Narrators POV
Suddenly Dinah appeared at the main entrance. She raised the mic up to her mouth and cleared her throat before she mischievously smiled and said,"Hey Preps, let us tell you a little something about being popular."
The lights turned off and a few lights shown upon tables that reveled Camila's friends who were standing with their backs facing the crowd until a catchy tune began to fill the room.
Normani turned around and began to sing along,
La la, la la
You were the popular one, the popular chick
It is what it is, now I'm popular-ish
Darren:
Standing on the field with your pretty pompom
Now you're working at the movie selling popular corn
I could have been a mess but I never went wrong
Dinah:
'Cause I'm putting down my story in a popular song
I said I'm putting down my story in a popular song
Everyone:
My problem, I never was a model,
I never was a scholar,
But you were always popular,
You were singing all the songs I don't know
Now you're in the front row
'Cause my song is popular
Darren & Normani:
Popular, I know about popular
It's not about who you are or your fancy car
You're only ever who you were
Popular, I know about popular
And all that you have to do is be true to you
That's all you ever need to know
Ally:
So catch up 'cause you got an awful long way to go
So catch up 'cause you got an awful long way to go...
In the meanwhile that Ally sang her part Dinah threw a mic at Camila and she caught it. She looked at it confused before she understood what she was supposed to do. She shook her head and tried to dispose of the microphone. She stood up and tried to find a somewhere to place the thing before the next verse came. But to Camila's luck, she was too late. She lifted the mic up to her mouth and hesitated at first. But as the music stopped, everyone turned to look at her. She froze. Dinah gave her a pointed look. And although the Polynesian's silent threats were not enough, Camila found it in her self to sing along anyway. She felt as if she could at least do it on Ally and Normani's behalf because of what had happened on the night of Siope's party. She shrugged her shoulders, and took a deep breath before she continued the song.
*Bass drop*
Camila:
"Always on the lookout for someone to hate,
Picking on me like a dinner plate
You hid during classes, and in between 'em
Dunked me in the toilets, now it's you that cleans them"
Ally:
You tried to make me feel bad with the things you do
It ain't so funny when the joke's on you
Ooh, the joke's on you
Got everyone laughing, got everyone clapping, asking,
Dinah and Darren:
"How come you look so cool?"
'Cause that's the only thing that I've learned at school, boy
Camila:
(uh huh)
Everyone:
"I said that that's the only thing that I've learned at school"
Was the last verse before outcasts emerged from the tables with water balloons in their hands. And when the base dropped again, that's when the ammunition was fired.
Everyone:
My problem, I never was a model,
I never was a scholar,
But you were always popular,
You were singing all the songs I don't know
Now you're in the front row
'Cause my song is popular
Popular, I know about popular
It's not about who you are or your fancy car
You're only ever who you were
Popular, I know about popular
And all that you have to do is be true to you
That's all you ever need to know
Dinah:
(That's all you ever need to know...)
By the end of the song the preps had been drenched in water. Madison got up and furiously pounded her fist against the table, "If you think you're all going to get away with this, you're wrong. You're all dead meat!" She yelled out to everyone before they made a run for it.
"Ugggh!" Madison grunted as she saw the nerds escape. She got up and shook her head lightly before she searched the whole cafeteria for anyone left. Subsecuetly her eyes landed on the trembling brunette standing right across from them.
"Oh look who decided to stay." Drew said as he stood up and glared at the brain.
"Bows." Vero scoffed, "I should have known you losers were up to something."
"Ugh... thanks to you my sweater is ruined. It's only supposed to be washed in warm water." Michael complained.
"Do you have anything to say for yourself?" Drew asked the brunette.
Camila tried to open her mouth to speak but fear prevented her from doing so. It was as if her jaw locked and not a sound escape from her. The preps took Camila's obvious silence as a queue.
"I guess we'll have to settle this the hard way then." Madison spit before her and all the preps but Lauren began to approach the brain. Slowly but surely prepared to give the smaller girl a beating. They cracked their knuckles and glared at Camila as they approached her. Vero stopped and so did the rest of the group, she eyed Camila and noticed that her eyes had been glued to Lauren. She turned to look at Lauren suspiciously when she noticed that she had not moved from her spot since the attack. Vero cocked her brow at the two girls and did not understand what Camila was still doing here. Why Lauren had not moved. Why Camila had not already ran away. Why she had been standing their like an idiot waiting to get her ass kicked instead of saying something or fighting back. She was waiting for something and Vero did not know what that very thing was. As silence began to eat the smaller brunette away, very finally spoke, "Are you going to run or what?"
