Lauren awoke the next morning to find Camila still asleep. She giggled softly, realizing that the smaller girl had snaked her arms up the sleeves of Lauren's hoodie to keep her hands warm. The events of the night before played in her head like a movie scene and she couldn't help the smile that spread across her face.
"Camz," she whispered, nudging the smaller girl softly. "Camz, I have to get up," she giggled, looking over at the clock and remembering she had class that morning.
"Hmmm," the smaller girl hummed, fluttering her eyes open and smiling widely the moment she saw Lauren next to her. "Hi," she beamed.
"Morning," Lauren laughed, sliding out from underneath of the girl and sitting up.
"I have class today," Lauren said, walking over to her closet and digging through her clothes. "Which means you get to stay home with Ally until I'm back, okay?"
Camila nodded softly. She'd been getting better at realizing that Lauren does, in fact, come back home when she leaves in the mornings. That didn't mean she liked it, though.
Lauren slipped into the bathroom and changed into a comfortable outfit for class, wearing an old t-shirt because she knew they'd be painting that day. Camila waited patiently outside the door and smiled like an idiot when Lauren re-emerged.
"Someone's in a good mood," Lauren giggled. Camila just nodded.
"Yes, I kissed you," she chimed, reminding Lauren of the night before.
Lauren's cheeks grew red. "That you did," she laughed and ran a hand through her hair. "You can always do it again, y'know," she raised an eyebrow. Camila's face lit up, as if she hadn't even considered the idea.
"Okay," she nodded once. Without another word, Camila grabbed Lauren's face gently and planted kisses all over her face, finally pecking her lips once before taking a step back and smiling widely. Lauren's face was blood red by the time she was done. "Your turn," Camila smiled.
"My turn?" Lauren smirked. Camila just nodded, and Lauren pulled Camila closer to her. The smaller girl giggled excitedly, which made Lauren's stomach flutter. She placed one hand on the back of Camila's neck and closed the gap between them, slowly bringing their lips together.
This kiss lasted longer than their ones they'd shared before, if only by a few seconds. Kissing Camila was different than anyone else Lauren had ever kissed. The smaller girl was soft and gentle, and it made Lauren's heart skip a beat. They pulled apart and minutes later were interrupted by the flash of a camera.
"What the...?" Lauren whipped her head around, spotting Ally peering out of her doorway. "Oh my god," Lauren's cheeks grew red and she covered her face. Camila giggled.
"Normani and Dinah are never going to believe this," Ally smirked, walking over to them and tucking her phone into her pocket. Camila clapped her hands excitedly. "C'mon Laur, it's cute," Ally laughed and nudged her roommate. Lauren took her hands away from her face and scowled at the older girl, but couldn't hold back her smile.
"I hate to interfere, but you're gonna be late for class if you don't hurry your ass up," Ally pointed to the clock and Lauren cursed under her breath. All three girls ended up downstairs, and Camila wandered into the kitchen.
"So you two..." Ally smirked once she and Lauren were alone. "How'd that come about?"
Lauren shrugged, grabbing her bag from the couch. "She kissed me and it just sorta happened," she bit her lip to hide her smile when Ally clapped her hands happily. Just then, Camila padded back into the room and handed Lauren a banana.
"Breakfast," she smiled softly. Lauren giggled, finding the small gesture extremely adorable.
"Thank you," Lauren tossed her backpack over her shoulder. "I'll be back after lunchtime, okay?" Camila nodded softly. Lauren bent down and placed a kiss on the younger girl's cheek. "See you soon," she smiled softly, waving as she slipped out the door. Once she was gone, Camila sighed and sat down on the couch.
"You like her a lot, huh?" Ally giggled. Camila looked up and nodded happily. "I'm glad," the older girl added, walking into the kitchen. "Are you hungry?"
The pair made breakfast together and Camila was about to wander back upstairs when she noticed something out of place in the living room, she quickly found Ally in the kitchen and tugged on her sleeve.
"Lolo's painting," Camila pointed in the living room. Ally tilted her head in thought for a moment before realizing what Camila meant.
"She needs that for her class, doesn't she?"
Camila nodded. Ally grabbed her keys from the counter and motioned for Camila to go grab her painting. "Let's go pay her a visit, then," she smiled. Camila's face lit up and she eagerly followed Ally out of the apartment, painting in hand.
Meanwhile, Lauren sat in class, cursing herself for forgetting her required project for the second time in two weeks. She knew she wouldn't hear the end of this. She laid her head down on her desk as her professor droned on and on about the difference between oil and acrylic paints. She had nearly fallen asleep when she heard the class fall silent. Lifting her head, she looked around to see what had caused her teacher to stop speaking.
"Uh, hi, I just needed to drop this off for Lauren."
Lauren looked over at the door when she heard Ally's voice. She sighed in relief when she saw the smaller girl holding her painting, silently thanking her.
