Framed

Two.

"After the reading, we're having a movie marathon at my place. I already talked to my parents about it, and they're fine with you all staying over, since they've known you all since freshman year if not longer," Lauren told the group. Lauren also noticed the rising blush on Mani's cheeks and decided to ask her about it later.

"What about me?" Camila asked innocently, although she obviously looked deflated at not being one of the people Lauren's parents trusted to stay over with their daughter. Yes, this was her literal first day at SDHS and only her second month in San Diego, but she still wished that she could have had a close bond with Lauren like the rest of the group did. God, Camila wanted that closeness with her and so much more.

"Oh! Well, you're really nice. My parents will love you. I don't think they'll have a problem with you staying over. Not a problem. Like, if they're okay with Zayn and Larry staying over then I'm sure they'll let you stay too!" Lauren rambled, mentally kicking herself for the flow of words that she still couldn't seem to stop.

"Gee, thanks." muttered Louis.

"Really feeling the love, Jauregui," Zayn jested jokingly.

Lauren chose to ignore their gripes as Liam piped up, "What movies will we watch?"

"We shouldn't decide, silly. The thingy is a month away," Selena told the brown haired hunk.

"Forget this month," Lucy said after swallowing down a spoonful of her quinoa bowl. "What are we gonna do this week?"

"It's a nice time to go to the beach, or maybe the mall," Ariana suggested.

"The mall is boring," Zayn and Liam whined.

"No, it isn't!" Louis and Harry responded, and the four boys commenced to argue on the virtues and vices of malls while the others conversed around them.

"So, I'm assuming the beach then?"

"Don't make assumptions, Lucy," Lauren answered, jerking her eyes off of Camila to look at her childhood friend. "I'm checking the Weather App right now, and the prediction is rain for Friday night and Saturday."

"Of all the days to rain and stop this damn drought, San Diego chooses Friday and Saturday. Damn it!" Lucy grumbled as she checked her phone.

"Let's just go to a diner then. Denny's or some shit like that," Dinah suggested. "We'll eat cheap and make spur of the moment plans later. Does anyone know a good place?"

"I'll look one up and send you the address on Thursday. I've heard of two good ones in the North Park area, but one might be closed," Zayn volunteered, playfully raising his hand in the air as the bell rang to signify the end of the lunch period.

After Lunch was Art, one of the two periods tied for Lauren's favorite class of the day. She already knew that Art was a class she'd enjoy, and seeing Camila enter the Art room just shortly after she had sat down just made it that much better. Icing on the cake. The professor was a Mr. Stringer, a pretty well known muralist before he fell off a ladder trying to paint a mural of humpback whales in the Downtown area. He damaged his back to the point where the doctor desperately recommended that he stay away from high ladders for the rest of his life. And so, like many artists, writers, and shouting voices of a generation eventually do, Mr. Stringer started to teach. And he taught his students to do what he could do no longer. He taught his students to climb and journey to perilous, hostile places and amidst the odds presented against them, still manage to create. Mr. Stringer was a tall, bespectacled man, but had a kind soul, an open mind, and an innovative spirit. A Navy veteran, Stringer was the type of man who would loom over you unintentionally - the type of teacher that scared freshmen until they realized that he brought his tortoises and Labrador pup to his classes at least twice a month. He liked to play George Michael, Queen, and the Beatles during the class period just for the hell of it.