A/N ↠ You guys know what to do! Play music when the indication is shown! 😊 Enjoy chapter 17!

Camila's P.O.V

3:29PM.

It's always the last minute that goes so slow. After so much thinking in one day, I just wanted to see Y/N and accompany her to the hospital while that Hannah Montana girl stays out of sight.

I was currently in free period but the current teacher made us stay in class so we could do a bit of revision (which is completely bullshit if you ask me considering most of them are dozing off) and I was not in the mood of studying anything.

I tapped my foot against the floor and rested my chin on the insides of my palm. I didn't look away from the clock on the wall until the bell rang. Once the bell rang, I quickly got my book bag and went straight to my locker. I had told the girls earlier that they don't have to meet me after school because I was gonna go home with Y/N so as soon as I got my stuff settled at the locker, I immediately made my way to the car park to wait by Y/N's car.

Walking there, I had noticed that I've received a few glares from girls of the cheerleading team, probably knowing the fact that I've taken the famous team captain off the market. I glanced at my feet to avoid their glares, refusing to be looked down upon as I finally heard my favorite voice yelling out my name.

"Babe!"

I stopped my movements before turning my body slightly, noticing that Y/N was jogging towards me with a grin on her face. I gave her a warm grin back before turning my body completely and opening my arms for her.

As soon as Y/N reached me, she completely wrapped her arms around my waist and lifted me off the ground, making me squeal in response as I wrapped my arms around her neck and hid my face in the crook of her neck. I'm pretty sure the cheerleaders are mentally murdering me right now.

I giggled before pulling my face away from her neck as I asked, "What's got you all so perky?"

Y/N gave me a quick peck on the lips before giving me an idiot grin as she said, "We finally have our alone time."

I laughed while Y/N finally put me down and intertwined our fingers as we made our way to her car as I pointed out, "I don't think going to the hospital to get your eye checked is counted as alone time, babe." I chuckled out, earning a playful eye roll from the team captain.

"Shhhh," Y/N jested, looking at me from the side as she laughed before adding, "Let's pretend it is." She laughed out.

I just nodded and laughed while cuddling closer into her side as I asked, "So how was last period?" I asked with a small smile, earning the same gesture from the taller girl.

"Stressful," Y/N breathed out while shaking her head as she added, "I mean, it was only English but with Shawn next to me, he wouldn't shut up about my costume for Halloween."

I giggled before giving her a quick peck on the cheeks as I said, "That boy's a diva and he knows fashion so I'm sure it's all worth it; plus, I think you're one of the very few girls who I've met that actually has no interest in dressing up for Halloween. Why is that?" I asked with raised eyebrows.

Y/N shrugged and said, "I don't know, I guess I never understood the point of it," Y/N said before quickly glancing at me as she said, "Even when I was still in pre-school, my mom would tell me that Shawn and Ally would dress me up because I didn't know what I wanted to be," She said in one breath, a small smile appearing on her lips as the faint memories of her childhood crossed her mind before she added, "Can't believe I let them dress me up as Clifford The Big Red Dog though." Y/N chuckled out, making me laugh loudly as the image of that crossed my mind.

"Oh my God, I hope your mom has a photo of that." I teased, earning a slight nudge from the team captain.

Y/N gave me a playful glare as she said, "Now you've given me a reason to burn those photos."

I gasped at her and feigned offense as I said, "I'm offended that you think I won't see them anyway because your girl, Camila Cabello has her ways." I said with a smirk, making Y/N look at me with an amused smile as she pulled her hand away and wrapped her arm around my shoulder.

"I think my girl, Camila Cabello is a little bit too over her head." Y/N teased, earning a slap on her stomach by yours truly.

I playfully rolled my eyes while playing Y/N fingers that were draped over my shoulder before I said, "I think I might ask Shawn to bring you shopping every week as a punishment now." I said while wiggling my eyebrows.