In that second Camila made a run for it. She sprinted out of the large room faster than a cheetah. The preps didn't expect her to get away that fast but once again, bows had impressed them. As the Preps where about to chase her down, Lauren threw out her hand and yelled, "Wait!"
The preps stopped in their tracks and turned to look at Lauren.
"I got Bows. You guys go look for the others."
The preps obeyed and split up into different directions. Lauren however, gathered her things and went out to search for the brunette.
At first she kept a pretty calm pace while searching for Camila. But when the brunette was no where in sight, she started to jog through the halls. Again, Lauren's effort seemed futile. She could almost swear that she was running in circles when she realized that she had been the only one running through the halls but as she stopped to bent over and catch her breath, she heard it. Footsteps could be heard from the distance. Hard, fast paced footsteps that seemed to be running for their life. In that instant Lauren followed these footsteps. But when Camila heard that someone was hot on her tail she picked up the pace.
"God dammit Camz!"Lauren grunted before she started to sprint after the brunette who could be seen from the end of the hall.
Lauren made a sharp stop to find a short cut. She looked around until she found a hall that would take her straight to where the brown eyed girl was heading. She quickly made her way through the hall until she spotted the ends of Camila's hair already on their way towards the other end of the hall. Lauren pivoted her right foot to turn into the hall that would make her meet Camila before she got away again. And before both girls knew it they bumped into each other. Camila instantly fell on her bum. Lauren stood there as her head thumped in pain. Both girls rubbed their heads and regained their composure quickly. But realization quickly hit Camila and she knew that she was in a preps icy grasp. With her eyes tightly closed in fear, she covered her head with her arms and said, "I'm sorry! Please-"
Lauren furrowed her brows in anger at the girl below her and grabbed Camila's wrist. She quickly threw her into the janitors closest that had been right a cross from them. Lauren clicked on the light and found the brunette sitting on the floor with her hands over head, trembling.
Lauren softened her expression and crouched down to meet Camila eye level. "I'm not going to kill you Camz. I promise." Camila slowly looked up to meet Lauren's gaze and sighed in relief. "Thank god. Wait."She said as realization began to hit her. "You're not mad?"
Lauren tenderly pulled a strand out of Camila's face and furrowed her eyebrows in annoyance, "Hell yeah I'm mad. I'm furious."
"You are?" Camila frowned, fearing she had really upset the girl in front of her.
"Yeah, but only because I'm all wet now." Lauren said pulling at her T-shirt.
"I'm sorry." Camila apologized. "I didn't know they were going to do it today. I really had no idea-"
Lauren jolted up to lock their lips. Camila jumped in surprise and cocked brow at Lauren's sudden action. She stood up with the taller girls lips still latched onto hers and leaned against the wall behind them. The taller girl grabbed Camila's face and pushed her against the wall as her tongue made it's way into Camilas mouth uninvitedly. Camila tensed because she did not understand what was going on. She had thought that the brunette was angry at her for what had happened the day before. But as Lauren's hands in raveled themselves in her hair, she couldn't help but fall into the the taller girl's blissful kisses. Lauren roughly pulled on the hairs on the back of Camila's neck when she felt the smaller girl reciprocating. She had missed this. Missed feeling the brunettes lips press against her own. Their bodies so close together. Their heart beats beating furiously against one another. And that weird pit feeling in their stomatch that she always got when she laid eyes on the brown eyes girl. Camila missed these things too. But through it, she couldn't help but think why Lauren was doing this. She didn't understand Lauren's bi polar behavior and she needed to know what was going on between them. So in the instant that these thoughts crossed her mind, she pushed the green eyed girl away.
Lauren and Camila both breathed heavily before the brown eyed girl pointed at her and spoke, "You... you can't just do that." Camila stuttered.
Lauren furrowed her brows in confusion, "Do what?"
"You can't just kiss me like that and pretend like you haven't ignored me for the past few days."
"Camz... I just..." She began before she shrugged her shoulders and let out an exasperated sigh, "I just needed some time to be alone."
Camila furrowed her brows in confusion as if she did not completely understand why Lauren would need to be alone.
"After I told you," Lauren continued, " I just felt weird because there's so much more than you know. And sometimes I think there's more than I even know. And I just..." Lauren paused before she closed her eyes tightly and looked away, "I want you to forget about it for right now."
Camila half smiled before she grasped Lauren's hand and caressed the back of it with her thumb.
"I'm sorry Camz. I just don't like talking about it. It's easier to forget, it's always been that way." Lauren paused before she became thoughtful for a few seconds, "So let's just drop it for now."
