Chapter 10
CHAPTER TEN
CAMILA
Camila storms straight to her car, cussing Brooke out under her breath the entire time.
There are so many things she wanted to scream at her: how she doesn’t deserve Valeria, that she’s not her punching bag, how she desperately needs to go to fucking therapy, but most importantly, that her face practically begs to be introduced to a fist. Only, the second she saw Valeria’s pleading eyes, all of it died on her tongue.
“Fuck,” Camila breathes as she drops into the driver’s seat, hands grabbing on to the steering wheel, physically forcing herself to stay put, to steady the storm inside her mind.
Valeria doesn’t need rescuing—she’s an adult, fully capable of handling this.
If anything, barging in would only make things worse.
Maria Jose is close by, she reminds herself.
The thought of her not being alone with a seething Brooke loosens something tight in Camila’s chest, even if her mind keeps pulling her toward the uglier possibilities.
It’s something she’s still trying to unlearn.
She wants to trust that not every argument means someone is a piece of shit who will hurt their partner, but Brooke seems like an all-around shit human, so the possibility always lingers in the back of her mind.
When Camila calms her brain down enough, she starts her car and heads toward Ella’s gallery. She turns on a podcast to keep her mind occupied, but she barely pays attention. Her mind is too wrapped up in Valeria, hoping she’s okay.
Thankfully, she makes it to the gallery in less than five minutes, and the moment she walks in, her mind clears. Art has always had that effect on her, even when she was a kid. It’s like a balm over her nerves.
The pictures online don’t do this place justice.
The gallery is modern and minimalist—white walls, bold abstract paintings lining them, and a few sculptures scattered throughout.
Camila spots a couple of pieces she knows right away are Ella’s, along with others she doesn’t recognize yet but can’t wait to learn more about.
Before she can get too lost in the artwork, Ella’s voice booms from somewhere in the gallery. “You’re early.”
Camila turns until she spots her near her office door. “Yeah, my lunch plans got cut a little short.”
Ella studies her with a focus that prickles Camila’s skin.
“I can wander around if you’re not ready,” Camila says, grasping at any excuse to step out from under that intensity.
“No need,” Ella says, and her gaze eases a notch. “I was headed to the back now to grab the painting from storage. We can go together.”
“Perfect. Lead the way.”
Ella nods and turns, guiding them down a hallway to a door all the way at the end. She fishes keys from her pants pocket and unlocks the door. Ella steps inside first, flicking on a single overhead bulb that swings slightly.
Camila follows, the floor creaking under her weight, watching as Ella flips through boxes and canvases.
“Here she is,” Ella says as she fishes a canvas from its cardboard box.
When she turns it, Camila can see exactly why she called. The canvas has a clean tear along the top edge. Nothing Camila can’t work with, though. She’s seen far worse come across her workbench.
“You think you can fix it?” Ella asks before worrying at her bottom lip.
Camila nods. “Yeah, I think all it’ll need is a patch, some conservation-grade putty, and for me to rebuild the color where it was lost.”
Ella sighs. “Perfect. I’m glad I can let the artist know we can get her work repaired. It’s supposed to go up as the centerpiece for a show in a month. Is that enough time?”
“If you can have it delivered to my office this week, I can start on it when it gets there.”
“We can do that. I’ll have Sarah get it all sorted.” Ella nods.
“Cool, is that it?”
“That’s it,” she says, tapping her fingers against her thigh.
“Perfect, I’m going to head out then,” Camila says as she turns on her heel.
“Wait!” Ella shouts, and Camila turns back. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, why?” Camila tilts her head.
“I don’t know. You seem tense.” Ella’s careful gaze locks back on to Camila. “Is Valeria okay?”
“What?” Her voice comes out sharper than intended.
“Brooke was in a frenzy, calling all of us earlier, looking for her, and then you show up looking more tense than I’ve ever seen you. I’m assuming you were together and Brooke found you and wasn’t happy about it.”
Camila drops her head and rubs the back of her neck. “Yeah, something like that.”
“Are you okay?”
Camila scrubs a hand over her face. “Yeah, I’m fine. Maybe just a little shaken up.”
“What happened?” Ella asks, brows knitted tightly together.
“Honestly, I wish I knew. Valeria and I went to lunch near the clinic, and as we were finishing, Brooke showed up. They got into an argument, and I left, but I only did because Maria Jose was around, otherwise I wouldn’t have.
” She doesn’t know why she feels the need to make that point, but she doesn’t want Ella thinking she’d leave Valeria, not unless she were sure she’d be okay.
“Totally understand, and it’s probably for the best that you did. Brooke can be unpredictable and explosive.” Ella bites the corner of her lip.
