Caught (Camren)

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I slammed the door to my dad's car firmly behind me as I stepped into the crisp fall air of North Carolina. I stared at the brick buildings that made up the campus of University of North Carolina at Wilmington. I felt small in comparison to the sheer size of the school. I felt insignificant without Lauren's hand in mine. She made me feel larger than life- brave and unconquerable. I constantly reminded myself that I was doing this for her. I was there to make something of myself.

"Camila, could you help?" my dad groaned.

I took a deep breath and stepped around to the trunk of the car. I lifted half of the boxes off the stack he was carrying and waited for him to shut the trunk. I didn't have all of my belongings- just the basics that could get me through the first few weeks until I could return home and retrieve more. He nodded towards the dorms and I started forward, inching closer and closer to the point of no return with each step. We'd discussed my repercussions in the event that I decided to return to Florida on the ride there. My father had told me that once I was moved in, I was there for good. It didn't seem like that big of a deal at the time- how hard would it be to travel back home for a day or two?- but now that I was actually standing in front of the school, the idea that this would be my home for the next four years was really beginning to hit me hard. I kicked open the door to the dorms and found my way up the stairs and down the hall to room "213," my dad close behind the entire time. I fished my laminate out of my back pocket and slid the key into the lock, pushing the door open with my foot and feeling the warmth from the heater as I stepped inside.

"Camila, is that you?" a familiar voice called.

Sam, of course. I'd almost forgotten about her. She shot off of her bunk and sprinted over to me, wrapping me up in her arms and squeezing me tightly.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"Moving in," I answered simply.

"School's already been in for two weeks."

"I know," I acknowledged. "I had some...obstacles in my way."

She smiled in response and took the boxes from my hands. My side of the room was still empty, cold, and barren. The bed was neatly made in plain white sheets. I didn't see how a place so plain could be comfortable to me after my pillow had been Lauren's chest and my blanket had been her arms for so long.

"Well, that's everything," my dad announced, clearing his throat from the doorway.

He sat the boxes he was carrying on the floor in the entryway and stuffed his hands into his pockets.

"Thanks," I said simply.

"Yeah," he nodded. "I'm...uh, I'm proud of you, Mila. Call me if you need anything."

Then he was out the door, headed back to the car that would carry him ten hours away from me. My whole life was ten hours away from me- my old one. This was my new life, at least for the time being, and I had to keep a clear head if I expected to get very far. Sam rummaged through one of my boxes just to ease the silence between us. I watched her, feeling incredibly uncomfortable to be in her presence after being away from her for nearly a month.

"So, what are you doing here?" she asked again.

"I told you, I'm moving in."

"No, I know, but what are you doing in school?" she clarified. "Why are you back all of a sudden? I didn't think you'd ever return."

"My dad talked me into coming back," I explained, skillfully avoiding the more technical aspects.

"But, why'd you leave in the first place?"