"Okay."
"It's not you Camz, it's just-"
"No, I get it. It's fine."
"What?" Lauren said in disbelief, "Yesterday you were so determined to find out. To force the information out of me-"
"-I know. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that. It was wrong of me to get you to talk about it when you didn't want too. I was just being selfish. Ever since I fell for you Lo, I just wanted to know all of you. I wanted to know every little part that makes you who you are. Every little distinction, curve, and thought that made up your composition. But I can't. And for now that's okay, because there's this dark part in your life that you don't want to talk about and I get it. It took me a while to talk about how I was feeling back then too. I just want you to promise me that you'll take care of yourself and that you won't let those memories eat you away. Because trust me I know how it feels to be haunted. And to feel helpless and lonely. And I just don't want any other human being to ever feel that way. Especially not you Lauren." Camila admitted, "Because I love you and I don't want you to suffer anymore." Camila paused and took a deep breath before she continued, "I want you to know... that I'm here for you. That whenever you need to talk about things, I'm here to listen. Or whenever you need advice I'm here to give it to you. Or whenever you just need a hug, my arms are open. Or even when you just need someone by your side, I'll be there. Always."
Lauren half smiled. " Thank Camz, I promise you that I'll try to be more open with you, I just need a little more time."
"I know. But keep in mind that I can't promise you that I won't be asking how you're feeling from time to time."
"Camz..." Lauren began to groan, "You know I don't like sharing my feelings."
"I know, but you're going to have to get over that if you want to be my girlfriend."
"Girlfriend?" Lauren smirked.
"Uh..um..no, I meant if you want to be with me." Camila quickly stuttered, remembering that neither of them have popped the question.
Lauren smiled with the corner of her mouth, "Whatever floats your boat Cabello. Like I said," She shrugged, "I'll try to be more open."
Camila glared at the taller girl, "I'm serious Lauren."
"Me too." Lauren simply said before she put her hands on Camila's shoulders, "Now calm down cupcake, I already said I'd try."
"Fine..." Camila stubbornly muttered.
"Now, about that surprise attack-" Lauren began in an attempt to change the subject but Camila interrupted her, "Oh yeah. That reminds me. I'm mad at you too."
"Wait what?"Lauren asked surprised that Camila had been upset with her also.
"Why didn't you say anything when those jerks were going to beat me up?" Camila asked remembering how the green eyed girl just stood there.
Lauren's lips formed into a hard line, "Because, I was scared. I was in a state of shock, I couldn't move or speak. I really thought they were going to hurt you and that you were just going to let them-"
"Me let them?" Camila questioned, "I was waiting for you to stop them. I couldn't believe that you would let them hurt me, I really thought that you were just going to stand there and watch." She divulged.
"No." Lauren said caressing the brunettes cheek. "I wasn't going to let them hurt you. I was just in shock because up until now, I never thought they were going to do it. Not without my call."
"But they were so close..." Camila remembered, "And you just stood there."
"I know, but then, they stopped and you ran. They were going to chase after you but I stopped them. Instead, I came out looking for you. I'm sorry though, you're right I should've said something earlier, I was just so overwhelmed."
Camila didn't seem convinced and the hurt look on her face was starting to burn through Lauren's heart. "Camz, please I'm sorry. You've got to believe me."
Camila frowned and averted her gaze, "Consider this a slip Jauregui. I just hope that next time, when I have no place to run, you better not let them hurt me."
"Never again." Lauren reassured her. "I promise."
Camila couldn't help but smile at Lauren's words. "Okay. And by the way, I'm sorry they got you too."
Lauren waved her hand dismissively, "Eh, it's alright. I guess I kind of deserved it." Lauren said scratching the nape of her neck, "For well you know being an asshole for the last three years."
"Lauren you were never an asshole." Camila reassured her. "You just thought you were."
"Don't try to make me feel better Camz. You and I both know I was an bitch. You can admit it."
"I never thought you were a bitch." Camila honestly told her. "Even before I fell for you. I just always felt like there was something different about you. I felt like you were unlike the others and when you showed me that you were for the first time, I couldn't believe it."
Lauren half smiled before she said, "Same here, you were different and I liked that."
"Wait..." Camila said in disbelief, "You knew I existed before you found out we were neighbors?"
"Of course I did." Lauren smiled, "I always knew who you were. You're name would never leave Madison's mouth."
Camila slightly blushed, "And like what did-"
"- I think of you?" Lauren finished.
"Yeah..."
