Riptide (a camren fic)

Chapter 19: how low can you go?

She turns to find Normani and Lauren, along with her family squashed into the sofa. Ally stands in the middle of the living room, holding something that suspiciously looks like a fake diploma, rolled up into her hand. A bright, megawatt smile painted across her neon pink lips. It's not lost on her that the other two are also wearing make-up as well.

Camila's eyes flicker from the group to Ally, down to Sofi who's still pulling her closer to the group.

"Okay, Sofi, take her back into the hallway," Ally instructs. She almost trips over her own two feet, as Sofi tugs her back the way they came through.  She can hear Ally's voice telling someone to cue the music.

Camila recognizes Normani's pink Karaoke box plugged in and the sparkly, bedazzled microphone in Ally's hand.

It brings her back. Back to their middle school days of lugging that box back and forth to each others' houses. The number of times they used to fight over the mic during their sleepovers. It really never occurred to them to just buy four more mics. Dinah used to always get her way in the end, considering she could wrestle them all down without much of a struggle.

She almost laughs at the memory. She glances towards Dinah beside her and can see the fond smile. Her chest feels heavy the more she studies her friend. The sharp profile.

This is for us.

"Nah, it's all you, dummy," Dinah murmurs with a chuckle.

Camila inhales deeply, before walking forward

"Thank you all for coming today," Ally says.

Her voice reverberates throughout the room because of the microphone. The echoed effect on her words hit Camila with nostalgia.

"We're here on this special day to celebrate the achievements of our dear friend. A dear friend, who I've had the pleasure of knowing since our awkward middle school days," Ally giggles, which prompts the others to join in the laughter. "She's the first person to make you laugh in any given situation. The one to offer the shirt off her back without hesitation. And the one who's the most deserving of everything good the world has to offer. I am so happy to be here today just to say that because it's been something I've wanted to say for a very long time.

"Thinking back on it, my biggest fear the closer graduation got, was losing the connections I had with my friends. I wanted to keep everyone around me close. I was always so afraid of change, so desperate to resist it. The comfort and security I felt with a routine was everything. But accepting that sometimes changes do happen was a lesson. I had to learn not to stubbornly remain stagnant. The more I thought about it the more I recognized my actual fear - falling into a state of complacency. Change isn't always bad. Sometimes change is even better. And the connections we are so afraid to lose are probably so important that they never really get lost. Having graduated a year before today, I think I can safely say that it may feel like the end of something great, but - honestly - it's just the beginning. It's just the beginning for you, too."

Ally sniffles. Which isn't entirely surprising, considering literally anything makes the girl cry. But when she turns to look at her, red nosed, Camila feels her heart swell.

"Anyway, give it up for Camila Cabello. Graduate of class of 2016."

There's a loud applause that's entirely too campy. It makes Camila turn scarlet, as she awkwardly walks up to take the scroll from Ally's outstretched hands. She gets an enthusiastic hug from her, before she's scurrying to perch herself on the arm of the couch.

"Um.." Camila tugs at the thin material of the black gown. She looks down, feeling the tassel flick across her eyes. She blows the strands away, before glancing back up at her little audience. They all look at her expectantly, hanging on to her every word. There's not much she can follow up with after Ally's speech. It's all the more apparent the longer she stands there in silence. She focuses on Lauren, who makes a gesture for her to continue.  "Cool. Thanks."