Bad Intentions

6

Lauren

"So you really do like her, huh," Dinah sighs.

"Dinah... Just please don't tell anyone, okay? You know how much I trust you."

"Of course, Lolo. It's just..." Dinah takes a deep breath before saying her next sentence. "I don't think Mila is, well, ready. I... I don't think she's right for you."

"What do you mean?" I'm genuinely confused. Sure, Camila does have tattoos covering every inch of her skin and she does come off as a little intimidating at first, but I know she isn't bad. She's not like what she seems to be like at all. I personally think she is right for me.

"Look, Laur. There are a lot of things you don't know about her yet, and... I think you need to get to know her as a friend a little more and reevaluate these feelings. She's, well, she's had a bit of a rough past."

"What? What happened to her?" I ask, alarmed.

"That's not my place to tell you, Lo. That's why you need to know her better as a friend first. You need to properly gain her trust. You only started hanging out today, and no one knows you better than I do," Dinah says, raising an eyebrow knowingly.

As much as I hate to admit it, it is true. Dinah always knows what's best for me. But I still don't get what she's trying to tell me about Camila.

"But what's so bad about her? I've only known her for a day and I can already tell how great she is..." I protest.

"Oh, no, Lauren, Mila isn't a bad person. She herself isn't bad, but... she's got some bad intentions. You don't know her well enough yet. Even if she did like you in that way, the relationship you guys would have, well... it wouldn't be the type you'd be expecting."

"Dinah, you're really confusing me here."

"I know, I know. I wish I could tell you everything, but I just can't. That's for Mila to tell you," Dinah murmurs. We're both sprawled on her couch, with my head resting on her chest while she plays with my hair.

"Alrighttttt, how about we watch some Netflix?" Dinah smiles at me sympathetically, trying to brighten up my mood a little. I just nod sadly. What Dinah's saying is probably right because she's always right, but I wish I just knew what she was talking about when she brought up Camila's "rough past". And what did she mean about Camila being a good person with bad intentions? That just didn't make any sense. Maybe it has something to do with why Camila was so hesitant when I asked her if I was going to see her again.

Dinah puts on The Lion King, knowing that movie always cheers me up. But it doesn't work, not tonight. No matter how hard I try to focus on the movie and forget about Camila, my mind keeps wandering off to her. I wonder what she's doing right now at this very moment. Is she eating? Is she asleep? Is she at a party? Is she at another club?

I don't even realise when then movie ends until Dinah nudges me and I see the ending credits rolling on the screen. She yawns and then turns to me. I take out my phone and glance at the time. It's almost one in the morning.

"So... tell me about Mani. How's it been between you two?" Dinah asks me lazily.

"Mani?" I ask in surprise. I haven't given her much though at all. We have an on again and off again relationship. Right now, considering my little crush on Camila, I think our relationship is off. But Normani doesn't know that. And... deep down, I know I still have some attachments to Normani.

"She seems like... the safer option..." Dinah mumbles. I can tell she's trying hard to stay awake, but it isn't really working.

I don't reply, because I don't know how to reply. A few minutes later I can hear her snoring softly.