there's a big old moon shining down at night

Chapter 2

As it turns out, Camila is fully capable of warming to small-town life when Lauren Jauregui is involved.

Over the next few weeks, Camila socializes more than she has in her entire life. She's introduced to Lauren's friends slowly – first Louis, James, Veronica and Nerdy, and then later in the week she's officially introduced to Taylor when she runs into the two of them at the grocery store. The older Jauregui is friendly and seems genuinely curious about her sister's new acquaintance, but she definitely gives Camila's outfit a pointed once-over.

And, Camila can admit, she does stand out. She's always dressed the way she was expected to – high femme fatale, designer dresses and tailored pants, silk and cashmere and heels no less than 5 inches. It helped her blend in in the world of business, gave her authority in the boardroom, but here it just makes her feel ostentatious. And besides, part of her yearns to exist in something comfortable for the first time since before boarding school.

Besides the Wal-Mart almost an hour away, everyone in town seems to get their clothes from one shop, so after 4 weeks in Slave Lake Camila finally takes a look.

A tiny bell chimes as she pushes the door, and Camila startles when it seems to collide with something before it can open fully. A rack of sweaters seems to be the culprit, and as the door swings shut behind her, Camila can see why.

It's the single most crowded shop she's ever seen. Camila has driven past the storefront, with its slightly crooked sign reading "Dreamy Dress", a hundred times - and judging by the amount of denim and flannel she sees on a regular basis here, she expected the selection to be sparse. What she finds instead is a store that's a riot of colour. It more resembles an overfilled vintage store than anything else, with only a small section for practical work-clothes of the type she usually sees Lauren in.

While Camila is still processing the surprising interior, a light voice chimes out through the quiet.

"Hiya! Can I help you with anything?"

The girl that ducks out from behind a rack of jeans is younger than Camila was expecting – she can't be much older than 25, with bright eyes and a sweet smile and a little bit of powdered sugar on her chin. Camila finds herself warming to the girl immediately.

"No, I'm just looking. Thank you, though," Camila says, and the girl nods, taking another bite of her donut.

"Just let me know!" she says, her mouth still slightly occupied, and Camila chuckles to herself as the girl disappears again.

The girl reminds her, strangely, of Lauren.

Thumbing through the cramped rows of clothes, Camila is surprised at the quality of the things on display. Some labels she recognizes, others she doesn't, and some things have no brand at all – when Camila pulls out an appealing jacket and scarf combination, she can't find a brand tag anywhere.

"The prices are attached to the sleeves," the girl says helpfully from somewhere behind Camila, and she turns around to see her folding shirts. She offers a friendly smile, and Camila holds the jacket and scarf up.

"I was actually looking for the brand," she says, and Normani frowns.

"Oh! Well, that one's mine."

Camila blinks, looking at the jacket again. It's a light brown suede, well-tailored and fitted, with a soft teal scarf attached, and if the girl hadn't said so, Camila would never have thought it was made by hand.

"You made this?" Camila asks, and the girl nods a little bashfully.

"Yep! I have a little workshop upstairs. Some stuff people donate, some stuff I get from eBay, and I fix it all up and sell it – or, I make it myself. Like that one." She says it with the air of someone who is proud of their work but doesn't want to brag, and Camila warms to her even more.