"You can set it in the back of the classroom over there," her professor pointed behind him. Ally nodded and hurried over to place the painting in the back of the classroom. Lauren met her eyes and mouthed 'thank you,' Ally smiled and gave her a thumbs up.
"Lolo?"
Everyone's heads turned back to the door, including Lauren. Camila recognized her and waved violently. The small girl glanced at Ally before slipping inside the classroom and running over to Lauren. The older girl's heart sped up and she felt everyone's eyes on her.
"Hi," Camila beamed, running over to the table where Lauren sat and smiling widely. Lauren bit her lip to hide her smile at how enthusiastic Camila appeared.
"Hey," Lauren said softly. Ally turned around and saw Camila, cursing herself for not making the girl wait in the car.
"Camila, c'mon," Ally hissed, motioning quickly for Camila to stop disrupting the class.
"Go," Lauren giggled and nodded towards Ally. Camila pouted but nodded slowly.
"Bye Lolo," she mumbled, turning to leave but pausing for a moment. Camila turned back around, cupped Lauren's cheeks, and planted a quick kiss on her lips. Lauren's face grew bright red and she heard Camila giggling as she ran back over to Ally, who had just apologized to the teacher. Both girls were soon out of their sight and Lauren heard the whispers of her classmates.
Lauren bit the inside of her cheek in an attempt to hide a smile on her face. She looked down at her sketchbook as her teacher started his lecture once more, but the only thing she could focus on was the taste of Camila on her lips.
Eventually, after what felt like forever, the class was dismissed. Lauren tried to escape out of the door first, but her teacher motioned for her to come over to his desk. Biting her lip, Lauren prepared herself for the worst. Eventually, all of her other classmates filed out of the room and she was the only one left.
"You're just full of surprises, aren't you Lauren?" her teacher chuckled and placed her painting on the desk in front of him, studying it closely. "You've gone with a different medium for the first time, and I have to say, I'm impressed."
"Wow... I, uh, thank you," Lauren laughed softly to herself, flattered by his compliment.
"I can't say I'm surprised anymore, though," Mr. Robertson pulled her sketches out from last week and laid them next to her painting. "After seeing your interaction with your visitor today, that is."
Lauren bit her lip, wondering if she was in trouble.
"Looks like you've found yourself a muse, Miss Jauregui," he chuckled and nodded to the artwork on the table.
"A what?" Lauren asked, tilting her head to the side.
"A muse," he pointed to the silhouette of the girl in the painting. "Someone who you use as inspiration for your art. She looks familiar, does she not?" he asked, nodding for Lauren to look at where he was pointing. Lauren's cheeks grew red.
"I... I-I..."
"Pablo Picasso had many muses, out of his many romantic interests," he continued, ignoring how flustered his student had grown. "Manet found his muse in a stranger on the street, and has over eight paintings of her."
"I didn't mean for her to interrupt y—,"
"Does she make you happy?"
Lauren swallowed hard. "Yeah," she said softly.
"Then all is forgiven," her teacher smiled and stacked her sketches back into her folder. "I don't say this often, Lauren, but you have potential. You just needed someone to bring it out of you."
Lauren looked down to the ground to try and hide her smile. Camila seemed to be helping her in every aspect of life. "Thank you," she said softly, looking back up and running a hand through her hair.
"You're dismissed," he nodded towards the door. "Keep up the good work."
"Thank you, again, thank you," Lauren adjusted her bag on her shoulder and glanced at the clock, realizing she had to be at her next class soon. She exited the classroom without another word and quickly hurried to her Art History class.
Time dragged on and eventually Lauren found herself tossing her bag into the backseat of her car and heading back to the apartment. When she was about halfway there, she made a rush decision and quickly pulled off onto a different road. Ten minutes later, she ended up at the shopping mall and made it inside just as it started to rain.
About twenty minutes later, she sprinted back to her car with a few shopping bags in her hands. It was pouring down rain, and as she pulled out of the parking lot, a loud clap of thunder startled her. Seconds later, lightning flashed across the sky.
It took Lauren a bit longer to get home than usual because of the storm. Eventually, she made it back to the apartment parking lot and pulled her hood over her head to try and protect her from the rain. It didn't help much, though, because it was pouring down so hard that she was soaking wet by the time she made it inside the elevator.
She heard thunder rumbling in the distance as she was walking down the hallway to her apartment. Immediately afterwards, she heard someone cry out, someone who sounded exactly like Camila. She quickly ran to their door and fumbled with her keys. When she finally got the door unlocked, she burst inside and scanned the apartment.
"Lauren, thank god," Ally sighed in relief. Lauren turned to look in the corner of the apartment, feeling her heart drop when she saw Camila curled up in the corner with her head in her knees. "She started freaking out when the storm started," Ally explained, standing up from where she'd been sitting next to Camila.
Lauren nodded, dropping her bag on the floor and jogging over to Camila.
"Camz, Camz it's me," she said softly as she knelt down next to the shaking girl. Camila lifted her head slowly.
