Say You Won't Let Go

The Girl With Emerald Eyes

It's 4 am and I can't sleep.

Believe me, I've tried but I can't help but feel guilty about earlier. I didn't go down for dinner so I'm starving plus I feel bad. I'm just in mental and physical pain.

I should give my dad a chance, even though he totally abandoned Mom, Sofi, and me when we were younger. He seems like he is sincerely upset about his past mistakes.

Who am I to say he doesn't deserve this second chance?

I can hear him getting ready for work downstairs, probably packing his lunch along with mine. He is such a sweet person; I can't help but fight with my emotions about if I should open up to him.

Rolling over in my bed, I groan while running my fingers through my hair. I lay sprawled out on my back, crinkling my nose up at the ceiling.

It's not just my guilt keeping me from sleeping, it's something else as well. I can't help but get this feeling of foreboding—maybe it isn't a bad feeling but I can't describe it any other way.

My chest feels compressed and I can't get in full breaths. My skin is tingling and my eyes stay wide open. I feel extremely jittery. It's like my body is preparing for something.

Giving up on fighting sleep, I hop out of bed. My short pajama shorts skim along my mid-thigh and my black shirt flows along with it. I creep out of my room, startled by the sound of meowing.

"Oh my god! You scared me, Cheesecake!" I hiss under my breath, gripping my heart as I look down at the white cat near my feet.

The cat meows as if to say 'wimp'. He stalks off into the empty bathroom.

I continue to tip-toe down the hallway, one foot at a time. It's pitch black inside the house so I can barely see around me, but I'm sure I'm heading in the right direction.

Approaching a darker area in the house which I'm 99.9 percent sure is the stairs, I grip the rail and make my way down the steps, feeling each ledge before continuing.

I'm doing pretty well until I trip over the last step, hitting the floor with a loud thud and a groan of pain from me.

"Camila?" A deep voice asks from down the hallway, alerting my senses.

"Dad..." I croak sheepishly, pointing cheerful finger guns at his silhouette from the ground. He laughs softly, offering a hand after turning on the hallway light. The brightness makes my face contort into a grimace.

"What are you doing up?" Alejandro asks after I take his hand, pulling myself back up to my feet. I brush myself off, blowing a strand of my brown hair out of my face.

I hesitate. "Feeling bad." I admit, dipping my head slightly. Alejandro just looks at me, he doesn't say anything. "Look, I'm sorry about yesterday. I had no right to act like that."

"You're right, you didn't." Alejandro assures me sternly, making me feel even worse but then he smiles softly. "But everyone makes mistakes, Camila."

"I just really wish you would of told me about your new girlfriend before inviting her over." I explain, lifting my eyes from the ground.

"Sarah isn't my girlfriend," Alejandro chuckles, shaking his head and leaving me bewildered. "She is my step-sister, better know as your aunt."

"What...?" I exhale, staring up at my father with wide eyes.

It makes sense that I wouldn't recognize her. I mean, my father did leave very early in my life and I guess I just never got the chance to meet Sarah.

"I invited her over because we needed to discuss something important."

"Discuss what?" I lift one eyebrow, curiosity seeping through my words.