You Had Me At Hello (Texting Story/Camren)

Fourteen

Lauren felt her phone buzz in the palm of her hand as she gripped it on top of her lap. A smile on her face appeared as she read the text message.

Camila [5:38 pm]: I'm busy at work but I just had to text you because I can't stop thinking about you :)

"Is that Camila?" Normani asked as she sat on the couch next to Lauren.

Lauren scooted to the left to give the other girl some room, her phone still having her undivided attention.

"Maybe," Lauren answered. "Is it that obvious?"

"Yes," Ally answered as she poured the bag of popcorn into a bowl. "Mani and I noticed how a smile always forms on your face when you get a text from Camila."

The three girls decided to have a laid-back night tonight. They often did this in college, binge-watching Netflix and eating an assortment of food. The only thing different now is that they have their own places. Tonight, they decided to spend their night at Lauren's apartment.

"She's just... I don't know," Lauren started, pausing as she tried to find the correct adjective to describe Camila. "Camila's funny."

"Hey, we're funny too, but I doubt you smile that big when you see a text message from us," Normani replied.

"Okay fine. She's more than funny," Lauren admitted. "She has this thing about her that I don't even know how to explain," she added, somewhat irritated that she could not describe as to why Camila had a certain effect on her.

"Lo, you realize you've been texting her nonstop for about a month now right?" Ally asked in a concerned tone. "Don't you want more than just a connection over text messages"

"Well we talk on the phone sometimes and the other day we Skyped," Lauren answered, smiling at the thought of when she and Camila video chatted all night last Saturday.

Ally finished pouring liquid butter onto the popcorn as she grabbed three bottles of beer from the refrigerator and placed it on a tray to bring to the other girls.

"I mean, don't you want to go spend time with her?" Ally countered, as she sat down beside Normani, "like in person?"

"Yeah I would, but Camila is in New York and well, I'm here in Florida," Lauren answered.

"I thought you said that Camila visits here to see Dinah sometimes?" Normani asked.

"She does, but she mainly comes for work. I'm not so sure if she would actually buy a plane ticket just to see me," Lauren laughed.

"You should ask her," Ally suggested. "Maybe play it off as a joke and see how she reacts."

"Oh my gosh yeah!" Normani agreed enthusiastically, "and that way if she says no, you can just say that you were only joking."

"You guys are crazy," Lauren chuckled as she tried to find a movie on Netflix.

"We might be a little crazy, but you're crazier than us when it comes to Camila," Normani teased.

"That's because you haven't met her yet," Lauren pointed out.

The girls settled on watching The Vampire Diaries; a show that the three usually agreed upon when they couldn't decide on any other shows or movies to watch.

"When are you gonna introduce us to your girlfriend?" Ally asked as she turned her body to face Lauren.

"She's not my girlfriend," Lauren answered lightly.

"Not yet," Normani said, giving Lauren a suggestive look as Ally did the same.

Lauren rolled her eyes playfully and tried to watch what was on the screen, but the two other girls remained giving her a look, waiting for a response.

"What?" Lauren finally asked.

"You're not denying that Camila might be your girlfriend?" Ally asked, "I mean not yet anyway."

"I don't know. Guys I haven't even met her in person yet. For all I know, she could be a completely different girl from who I speak to on the phone," Lauren said honestly.

"I don't think so," Normani interjected. "I mean she doesn't seem like she would be a bad person. She did save you from possible perverts at the club and she even took you home safely."

Although Lauren knew that Normani was right, she couldn't help but chuckle to herself when the other girl spoke of Camila saving her from possible perverts as it sounded quite ironic. In fact, Lauren thought that Camila could be such a pervert sometimes, but of course, she also thought that Camila's suggestive comments were hilarious and light-hearted.

Ally raised a finger before beginning to speak. "Most people would've taken advantage of the state you were in, Lo."

"Okay so maybe she's not a bad person," Lauren began. "But that doesn't mean that we'll connect in person like we do through text."

"What's the difference?" Normani probed.

"I don't know. What if she's a completely different person in real life?"

"Lauren, this is real life," Ally informed her in a joking manner.

"Okay, you know what I mean," Lauren said. "Like okay let's say I did meet up with Camila. What if she expects me to be this great girl and I just present her with this?" she added, gesturing to herself.

"So, you're worried about what Camila will think of you more than what you'll think of her?" Normani asked.

"I guess," Lauren answered honestly. "I just don't want her to have high expectations of me and end up being disappointed."

"Oh Lauren," Ally said sympathetically. "Camila met you when you were wasted. Like really wasted. So if she wanted to know more about you after that, then I'm sure she'll gladly want to know more about you in person and not just through the screen."

Lauren got up from her position as she made her way in the kitchen.

"I don't know guys. I think I should give it more thought," Lauren said, searching for another beer in the fridge.

Not realizing it, Lauren had left her phone on the couch. Normani and Ally exchanged glances before agreeing in silence as the darker girl picked up the phone and began to text Camila.

Lauren [6:34 pm]: Hey so when are you coming back to Miami? I would really like to see you.

Lauren made her way back to the living room and found her two friends giggling with her phone in Normani's hand.

"What are you guys doing?!" Lauren exclaimed.

"Helping you out," Normani chuckled as Lauren snatched the phone from her hands and read the text message.

"Oh my god! You guys did not just...," Lauren said before seeing the three little dots under the messaging app, indicating that Camila was typing.