"Lolo?" she murmured, reaching up and placing a hand on the girl's cheek, as if she was making sure she was real. Lauren could tell how scared the smaller girl was by the way she was shaking, and it broke her heart.
"Yeah, I'm here," Lauren whispered, scooting next to Camila and pulling her into her arms. "You don't like storms?" she asked carefully, biting her lip. Camila nodded slowly and didn't hesitate to bury her head in Lauren's neck.
"Neither do I, but I've got you, we're safe here, okay?" Lauren rubbed small circles in Camila's back, trying to soothe her. "I promise, nothing's gonna hurt you," she whispered, resting her chin on the smaller girl's head and watching the rain pour down outside.
Another clap of thunder sent Camila's hands scrambling to ball themselves in Lauren's shirt, clinging onto her for dear life. Ally sent Lauren a sympathetic look, which Lauren returned. She sighed and continued to run circles in Camila's back.
"Do you want me to sing?" Lauren asked, biting her lip and looking down at Camila. The small girl didn't look at her, but she nodded with her head tucked in Lauren's shoulder. "Only for you," Lauren sighed.
If you'll be my star
I'll be your sky
You can hide underneath me and come out at night
When I turn jet black
And you show off your light
I live to let you shine
I live to let you shine
But you can skyrocket away from me
And never come back if you find another galaxy
Far from here with more room to fly
Just leave me your stardust to remember you by
If you'll be my boat
I'll be your sea
A depth of pure blue just to probe curiosity
Ebbing and flowing
And pushed by a breeze
I live to make you free
I live to make you free
But you can set sail to the west if you want to
And pass the horizon, 'til I can't even see you
Far from here
Where the beaches are wide
Just leave me your wake to remember you by
If you'll be my star
I'll be your sky
You can hide underneath me and come out at night
When I turn jet black
And you show off your light
I live to let you shine
I live to let you shine
But you can skyrocket away from me
And never come back if you find another galaxy
Far from here with more room to fly
Just leave me your stardust to remember you by.
Lauren finished singing and took a deep breath. Ally had slipped away upstairs to give the girls some privacy. Camila looked up at her slowly just as another clap of thunder startled both of the girls. The smaller girl immediately hid her face once more.
"More," Camila mumbled into Lauren's hoodie. The older girl sighed softly and began to sing again.
An hour, and a lot of songs later, Camila fell asleep in Lauren's arms just as the thunderstorm was dying down. Ally came downstairs a few minutes later and giggled excitedly at the sight of the two girls.
Lauren glared at her playfully before slowly rising to her feet, keeping Camila in her arms and walking over to the couch. Ally turned on an episode of Friends, which all the roommates had now become addicted to thanks to Camila. Halfway through their second episode, the door swung open to reveal Dinah and Normani.
"How are my little lovebirds?" Dinah cooed, walking over to Lauren with a wide grin on her face. Lauren rolled her eyes and nodded to the sleeping girl in her lap, glaring at Dinah to signify not to wake her.
"She was scared of the storm and Lauren sang to her the entire time until she fell asleep," Ally swooned from her spot on the couch, causing Normani and Dinah to both clap their hands happily. Lauren felt her cheeks turn red and she quickly looked down.
"Y'all are adorable," Ally laughed. The other two roommates nodded in agreement.
"We bought stuff for dinner," Normani added, holding up a shopping bag. "We've gotta shower cause' we just kicked ass in hip hop class, but then we can eat and watch a movie or something to kick off the weekend." Dinah fist bumped the other girl in agreement.
"Well then hurry up because you know when Mila wakes up she's gonna be starving," Ally motioned towards Lauren, who nodded in agreement. They all had quickly grown aware of Camila's never ending appetite.
Normani and Dinah disappeared upstairs, and another episode of Friends later, all five roommates headed into the kitchen where Dinah had spread out all of the ingredients she'd bought to make sandwiches.
"Lolo, look!" Camila beamed, holding up her sandwich. Lauren narrowed her eyes and burst into laughter.
"Camila, you only put bananas in there," Dinah laughed from across the counter. Camila tilted her head to the side in question, unsure what the problem was. Lauren laughed, turning around and grabbing a jar of peanut butter from the panty and unscrewing the lid.
"Let's at least add something besides bananas," Lauren took the top slice of bread from Camila's sandwich and spread a thin layer of peanut butter on the underside before placing it back on her sandwich. "There, try it, you'll like it," she giggled.
Camila looked at the sandwich in her hands for a few moments, studying it before taking a bite. She immediately smiled widely and shot her fist out in Lauren's direction. The green eyed girl laughed and bumped her fist, which made Camila giggle happily with a mouthful of food.
—
a/n: happy tuesday! it's so sunny outside and i'm absolutely loving the spring weather omg. but anyway, here's chapter 16, let me know what you think! have a great day bbies <3
oh and the song is boats and birds by gregory and the hawk :)
- lena (@lenajfc on twitter, txrches on tumblr)