Mesmerize Me

I had to pull the phone away from my ear because Kate wouldn’t stop screaming, and at this rate, I was sure I’d end up deaf. I had barely told her about the dinner and my mom’s idea when she started overflowing with excitement, as if she’d just won the lottery.“I can’t believe it! I CAN’T believe it! We’re going to the concert! Your mom said yes!”“Kate, wait—there’s a condition,” I replied cautiously. Truth was, if there were no tickets left, I had no idea how I was going to get out of this.“I know, I know, Cams, but the important thing is that she said yes. I’ll get Jacob’s ticket right now; I’m sure there are still some available. Cams, I’m so happy—I can’t handle this excitement!”«God, if there are still tickets available, it must be for a reason…»“Yes, I’d noticed,” I laughed, picturing her jumping on her bed like a five-year-old.“Thank you so much, Cami, for coming with me.”“Well, you should probably thank Jacob instead. Mom had said no.”“That’s true!” There was a brief s

Kate arrived early on Saturday, determined to turn my bedroom into a magazine-worthy fitting room. Her plan was for us to get ready together and decide on the perfect outfit. I’d already settled on my usual jeans and Converse, but with Kate there was no escape. Between her suggestions and sheer enthusiasm, she convinced me to wear dark jeans, black boots with a slight heel, a fitted blouse that highlighted my waist, and a denim jacket. She styled my hair into soft waves and applied makeup that brought out the green of my eyes, flecked with gold. Kate, meanwhile, after trying on half her suitcase, chose something much simpler: regular jeans and sneakers. The irony was obvious. When I gave her a reproachful look, she just shrugged and declared that her height worked in her favor, while mine needed “a little extra boost.” Mom and Dad had decided to go out for dinner at an Italian restaurant in the city, so the house was quiet when the doorbell rang. I went to open it, completely

The stage lights flashed in time with the drums, and the crowd screamed as if their lives depended on that song. Kate was in pure bliss, recording everything on her phone and jumping as if every chord were a gift. I let myself go along with it, even though the music wasn’t exactly my style; I preferred to look around, feel the place's vibration, the wave of energy rolling over us. I’ll admit that, for a moment, I caught the fever too. After several songs, Kate shouted in my ear, “I need to go to the bathroom!” “I’ll go with you,” I replied immediately. “Are you crazy? You have to stay and record! I’ve held it through three songs so I wouldn’t miss anything, but now I really can’t. It’s right back there,” she said, pointing about twenty yards away. “But, Kate—” “Please, Cams, stay and record. I promise I’ll be back in record time.” I hesitated. I didn’t like the idea of splitting up, but there didn’t seem to be much of a line, and I figured she’d be back quickly. I

The hospital was lit with a cold white brightness that made everything feel more urgent. The smell of disinfectant hung in the air, and every step echoed through the long, quiet corridors. The moment we walked into the emergency room, my mom rushed toward me. “Cami, how are you feeling? Does it hurt a lot? Where are you injured?” Her words tumbled over one another, as if she needed to confirm I was still whole. “I’m fine, Mom. My foot hurts, and my back a little, but I’ll be okay,” I replied, trying to sound convincing. I knew it was useless—the lecture would come anyway. Dad leaned in with a worried expression. It was my first time coming through the ER, and that alone made it unsettling for everyone. “You really scared us, kiddo. What exactly happened?” I opened my mouth to answer, but Jacob stepped in first, his calm sounding almost rehearsed. “I suppose Camila needs to learn not to wear heeled boots to a concert—especially if she plans on climbing a barrier and ju

I was grateful that Kate had come to see me earlier. She’d insisted on fixing me up a bit because, according to her, my appearance was a total mood killer: dark circles, messy hair, and a “panda bear caught in a tornado” look. She swore it would do me good to feel more put together, and although I laughed at her dramatic descriptions, in the end I had to admit she was right—and now I was genuinely grateful. I think Kate really is visionary. I took a deep breath and got out of bed. I grabbed my crutches and, before leaving the room, stopped in front of the mirror. I wasn’t entirely sure why, but I added a bit of lip gloss and ran my fingers through my loose hair. I wanted to believe it was just to feel better about myself, even though deep down I knew I was hoping someone else would notice. I went down the stairs slowly, focused on not misstepping, my pulse racing. Halfway down, as I turned to descend the last stretch, I saw him. He was there, barely two meters away, waiting fo