You and I, holding hands (Camren)

Part 4

You're all sitting in the living room after lunch, trying to decide on what movie to watch. While you're glad you're all there, you are not a happy camper.

On the three person couch, there is Normani, Sofi, and Ally, sofi holding the bowl of popcorn. And on the two person couch, the love seat - Normani had announced it, loudly, eyeing you with waggling eyebrows - are you and Lauren. You strategically placed the popcorn bowl between the two of you so no accidental touching goes down.

Which, you realize, doesn't help at all, because whenever you reach for some popcorn, so does she. When you both go for some popcorn at the same time, touching happens; a brush of fingers that sends shocks through you every time.

It was a set up and you know it was because after lunch, you were going to take your friends up to your room to talk. But Normani, in all her cleverness, suggested watching a movie to Sofi and of course Sofi agreed. And of course Sofi invited Lauren, they've gotten so close the few days they've spent together, which you're super happy about because you love your sister and Lauren is nice.

Anyway, Lauren agreed to watching a movie, Ally whooping loudly, and you just sat there giving Normani a look you feel you will continually give her until she leaves. Normani just smirked, a glint in her eyes you want to smack away, but you agreed reluctantly. as you washed the dishes with Sofi, Lauren making popcorn, Normani and Ally were in the living room plotting their master plan.

Sofi ran to the living room with her bowl of popcorn, leaving you and Lauren behind, both with adoring smiles. When you and Lauren walked into the room, the slight eyebrow waggle Normani gave you made you blush. Ally pretended to not notice the set up, looking at you two innocently.

'Ah, after you,' Lauren whispers, her hand guiding you to the love seat. You don't think you stopped blushing.

The movie is halfway through now and you didn't even know that one was even chosen. All you were focused on was Lauren sitting next to you, your hands brushing every time, and you can't bring yourself to look her way.

The room is dark and heavy, at least to you, and you swear everyone could here your heart beating, it's so loud. You look at the girls on the other couch, all enthralled in the movie, no one paying you any attention. Your hands fidgeting in your lap, nervousness making it hard to focus on anything but the girl next to you.

You kind of want to excuse yourself, to hide in your room or maybe the bathroom. But that's cowardly and you promised yourself that you'd stop being a coward. So you sit there, staring blankly at the tv, your leg bouncing bouncing bouncing.

You try to focus, on anything that will hold, focus maybe on your breathing, on calming your heart. But then you feel a warmth on your leg, a warmth that wasn't there before, a squeeze, and you hold your breath. There's a hand on your leg that isn't yours and you let out a shaky breath when you start to feel dizzy.

It doesn't leave. Lauren's hand is on your leg, too hot too tempting, mere inches from yours. You count to ten, forward and backwards, moving your hand closer to her's. Soon the back of your hand hits her fingers and you freeze, unsure if you should push her hand away or hold it.

But the decision is made for you when she sneaks her fingers over yours, resting on top of them. You close your eyes, relishing in the feel of her fingers on top of yours. And with that, you take a chance. You flip your hand over, let her fingers slide between yours and you squeeze once.

You chance a glance at her, through the corners of your eyes and you see her blushing, the light from the tv helping you. There's a small smile on her lips, her tongue peaking out to wet them and you look away. You move your hands to the side of your leg, hiding them from view, and let out a shaky breath.

She squeezes your hand once more, maybe trying to let you know that it's okay. And you think it is even though you don't know what you're doing. But you don't let go, you don't let go until the movie finishes, until life resumes and you have to resume too.