Lauren thought for a few seconds as she tried to collect her thoughts."I thought you were adorable." Lauren simply said, "Yeah... that's the first thing I thought about you." Lauren reassured herself as the memories began to become fresh in her mind, "You were this short little nerd who always seemed to get flustered when we made eye contact. You were always so shy and conservative. Especially when we messed with you guys, you always tried to hide your face from me. And throughout the school day, your eyes never left me. And when our eyes would meet you would always turn so red. I didn't think that you had a crush on me though. I just thought that I intimidated you or something. But the day you walked onto my doorstep was when I knew it was my chance. When I found out you lived next door, I was surprised. I really never realized that you had been closer to me than I thought. And the simple fact that I had wasted so many opportunities to fuck you, frustrated me. And since that day forward, I had just been waiting for the opportunity to get you in bed. Not really romantic I know, but back then I was an idiot. All I ever thought about was sex and screwing people over. And when we got assigned as partners, you wouldn't even want to begin to imagine what was going through my head..." Lauren mischievously smirked at the last part.
"Tell me you perv." Camila said giving Lauren a little shove on the shoulder.
Lauren smiled amused, "Just things..."
"Like?"
"Oh I think you know what."
"Is that all you ever think about Lauren?"
"You? Yes."
I felt my cheeks turn crimson, "No, you know that's not what I meant." Camila said as Lauren's charm was beginning to win her over.
"Think about what?" Lauren played along.
"Ugh are you really going to make me say it? You know what."
"Sex? Of course." Lauren finally gave in. "But I only think of doing it with you now."
Camila held the bridge of her nose and shook her head lightly, "I really don't understand how I tolerate you."
Lauren smiled like an idiot, "You tolerate me because you love me."
"Oh yeah." Camila rolled her eyes playfully."That's why."
Lauren chuckled to herself before she noticed the puddle her damp clothes have created beneath her. "Oh shit."She said before she took a step back from Camila and stretched out her black bob Marley t shirt to ring it. "So water balloons huh." Lauren smirked, "I don't think I can take you guys seriously now. You could've at least filled them with Erma's mystery meat."
"Hey. You're lucky we didn't. We decided to be a little nice to you guys." Camila defended.
"But water balloons? Seriously? What did you think we'd do? Melt?" Lauren asked with an amused smile.
"Madison probably. But not the rest of you."
"If you ask me, it was a pretty weak prank." Lauren said in an attempt to get Camila all riled up.
"But it worked didn't it?"
"Oh totally. You sure got us Camz. Won't be messing with you again." Lauren sarcastically said.
"Oh shut up." Camila smiled before she said," We didn't want to do something that bad in the first place. We just wanted to prove a point. We didn't want stoop down to your level because that's not who we are. And we wanted to stay true to ourselves because of it."
"You amaze me Camz. You're too nice. Seriously, if I were you, I wouldn't hesitate to give us what we deserved."
Camila shrugged her shoulders, "Even though what you guys did was wrong, we weren't going to do something equally as terrible. I wouldn't be able to find it in myself to do so."
"Still though even though the water ballon thing was a little weak, I have to admit, that performance was pretty badass. You're rep is going up."
Camila stifled a laugh, "My badass rep?"
"Yeah, you've managed to get me all wet now. That's worth like a thousand points." Lauren smirked before she rested the palms of her hands against the wall as she hovered over Camila. There faces not even an inch apart now. "No one's ever done that before." Lauren whispered against Camila's lips.
Lauren's breathing began to get heavier as the space between their lips was closing. Lauren rested her forehead against the brown eyed girl's and gazed down at her lips and neck as if she was going to attack them.
Camila knew where this was going and couldn't help but address the fact that they were close to the bell, "Lauren...we don't have time for this right now. The bells-"
"-Fuck the bell." Lauren's voice almost growled before she latched her lips onto Camila's neck. She began to plant wet kisses against the crook of the smaller girl's neck. Slowly but surely, Lauren began to suck on Camila's neck. Earning a small moan from the brown eyed girl. Lauren's sneaky hand began to make it's way to Camila's bum. And sure enough, Lauren firmly grabbed it. The pleasurable sucking began to feel like a bite. A bite that marked Lauren's territory. Camila squirmed when she realized that Lauren had just gave her a hicky. And by all means, Camila didn't mind. But the simple idea that Lauren had marked what was hers, aroused her. In the wake of the moment, Camila tried to find it in herself to stop the green eyed girl but most of her efforts were in vein. She couldn't deny that she missed this. She missed Lauren's contact, touch and affection...a lot but that still didn't make up for the fact that they had a test to take this period. She had to get to class or else their teacher would fail them without an excused absence. And Camila wouldn't risk that.
