Camila's PoV
I woke up earlier than I wanted too. 4:30am and I knew I couldn't just fall back asleep for another half-hour. I'd never make it to practice. I sighed and sat up in my messy bed with my dishevelled hair going every which way.
I knew if I showered early, mom and dad would have a fit. My siblings wouldn't care, they slept through anything and everything. Dad was alright with it I guessed, but when mom got upset and into one of her moods, that's when dad minded. I'd rather have a conflict-free morning anyway.
So I decided to do a quick check on my homework and then quietly get ready for hockey.
The team was showing up just as I was and I smiled as Trixie, one of my good friends on the team, attempted to throw a snowball at me. I laughed as she fell on an ice patch and helped her up. "You're in a cheerful mood for being up this early, what gives?" We made our way into the school's arena.
"I just had this amazing date and we decided to go out again tomorrow night." Trixie grinned and bit her lip. Her green eyes wide which matched her smile completely.
"Well I'm glad, who is this lucky guy?" I teased and bumped my hips with hers, causing our hockey bags to fall off our shoulders. We laughed and then she pulled me into the farthest part of the locker room. Okay, she looked pretty serious all of a sudden.
Trixie took a deep breath and wiped the red hair away from her face. "My date wasn't with a guy," she whispered. I couldn't help but step back and look at her confused. I didn't mean for it to be a look of disgust, just shocked. Trixie loved flirting. With both, but I just figured that's all she was doing, flirting. "Great, now you think I'm gross and that I'm going to check you out."
Her comment snapped me out of my thoughts and I quickly reached for her hands. "Hey no," I said softly and smiled. "Really, I'm not disgusted and I don't care of you check me out." I grinned when she chuckled. "That's really great Trix, I'm happy for you." I was honest. It wasn't hard for her to confide in me and I was happy about that. "So who is the lucky gal?" I raised an eyebrow.
She blushed and looked around. "Madison."
"Madison?" My eyes went wide with shock. "Madison. Head cheerleader of ViewBelle Madison? Madison Duarte?"
Trixie waited. "Are you quite done?" She waited for me to shut up and continued in a hush voice. "She's not out yet and I know I can trust you not to tell anyone about this, Mila, please?"
I crossed my heart and began to laugh. "Madison?" I couldn't help it. She was the one bitch I wanted to wipe the ice with her face last year. She was a complete bitch to Kyla when my best friend switched schools. She used to go to ViewBelle and was co-captain of their cheerleaders but decided to switch schools to be with me and Madison was not happy about it. Childish I know, but Kyla was that good.
"What do you have against her?" Trixie asked, pouting.
I opened my locker and got out my freshly washed jersey. "She stole Kyla's boyfriend just because she switched schools." I said bluntly.
"Oh," Trixie mumbled and became quiet. "Camila?"
I looked up at her and noticed the slightly scared look that graced her face. "What is it?"
"Madison really isn't a bad person, I mean she comes off that way, but she's just really needy and that need is usually to get her own way. She hated losing Kyla to the cheerleading squad here. She felt betrayed and I can understand that. You are our best player and I'd feel the same way if you decided to up and quit to go to another team." Trixie took a breath and blushed slightly. I never really saw it from her point of view – or rather Madison's. I was just defending my best friend and that's all that mattered. Kyla was heartbroken after Drake broke up with her to be with Madison.
"I understand that, but Madison stooped low and caused Drake to break up with her. Maybe he was going to up and leave her anyway, but Madison had no right to do what she did." I finished getting ready and laced my skates tight. "I'm sorry Trixie, I'm really happy for you. I want you to be happy. If you say Madison is a great person and she treats you with respect, then she has mine." I flashed her a smile and patted her ass with my hockey stick. "Now hurry and get ready, Coach will not be happy if you're late again."
- - - -
Practice was over two hours later and I was feeling more wide awake. I knew that a nice hot shower would relieve me of my stiff muscles. I didn't stretch as much as usual and it was showing, or rather, I was feeling it. I got off the ice and started to walk towards the locker room when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I looked up and there she was. Wide awake with two coffees sitting beside her. She was leaning over the rail with a smile that melted me once again. "Lauren!" I grinned and took off my helmet, my blonde hair sticking to the back of my neck. I all of a sudden felt self-conscious and bit my lip. "What are you doing up? It's barely sunrise!"
Lauren snickered and made her way down to me. I was taller than her even more now that I had my skates on. "I figured you could use a little caffeine seeing as you actually drag your ass here this early in the morning." She grinned and tipped the coffee tray towards me. Even though I had to go change, I managed to take my gloves off and take a sip of the hot liquid which warmed my insides as her smile did as well.
"Technically I've been up since 4:30am so I've been up for almost three hours now." I carefully placed the cup back in the tray and adjusted my helmet under my arm. She stood there quiet for a moment and then bit her lip in a smile.
"You're even crazier than I thought you were, Cabello." Lauren looked over my jersey and smirked. "You really good in your gear."
"I feel like an oversized marshmallow!" I protested with a laugh. I nervously switched from foot to foot, she was definitely checking me out and I had no idea how to handle it. Hell, her next comment didn't help any.
"Lucky for you, I find marshmallows very good," she winked and snickered.
"Uh," I cleared my throat and realized she enjoyed making me squirm, "but they are so very sticky."
She just shrugged and never let her smile fade. "You should go get changed before you end up in the locker room alone . . ."
Was she. . .? Did she just . . .? Okay, I figured I'd better go get changed before this woman literally stopped me from breathing. At this rate, I wouldn't put it past her to come and see me in the locker room. Worse yet, I didn't see myself stopping her.
"Yea, um, you gonna be here?" I asked, sounding a little eager.
"I'm only here for you gorgeous," she winked and playfully swatted my overstuffed ass, "now go before the rest of your coffee gets cold or I drink it all."
I swallowed hard and laughed. Yes, she was really flirting with me. She was really really flirting. Lauren Jauregui, the cousin of my boyfriend, was flirting with me.
And I loved it.