phoenix academy for extraordinary girls (camren/norminah) ➸ unfinished fic

chapter 8

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Lauren can't sleep.

She can't stop thinking about Camila. It's so weird. She's always been so used to reading people within a second. But Camila is different. Because Camila is the only person Lauren's ever met that doesn't have an aura. And it scares her, yet intrigues her at the same time.

But Lauren's basically ruined all her chances of ever being on Camila's good side. Because she sat on her. She literally sat on her.

Dinah's fast asleep on the other side of the room, with one leg hanging off the bed and her hair sprawled all over the place.

Lauren hates when she can't fall asleep right away. Her thoughts start to cycle around and around in circles, pulling her deeper and deeper into a vortex of insomnia.

When two hours pass and she still finds herself staring aimlessly into darkness, she gives up. The green eyed girl retrieves Dylan's letterman jacket from the hooks by the door and tugs it over her shoulders. It smells like home, which makes her feel even worse.

The air is even colder at night, and she hugs her arms around her torso to keep herself warm. It's so windy that she has to keep her head down to keep her eyes protected. She's not even sure where she's going, she's just trying to clear her head.

After a few minutes of walking, Lauren finds herself running into someone and stumbling backwards. She nearly falls flat on her ass but a hand reaches out and grabs her before she does.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry, I didn't even see you there," Lauren apologizes to the mystery stranger, becoming exasperated.

"Is it cause' I'm black?"

"What?" Lauren tilts her head to the side and squints her eyes to try and see who she's talking to. When she realizes who it is, she quickly shakes her head. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean t—,"

"Forget it," Normani sighs, brushing her hands off on her pajama pants and looking the girl up and down. "What are you even doing out here?"

"I-I couldn't sleep," Lauren stutters. "What are y—?"

She's suddenly cut off by a hand clamping over her mouth. Normani pulls her into the nearest building, quickly pulling the door shut behind them. Confused, Lauren shoves the girl off of her.

"What the hell?" she hisses, glaring at the dark skinned girl.

"Shh," Normani holds up a hand, threatening to cover her mouth once again. Lauren suddenly hears the clicking of heels against the walkway, and realizes what just happened.

"God you're annoying," Normani mumbles, shaking her head. "I was actually trying to help you."

"Well sorry I don't exactly trust you after you decide that you hate me for some unknown reason," Lauren mutters under her breath, grabbing the doorknob. She plans on storming out, but when the door doesn't budge, she feels her stomach drop.

"What?" Normani hisses, moving Lauren out of the way and trying to turn the doorknob. It's stuck.

"Great," Lauren huffs, sliding down against the wall and groaning. Normani refuses to give up, though. She kicks the bottom of the door, trying anything to get the lock unstuck.

"Where even are we?" Normani mutters, feeling around on the wall for a light switch. Moments later, the room is dimly illuminated by a single lightbulb. They're in a storage shed.

"You've got to be kidding me," Normani kicks the bottom of the door in frustration before sitting down against the wall and letting her head fall into her hands. "This is all your fault."