"Five.. Four.." Her friends started counting and Lauren's head shot up as they all turned around to face her, a giant plate of what from where Lauren was sitting, looked like brownies stacked up neatly with nineteen birthday candles poked into them. "Three.. Two.. One.."
The clock struck midnight. Lauren was officially nineteen years old, sitting in a clearing next to a campfire, in the middle of the woods while her friends who's systems were filled with the just the right combination of alcohol and weed, sang her a sloppy rendition of Happy Birthday.
"Make a wish," Camila whispered as they all came to stop in front of her, Ally holding out the plate, while the candles burned brightly and Lauren looked up at her friends who's smiles were warm and loving and took a breath, eyes closed as she leaned forward.
"I wish," Lauren said out loud, the rest of her thought finished in her head. "I wish for Camz to learn how to be happy, I wish that I will always be able to keep her feet on the ground." Lauren opened her eyes and smiled back at her friends, all the candles had been blown out with one long stream of hot air and Camila let out a small giggle, causing Lauren to quirk her brow in suspicion.
"They're pot brownies," Camila laughed and Lauren threw her head back and laughed along with her as Dinah handed them each a paper plate with rainbow coloured balloons printed on them and Hannah divided the brownies amongst the six.
The girls all returned to their seats around the campfire, as they munched away on the brownies, while listening to the sounds of the campfire crackling away in front of them. Hannah throwing on more wood as the flames lessened and Ally making sure everyone's drinks were full. Lauren disappeared into the tent, her long sleeve shirt no longer providing her with warmth and when she stepped out in an oversized sweater Normani let out a laugh.
"You're drowning in that thing, Laur," she said nodding towards the big sweater.
Lauren just shrugged and made her way back over to the log, settling herself down next to Camila. "I like when my clothes is big on me," she said causing Normani and Camila to look at her as though she had spoken another language.
"When your clothes are big on you," Normani corrected, Dinah gasping as she realized someone finally had gotten the chance to correct Lauren on her grammar for once, instead of the other way around.
Lauren scrunched up her face and shook her head, "No, clothes is big on you."
"Clothes are," Camila giggled. "Clothes is a plural," she said shrugging her shoulders while Lauren's mouth fell open, shocked that Camila was agreeing with Normani instead of her, especially on her birthday.
Lauren let out a sigh and sipped on her drink, "No." Shaking her head once more, Lauren set down her drink, "Not necessarily, because clothes is a singular thing that encompasses-"
Camila was arguing back and all Lauren heard was, "A plural."
Lauren continued her thought ignoring Camila as she looked at Normani, "Like a family, it's the same thing."
"But you're not gonna say-" Camila started to argue back, feeling the effects of her high, but Lauren interrupted her.
"I'm gonna look it up," she said pulling out her phone.
"You know what," Camila let out a laugh and nudged Lauren as she pulled out her own phone, looking to see that her battery was dying and praying it would keep it's charge long enough for her to prove Lauren wrong. "I'm gonna look it up faster, let's settle this with the old typing skills."
"What's happening over here?" Hannah asked as she put another piece of wood in the fire and sat back down across from Lauren and Camila.
"I said I love when my clothes is big on me," Lauren mumbled as her fingers typed furiously on her phone.
Camila groaned and shook her head, "That doesn't make sense!"
"That does make sense," Lauren shouted, giving Camila her best eyeroll. "I've always said it that way!"
"But that doesn't make it right," Normani pointed out.
Camila looked up at Normani and laughed before turning to Lauren, "That's not proper grammar." Leaning closer, Camila pressed a kiss to Lauren's cheek quickly, pulling back and giving her a cheeky smile, "This is for your own good."
"She knows her stuff," Normani said turning to Hannah who seemed confused about what was happening around her. "But today," she said proudly. "She may have made a mistake."
"She did," Camila said seriously, looking over at Hannah with a nod of her head.
"EnglishForums.com," Lauren hummed, her voice monotone as she continued to scroll through her phone.
Ally came back with more drinks and set them down, looking around at her friends and Normani quickly filled her on what was happening, "She said my clothes is big on me, but it's my clothes are big on me."
"We're gonna prove the grammar queen wrong," Camila said dramatically as she stood up, acting out her words. "Take off her invisible grammar crown."
"Clothes is, is possible," Lauren started to say excitedly, Camila's protest lost on her. "And this is off EnglishForums.com."
