yes, this is a double update! the new year's chapter will be the chapter after this (eighteen). i know it's really late but a promise is a promise (even if i have broken the first part of that promise😔 im sorry)

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Mr. Cabello arrived shortly after dinner was made. I had gotten home to get change and to fetch Aaliyah. Mrs. Cabello had invited us for dinner. Camila only told me to tell Aaliyah to wear something comfortable.

We were greeted with several mouth-watering dishes that Mrs. Cabello prepared. I could tell that Aaliyah was already planning to eat the whole line up of dishes.

Inwardly, I chuckled before greeting Mr. Cabello. "Good evening, sir."

"Please," he smiled. "Call me by my name, Alejandro, kiddo."

I smiled and nodded, "Yes, Alejandro."

I scurried to the living room afterwards where Camila and Aaliyah were watching Mean Girls. I plopped onto the couch beside them. "I still don't get how Regina is the queen bee." I commented. "Karen is obviously prettier."

"It's about power, Shawn." Aaliyah replied, not once shifting her gaze from the screen. "And Karen doesn't exactly have power."

We were interrupted when Mrs. Cabello-I mean, Sinuhe called us for dinner. At the same time, the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it!" I shouted from the living room.

"Wait!" Camila stopped me, "Aaliyah's coming with you."

Aaliyah stood up, giggling.

What on earth?

"Okay...then.", I said confusingly. What's up with them? The doorbell rang again and Aaliyah and I hurriedly opened the door.

"I'm sorry it took-"

I blinked twice to make sure I wasn't seeing things that weren't really there. "M-mom?"

I started shooting questions at her, on the spot. "Why are you here? Weren't you spending New Year's-"

"Would you mind letting me in first, hon? It's cold out here. I'd appreciate if you'd-"

"Right, of course." I opened the door wider to let her in. "Sorry, Mom, you just caught me by surprise."

She smiled, hanging her coat. "It's okay. Let's eat?"

I nodded before following her. I felt a pull on my arm. "What?"

"It's Mom." she spat.

"What about her?"

"She texted me early that she got onto an earlier flight. She told me that we'd be having dinner here." she continued, "But Camila told me that before Mom even left, her parents had already agreed-everything was already planned out. According to Camila, her flight was the day before yesterday. Sinuhe and Alejandro confirmed that. Why do you think would Mom lie?"

I proccessed the information slowly. My thoughts swirled. I couldn't think of a reason as to why Mom would lie to us. And where did she sleep for the past two days? I sighed at my sister, "I don't know."

"I do," she whispered. "I stumbled upon Mom's email the other day-"

"You didn't." I teased.

She shrugged, grinning, "I found out she's seeing someone. And they spent the holidays together. But here's where Mom didn't lie: they're co-workers. So technically, she didn't lie to us about the part that she flew because of work."

I stared at my sister unbelievably. I guess she wasn't as innocent as I thought.

"Kids," mom yelled from the dining room, interrupting us, "time to eat."

"We'll be right there!", I shouted back before whispering to Aaliyah, "We'll continue this talk later."

She nodded and we headed to the dining room. My cheeks flushed red in embarrassment as I came to the realization that they were waiting for us. "I'm sorry for making you guys wait."

"Apology accepted," Camila interjected, "Now hurry up cause I'm starving."

We all let out a laugh.

Dinner was casual and soon Alejandro had brought out some wine. "Kids, we parents outta have a talk. Why don't you go upstairs to Camila's bedroom. And even if Aaliyah's going to watch both of you, keep the door open, okay?"

Camila immediately blushed while I chuckled, "Yes, sir!" and added a mock salute before heading upstairs with Aaliyah and Camila.

Camila was leading the way and a wave of nostalgia hit me; it was so long since I last came here. Although not much have changed by appearance, a mysterious feeling still washed over me that somethings did change.

I noticed the only object in the room that appeared well, out of place. It was, I assume, to be a picture frame placed onto her bedside table-but it was covered with a white clothing.

"What's this?" I started to lift up the lid.

"Don't touch it!", they both shrieked, causing me to be caught on surprise and immediately, I retreated my hand.

Apparently, I have under estimated my sister and Camila's relationship. They were closer than they appeared to be. "Why?" I asked, "both of you know something about it."

"What?" I broke the silence around us when no one answered.

"I-it's nothing.' Camila stuttered. "Don't peek."

"If it's nothing then it should be okay for me to-"

"No," Camila spat. "there are somethings not meant for anyone else rather than yourself to know."

"And Aaliyah's an exception, then?"

She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. Typical of Camila. "Okay, fine. Let me rephrase that. There are somethings not meant for boys to know."

"Better?" Camila teased, taking the covered frame and slipping it in her drawer.

"Lock it," Aaliyah suggested.

"No," I rolled my eyes, "Don't lock it. What ever shall I do then?"

"Mind your own business, Shawn." Camila replied, doing as Aaliyah had said.

"You have roasted me more than once tonight and that's starting to scare me."

"Whatever."

"Aaliyah?" she called. "What movie should we go watch next year?"

"Definitely La La Land.", she smiled.

"I'm taking both of you to watch Passengers with me. My treat." I joined their conversation.

"Yay!" Aaliyah enveloped me into a hug. "Can we also watch Hidden Figures?"

"We can watch all the movies you'd like." I looked down at her, smiling.

Camila had gone quiet. When I turned to look at her she was staring at us and smiled before looking away. Changing the subject, she brought up some board games. "Hey Aaliyah! Let's kick Shawn's butt at Monopoly."

"Hey," I defended myself, "I'm the Monopoly king! Monopoly's my middle name, 'ya know?"

"No, it is so not." Aaliyah smirked, "It's Raul."

How many more times will I get roasted tonight? I groaned before getting my pile of cash from Camila.