"It just took one second to fall in love with her forever."
The locker room was filled voices overlapping one another as the girls in the volleyball team talked about their day and the gossip of the week. They were getting ready for a game by blasting up a premade pump up playlist from Spotify throughout the large room. The last song just ended and a new one started up.
Dinah was in the middle of putting her socks on when she recognized the familiar beat. "OHHHHHHH WHAT THE HELL!" She screamed, perking up and ran out in search for her green-eyed teammate. She grinned from ear to ear when the song started and Justin Bieber's fetus voice echoed in the room. "WHERE THE FUCK IS JAUREGUI?!"
Her question was answered when a bunch of girl squealed in excitement as they circled around two girls. She rushed over to the group and squeezed herself in to watch.
Lauren held a deodorant close to her mouth as she sang the words to the song to no other than Camila Cabello.
"You know you love me, I know you care"
She pointed at the girl and smiled.
"Just shout whenever, and I'll be there"
She cupped a hand over her mouth and hopped forward to Camila, who awkwardly stood there with a red face.
"You are my love, you are my heart. And we would never ever ever be apart" Lauren grabbed one of Camila's hand and placed it in her chest. A devilish glint sparked in her green orbs. Camila pushed her teammate back lightly and walked away from the girl.
"Are we an item? Girl, quit playing"
Lauren followed her and kept serenading Camila as her team cheered.
"We're just friends, what are you saying?"
The green-eyed girl jumped on a bench and walked on it towards Camila with her hands raised up. The other girl ignored Lauren as she fiddled with her locker. She placed a hand on Camila's shoulder and spun her around.
"Say there's another and look right in my eyes"
She caressed Camila's face and situated a finger below the girl's chin, lifting it up as she sang the next few words.
"My first love broke my heart for the first time." Camila slapped Lauren's hand away and glared at the girl. "And I was like..."
Everyone on the team broke out during the chorus, singing at the top of their lungs.
"Baby, baby, baby oooh
Like baby, baby, baby nooo
Like baby, baby, baby oooh
I thought you'd always be mine"
"YOU GUYS ARE ANNOYING!" Camila screamed with a wide smile evident on her face. The whole team chuckled as they kept singing along.
"Baby, baby, baby oooh
Like baby, baby, baby nooo
Like baby, baby, baby oooh
I thought you'd always be mine"
Normani and Dinah jumped in the circle together, draping their arms around Lauren and smirked at Camila. "Oh, for you she would have done whatever"
"Whatever, babe." Lauren nodded as she crossed her arms.
"And we just can't believe you guys ain't together!" The duo belted out, altering the lyrics to correspond with the situation. "And she wanna play it cool, but she losin' you"
The green-eyed girl pushed the two girls off her and kneeled down in front of Camila. "I'll buy you anything, I'll buy you any ring."
"Lauren! Stop!" Camila whined as she stomped her feet in protest. She brought a hand up her face and pinched the bridge of her nose.
Dinah scurried back next to Lauren and tugged on her jersey. "She's in pieces, Mila fix her!" She grab the girl's shoulder and moved it side to side. "Please just shake her 'til you wake her from this bad dream."
"She's going down, down, down, down" The other girls harmonized then pointed back to Lauren, who was still on her knees.
She looked up at Camila with pleading eyes and clasped her hands together. "And I just can't believe my first love won't be around."
They all broke out in different dance moves as they sang. Lauren leaped back up and joined her team.
"And I'm like
Baby, baby, baby oooh
Like baby, baby, baby nooo
Like baby, baby, baby oooh
I thought you'd always be mine"
She swayed her hips and sauntered over to Camila, her hands extended out as an invitation. The brown-eyed girl sent her a threatening look before breaking into a smile and accepting it. Both girls banded back with their team and chanted the lyrics along.
"Baby, baby, baby oooh
Like baby, baby, baby nooo
Like baby, baby, baby oooh
I thought you'd always be mine"
Dinah sprung up one of the benches in the locker room and hollered, "ALLY!" Then directed everyone to back. The short girl swaggered out of nowhere with a snapback on her head and a water bottle in her hand.