Camila’s stomach turns with guilt. “You think Valeria is okay?”
Ella gives her a thin smile and nods. “I mean, I hope. Every time Brooke picks a fight, it really gets to Val. I’m sure they’re talking it out, though.”
“She’s not physically abusive, right?” Camila hates to pry like this into Valeria’s personal life, but she needs the reassurance.
Ella shakes her head. “No, not that we’re aware of. Val’s only ever talked to us about their verbal fights.”
Camila lets out a soft sigh. “Good. That’s good.”
“I’m sorry you had to deal with her. She’s an unfortunate side effect of hanging out with Valeria.”
“Yeah, I’m gathering that.” Camila laughs, but it’s more of a sigh.
“Be patient with Val. She’s got so much heart, and unfortunately for us all, she seems intent on sharing it with Brooke.”
“I don’t know how much of a friendship I can have with Valeria if Brooke explodes any time she sees me. I’m worried I’m making things worse for her.”
Ella laughs. “I think Brooke has that reaction around every single one of us. It won’t affect your friendship with Val. I can almost guarantee it.”
“Well, that’s reassuring. I like Valeria, and it would suck if we had to stop being friends.”
“Mm-hm,” Ella says, eyeing her suspiciously again. “Do you like her?”
“What?” Camila coughs out, almost choking on her spit. She’d forgotten how direct Ella could be.
“You heard me,” Ella says, her eyebrow arched, waiting for an answer.
Camila’s mouth drops open, and for a few seconds she stares at Ella, her mind working out what to say, but she doesn’t know the answer herself.
Is Valeria attractive? Absolutely. Does Camila enjoy hanging out with Valeria?
Also yes. Does she get this weird little flutter when Valeria looks at her?
Sometimes, but that’s nothing. She’d classify it as more of a crush, nowhere near like, where real feelings definitely live.
Sure, she worries over her more than is probably normal, but that’s because she understands that kind of hurt, and that’s the truth she settles on.
“Uh—No. No, definitely not,” she says, which would’ve been convincing if her voice hadn’t jumped half an octave and she wasn’t questioning it herself.
Ella hums, unconvinced.
Camila crosses her arms, then uncrosses them, before she shoves her hands in her pockets. “She’s just a friend,” she insists, though she can hear the wobble in that.
“It’s fine if you do. I won’t be running to tell Brooke.”
“Oh God, do you think Brooke thinks that?” Camila’s mouth suddenly goes dry, a knot of anxiety forming as she realizes it’s probably why Brooke keeps picking fights with Valeria whenever she’s with her.
“Probably,” Ella answers with a shrug. “But Brooke thinks that of everyone, which is probably why you’re the first new friend Valeria has been able to make in the last six years.”
Six years? That number sounds impossible to Camila.
Valeria seems like the type of person who’d make friends left and right—bubbly, sweet, effortlessly warm.
Thinking of all the people who missed out on Valeria’s friendship because of Brooke makes Camila’s heart ache for them and Valeria.
Camila hates the thought of Brooke isolating her.
“I’ve been in her shoes before. I know how alienating it can be, and I want to be there for her.”
Ella nods. “I’m sorry you’ve been through that, but I’m glad Val has you. The girls and I do our best to understand and support her, but we all lose patience with her sometimes. We don’t mean to,” Ella adds quickly. “But we don’t entirely understand the bond she and Brooke have.”
“Hey, I get it. My best friend Belen was the same way.”
Ella nods, tension Camila hadn’t realized was in her shoulders unwinding. “Word of advice? Even though you don’t like Valeria.” Ella winks, and Camila’s cheeks grow warm. “Stick by her. I can feel this thing between them coming to an end, and I know she’ll need us all.”
Camila nods. Leaving Valeria had never crossed her mind.
When she makes it home that night, her house is eerily quiet. Miso isn’t in her usual spot by the door.
“Miso?” Camila shouts into her dark house, turning on the lights as she goes, trying to keep her mind from spiraling out of control.
“Miso!” Camila calls again, and this time, a tiny gag comes from somewhere in the house. Camila looks around until she spots Miso in a corner, gagging. A few seconds later, it’s as if nothing happened. Miso licks her lips and walks away.
Camila focuses on the spot, trying to see if Miso threw up a hairball, but there’s nothing. She makes a mental note to get her hairball supplements.
“You scared me,” Camila says, crouching to pick Miso up, who immediately starts purring. With Miso safely in her hands, she walks them to the couch in the living room and throws on a show.
Camila tries not to, but she can’t stop checking her phone for any new messages, desperately waiting on one from Valeria, and being disappointed when the only one that comes through is from her mom, reminding her of their lunch plans for Sunday.
As if Camila’s day hadn’t been bad enough.