Y/N gasped and feigned shocked as she said, "You wouldn't." She said slowly and lowly.

I gave her a playful smirk as I said softly, "Don't test me, sweet cheeks." I said with a wink before looking straight ahead of, a devious smile still on my face as I felt a pair of eyes burning through the side of my face.

"Even when you're evil, I still can't be mad at you." Y/N mumbled, making me laugh lightly as I bit my bottom lip in amusement.

For the rest of the walk, I could feel eyes on me but I've got this wonderful human being next to me as a distraction and till the moment we reached Y/N's car, we were just talking about the randomest things.

Currently though, I was trying to get Y/N to tell me where she's planning to take me for our first date.

"Baby," I cooed whiningly as we got into the car and buckled our seat belts as Y/N gave me an amused grin before I added, "The date's in November! It's still October!"

Y/N switched on the engine to her car while laughing as she said, "Camila, Halloween is next week; there's only 7 days left till November." Y/N chuckled out.

I groaned before grabbing her arm, making her look at me as I pleaded, "You know how impatient I am; it's a disease!" I exaggerated, earning a playful eye roll from the team captain as I added, "So, please tell me!"

Y/N pecked the tip of my nose before shaking her head with a smug grin as she said, "Nope." And with that, she turned her head around and started to make our way to the hospital.

"Can you at least tell me what street it's on?" I pleaded hopefully, making the taller girl laugh lightly at my suggestion as she just shook her head as a response once again.

"Are you seriously suggesting that?"

I nodded my head innocently while giving her a grin but was quickly cut short when Y/N's phone vibrated in her bagpack, making the taller girl turn around and take her phone out. She unlocked it as I scooted closer and noticed  that she had received a message from her father, Rayyan.

Y/N's brows were furrowed in concentration as she scanned through the text before she replied a simple 'okay' back. As soon as Y/N put her phone down, I intertwined her fingers with mine, making the team captain give me a warm smile as I repeated the gesture and asked, "Is everything okay? Why did your father text you?" I asked, rubbing the pad of my thumbs of her knuckles.

"He just wanted me to make sure to be safe because there's been a frenzy lately at hospitals where people who can't afford the new prices of EpiPen, rob the hospital instead."  Y/N said nonchalantly, letting go of my hand momentarily to let the handbrake down so she can start driving before intertwining our hands once again.

I smiled at the gesture before asking, "Has it been happening here?"

Y/N shrugged before glancing at me with a small smile as she said, "It must be if he sent me a text reminding me to be careful." She said simply before looking ahead once again.

I hummed as I tightened my grasp in her hand as I asked, "But why a hospital? Don't pharmacies carry EpiPens too?"

"I guess hospitals just have more in stock so the robbers can take more in bulk," Y/N pointed out before adding, "It's kinda sad to watch, really."

I looked at Y/N with furrowed brows as I asked, "Why would it be sad?"

Y/N glanced at me before sighing as she said, "They're stealing because they have no choice. I'm not saying they should keep on stealing but I somehow understand why they would steal in the first place."

"And that is?"

Y/N kept her eyes locked on the road as she replied, "The price for a pack of EpiPen went from $100 to $600; that's a 500% increase and with the current economic rate, that's a lot to process," Y/N pointed out before adding, "Any low income families that need the EpiPen can't afford the new price because they need the money to survive on food, house rental, mortgage and what not," The team captain rambled, using hand gestures once in a while before gripping the steering wheel once again as she added, "I think it sucks that parents or people in general need to choose between having to buy a medicine that will save their child's life and their own when they need it or having to survive at all; I mean, how can you choose between those two?" Y/N said in one breath, her chest heaving after rambling.

I just gazed Y/N's side profile in admiration as I can feel her pouring her passion about these kind of things. That's what I always loved about her; she was smart, passionate and outspoken but then again, she was still human.

