Camila was tending the bar at LIPS, like she had for the past two years.
She thought working in a lesbian bar while attending classes at NYU would be fun, and it was.... at first. What Camila didn't realize; was besides dealing with the drunk women thinking they were each Gods gift to women everywhere, she had to worry about the drunk men across the street at the bar The Boys Club.
Women she could handle, subtle words of disinterest usually made the most cocky girl leave her to her walk home in peace. But men....... men where something else entirely. Especially the men that frequented the Boys Club. Once they saw her exiting the lesbian bar, crude comments and offers to FIX her, were cast her way every night as she had to nervously navigate her way towards the subway.
Walking at night was always a dangerous thing, especially in a city like New York. Being a lesbian, in a world of men thinking that a quick Fuck, would straighten them out was an entirely more difficult thing.
Going home was something that always made Camila loathe going to work. Which was depressing because she used to look forward to a Thursday night of harmless flirting, and casual conversation with the beautiful woman the city had to offer. Now Camila nervously gazed at the clock above the bar, cursing herself when she realized she only had twenty minutes till her shift ended.
Scanning the bar for her blonde room mate, she saw Dinah talking to a butch lesbian, and already knew she would be making the trek home alone.
Dinah has been Camila's roommate at NYU for the past three years, and they had immediately bonded over their gender preferences. After assuring each other they weren't remotely interested in the other. Roommates and best friends, what a beautiful combination.
Nervously scanning the bar for any customer that may have needed her attention, Camila saw a beautiful woman quietly nursing a scotch, glaring at the drink in front of her. She didn't remember serving the scotch, and assumed her colleague had attended to the raven haired girl. She knew for a fact that she would have remembered a beauty like her.
For the next twenty minutes Camila would casually steal glances at the stranger, and watched in surprise as the beauty repeatedly turned down the sexy women that tried to flock to her. Her disinterest, and straight posture intrigued Camila, and she knew it was a mystery she may never get to solve.
Once her boss had dismissed her, Camila gathered her bag, and made her way to the front door. Glancing back she noticed the pale faced beauty had disappeared from her stool at the bar, and Camila glumly left without her last glance at the beautiful stranger.
Making her way out the front door, Camila walked towards the subway quickly to avoid unwanted attention. She cursed herself when she heard foot steps and whistles echoing behind her, and quickened her pace.
"Heyyy ssexy! I'll ssshow yyou a bbetter ttime tthen thooose ddykes in there!" Shouted a drunk man grabbing her arm.
"I'm not interested." Camila spoke quietly, walking faster.
"CCome oon ddon't be aa teasse!" His friend slurred laughing.
"I'm gay, I'm not interested in what you have to offer." Camila spoke more aggressively.
"Don't be a bitch! Everyy girll want'ss thiss!" The first man said grabbing his crotch.
"Not all woman. That's why they call us lesbians." Camila replied annoyed, discreetly reaching into her bag, gripping her pepper spray.
"Yyou jusst haven't found the right man!" The second man bit out angrily as he grabbed her arm roughly.
She quickly thrust her hand out and sprayed the face of the man restraining her, and jumped back when he let out a piercing scream.
"YOU BITCH!" he screamed holding his face.
His friend slapped the pepper spray out of her hand and shoved her against the alley wall.
"Your gonna pay for that bitch. I'm gonna teach you how to treat a man!" His friend shouted, as he grunted pulling his zipper down as she struggled to get away from him.
She screamed until the man slapped her hard, and gripped her mouth tightly muffling her screaming.
Her eyes filled with tears as she started to panic, and she knew there was no escaping her fate. Regardless she fought against him as he tried to push her jeans down.
The man that had been sprayed was about to strike her, when a force slammed him into the alley wall smashing his face harshly against the cement breaking his nose.
The man restraining Camila looked up, only to get a punch to the face snapping his head back throwing him away from the crying woman.
Camila recognized the pale raven haired woman from the bar, and could honestly say she had never been more grateful to see a strangers face.
The stranger crouched over as she prepared herself against the men coming her way. The first man lunged for her, as he tried to punch her face, only to miss as she gripped his swinging arm with her left hand and punched him hard with her right. She gripped his hair and bashed his face against the wall smashing his nose to pieces.
He slumped to the floor, and as he started to lose consciousness, he heard a husky voice say,"Sometimes a lesbian is just that, a lesbian. And when a woman says no, it means no. If I see you pushing yourself on a unwilling woman again, I will make sure you don't have anything worth fucking."
Both men laid on the Alley way floor passed out, bleeding from their faces as the raven haired stood tall making a face of disgust. Casting her gaze towards a dazed Camila, she was able to able to catch the crying girl as she fainted from shock.
Holding the traumatized girl, she picked her up bridal style and made her way back to her bike by the bar. Once she reached it, she dug into the unconscious girls bag, and found a student ID. It read Camila Cabello, please return to Dorm B16 if found.
Well she would be returned.
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Camila woke up in a panic, frantically taking in her surroundings. Recognizing her dorm room, she relaxed and remembered her raven haired savior.
Looking around, she saw her sleeping room mate, but no sign of the stranger that had saved her innocence. Disappointed, Camila got up and noticed she was in her PJ's and wondered who had changed her. She saw a note taped to her bathroom door as she went to wash her tear streaked face, and took it in her hand shakily.
