Bound To You (camren au)

what i'm made of

"I know, darling." The windows are cracked just barely, and Hailee's hair is tied up in a ponytail, the wispy strands blowing around her face. Camila reaches over to brush them away. "Did you ever read- no, wait, you definitely didn't-"

"Fuck you!" Camila exclaims, but she knows she's right. "I read occasionally." Silence. "Whatever, continue."

"Did you ever watch that movie with Yara Shahidi and that guy from Riverdale?"

"Um. Yes," says Camila. "Uhhh. Sun is Also A Star?"

"That's the one." Hailee nods. "Where they ask each other the 36 questions to fall in love?"

"Yep." Camila watched that movie with Lauren, actually. Lauren had made her watch it because she was obsessed with the book (which had shocked Camila, because she thought Lauren read books just as much as Camila did- AKA, never). Lauren had liked the movie fine, but they'd talked over the whole thing, basically, so Camila's memory of it was pretty hazy.

"Well."

"Well what?" Camila prods, a smile tugging at her lips. "You wanna do that? You wanna fall in love?"

Hailee's cheeks are turning red. "I mean-" she struggles. "Well, it would be something to pass the time, wouldn't it?"

"I don't know, baby, would it?"

"Stop being a shit-stirrer!" Hailee would probably reach other and hit her if she wasn't driving. "Just- look up the questions. I want to do it with you." She's pointedly not looking at Camila, and she's blushing and bashful and so pretty.

"Alright." Camila grins and unlocks her phone, setting to google the questions. She's not so naïve and taken with the idea of romance that she thinks this will be the key to her and her girlfriend professing their undying love for each other or anything, but it seems fun, and she loves talking. Not to mention she's an optimist. It's clear Hailee has picked up on both of these things and is kind of doing this for Camila's benefit.

It means a lot, really. It might even mean more than the questions do, but she's going to wait and see on that one.

She clears her throat. "Let's go, then. Question one-"

-

"Cam." Camila stirs as she feels hands on her shoulders, gently shaking her awake. "Love. Your phone's ringing."

"Mmm." She peeks one eye open to see Jade looking down at her, holding Camila's phone in her hand. Camila doesn't move her head from where it's in Jade's lap as she takes the phone from her. She's a little tipsy. They all are. One of the girls broke into the liquor cabinet at the lake house and now they're all buzzed.

They're supposed to be playing a game of truth or dare, but drinking makes Camila sleepy, and Jade has always made it her business to look out for her. They both get very affectionate when they're drunk. Normal stuff, really. All girls are like that. Clingy, touchy-feely. It's not strange. They've been best friends since birth, basically. It's natural for them to be this close.

Camila holds the phone up very close to her face, and when she sees the caller, she jolts straight up, nearly butting her head into Jade's. Sorry, she mouths, standing up from the couch so fast her head spins, suddenly feeling very awake.

She takes a deep breath and lifts the phone to her ear. "Hi, dad."

"Hi, mija." He trusts her so much. He always has. "Just checking in. Are you and your friends having a good time?" His voice is even and kind, and for a minute, Camila relaxes. She's not even that drunk. She's become an expert at keeping herself in control.