"Doesn't matter," Normani said shaking her head. "It's lying, it's like wikipedia sometimes-"
"That's so full of-" Lauren said, her head snapping up as Camila cut her off.
"English forums can kiss my butt," she laughed as she grabbed for her drink and shoved her phone back in her pocket.
"Yeah," Normani agreed, getting up and running over to Camila, clinking their drinks together.
Lauren huffed loudly, her voice and demeanor showing annoyance, "Okay well you can kiss my butt, because no, it's correct. It can be both ways," Lauren said over Camila, the two of them talking at the same time.
"English forums is gonna kiss my butt, before I kiss your butt," Camila spoke while Lauren was getting riled up, neither of them noticing the snickering coming from Dinah.
"Lies, Mila loves kissing Lauren's butt," Dinah said looking over at Hannah who was just watching with amusement.
"Clothes cannot be is," Lauren said excitedly, thinking she was about to prove her point, but missing the truth of what she was reading all together. "It says it's impossible!"
"What, what?" Camila grinned, excitement in her voice as she leaned closer to Lauren.
Normani pointed in Lauren's direction, laughing, "Exactly!"
"Oh," Lauren sighed, pouting just slightly as she put her phone down on her lap, Nomani and Camila clapping excitedly with triumph. "You're right, you're right," she said trying to brush it off like it was no big deal. "It's alright to be wrong sometimes, I said it incorrectly."
Camila looked at Normani and smiled slyly, the two of them starting to sing together, "We are the ones who make a brighter day, so let's start giving-"
"You two suck," Lauren mumbled, Camila quickly moving to press a kiss to the corner of Lauren's mouth with a dopey smile. "So can we open presents now or what? These fuckers are just sitting here taunting me like, open me, no me, no open me first," she laughed, gesturing to the presents sitting on the blanket at her feet.
"Okay, but you can't open mine until last," Camila said with a stern look, Lauren popping out her bottom lip in a pout.
Dinah made the first move towards the presents, grabbing a purple bag and passing it to Lauren, "Mine first, because it's better than anything any of these fools could have got you."
"Not true," Ally said as she an Hannah moved closer. The six girls now huddled around Lauren as she began to pull the paper from the bag Dinah had given her.
Lauren's eyes widened as she looked inside of the back, letting out an awkward squeak as she stuffed the paper back inside. "Dinah!" She squealed, "This is so weird, I can't believe-"
"Girl, I'm just trying to spice up your sex life."
"Um," Camila swallowed as she looked between Dinah and Lauren. "W-what is it?"
"Vibrators and edible underwear, also some other little things I thought you two might enjoy," Dinah laughed, winking at Camila who was flushed red. "Oh there should be a pair of handcuffs in there too."
"Dinah Jane," Ally scolded, while Normani and Hannah laughed maniacally at Lauren's uncomfortable shifting and Camila's blushing. "You were supposed to get Lauren something meaningful or, or-"
"I did get her something meaningful," Dinah protested. "I got her a sexual adventure with Mila!"
"But we-" Lauren started to say, shutting her mouth and shaking her head as she set the present down. "Thanks, I think," she said smiling at Dinah who was more than happy with the present she had bought. As Lauren reached for the next present she took a second to take in Camila's wide eyes and heavy breaths. "We don't have to use them," she whispered, worried Camila was feeling inadequate.
Camila pursed her lips and nodded, looking straight at Lauren. "We could though," she winked, causing Lauren's eyes to widen as she choked on Camila's words and the seducing gaze that was flashing in her chocolate eyes. "I'm not completely opposed," she laughed as she reached down and grabbed a small silver box off the ground. "This," she said handing the present to Lauren. "Is from Sofi."
"Sofi?"
"Yup, we went shopping before she left for camp and she insisted on getting it for you," Camila smiled. "Also I have been told that we are to call her at camp tomorrow."
Lauren just smiled, fingers picking at the shiny paper until she was left holding a white box, the contents leaving Lauren speechless. "Oh Sofi," Lauren whispered, her eyes welling with tears as Camila reached over and opened the locket, a picture of Camila, Sofi, and Lauren on one side from the trip they took to the beach when Lauren was in California and a selfie of Lauren and Sofi that had been taken at the nail salon on the other.