She was still scared of Pete coming after her and her family; she was scared that she might not be smart enough to get a scholarship to Harvard. Last but not least, she felt the need to make everyone happy before her and that irks me because there's rare occurrences where she would be the happiest girl in the world and God, she looked so beautiful and radiated so much positive energy but within hours if not seconds, she goes back to the girl I knew back in freshman year; broken but in tact.

I guess I stayed a little too quiet because next thing I knew, we were stopping at a red light and I could feel Y/N cupping my cheek with her free hand as she said, "Hey, you okay?" Y/N asked softly but her expression laced in worry.

I gave her a small but warm smile as I nodded slightly before saying, "I'm fine. I'm just amazed how someone like you can exist." I said above whisper, refusing to break eye contact.

"That's the same question I ask everyday when I think about you." Y/N whispered, the pad of her thumb caressing my cheek before she let go of my face and start driving once again as the traffic light turned green.

I sighed in content before saying, "I'm serious though," I started off, earning a quick glance from the team captain as I added, "I think you're one of the very few people who look at the good side of people stealing EpiPens," I chuckled out, earned an amused but small smile from Y/N as I continued saying, "I mean, obviously you don't condone that kind of behavior but when it comes to things like these, you know it can be personal," I said in one breath, my body completely facing Y/N as I finished my talking with, "Why do you do that? I mean, you know it yourself that looks can be very deceiving."

Y/N hummed softly before giving me a quick small smile as she retorted, "I'm a big believer in hearing 2 sides of the story," Y/N said softly before adding, "I mean, I can't apply the same rule to serial killers as I did with these EpiPen robbers so that's an exception," She joked, earning a soft giggle from myself as she continued saying, "But I do know every story matters." Y/N said softly with a smile. As she said that, I just sighed in content and gave her a quick peck on the lips before we continued making our way to the hospital.

5:27PM.

An hour. We've been waiting at the hospital for an hour and I'm literally on the brink of falling asleep on Y/N's shoulder.

I know you're probably thinking, 'Hey, your mom and Rayyan are working there; ask them for help' but that's the thing, we're at a different hospital because Rayyan told Y/N that they're completely packed themselves and recommended on coming here instead considering they're owned by the same company.

So unfortunately, the team captain and I have been sitting by the waiting area with parents with crying babies and people coughing or sneezing.

I stood up and stretched, gaining the attention of Y/N who was looking at me with furrowed brows as she asked, "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to get us a cup of coffee because you and I both know we're so close to falling asleep in this awful chair." I chuckled out, earning a light laugh from the team captain before she stands up in front of me.

She grabs my hands and kisses my knuckles, inevitably making my heart flutter as she says, "You stay here and wait, I'll go get us coffee."

I shook my head in disagreement before I said, "No, you need to stay here in case your name gets called-"

"Babe, we've been here for an hour and there's people before us that has been here longer than us; I doubt my name's gonna get called anytime soon." She chuckled out, making me playfully groan as I finally realize we might be here longer than I hoped for.

I crossed my arms playfully before huffing as I said, "I want a mocha." I said simply with a pout.

Y/N laughed lightly while nodding her head before she placed a chaste kiss on my forehead as she said, "Okay, I'll get you a mocha. If they do call my name and I'm not back yet, call me okay?"

I nodded with a small but warm smile before Y/N left to get us coffee as I sat down once again.

"How long have you guys been together?"

I snapped my head towards the voice, realizing that an elderly woman was giving me a warm smile as she asked the question. I returned the gesture before answering, "We've only been seeing each other quite recently but I've had my eyes on her for more than several years." I said softly, my smile widening at the thought of our relationship.

The woman gave me a big smile before saying, "I can tell she loves you by the way she looks at you," She said, making my eyes widen as I was a bit taken aback with what she said before she added, "I know because that's how my husband looked at me everyday for 53 years." She said softly.

I softened my facial expressions while giving her a warm smile as I said, "As beautiful as that sounds, I don't think she loves me the way I love her yet," I said with a slightly sad smile before I added, "I'm willing to wait though."