"When I was 13, I had my first love,
There was nobody that compared to my baby
And nobody came between us or could ever come above!"
"OHHH!" The team bellowed.
"She had me going crazy, oh, I was star-struck,
She woke me up daily, don't need no Starbucks."
"WOOH!" Lauren cut in.
"She made my heart pound, it skipped a beat when I see her in the street and
At school on the playground but I really wanna see her on the weekend.
She knows she got me dazing cause she was so amazing
And now my heart is breaking but I just keep on saying..."
Ally tipped the water bottle to face the girls as the chorus looped. The locker room bounced as every single girl crooned.
"Baby, baby, baby oooh
Like baby, baby, baby nooo
Like baby, baby, baby oooh
I thought you'd always be mine"
Lauren searched for Camila in the sea of bodies. She found her screaming the words of the song, jumping up and down with Dinah. Her eyes lit up as she smiled and crammed through to get to the girl. She took a hold of Camila's hand causing the girl to whip her head towards her.
"Now I'm all gone." She sang in her husky tone. Their eyes connected and it seemed like the world stopped. "I'm gone..." She brought the hand up her lips and kissed it tenderly while she made sure she didn't break the eye contact.
Camila leered at Lauren as blood rushed to her cheeks. She did have a girlfriend but her girlfriend was nothing like Lauren Jauregui.
-
Lauren threw her head back as she laughed wildly at something Camila had said. Her teammates, however, looked at her like she was crazy.
"What?" She shrugged. "It was funny."
"Mila, I never get your jokes." Ally admitted sadly, shooting an apologetic face at her captain.
"Yeah same goes for us." Normani hummed gesturing to her and Dinah.
"At least Lauren does!" Camila piped up then looked over at the giggling girl. She grinned at the sight. "See. She's the only one that laughs at my jokes. This is why I missed her!"
It was first time in weeks that the green-eyed girl sat with her teammates for lunch. Everyone missed her and she missed them. She usually sat in the soccer table with Maia but today she had to tutor someone in the library and sitting with the soccer girls without the girl made her uncomfortable.
"Is that the only reason, Cabello?" Lauren challenged as she took a bite off her sandwich. She stared at her co-captain waiting for her to deny it or deflect the question and was caught off guard when Camila did the opposite.
"No, I missed your pretty face too." The other girl replied smoothly with a smug smile. Lauren nearly choked at a piece of bread while Normani and Ally gaped at the brunette. Dinah, on the other hand, chuckled lightly.
"Do my ears deceive me or did Camila Cabello just hit on Lauren Jauregui?" The Polynesian smirked.
"I think I need to clean my ears..." Normani mumbled as she brought up her pinky finger and pushed it in her ear. "Does anyone have some Q-tips?"
The other girls snickered while Camila's face twisted. She caught a glimpse of Maia walking towards them and couldn't help but think that the girl was going to take Lauren away.
"Camz, are you okay?" Lauren asked worriedly, tilting her head to examine the girl.
"I was..." She mumbled before bowing her head down.
"Lo!" Maia crept behind Lauren and screamed, poking Lauren in her sides. The volleyball player jumped in surprise before turning her face towards the other girl.
"Hey, Mi." She greeted half-heartedly.
Maia leaned in and pecked Lauren on the cheeks. "Hey babe." Camila clenched her jaw and sighed heavily as she watched, which didn't go unnoticed by Dinah. The Polynesian kept her eye on Camila, curious in her sudden change of mood along with her behavior in the past few days.
"You scared the shit out of me." The green-eyed girl rasped as she combed her hair. "What are you doing here? I thought you were tutoring someone."
"I finished." Maia plopped down next to Lauren and went through the girl's lunch bag. "I'm hungry. You got something good in here?" She grabbed a piece of fruit blindly and took it out of the brown sack. She furrowed her eyebrows together and looked at Lauren. "You told me you're not a fan of bananas..."