Dear beautiful bartender,
I brought you to your dorm after finding your ID in your bag after you fainted. I'm sorry for that intrusion of privacy but I hope you will forgive me. I know that it was creepy to follow you, but as you left, I saw the two drunks following you and couldn't walk away knowing their intentions. I hope you consider cabs or investing in a car in the future. If it's too expensive please trust in the buddy system, beautiful Co-eds are vulnerable to the evil in this city, and I would hate for you to fall prey to it. I'm sorry about changing you, but I could not leave you in the clothes those disgusting pigs put their hands on. I am deeply sorry for the invasion of your privacy, and promise that I did not look, and kept my eyes closed during the entire encounter. It is not in my nature to invade someones persona space, and I'm sorry if you feel I have. Please keep yourself safe in the future, not everyone you will encounter are good natured Samaritans. Stay safe, and try not to let this incidence ruin your sense of safety. There are those out there that risk their very lives for you to have it.
Your friendly neighbor hood ass kicker,
L J
Camila smiled at the note, and thanked the heavens there was someone kind enough to put in so much effort in her safety. The writing looked familiar, but Camila couldn't place it no matter how much she wracked her brain.
Glancing at her alarm clock next her bed, she noticed she was about to be late for her first class of the day. Placing the note on her bed, she hurriedly threw on clothes and washed her face, before grabbing her bag and running out the door.
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Walking into her Political Science class, Camila rushed to her seat and quickly took out her notebook and pen, anxiously trying to prepare herself for a tiring hour of lectures.
Her professor Ms. Iglesias cleared her throat amused as Camila blushed, knowing her hasty entrance had not gone unnoticed.
"I have a friend arriving today. She is a Marine who has just returned home for leave, and is willing to answer question's on what it's like to serve in countries different than our own. Give her the respect she deserves or you will regret it later." She finished glaring around the
A chuckle came from the door as it slammed shut and a husky voice sounded throughout the class room.
"Easy there Vero, I forgot how much of my cheerleader you are." Camila's savior chuckled amused.
Camila gasped as her eyes took in the stranger from the bar, and ran her eyes along the face she hadn't been able to fully take in. The Marine had jet black hair wrapped in a tight bun, and sexy widows peak aligning her forehead, her pale skin and dark hair made her emerald green eyes shine, and Camila held her breath at the sexiness and confidence she exuded.
The Stranger was in a pressed Marine uniform that made Camila's mouth water, and legs clench as her eyes racked over every inch of the soldier.
"Class this is Lauren Jauregui, my oldest friend. She forgets that I knew her before she could wipe her ass. So I get a little protective of my bestie." Vero explained smirking, causing the class to erupt in chuckles.
"She can say that because I have prom pictures of her in a hair style that does no one justice." Lauren chuckled amused.
"Lo! You said you burned that!" Vero scolded panicking, much to her students amusement.
Lauren shrugged, placing her hat on Vero's desk and said,"But you didn't make me promise so that's your fault."
The class erupted in laughter as Lauren faced the class grinning. Her eyes scanned the students, as she normally took in her surroundings casually scanning for any danger, when they landed on the beautiful brunette from the night before.
Lauren smiled at Camila lightly, a sign of recognition and moved her gaze towards the other students around her.
"I can make this easy. I tell you I was stationed in Iran, and you can asked me questions about the natives, their political views, and the work we did. You get it straight from the source." Lauren told the class.
Eager hands were raised, and Lauren smiled lightly as she started the Q&A.
For an hour and a half, Lauren answered the students questions, and when the class drew to a close, whispered in Vero's ear after saying her farewells and leaving the class.
Camila was so lost in a daze, as she spent the class lecture mesmerized by Laurens husky voice, and radiant smile. It was nothing like at the bar, where the Marine came off distant and remote. She hadn't even seen the Marine leave, and cursed herself for being so distracted she missed her opportunity to thank her for her help last night.
Leaving the class and rushing to her next, Camila promised herself that if she doesn't see the Marine within a week, she would beg professor Iglesias for her information.
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Camila entered her dorm room exhausted. She saw Dinah typing away on her laptop, and was surprised when her room mate pounced on her in excitement.
"What happened last night? I come home to you in your pajama's and I fell asleep. But I looked for you this morning, and saw this note on your bed? You better start talking because I'm freaking out!" Dinah exclaimed anxiously waving Laurens note in the air.
Camila sighed as she took the note and looked at it with a smile.
"I was saved by a beautiful green eyed Marine.." Camila started, and then went into detail as she explained last night from start to finish.
When she was done, Dinah's mouth gaped open as she stared at Camila in shock.
"You have to find her Chanch! It's like fate! Twice in twenty four hours? That's fate!" Dinah exclaimed excitedly.
"I don't know about fate, but I at least want to thank her, and maybe buy her a cup of coffee." Camila explained looking at her note in wonder.
"Whatever, mark my words Chancho! You'll be having Marine babies one day!" Dinah exclaimed with a smile.
Camila laughed shaking her head at Dinah's antics.
Dinah then grew serious as she asked, "Are you okay though? Like with what happened last night."
Camila smiled lightly and replied,"I wasn't last night, guess that's why I fainted. But knowing that a random stranger helped me, made me feel safe...... actually helps take the ugliness way. But I'm definitely dipping into my saving and just breaking down and buying a car."
"Girl I've been telling you that since the Boys Club opened. It's not safe to be walking around anymore. If you want, I'll help you look online so you can have it before your next shift this weekend." Dinah suggested.
"Yeah, that would be nice. I have another shift tomorrow and I definitely don't need a repeat. I'm glad I worked all those hours last summer, because I can at least afford a decent car." Camila agreed thankfully.
"Don't worry Chanch, I got you!" Dinah exclaimed pulling her laptop into her lap like a woman on a mission.
Camila laughed climbing into her roommates bed to look with her, and prayed she could get a decent car for less than what was in her savings.
Even next to her roommate, Camila's mind would often drift to a pair of emerald eyes that would not leave her mind.