"Nonsense!" The elderly woman exclaimed, her eyebrows furrowed in disagreement as she added, "She may not say the words yet my dear but her eyes tell a different story," She said above whisper, scooting closer to me as she was just seated next to me before she added, "You make that girl's day a lot better."

I smiled warmly at the woman before saying,
"Actually, she makes my day a lot better," I retorted softly, earning a warm smile from the older lady as I added, "I'm not gonna lie, a few years back, she wasn't the easiest person to figure out but I guess my persistence worked out." I chuckled out, earning a light laugh from the older woman.

"From the way things look, I'd say it worked out really well for the both of you," She said with a smile before she added, "People like her are always misunderstood when in actual reality, they just need people to listen to them without interrupting once. How do I know this? Well, after living for nearly 70 years, I've met a lot of people," She chuckled out, making me giggle before she quickly added, "With that being said, I also know that when people like her fall in love, they fall hard and they prioritize you before anything else." She ended softly with a small smile.

I hummed in acknowledgement before asking, "Will they hurt me in a way though?" I asked, honestly curious of her opinion.

The lady just gave me a sad smile before saying, "Sweetheart, every love hurts; it's just how you handle it," She said softly, placing her hand on my forearm before she added, "She may hurt in the oddest way possible but your heart will still sting as bad."

"How do you think she'll hurt me?" I asked softly, my voice cracking in the end.

The elderly woman looked at me before glancing behind me, making me turn quickly as I realized Y/N was walking back with our coffee as I looked at the lady again while she said, "It's not my place to say but I think the fact that she puts you first before anything else will be the cause of it." She whispered before turning her attention back to her bible.

I heard Y/N plop down on the seat next to me as she huffed, "The coffee machine took forever," She complained, before placing our coffee on the table in front of us as she placed a hand on my shoulder saying, "Camila, are you okay?"

I immediately got out of my train of thoughts and realized that my back was facing before I quickly turned around saying, "I'm fine. Was just talking to a friend," I said with a smile before I added, "Was the coffee machine broken or something?" I said, trying to get Y/N distracted while my head was still strung on what the lady said.

As Y/N starts talking about the coffee machine, I subconsciously began to analyze what the elderly woman said. What does she mean when she said that with Y/N prioritizing me before anything else, it'll be the cause of my pain?

I mean, what could Y/N possibly do? I'd understand if Y/N cheated on me or something but anyone with their right mind knows Y/N isn't capable of doing that. Ugh, my brain hurts. Why do I have to overthink things?

"..... which is why I'm talking stuff that doesn't make sense right now because you're clearly not paying attention." The team captain ended saying, chuckling in the end while I shook my head and cleared my throat.

My cheeks redden when I realized that Y/N had caught me dazing off as I said, "Sorry, my head's just everywhere." I said above whisper, looking at my fingers as I fiddled with them.

Y/N's face was laced with worry while she cupped my cheek with her hand as she asked, "Baby, what's wrong?" She asked softly as she caressed my cheek.

I sighed heavily as I leaned into her hand before whispering, "Please don't prioritize me to the point where I get hurt," I said, my voice cracking as Y/N looked at me with worry before I continued saying, "If anything, you are as important as I am."

"Camila, where is this coming from?" Y/N asked softly, completely ignoring my request.

I groaned lightly before saying, "Promise me, Y/N." I said softly but sternly.

Y/N gave me a small but sad smile as she nodded before she said, "I promis-"

[play song now]
(Maybe We're Home - Lewis Watson)

"Give me all your EpiPens now!"

Everyone in the room snapped their heads to the yelling, and realized that there's a man in a hoodie holding out a gun towards the nurse behind the counter as he kept shouting for EpiPens.

We could hear people whimpering and crying as the sounds of baby wailing increased as well. I glanced at Y/N and noticed that her eyes were locked at the hoodie man while she protectively hides me from his sight.

