Unconscious Beauty (Camren)

Chapter 14

Lauren stepped out her car slowly, throwing her hood up to protect herself from the rain. Since she woke up to the sound of thunder the day had sad written all over it. After scavenging through her clean clothes she had only found a dull grey hoodie and worn black jeans. Her phone never buzzed with a response from her text last night even though it had been read. She had even texted Camila good morning and she didn't get anything in return, which was odd because Camila always made sure to reply. Taking the extra step Lauren called her before entering her car, just in case Camila was sick or hurt.

Now walking towards Ally and Dinah with the cold pouring rain seeping through her sweatshirt into her hair and skin the lingering depressing feeling seemed to make her feel heavier. As if the air she breathed in was a weight on her body, something just didn't feel right. "Where's Camila?" She asked the girls, squinting after a raindrop hit her eye

"I'm not sure," Dinah offered,"she wasn't on the bus."

"Yeah, I haven't seen her," Ally added into the conversation. Desperately clinging onto the soaked material of her sweater.

"She didn't answer my call or my texts," Lauren frowned, removing her glasses to wipe the water off of them. "I don't know I'm thinking to much, today just feels sad I guess."

"Yeah, this weather is putting a damper on my mood, I can't even feel my fingers," Ally frowned stretching her small hands and blowing into them.

"Rain I can deal with, cold rain I can not," Dinah muttered,"it's ruining my hair too."

"Usually I'm a morning person but on days like this I hate the world," Ally mumbled wringing out the wet material of her clothing.

When the teachers opened the door the girls cheered and tried not to get trampled on their way inside. Ally and Dinah pulled Lauren into the nearest bathroom with them while they dug through their bags and pulled out fresh, dry sweatshirts and slipped them on over their heads."Aren't you going to change?" Dinah asked, content in the warm material.

"I'll save mine for when I really need it," Lauren shrugged, fixing her hair in the mirror,"I'm not that cold."

"How?" Dinah questioned in disbelief,

"I'm just not, we're inside now anyway," Lauren stepped in front of the dryer,"plus I can easily dry my hoodie here."

"You're so weird," Ally said under her breath,"we should go to our lockers."

"Yeah, first period starts in three minutes," Lauren confirmed looking at her phone, Camila still hadn't responded. Holding open the door for her friends she said goodbye. Ally nodded and Dinah reassured her that she'd tell her if she saw Camila.

With the squeaking of her shoes against the mostly empty hallways she hung her head and walked to her locker. She wondered if she was being delusional for worrying about the brown eyed girl so much. 'Maybe she just wanted a day off,' Lauren thought pulling damp notebooks out of her bag. Then she thought of worst case scenarios like Camila being in the hospital or being kidnapped by Julius. Shaking her head to rid her thoughts she gathered the necessary books in her arms and kicked her locker shut, it was dented anyways. Continuing her journey through the hall riddled with puddles she couldn't help but look through the music room window to see if Camila had come to school early like she had over a week ago. With disappointment she looked down, maybe the day just felt sad because Camila wasn't in it yet. The ray of sunshine hadn't shone through the dreary dark clouds. Finally reaching the biology room she walked through the open door and sat at her desk.

Her teacher came in and announced that today they were doing a dissection. 'Nothing brightens up a day like dissecting dead animals,' Lauren mused to herself. After 15 minutes ticked by on the clock and half of a notebook page was filled with the anatomy of the 'wild and majestic frog' as her teacher put it. Lauren felt her phone vibrate against her back pocket, looking around she surveyed her chances of getting caught. Mrs. Mulligan was turned against the board and everyone was furiously writing notes. She decided to click the power button and saw a text from Dinah. After swiping the screen she wondered how Dinah got her number in the first place.