"That's so fucking cute," Ally giggled, the alcohol bringing out her alter ego, Allysin. No one was shocked to hear her swear, it was a usual occurrence when Ally had been drinking, but Hannah had never heard it before and her mouth hung open as she stared at Ally.
"Get used to that," Normani laughed. "Allysin is coming out to play," she said passing Lauren another present while Camila clasped the locket from Sofi around Lauren's neck.
"I'm scared to open this," Lauren mumbled, causing a wave of giggles from her friends.
"Oh please," Normani said rolling her eyes. "I have more class than this one here," she pointed to Dinah who mocked hurt with a hand on her heart. "You're going to love my present."
Normani was right, Lauren did love her gift. An expensive looking sketchbook with thick paper and book binding, rather than coiled. A set of sketch pencils, some charcoal pencils, and a few more professional grade art supplies and Lauren let out an excited squeal as she looked at Normani. "Mani," she whined happily. "These are like really expensive," Lauren said holding up a set of paint brushes with slim black wood handles.
"It's nothing," Normani shrugged. "I'm glad you like them, I seriously was in the art store for like three hours, got you a bunch of shit and then realized I know absolutely nothing about art, luckily the old dude that works there did or else you'd have ended up with some construction paper and crayons."
They continued through the gifts, Camila's parents had gotten Lauren a new leather jacket complete with studs that Lauren had gushed over in a magazine when she was at Camila's parents house back in May and Hannah had given Lauren gift certificates for free cooking lessons, so that as Hannah put it, her and Camila wouldn't starve to death.
"My drunk kitchen?" Lauren mused looking at Hannah.
Hannah let out a small laugh, "I'm starting a business, it's called My Drunk Kitchen, it's cooking lessons and each lesson comes with a bottle of wine, that's the drunk part."
"That sounds dangerous," Lauren laughed and Hannah just shrugged and smiled.
"Oh, it definitely is."
"Mine next," Ally said as she used her foot to push a box towards Lauren. "There are a few things in there for you," she explained as Lauren opened the box.
Picking up the first item, Lauren studied it with a confused expression, "You bought me a bible?"
"Kind of," Ally laughed as she watched Lauren open it with wide eyes.
"Ally is this-"
"A stash box," Ally said pointedly. "Complete with a few joints, a lighter, and the recipe to these," she said holding up the last of what was left of the brownie she had been eating. "There's more in the box though," she said ignoring the shocked stares coming from the direction Dinah and Normani were sitting.
The box also contained a very hippy-esque wall tapestry that Ally explained she had gotten down at the boardwalk, as well as one of those cool leather pencil cases that rolled up. However Lauren's favourite gift in the box was something unexpected, even more unexpected than the stash box bible. Lauren pulled out the card, reading it quickly and shutting it before anyone, even Camila had a chance to read it. "Ally can I see you for a second?" Lauren asked removing herself from her seat and walking away from earshot of the rest of the group, who just shrugged and got up to go get more snacks and more drinks. "Ally what is this?" She said holding up the card.
"Well," Ally said with a smile. "I remembered you once said that your dream was to get married in a church, but there aren't any churches in Miami that will perform a same sex marriage despite it being legal and maybe in the future that will change, I know you've always loved my church, you've always said it was the most beautiful church Miami had to offer. So I talked to my pastor and after a bit of convincing, he agreed to marry you and Camila in the church. I know you don't expect to get married right away and the future is never certain on these kind of things, same sex marriage I mean, but you have my word and the word of my pastor that when the time comes he will marry you inside the church you love."
Tears were streaming down Lauren's face as she pulled Ally into a hug, she hadn't admitted it out loud, but when she started the thoughts of marrying Camila her biggest fear was that they would be stuck doing an outdoor ceremony because there might not be a church that would allow them the privilege. "You're amazing," Lauren breathed, pressing a kiss to Ally's cheek. "I don't even know what to say right now."
"Don't say anything, the smile on your face right now is enough for me," Ally said reaching up to wipe the tears off Lauren's cheek.
After rejoining the group and running through a few more presents, there was just one left and Camila shifted nervously as Lauren pulled the gift onto her lap. "The gift I've been waiting for," Lauren said with a smile as she began to pull the paper from the bag.
A black photo album with gold lettering on the front, 'The Writing on the Wall' it said and Lauren looked over at Camila and then back to the album, opening the cover to see a single picture on the first page. It was a photo of a wall in some bathroom stall.
