I finish my homework after two hours or so and I leave the table quickly to put my stuff away and grab my phone from my backpack.
Unlocking my phone, I see that I have one message already. It's from Noah. I ignore it, plopping down on the couch and taking out Lauren's number from my pocket.
"Jeez, what kind of mission are you on?" Alejandro asks from beside me, lifting his eyes up from his book.
"An important one." I play along, smiling faintly.
"For?"
"Nothing you should worry about." I mock his words from earlier today. He scoffs at me before going back to reading.
I wouldn't say I'm angry with him for not telling me why Sarah was here yesterday but I am slightly frustrated. I just want some answers. First, it was Mom and now it's Dad. What is going on?
Putting Lauren's number into my phone, I send her a simple text message.
My phone: Hey! It's Camila. I know we never came up with a time for you to come by, but I just wanted to let you know that I'm free whenever.
I grimace at my message. Did that sound too desperate?
Sending it anyway, I relax against the couch. Alejandro looks over to me, shutting his book.
"Who are you texting?" He asks, drumming his fingers against the book's cover.
"A friend." I reply vaguely, hiding my smile by biting my bottom lip.
"Does this friend have a name?" He inquires, lifting an eyebrow. I roll my eyes at him, shutting my phone off while I wait for a response.
"Of course." I laugh. "Her name is Lauren."
"Pretty name. Do you have any other friends I should know about?" He asks, leaning closer while lifting his eyebrows.
"Dinah, Normani, and Ally." I list them off, facing my dad with bright eyes. Lucy's name crosses my mind for a spilt-second but it doesn't stick. "They're all really nice."
"They better be." Alejandro says sternly, making me scoff.
"They are." I promise.
My phone suddenly dings in my hand, sending my heart into overdrive. I look down at my screen to see that it is just Noah. My heart settles down in disappointment.
"Is it Lauren?" Alejandro inquires, curious.
"No, just Noah."
I decide to reply to this message. I mean, Noah is my best friend. My eyes scan the text message before responding.
Right now: My Main Man: hey, Mila. Please call me. We need to talk.
I sigh, clicking his contact and hovering my thumb over the phone button. I'm about to press it when my phone dings again. I tap the pop-up notification.
It's Lauren.
As I read the message, my heartbeat speeds up incredibly.
Right now: Unknown number: Hi! I just have to go water my mom's plants and then I'll be free. I'll text you when I'm done.
"Who is Noah?" Alejandro asks suddenly, taking me out of my daze. "I've never heard you talk about him before."
"He's just my best friend from Seattle." I explain, typing Lauren back.
My phone: Okay, cool. Don't drown the plants!
I turn my phone off, tossing it onto the couch. I sprawl out, laying most of my body on the couch and my leg on my father's.
"Nothing more than a friend?"
"Nothing more, Dad." I assure him, laughing softly. It's like this whole joke. I can't keep my thoughts off Lauren while my dad is thinking Noah is my boyfriend.
"Alright, Camila." Alejandro smiles at me, opening his book back up. I shut my eyes slowly, taking deep breath. These last few days have been crazy.
My phone scares me when it dings a few minutes later. I grab it, my eyes glued to the screen.
Right now: Unknown number: Done! And don't worry, I didn't drown the plants. I'm not a monster.
I smile softly at the text message, imagining Lauren's laugh as she says that.
"Noah?" Alejandro guesses to which I shake my head.
"No. It's Lauren." I tell him, unlocking my phone to reply.
"Oh." He murmurs, his eyes becoming curious.
My phone: I never said you were a monster.
Alejandro's eyes haven't left my face since I responded to him. It seems like he is trying to figure something out.
Another text message makes my phone ding again.
Right now: Unknown number: That's just what you want me to think... I'm kidding, Camila. Anyway, you're free right now, right?
My phone: I mean, yeah, I do live in America.
Right now: Unknown number: You're such a dork. Do you want me to come by right now? I'm free, too, as we both do live in America.
"Can my friend come over to pick me up? We are going to get pizza." I ask Alejandro, making him look up from his book.
"Of course, Camila." He smiles.
"Thank you." I grin, typing Lauren the confirmation and sending her my address. I also add her to my contacts and change her name.
Right now: Emerald Eyes: Cool beans. I'll see you soon!
By the time we are done texting, my heart is pounding so loudly I can hear it in my ears.
Oh my god.
-~-
I resorted to playing Mad Libs with my father while I wait for Lauren to arrive. I twirl the pen around my fingers.
"I need an adjective." I tell him, looking up from the sheet of paper.
"Beautiful." He says simply. I write down the word. When he said the adjective, I immediately thought of Lauren. She is absolutely beautiful.
"Noun." I announce, slouching against the couch.
Alejandro rubs his chin in thought. "La—"
The sound of knocking on the door interrupts his words.
"I got it!" I jump up, throwing the Mad Libs book and pen at Alejandro who catches it clumsily.
I skip over to the front door, brushing myself off and running my fingers through my hair before opening it.
Lauren stands on the porch step, her eyes shining in the dim lighting. She stares down at her hands until she hears the door open. She looks up and smiles when she sees me.
"Hi, Camila." She grins, waving slightly.
"Hi, Lauren." I hum, high with excitement. I hear my dad jump off the couch, appearing at my side.
"Hello." Lauren says when she sees him.
"You must be Lauren." Alejandro grins, offering his hand to shake. Lauren shakes his head, smiling back.
"I am. You must be Camila's father?" Lauren guesses, dipping her head with respect.
