weren’t by my side.
I slumped on the cushioned chair and took my mum’s framed picture placed on the table that smiled brightly at me while I took it smiling sadly as I traced my fingers on mum’s beautiful face.
I heaved deeply bringing the picture closer to my chest as I hugged it.
“I love you so much, mum!” I murmured closing my eyes.
It’s been 20 minutes since Beatrice and Leticia were gone and I heard a light knock on the door.
My heart pondered for unknown reasons as I placed mum’s picture carefully on the couch seat.
It can’t be Beatrice or Leticia neither will it be Lillian because she can’t be back at this time.
The knock came on again and I stood up from my seat and walked anxiously to the door.
I wrapped my fingers on the doorknob and twisted it to the side as the door open making me suck in taking in the view of the person standing in front of the doorway as I became pale while I tried to catch my breath.
‘What the hell does he want!’ I screamed in my mind.