Signs

Chapter 6

Camila didn't hear from Lauren the next day.

At work on Monday, Camila kept sneaking glances, over her shoulder, at the door. It was nearing lunch time and she was hoping Lauren would stop by.

"You know, you could at least try and be less obvious," Dinah whispered, wheeling her chair over to Camila's desk. Camila, who was glancing at the door again, jumped, spinning back around in her chair. She gave Dinah an innocent look, pretending to not know what he was talking about.

"Oh come on Camila, you haven't taken your eyes off the door since we opened," he said, rolling his eyes. "You wouldn't happen to be waiting for a certain CEO to stop by, would you?" she asked innocently.

'How do you know about Lauren?' she signed back as her cheeks turned pink.

Dinah laughed, "Aside from the fact that she's been in here every couple of days for the past three weeks? Sofi told me." Camila sighed, of course Sofi would have mentioned it, especially because Dinah worked at the library too.

'Dinah, have you been gossiping with my sister again' Camila signed back, raising her eyebrows.

"Well, I mean, I wouldn't call it gossiping, but she did mention Lauren at the bar the other night and we might have ... yeah, we were gossiping," Dinah rambled, a sheepish smile on her face. Camila rolled her eyes, smiling at her to show that she didn't mind.

Dinah's eyebrows shot up, looking at something behind Camila. "Incoming," she said, rolling his chair back over to his desk. Camila gave Dinah a puzzled look, before spinning her chair around to see Lauren walking in.

"Camila, hi!" Lauren said quietly, not wanting to disturb the other people in the library. She dumped some of the books she was carrying into the return slot before making her way over to the front counter.

"So, I thought I'd come and see you instead of texting you about drinks," Lauren said, leaning forward on the counter. She was wearing a dress that showed off her collarbones, and other assets. Camila tried not to look down, feeling her cheeks turn pink as she smiled at Lauren. She could see Dinah staring at them both from out of the corner of her eye.

'I'm free any night this week, what day's good for you?' Camila wrote down on a spare sheet of paper. Lauren tilted her head, looking up at the ceiling as she thought. Camila stared at the white expanse of Lauren's throat, her gaze moving upwards to the sharp line of her jaw, and then further up to Lauren's lips that were pressed together. Camila quickly looked down at the piece of paper in her hands, trying to hide her flushed face.

"How does Friday night sound to you?" Lauren asked, oblivious to Camila's straying thoughts. Camila nodded, writing down a reply.

'Sounds great, do you have anywhere in mind?'

"There's a bar on thirty-first street I've been dying to check out, I've heard it's really good," Lauren suggested, waiting for Camila's reply. Camila nodded again, smiling at Lauren.

"Perfect," Lauren grinned at Camila, "I'm just going to go and find some new books, any suggestions?"

Camila held up the paper again, with Harry Potter scrawled underneath her last reply. Lauren quietly laughed, "Harry Potter? Aren't they for children?"

Camila gave Lauren a look of mock outrage, quickly writing down another reply.

'Harry Potter is for everyone! I can't believe you haven't read them before'

Lauren held her hands up in a defensive gesture, "Okay, okay, Harry Potter it is, I'll be back in a second." Camila watched her wander off in search of the books. The sound of someone clearing their throat made Camila jump.

She turned to look at Dinah. "Harry Potter. Really?" she whispered to Camila. She shrugged her shoulders, her face flushing. "Oh man, you've got it bad," Dinah laughed, making Camila's face turn even redder. She pretended to ignore her.

Lauren walked back over with the first three Harry Potter books held close to her chest. "Here we go, three Harry Potter books," Lauren announced as she planted the books down on the counter, "and I'd like to check out these ASL books again," she said, sliding forward the two books she hadn't returned.

After Camila scanned all of the books they said their goodbyes, both hoping Friday came around quickly.

That night, Sofi invited Camila over to her apartment for Chinese food with her and Maggie. Camila picked up the food on the way and made her way over to Sofi's place.

They were halfway through their food, with Camila hogging the pot stickers, when her phone vibrated. She picked it up, finding a text from Lauren.

I was wrong and I can't believe I've lived my whole life without reading these books.

Camila smiled down at her screen, her phone buzzing again as another message came through.

Also the bar on 31st is called The Pen, shall we meet there at 7?

Camila text back her approval, looking back up as she put her phone back down. Sofi and Maggie both had their chopsticks raised halfway to their mouths, with identical raised eyebrows.

"What's got you all flustered, Cabello?" Maggie asked, a sly grin spreading across her face, "or should I say who?" Camila turned bright red, picking up another pot sticker so she could keep her hands busy.

'Just making plans to hang out with a friend' she signed back after she finished eating.

"A friend huh?" Sofi questioned, "It's clearly not Dinah, and James and Normani aren't in town, so what other friend is this?" Camila let out a deep sigh, clearly they knew she was messaging Lauren.

'Lauren and I are going for drinks on Friday, after work' Camila informed them, slowly signing so Maggie could keep up.

"Drinks?" Sofi echoed.

"You do realize that's a date right?" Maggie chimed in.

Camila protested, gesturing widely with her hands.

'It's not a date, it's just, I don't know, it's just drinks' Camila signed back, feeling her cheeks turn pink as she said it. Sofi and Maggie dropped the topic, not wanting to embarrass Camila.

"You do like her though right? I'm just checking," Maggie asked curiously. Camila nodded in reply.

"Like as in like like," Sofi elaborated. Camila rolled her eyes at them both.

'Yes as in like like, but I think she needs a friend right now more than anything else' Camila signed back, thinking about how Lauren's face always lit up when she was around Camila.

Camila knew that she would do anything to keep making Lauren smile.