Call Lauren for a good time, written in sloppy writing and Camila's hand holding a black sharpie as she got ready to block out Lauren's phone number.
"Camz-"
"Keep going," Camila whispered as she leaned her head on Lauren's shoulder, watching Lauren flip to the next page. A screenshot of their first conversation and under it in Camila's writing it said, "We started with a text, the most important text I ever sent or will ever send, even if I didn't know it at the time." The next page contained the first pictures Lauren and Camila had ever taken together and though they had been taken less than a year earlier, Lauren noted that they both looked much younger in the photos. Each page as Lauren flipped through contained more photos and more screenshots of conversations the two had shared and when she was about half way through the album there was a page filled with Camila's writing.
Writing on a wall brought us together and I know one of the things you've always wanted is to be able to leave your mark on the world. You've already left the biggest mark on my heart, but now you can share your heart wih the rest of Miami and those who visit. The first text I ever sent you was on the 10th day of the month, so here are 10 places for you to leave your mark in the city that started our love story.
The next ten pages contained single Polaroid pictures of buildings around Miami, the bookstore Camila worked at, an old surf shop by the beach, the sea patrol building by the marina, Panther coffee shop, the record store where Dinah worked, and the Miami Dade children centre among the photos.
"I didn't buy you buildings," Camila said with a slight giggle as she watched Lauren run her fingers over the pictures, page by page. "But I got you walls of buildings, I talked to some owners and made some payments and deals and well," she told Lauren with a shrug. "The walls that you can see," she said pointing to one of the photos and letting Lauren take in the angle in which they had been taken. "Those are yours, those are your canvases and you can paint and create whatever your heart wants on the side of these buildings, you can leave your mark here in Miami on these walls."
"Are you serious?" Lauren asked, Camila nodding her head in Lauren's peripheral as she waited for the information to sink into Lauren fully.
"Well shit," Dinah breathed out, completely taken back by the gift Camila had presented Lauren with.
"Wall ain't that the gift of all gifts," Hannah laughed, while Ally shook her head at Hannah's love of puns.
Lauren closed the album and looked at Camila with watery eyes. "Babe, this is," she couldn't find the words to describe how she felt, so Lauren placed a soft hand on the side of Camila's face and guiding her closer, Camila's bottom lips now resting between Lauren's as they melded together in the softest kiss Camila had ever felt.
Ally stood up, motioning for the rest of the group to give the two girls a minute of privacy and after snapping a quick picture with Lauren's Polaroid camera, Normani complied as she pulled Dinah off the ground and towards the picnic table with Ally and Hannah. Camila's hand made its way to the back of Lauren's neck, fingers brushing at warm skin as Lauren deepened the kiss and when they pulled back, Lauren's smile matched Camila's.
"Camz, I love this and I love you and-"
"I love you too, Lo," Camila whispered, biting at her bottom lip.
"Miami is going to know our story," Lauren said with a sigh. "They are gonna feel our love through the paint on these walls.
More drinks. Another joint. Endless s'mores as chocolate and graham crackers were passed around the fire. Camila settled back down on the blanket between Lauren's legs and reached for her guitar one more time. Three in the morning, fire bright, and the Miami stars shining above them, Camila played one more song.
When you wake up sun will shine
We will not go under any cloud
Let balloons go up in town
ring out every bell
Happy birthday, beautiful
all the birds of this day
sing a song, sing a song
Dream of trains carrying you
through the state parks with the cherry flowers
When you wake up it will be
the beginning of the world
Happy birthday, beautiful
in the fields of this day
hear a song, hear a song
Oh, undeserved sweetness and light
stay by my side
We will go out in the morning now
a crown of maple leaves, a crown of flowers
circling your sweet head
Happy birthday, beautiful
in the streets of this day
play a song, play a song
"Happy birthday, beautiful," Camila whispered as she leaned her head back and looked up at Lauren. "I can't wait to spend a life time of birthdays with you."
The weight of Camila's words fell hard on Lauren's heart and she nodded her head as a single tear fell from green eyes. Camila was trying. Camila wanted to stay with her feet on the ground, even if only for Lauren and that alone was the best birthday gift Lauren could have ever received, that was her wish coming true, a wish made on candles she had blown out at midnight.