"I'm not." Lauren answered casually. "Those are for Camz." She nodded off to her teammate whose eyes bulged out at the sudden admission. "She loves them."
Maia held the fruit in her hand and reluctantly handed it off to Camila. "Oh. So I guess this is yours?"
"No. No... Um you can have it!" Camila shook her head and pushed the banana back to the Australian. "I'm getting tired of it anyway."
"You never get tired of bananas." Lauren quipped.
"Well I'm tired of them now." Camila sassed back playfully with a soft chuckle.
"Oh are you?"
"Yes, I am."
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah."
"Oh yeah?!"
"Yeah!"
The soccer player eyed the pair suspiciously and placed the fruit down. Jealousy got the best of her. "Lauren! Can you, um, come with me to my locker real quick?"
Both Lauren and Camila whipped their heads to Maia, who they have completely forgotten. The pale girl gulped at the other girl's tone and nodded coyly.
"Of course."
Maia stood up and was followed by Lauren. She reached for Lauren's hand and did not hesitate to intertwine them, making sure a certain someone saw it. She basically dragged Lauren out of the cafeteria away from her teammates.
Meanwhile, Camila groaned internally as she stared at the couple's entwined hands. She folded her arms over the table and rested her head on top of it. She watched the pair until they disappeared out the door.
"Mila, what the hell was that?" Dinah nudged softly, gaining the brown-eyed girl's attention.
"What was what?" Camila sighed flatly.
"You've been acting weird the past weeks. It's like you changed when you're around Lauren and Maia."
"No I haven't."
"Yes you have! It's like you get all flirty with Lauren and then act all shy when Maia is around." The tall middle stated. "It's like... it's like you-"
"No." Camila interrupted, forcing her eyes closed. "Lauren has a girlfriend or someone. She's dating someone and I can't have a crush on her. I can't like her. Not now."
Dinah had no words. Her captain confessed something she would have never seen coming. That wasn't Camila Cabello. She turned to Normani, who was in a deep conversation with Ally and was too busy to overhear her talk with Camila.
"Mani!" She hit the dark skinned girl's arm repeatedly until Normani whirled to her.
"What Dinah!" Normani barked, making little Ally to flinch and turn her attention to the Polynesian also.
"I think Mila wants to tell us something..." Dinah trailed off, and pointed back to their captain.
Camila looked in pain as she lifted her gaze to her teammates. She glanced between the three girls and bit her lip. "I think... I t-think I have feelings Lauren."
-
"Hey slow down." Lauren requested softly, her feet trying to keep up with Maia's fast pace.
The soccer player pulled her out in the hallway in the direction to her locker. A couple of her teammates passed by and whistled at them.
"Mitchell! You're bringing your girlfriend to the party on Friday, right?" One of the girls hollered at the pair.
"Girlfriend?" Lauren muttered lowly.
Maia faked on a smile before responding, "Of course I am!"
"Awesome! And Jauregui, bring some of your volleyball girls as well." The girl winked at the pale girl then walked off into the lunch hall. Once she was gone, Lauren looked at Maia questioningly.
"Girlfriend?" She asked clearer.
The brunette chuckled nervously, bringing her hand back to rub the nape of her neck. "About that... the team thought since you and I have been going out for a while now, that we're basically girlfriends."
"And you didn't correct them?" Lauren knitted her eyebrows together.
"Should I have?" Maia retorted bitterly. "Isn't that what we are..."
"Maia." Lauren tried.
"No, Lauren. Tell me. What are we doing?" The soccer player fumed. "We go on dates. We hang out almost everyday. We hold hands. We kiss! What the hell do you call that?"
"We're dating. That's what people do when they date." Lauren replied calmly. "What's going on with you?"
"It's been weeks Lauren. I think we've surpassed dating." Maia scoffed. "I've been waiting for you to make it official but it seems like you don't want to."
The dark haired girl sighed. She knew this was coming sooner or later but she hoped it to be later. The thing was that she did like Maia. She liked hanging out with her and talking about stuff. She liked the feeling she had when they held hands or kissed but it wasn't special enough. She delayed the whole 'label' thing because she was still waiting for the spark.
