off camera.

prologue

Camila kind of idolises Lauren, so when she comes to school, green eyes worried and wide, she's immediately by her side. "What is wrong?"

Lauren blinks, and meets Camila's gaze with a weak smile. "Hi, Camz. My abuela is sick, that's all. I wasn't worried, because people get sick all the time and then they're fine, but my mami and papi are really scared, and I think it might be serious."

"She'll be okay!" Camila promises her, and Lauren nods, her eyes widening in remembrance. "Is something else wrong?"

"No, I just remembered!" Lauren pulls a quarter out of the pocket of the dungarees she's wearing and holds it out to Camila. "You said you were saving up to buy a Stitch, when your parents take you to Disney. I'm so jealous, I wish I could come! But here, it's from my piggybank, for your Stitch."

Camila's stomach does that twisty thing as she takes the quarter from Lauren, wrapping her best friend in a hug. "Gracias, Lauren."

"De nada," Lauren smiles back, her sick grandmother forgotten in the midst of childlike happiness. "I hope you have fun at Disney, Camz. Will you get Mulan's autograph for me if you see the princesses?"

"Si," Camila promises, excited to meet all of the characters and promising to get Lauren as many autographs as she can. She wonders if Simba and Nala will be walking around, because she knows Lauren likes The Lion King. "I get one week off school."

"I'm jealous of that, too," Lauren pouts, "I'll miss you so much. You're my best friend, and I know I have my friends in my class, but I don't want to spend time with them, I like you more."

"We both go to Disney, un día." Camila smiles at her, deciding that when she's a big girl, she'll save up money so they can go together, no parents there to be boring. "Together."

Camila has the time of her life on all the rides at Disney, holding her parents' hand on the scarier ones, but she's brave enough to go on some rollercoasters. On their last day there, Camila asks if she can call Lauren on the phone in the hotel room, and after some debate, her parents say yes. Camila is excited to tell Lauren all about the trip, because she can't wait until school next Monday to tell her, but when Lauren's mami picks up the phone and passes it to the older Latina, she doesn't sound happy.

"You okay?" Camila questions her, and Lauren sniffles on the end of the line. "You are crying?"

"My abuela fell asleep and she didn't wake up," Lauren cries into the phone, "she died, Camz."

Camila spends half an hour on the phone, comforting Lauren, until her mami tells her she needs to hang up and go to bed. The next day, when they're finally going on the long awaited trip to the Disney shop, Camila bypasses the Stitch plush toys and tries to find a Simba for Lauren, sighing when there aren't any left on the shelf. She picks up the last stuffed Nala, because she knows that Lauren likes Nala too, and presents it to her mami.

"Didn't you want Stitch?" Sinu questions her, and Camila shakes her head. "Why not?"

"Lolo is sad, mami." Camila says, holding up Nala for emphasis. "I buy, so she happy again."

"Mija," Sinu looks down at her, and Camila doesn't really understand the look, later coming to realise just how proud her mother was of her in that moment. Her mami takes the Nala from her, and picks up a stuffed Stitch, too. "You can use your allowance to buy this lion for Lauren, and I'll get your Stitch for you for being so good."

Camila grins, thankful that she's still going to get her Stitch, and she cuddles both toys on the drive back to Miami from Orlando. She can't wait for school on Monday; she's so excited to see Lauren smile when she gives Nala to her.