"Lauren." Camila tried again, "I'm serious, the bells going to ring-"
"-I don't care." Lauren said latching her lips onto the brunettes.
"Llllaureenn. We hhave a test in bbio next pperiod."Camila mumbled over Lauren's lips.
Lauren grunted in frustration and pulled away to meet Camila's eyes, "I know. But do you really want to go back out there while they're still looking for you?"
"..."
"Once we cross that door, I won't be able to watch over you anymore. We will both be with our groups and I just don't want anything to happen to you." Lauren said cupping the brow eyed girl's cheek. "This is me trying to keep you safe."
Camila averted Lauren's gaze, "You're trying to keep me safe by giving me an orgasm in the janitors closet?" She shyly murmured.
"Yeah. Romantic isn't it?"
Camila rolled her eyes.
"Hey I'm kidding. I just really miss you, that's all. I'm sorry. Ill stop if you want me too."
"I didn't say that I wanted you to stop." Camila said meeting Lauren's gaze. "It's just... the janitors closet isn't very suiting for this type of thing."
"But it's kind of hot don't you think? Sneaking around like this." Lauren breathed, gazing at Camila's lips.
Camila began to breath heavily as Lauren's lips hovered over her own. She quickly got her shit together and managed to say, "Yeah... that dirty mop in the corner is really setting the mood."
"You ruined the mood. That mop was actually doing a really good job, I could barley see it until you pointed it out. " Lauren mumbled over the brunette's lips. In that very second after, the bell rang signaling that it was time to go to class.
Camila smiled in relief and gave Lauren a quick kiss before she hugged her. "This will have to be enough for now." Camila told Lauren as the taller girl wrapped her arms around her. "I'll stop by your house later on. And then we can continue where we left off."
Lauren quirked her brow in surprise that the brown eyed girl had hugged her damp body. But what surprised her more was her confidence. She didn't think that Camila would want to continue on her own will. But she was wrong. And for what it was worth, Lauren didn't mind being wrong. She smiled contently before nodding her head against the smaller girls neck. She sighed to herself as she was trapped Camila's warmth. She dug her face into Camila's neck as her grip tightened on the smaller girl. Thinking about it, Lauren realized that they had never hugged. Not like this. She never felt someone's warmth this close. And it was comforting. It could of been because she rarely ever hugs anyone. Or maybe the mere fact that she had been freezing her butt off but whatever it was, it was nice. She smiled blissfully, enjoying the moment like Camila had also been doing.
"Can we just skip class and stay like this?" Lauren proposed.
Camila smiled like an idiot at the brunettes question,"No...we can't. We have to take a test..."
"But you're so warm..." Lauren sighed into Camila's neck as her grip tightened on the smaller girl.
"I know. You are too. Despite the fact that you're soaking wet..."
Lauren smiled and shook her head lightly against Camila's neck.
"I honestly don't know why you're hugging me right now."
"Me either what was I thinking?"
"I don't know but don't stop." Lauren said furrowing her brows roughly when she felt the brown eyed girl trying to depart. She pulled Camila back into her embrace and firmly held her. Camila smiled and continued to hug Lauren's freezing body. They hugged in a comfortable silence until Lauren had disrupted it, "Camz?"
"Yeah?"
"Why haven't we done this before?"
"What hug?"
"Yeah."
"We've hugged before haven't we?"
"Yeah...but not like this."
Camila thought about it and the green eyed girl was right. The two girls have never hugged this affectionately before. And Camila didn't really know why. "You're right... but I don't know, I guess I don't take you as the hugging type."
"What do you mean?"
"Like all the times we've hugged was because of you. You initiated it. And I guess I'm a little timid when it comes to hugging you because you don't seem like you like that type of physical contact."
"You're right." Lauren said in realization, "I don't. But now, I kind of do. What the hell are you doing to me Cabello?"
"I don't know..." Camila seriously responded, "But all I do know is that I like it. So watch out Jauregui, I'm playing at you're own game and I'm coming for you. Next thing you know, you'll be making me breakfast in bed."
Lauren chuckled, "Oh really? Game on Bows."
"Can't start a game you're already losing." Camila cooed.
"I'm not losing." Lauren defended, "I just slipped. Let's get to class, we're going to be late." Lauren muttered releasing Camila out of her embrace.
"See? Already doing what I want. I can get used to this." Camila said with a content smirk before she quickly peaked Lauren's lips and made her way out of the little room.
Lauren half smiled and shook her head lightly before she breathed, "Yeah, me too."
--