"I don't know, Mi." Lauren revealed sadly.
"What do you mean you don't know!" Maia exasperated. She was furious. "Lauren, is this real to you?!"
"Yes. It is, Maia. You know that."
"Then why do I feel like this is one sided?"
That struck a cord. Lauren frowned. "You, very well, know that I am putting as much effort as you are. I spend almost my entire day with you or talking to you. I care for you just like I know you care for me." She scolded.
Maia felt like an asshole for being so insensitive. Of course, the relationship wasn't one sided. Lauren did everything for Maia; she was the perfect, considerate and caring. She untwined her hand from Lauren's and buried her face in her hands. She rubbed in her eye sockets briefly before sliding her hands down.
"I know. I'm sorry." She said sheepishly. "I'm super insecure right now. I'm sorry."
"Hey, it's okay." Lauren reassured, stepping forward and engulfing the girl in a hug. She rubbed the girl's back soothingly and rested her chin on the girl's shoulder.
"Can't we just make this official? You like me and I like you." Maia mumbled into Lauren's shoulder.
The volleyball player moved back.
"Unless... unless you don't want to?" The Australian panicked, her eyes widening at Lauren's body language.
"It's not that I don't want to. I do like you, Maia." Lauren started. "But I can't. Not just yet. I want to be fully in it when I ask and right now... I'm not ready."
"Because you're still in love with Camila." Maia puffed.
"I don't want to hurt you. I want these feelings to go away so that I can commit. Fully."
"You're in love with her, Lauren. Those feelings will never go away. She's your first love."
"No, it'll go away." Lauren pressed. "Every minute I spend with you helps me let go."
"That might be true, but just one look at her and all those feelings will come rushing back in again." Maia countered deliberately. She watched as Lauren's face fell. "I see it every time you look at her or even at the mention of her name... it's like a surge of energy goes through you or something."
She laughed gently. "You light up and your eyes sparkle. And I know you try and hide it when I'm around but I still see it... in a way it's contagious. I fall for you... falling for her..."
Lauren opened her mouth to say something but was quickly interjected by the other girl.
"You don't have to defend yourself, Lo. You're hopelessly and deeply in love with Camila Cabello. I knew when I asked you out. I mean everyone kind off already knew. They way you guys look at each other is all so enthralling, like a prince finding his princess and their..."
"Happy ending." The green-eyed girl finished.
Maia nodded. "I guess that's why Ariana always felt so threatened by you. I feel the same when I see you with Camila."
"I can't seem to get over her." Lauren grumbled.
"Maybe your not meant to."
"What about you? What about us?"
The soccer player snorted. "I think we both know what's going to happen next."
"No, Maia. We can make this work." Lauren argued.
"We can't, Lo. As much as I like you and want to hold on to you, it hurts too much." Maia cupped Lauren's face and connected their foreheads. Her hazel eyes locked with green ones. "I'm letting you go." She whispered before leaning in and capturing Lauren's soft lips within hers.
Lauren fluttered her eyes close and kissed Maia gently, moving her lips in sync with the other girl's. Their kiss lasted for a minute before the Australian pulled away.
"This was harder than I thought." She panted, breathless from the kiss.
"You'll always be my pretty petal." The green-eyed girl breathed as she opened her eyes and stared into Maia. "Friends?"
The brunette let out a small chuckle. "I guess." She teased. "But you know what. After graduation, if Camila still doesn't have the balls to sweep you off your feet... I will. You and I will go far away from her as possible and I will make you fall in love with me, Lauren Jauregui."
"I'll take you up on that offer." Lauren smiled.
"So...tell me." Maia queried.
"Tell you what?"
"Tell me how you fell in love with her."
"I don't know... all I know is that it just took one second to fall in love with her forever."
-
After the talk with Maia, Lauren decided to walk around the school halls instead of going back to the lunch hall. She needed some air. She didn't know how to feel about breaking it off with Maia. The Australian was her first relationship.
