Habit

Chapter 27

It's the little things. People don't realize that many things, if not everything around them, is fragile. Moments are fragile. People don't know how one stare can say so much. How silence itself can say everything you need to say. You'd think that after being so convinced that you are invincible to all temptation around you because you are exactly where you need and want to be, that it'd be impossible to fall but anything can happen. Temptation is the fire that brings up the scum of the heart. Temptation never sleeps, especially not when given a perfect and open opportunity.

Lauren looked at Camila and could see her shining in every way possible. She had never seen and felt anything more capable of drawing another in, until tonight and she could stay in this moment of contentment forever, because it was safe. Safe and away from what was to come. Both girls were realistic enough to know that not everything went as one could only hope for, but neither expected to fail each other as much as they would. To let their darker sides win, and blind all the light that had come from their blossoming love. Neither expected fear and temptation to mesh together and betray them in every sense of being deceived.

Camila looked up from staring lovingly at the corsage on her wrist and met Lauren's gaze that was already so concentrated on her. Camila's lips spread in a closed-lip smile, which was interrupted by the nibbling of her lower lip that began with her teeth- an old habit of hers that never did grow old to Lauren.

Lauren's eyes dropped to the corsage and a light blush spread to her cheeks when she remembered just how hard she had worked on it, perfection was crucial to her on this night because Camila deserved that.

They both sat in the limo that Troy, Ally, Siope, Dinah, (who had tagged along since her boyfriend was good friends with the boys) Normani, and Arin were sharing with them. Everyone sported dazzling smiles, none of them anticipating any fault in tonight's events. They all looked at each other and didn't even feel the inevitable in the air. Camila felt it though. She didn't want to say anything, but there was something tugging at her inside of her stomach that made her feel a sense of suffocation in this overwhelmingly joyous vehicle.

She couldn't ruin it by speaking up though, she just told herself to relax and not over think, she told herself it was simply her nerves acting up, it was her first and only prom of course. She decided to find comfort in the girl sitting beside her, holding her hand with every bit of fragility, like a promise, a promise of keeping her safe.

But that's what promises exist for, don't they?

They exist to be broken.

Camila let herself relish in the little moments and instructed herself to step out of her mind and live in what was happening before her. She listened to the jokes that were exchanged between Dinah and her boyfriend, and let herself laugh along with everyone, and found herself smiling at the adorableness that was Ally as she fixed Troy's tie while he stared at her like she was the only other person in this world with him. Her eyes traveled around to Normani who looked like a giddy girl in middle school sitting next to her crush while Arin looked just as nervous, but happy nonetheless. Her eyes finally landed on Lauren who was deep in thought, but was still holding her hand firmly, if not, tighter.

They arrived soon after the driver took them all for a joy ride to enjoy one of their most memorable senior nights, inside one of the most desired limos in town. Ally was first to exit with Troy, they both took a deep breath, and Camila noticed the twinkle in both of their eyes, it was Ally's dream just as it was Troy's to have a magical night beside their prince/princess. Next, went Dinah and Siope who waved at everyone as if they were royalty and held their chins up high which caused the remaining four to laugh.

Then, went Normani with Arin, who both looked down at the ground with a shy smile before interlocking arms, and stepping toward the entrance with every ounce of grace, and looked perfect together. Lauren stepped out next with a wide smile on her face, Camila was almost convinced it would fall off, she noticed as people stopped to stare at her in all her glory, but their gapes were nothing compared to how far their eyebrows shot up and mouths opened when Lauren turned back inside the limo and held out her hand for Camila to take, which she did, and emerged out of the limo, looking like the angel she truly was, which shook everybody around them breathless.