Hands to my self

Chapter 8

I drove fast through the streets of L.A., because I know that if I'm late, Zach will kill me. My friend called me in the afternoon asking to have dinner with me at his house, probably to ask me about being arrested. Zach was less strict than Dinah and Ally. Zach and James lived in a condominium that was 40 minutes from my house, so I wouldn't take long to get there. The doorman greets me by name, used to seeing me around. It's a 10-story climb to my favorite guys apartment. It's James who answers the door.

- Lauren! - He greets me and soon I'm stuck in a bear hug. James is a very strong man, he trains in judo, so his body is built, which I'm sure pleases Zach. On top of that, he is blond. James is a very attractive man if you're into men.

- What's up, blonde! - I mess with his hair and he give me a big smile.I enter the apartment, seeing several children's toys, diapers, and a delicious smell it's steaks. - Are you making steaks? I'm completely in love with steak.

- Yes. You deserve to relax.

- Speaking of Zach, where is he? - I sit on the couch, stretching my feet on top of the coffee table.

- He's with Amber in there. - James starts peeling some onions, concentrated.

- How is my goddaughter?

- All right. She has now caught the usual craze that when Zach says something to her she laughs. - He looks proud, and I smile. Amber was our little treasure.

- Look if it isn't our delinquent aunt, Amber! - Zach shows up in the living room with Amber only in a diaper and shy smile. I get closer and Amber sees me, stretching her arms so I can grab her.

- Hi, bear. - I say as I kiss Zach on the cheek, picking up Amber. - Hi, my beautiful. - Amber gives me a toothless smile.

- How are you? - Zach rubs his tangles his hands through his hair, which were dirty with talcum powder (he can never change Amber without getting dirty). James is now frying the onions, and I wonder how tasty they will be with the steak. I sit down too, playing with Amber's little fingers.

- I'm fine, in the best possible way. I've been promoted.

- Really? Did that devil disguised as Drake finally do something good? - My friend has a big dislike with my boss, who according to him, exploited me a lot.

- Well... - I think about it, it was not exactly Drake, but Camila, but I can't talk about her because of the contract. - It was. Now I help him command scenes.

- You must be loving it, right? Thank you, love. - He thanks James, who had brought us glasses of wine. - To be able to do what I always dreamed of and  be able to boss Cabello.

Zach laughs out loud, and I disguise it with a fake laugh. If my friend knew that I would boss Camila in other ways. Camila... I sigh when I think of her and her invitation to go see her. - Yeah. It's kind of cool. I don't need to clean the floor or make coffee for anyone. They put a boy in my place.

- Speaking of Camila. What was that shit you did about breaking into her house? - Zach laughs, and James laughs along. They would never criticize me.

- They made a mail delivery at her house and since she wasn't home they brought it to set, and I just grabbed the address. Since I  wanted to get to know where she lives at.

- That's right. And you ended up in prison because of that. - James sits next to us, intertwining his hands with Zach, staring at me. Amber had already decided that pulling my hair was a cool thing.

- Laur has changed, love? - James asks, and the two begin to look at me.

- That's true. I didn't even realize you took off your glasses. Why? And you dyed your hair too, at last. - Zach rubs his hands through my hair.

- I decided to put on contacts. Change a little.

- Ummm, I don't know. For me you did it because of a woman. - James laughs loudly, getting up and going to the kitchen.

- Maybe. - I say vague, and he widens his eyes.

- Are you kidding me? Really?

Shit. I said to much, and now Zach was going to bother me until he found out who it was, and it was out of the question to talk about Camila. Think fast, Lauren. - Yes. Ahhhh... her name is Normani. And I met her at Barney's. I went to look at some clothes.

James screams from the kitchen, celebrating, and Amber gets scared. Zach jumps off the couch, and does some kind of dance.

- Finally you showed interest in a woman, apart from Cabello. And you've already had sex? - "Yes," I think, "but it wasn't exactly with Normani."

- No. We only had dinner yesterday.

- That's cool, bear. I'm happy for you.

I smile lightly at him. When we were 18 years old, me, Zach, Dinah and Ally came to live here. We are all from Florida and we came to go to college. My three friends were already set for life, and I was the only single one with no idea of my future. James soon serves us dinner, and I enjoy my steak platter he made. James was an excellent cook. Zach spends all his time questioning me about Normani and talking about my arrest.

I need to talk to Camila about this. I think she can ask Normani to go out with me one day, just to please my friends.

Soon it's time for me to leave, since I decided to spend time with Ally today, watching some movie, because Dinah had to travel to Miami, our home town to visit a sick aunt. I wanted to spend time with Ally, since with Dinah home it was impossible.

- Bye, my beautiful. - I give a delicate kiss to Amber's head, who slept on James' lap as he caress her tiny face. Zach hugs me and kisses me on the cheek.

- Take care, okay? Don't break into anyone else's house, and bring Normani to meet me. - I confirm with my head and leave. - And Lauren... - I turn towards him. - I'm very proud of you.

I had the best friend in the world.

(...)

Ally laid in between my legs, while I caressed her dark hair. We were watching Titanic, the short girl's favorite movie, and we had already filled our belly with popcorn and candy. I felt it was going to explode, and I remember Normani saying that I would have to keep my body in shape. Sorry. Ally wanted as much information from me about Normani, since Zach decided to call her when I left and told her everything.

- But do you like her? - The brunette questions me, stopping the movie and looking at me. Sigh.

- I think so. It's confusing. I'm confused. I think I care for her, and a fascination for finding out more about her, understanding some things. -Suddenly I'm not talking about Normani, but about Camila. Because that's how I felt about her. Extremely confused, wanting to find out more about her. More than the magazines stored in my room said.

- Is she really that hard to understand? - Ally caresses my hands.

- It's not just that... I feel like I know very little. Look, Allycat, I'm going to sleep, okay? I have a lot of work tomorrow in the studio now that I've been promoted. You don't mind watching the end of the movie alone, do you?

- Of course not, Laur. You've already done a lot. Congratulations again on the promotion, director. - Just kidding.

- Thanks. Good night

That night I knew that the only thing that would be in my dreams would be a Latina with sad brown eyes, and an misunderstood soul.