"You're taking too long, lady! I want the EpiPens now or I'll start shooting!" The man yelled out threateningly, earning a few 'no' from a few people in the room.

I grabbed Y/N's shirt from the back tightly as I was obviously scared for my life. I mean, can this day get any worse?!

The lady behind the counter was crying and was frantically looking for EpiPens as she said, "W-We don't keep EpiPens in stock here," The lady stuttered out, her tear stained cheek obvious to everyone as she added, "Saint April Hospital keeps all the s-stock for us. P-Please don't shoot us." The lady begged as she cried even harder. Saint April Hospital? That's where Rayyan and my mother worked at.

"Then get them on the phone and tell them that I want all their EpiPens stock!!!" The man yelled out, making the young lady jump in fear as she quickly nodded and got on the phone quickly.

As the lady called, Y/N turned around to face me slowly as she whispered, "Get out of here and call help," She said sternly but softly, making me shake my head vigorously before she said, "Bring the others with you and let me handle this-"

"No! Are you crazy?!" I whisper yelled, grabbing onto her shirt for dear life as I added, "I am not leaving you with a man who has a fucking gun in his hand!"

"Camila, I don't want you to get hurt!" Y/N whisper yelled, her eyebrows furrowed in frustration as she continued saying, "He's not gonna hurt me-"

"How the fuck do you know that, Y/N?!" I retorted, my eyes starting to tear up as I emphasized each word with a poke to her chest before I continued saying, "I am not leaving and that's fi-"

"Who the fuck is talking right now?!" The man yelled out, probably has his body facing us as Y/N closed her eyes in frustration before turning to face him as I hid behind her back while yelled out, "What the fuck do you think you're doing, kid?!"

Y/N sighed heavily before walking towards the man, her hands up in the air while my hands were still clinging onto her back as she said, "Why don't you let these people go and take me as hostage?" Y/N offered nonchalantly.

I was about to go against that but the man responded first before I could even say anything, "And why the fuck would I do that?!"

"Because my father works at Saint April Hospital and I can get you your EpiPens but only if you let the rest go." Y/N said calmly but her voice was shaky and I could feel her body tremble.

What the actual fuck.

I can hear the man breathing heavily as he was probably considering the team captain's suggestion. He shuffled closer towards Y/N as he said, "I'm willing to do that but I'm not letting you go until I get those EpiPens, you hear me?!" The man yelled out, his gun right in front of Y/N's face.

Y/N gulped before nodding her head vigorously as she slowly turned to me and placed both her hands on my shoulder, "Leave with everyone else and get help."

I shook my head as tears started to fall down while I can hear some people already leaving the room before I said, "I'm not leaving you here! You promise-"

"Damn it, Camila! It's always gonna be you before me! Don't you get that?!" Y/N said frustratingly, her eyes glassy before she pushed me towards the elderly woman who was waiting for me by the door saying, "Now go and get help; I'll call Rayyan so he can bring the EpiPens here."

I quickly grabbed Y/N by her nape as I rested my forehead against her, "Please don't do this," I whispered, my voice cracking through out the sentence as my tears wouldn't stop falling, "Just let me stay here with you so I'll know that you're safe," I pleaded before quickly adding, "I don't know what to do if something were to happen to you; please."

Y/N's tears began to fall as she placed a kiss on my forehead, lingering there for a while before she mumbled against my skin, "You before me, Camila; you before me." She whispered before she pushed me completely in the arms of the elderly woman who was pulling me away while I screamed for the team captain.

"Y/N!! Don't do this, please!!" I cried out, trying to wiggle my way out of the woman's arms as she hugged me tighter while walking further and further away from where Y/N was.

The last thing I saw was Y/N giving me a sad smile as everything around me turned black.
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A/N ↠ :) How's everyone's day going? Good?

Anyways, if you're enjoying the book so far, please comment, vote and follow my profile as I'd appreciate it very much!

Till next time! -Ash