Trials & Tribulations

Chapter 33. "I like you"

"So what's the plan for tomorrow then?" Ally asked the other girls' excitedly.

She was tapping her fingers lightly on the desk to her right, her body twisted in the chair so that she could see everyone in the assembled group properly. She was sat with Dinah, Lauren, and Camila in homeroom on the Tuesday following the school dance, which, just so happened to also be the final week of classes before the Winter break.

"I thought we were going to Lauren's house," Dinah replied, shifting position in her chair slightly, her back complaining at the awkward position she'd initially adopted for this conversation.

"We are, aren't we?" Lauren asked uncertainly. "At least, I thought that we were."

"We are," Camila confirmed, her hand resting in Lauren's lap under the desk, her girlfriend playing with her fingers reflexively out of habit.

"Lo, I thought you said that we couldn't go to yours because your parents were going to be there?" Ally asked confused.

"No," Lauren replied frowning. "My parents are out tomorrow evening at my dad's company Christmas party."

"We couldn't go to mine," Camila told Ally as she leaned back in her chair a little and slumped down into a more comfortable position. "My parents are having friends over for dinner so the house is off-limits."

"Oh yeah," Ally said in realization. "Now I remember."

"What movies have we got for the Christmas movie marathon?" Dinah asked Lauren eagerly, looking forward to the festive-themed evening. "If we aren't watching 'Elf' then I'm judging you, just so you know." She added as an afterthought.

"Then I guess it's a good thing we've got Elf." Lauren commented, laughing.

"I'm bringing 'Home Alone' and 'Miracle on 34th Street'," Camila informed her friend a grin on
her face. "I love those movies."

"I've also got 'A Muppet's Christmas Carol,' 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas,' 'Love Actually,' 'The Santa Clause,' and 'Black Christmas,' Lauren listed for Dinah.

"Black Christmas?" Ally asked surprised. "Lo, that's not exactly a feel good Christmas movie you know?"

"Please," Lauren pleaded. "We never get to watch horror movies," she complained.

"We watched horror movies over Halloween." Ally protested. "I remember because Camila spent the whole evening hidden beneath a blanket."

"I was scared," Camila admitted. "I hate horror movies. There are too much blood and violence..." 

"Oh come on guys," Lauren groaned. "All I'm asking is to watch one nontraditional Christmas movie in the midst of all the others. You can consider it your Christmas present to me if you like."

"I'm not watching a horror movie about a serial killer the week before Christmas," Ally grumbled. "I don't like them any more than Camila does."

"I don't mind," Dinah said in Lauren's defense. "It's only one movie after all..."

"Thank you," Lauren said gratefully, lifting her free hand up and gesturing towards Dinah emphatically.

"Camila what do you think about it?" Ally asked looking for support. Camila glanced at Lauren who raised her eyebrow in anticipation of her girlfriends' response.

"I'd prefer not to watch it," Camila said timidly, "but, Lauren always watches what we want to so, I guess one film won't hurt." She finished shrugging. "I can always hide under a blanket again..."