The Next Big Thing

Chapter 16

Lauren stared down at her phone, chewing anxiously on her lower lip. Camila's number stared back at her in stark black and white.

It was Saturday night, they had the next day free, she had the support of the band, and she was pretty sure Camila was into her. So why was it so hard to get up the nerve to actually call Camila and ask her out?

It had been hard enough admitting to herself that she was into Camila, let alone to the other girls. But to Camila herself? That would be tacitly admitting that her behavior had been just another form of pulling pigtails on the playground—a humiliating notion. Even if it was kind of true.

She had been biased against Camila to begin with, but the perfect pink full lips had been enough to really push Lauren over, refusing to admit that she wanted the kid who was her boss, and a reality show contestant.

So she had been a bitch to her instead, and guilt still churned within her whenever she thought about how she had treated Camila, the things she had said to her in anger.

And yet, somehow, the kid still liked her. More than liked her.

Before she could talk herself out of it, Lauren thumbed the 'call' button, reminding herself of the way Camila was wrapping her arms around Lauren as often as Lauren did to her, returning her every look, her every touch. There was nothing to be nervous about, except for the fact that she was about to ask out an soon-to-be international popstar who had already had a song on the charts, who was in some senses her boss, and who she was contractually forbidden from dating.

Other than that, though, there was absolutely nothing to worry about.

Lauren laughed humorlessly, throwing herself back on her pillows as she listened to the phone ring, half-hoping Camila wouldn't pick up.

"'Lo?"

"Hey, Cabello" Lauren said weakly.

"Lauren!" Camila enthused. "What's up? I haven't heard from you all day. I was beginning to wonder if you'd died."

Lauren's chest gave an odd sort of flutter as she realized that Camila had been missing her constant barrage of texts—even though it had been less than twenty-four hours since her last one.

"No, unfortunately for you, I'm still alive."

"Damn," Camila laughed.

"Yeah, well. Um, are you busy? Tonight?"

"Well, I was going to style my hair and paint my toenails, but I guess I can put that off until tomorrow."

Lauren chuckled. "With your looks, I don't think you need that"

Camila snorted and Lauren relaxed slightly. They got on so well. Lauren didn't believe in anything like fate, but she thought it was pretty lucky the audition all those weeks ago turned out to be for Camila and not, god forbid, Cher Lloyd or something.

"So, you want to come over, maybe?" She suggested, trying to keep her tone light.

"To your place?"

Was it her imagination, or had Camila's voice broken a bit there, a little squeak of nerves?

"Yeah, my place."

"Oh, okay. Yeah, that sounds. Okay," Camila murmured and Lauren grinned.

"So, whenever you're ready? See you in a bit?"

"Yeah, I'll try not to take forever to style my hair," Camila giggled.

Lauren looked down at her phone, unable to keep the grin from her face. "Keana!" She bellowed.