She stuffed her hands in her jean pocket and rounded the corner to a row of lockers. She stopped dead in her tracks as she locked on two figures heavily making out. Two girls. The taller one pinned down by the lockers by a dark skinned girl.
"Not again." Lauren muttered under her breath before squinting to make out who they were. "Is that..." Her eyes widen at the familiarity of the silhouettes. She slowly backtracked as quietly as possible. She pressed her back against the corner and listened for confirmation.
"Mani, don't leave a mark." Dinah husked.
"It is." The captain whispered to herself. She slapped a hand on her mouth to suppress herself from screaming. 'DJ and Mani? Who would have thought?' She thought.
"I won't. Relax." Normani replied in a sultry voice. A couple of moans and groans filled the hallway, making Lauren more uncomfortable.
"What the hell is with this hallway?" Lauren mumbled in her hand. She heard Dinah's moans get louder and had enough. She tiptoed her way on the opposite side and sprinted when she felt far enough that her teammates wouldn't hear her.
She glanced back to check if the two girls had caught up and was relieved to see no one behind her. However, once she face forward she found herself colliding with another body.
"Laurennnnnn..." The other girl complained as she rubbed her forehead. "What the fuck?"
"Camz?" Lauren lifted an eyebrow when she was met with her favorite chocolate orbs. She shook her head and blinked a few times. The other girl groaned and tried to get up.
"Shit." Camila grumbled, stumbling back down.
"Are you okay?" The pale girl asked her voice filled with concern.
"You tackled me." Camila deadpanned as she threw her teammate a death glare.
"Sorry, I was trying to get away..." Lauren cleared her throat. She pushed herself up and extended her arm out for Camila. The brown-eyed girl accepted the help and let Lauren pull her up.
"And what were you running away from, may I ask?" Camila clapped her hands together to shake of the dirt that clung in her hands.
"You don't want to know." Lauren groused.
"Alright..." The Cuban-Mexican decided to let it go and scanned her surrounding. "Where's Maia?"
"She went back to the library. Where you going?" Lauren answered vaguely before changed the subject.
"I have to get something from my locker." Camila pointed behind Lauren.
"NO!" The green-eyed girl chimed. "I mean... just wait until the bell."
"I can't my class is all the way across campus. I'll be late. D-do... do you want to come?" The other girl asked hesitantly.
"Yeah sure. Why not." Lauren agreed, an idea popping up. She eagerly linked arms with Camila and pulled the girl in the other direction.
"Lauren, my locker is that way..." Camila intervened as she jerked the girl towards her.
"Yeah but I have to go to my locker also. Let's go to mine first."
"How about we go to mine first. It's literally right there."
"Okay but if we walk to mine we'll get more exercise."
"Are you trying to say I'm fat?" The brown-eyed girl raised an eyebrow and sent the other girl the stink eye.
Lauren's mouth dropped. There was no way of winning with this girl. She rolled her eyes playfully and groaned dramatically. "Fine. But text Dinah for me and ask her to give me the Calculus homework."
"Why can't you text her? And I swear I saw you working on it before practice yesterday."
Lauren ran her hand down her face. "Camila. Just please text her."
Her co-captain wrinkled her eyebrows together and scratched the back of her head. "Okay, fine." She took out her phone and typed a quick message. "Sent. Happy, Ms. Jauregui?"
"Thank you." Lauren huffed.
"Always my pleasure." Camila replied sarcastically accompanied by an eye roll. "Now can we go?"
The taller girl bit her lip and looked over Camila's shoulder. No sign of Dinah or Normani so she assumed they were too occupied to look at the message. Lauren huffed and ran her hands through her hair. She averted her gaze once more to Camila, who stared at her in puzzlement.
"I'm sorry." Lauren scooped Camila off her feet and carried her the other way. She tried to get Camila as far away as possible but the brown-eyed girl kept squirming.
"Laurennnnn! Put me down. What the hell?"
"Sorry, kid. You've already seen enough."