"That's me." Alejandro smiles, nudging me in the side while he whispers. "I like her already."
"Dad..." I complain, blush creeping up on my cheeks. He laughs, ruffling my head.
"Go have fun, Camila. Just be back by eleven." Alejandro tells me, kissing my head before I say my goodbyes to him and Lauren dismisses us.
We step down the stair. I then stop and turn around, remembering something. "Wait here." I tell Lauren, rushing back inside.
"Hey?" Alejandro furrows his eyebrows when he sees me dart back inside.
I snatch Lauren's notes off the table, hurrying back outside with them. I shut the door, appearing back in front of her.
"Here you go." I offer her the notes which she happily takes and folds up to put in her pocket.
"Thank you." She says softly, lifting her eyes up from the ground to meet mine.
"So, where are we going for pizza?" I ask as we begin to walk down the sidewalk, swinging my arms.
"I was just thinking around the block." Lauren shrugs, turning her head to look at me. We are walking really close, but neither of us move farther.
"Sounds great." I smile. "I've never eaten anywhere in Miami yet, except at school and at home."
"Oh, really?" Lauren inquires, surprised. I nod. "Wow, okay. I'm flattered that I'm your first."
"Yeah, just don't let it go to your head." I roll my eyes, bumping into her gently. She grins at me, steadying herself.
"I won't. Don't worry."
We walk in silence for a while, passing by all the houses and people walking their dogs or just by themselves.
"What's your favorite part of Miami so far?" Lauren asks suddenly, looking to her side to fix her eyes on me.
"Well, I haven't really been anywhere yet, so, school?" I respond lamely, causing Lauren to giggle.
"For real?" She inquires, her emerald eyes giddy.
"For real." I assure her. "I know, I'm lame."
"No, you're definitely not lame. You're just new." Lauren defends me. Our hands brush for a split-second, causing my heart to jump. Emerald eyes then begin to glint mischievously. "After pizza, I'm totally showing you around town."
"Really? Like, to where?"
"To all my favorite places."
A grin spreads across my lips, my eyes meeting Lauren's tender eyes. We walk together while our hands subconsciously, like magnets, reach out for the other hand but once they touch, they fall.
Tonight is going to be incredible. I can feel it.
-~-
We both order a slice of pizza once we get to the pizza place; Lauren pays for the pizza which I'm extremely thankful for because I didn't bring any money.
"So, what are some of your favorite places?" I ask once we get our pizzas, sitting down at a booth.
"It's a secret." The shadow of a smile flickers on Lauren's lips, giving her this mysterious aura.
"Oh, that's how you're going to play this. Huh?" I take a bite of my pizza, lifting an eyebrow.
"That's how I'm already playing this." Lauren winks, laughing afterwards. I probably look like a dork; trying to eat my pizza while trying not to smile at Lauren's contagious laugh.
"At least, give me one hint." I beg, pouting. Lauren giggles, covering her mouth as she finishes chewing her bite of pizza.
"Fine, only because you're you." Lauren rolls her eyes playfully, knitting her fingers together.
"Yay!" I clap happily, causing Lauren to roll her eyes again at my giddy attitude.
Lauren takes a moment to think about the hint, her eyes darting around the room before they land on me. "Moonlight."
I scoff at the pale girl in front of me. "That is not a hint!"
"Yes, it is!" Lauren defends her so-called hint, crossing her arms. "Where does the moonlight shine the brightest?"
"How would I know? I just moved here." I retort, taking another bite of my pizza.
"Point taken but so is your hint." Lauren shrugs, throwing her pointer finger out forward with her whole hand in a dismissive manner.
"You're no fun." I pout through a mouthful of food.
"Whatever you say." She giggles, rubbing her thumb once against my the side of my chin to get some pizza sauce off it. Butterflies erupt in my stomach.
I only met her today; how can my heart react this way so quickly? Is it her eyes? Her laugh? The way she treats me? Her in general?
I can't tell, but what I can tell is that I'm a goner.
We finish our pizza, throwing our trash away before leaving the small diner. Lauren opens the door for me. As I'm exiting the diner, I lean closer to her face.
"Can you tell me now?" I beg, jutting my bottom lip out. The sky is dim right now, allowing the clouds to fade against the color.
"What are you? A child?" Lauren laughs, shaking her head. I slink back, falling into a steady trot with Lauren down the sidewalk.
"No. I'm just curious." I defend myself, crossing my arms.
"You'll see soon enough, curious Camila." Lauren giggles, her head turned to gaze at me. My eyes find her's for a second before dropping down.
We walk silently down an incline, cars rushing pass us. Their bright lights strobe across our bodies, reminding us that there is, in fact, light in the dark. Soon, we come across a circular street. No cars scurry blindly around here.
We cross the street, our feet hitting the large sidewalk. On the sidewalk is a beautiful fountain, spewing water gracefully in all different colors due to the changing light under it. A black metal fence borders the sidewalk, keeping a lake at bay.
Trees overhang around the edges, grass spiking out all around the spaces not covered by pavement. It's dark enough to see the moon, casting its light onto the waves of the dark water.
"Welcome to paradise." Lauren says to me, catching my attention like a fish from the scenery. She twirls around with her arms out, gesturing to everywhere.
"You could of just told me it was the harbor." I giggle, keeping close to Lauren's side.
"That would've ruined the fun." Lauren sticks her tongue out, crinkling her nose. "This place is too good for that."
"I can see that. It's absolutely beautiful here." I murmur, walking up to the fence and placing my arms on it. I lean in slightly, looking at the water. Different shades of blue shimmer in its waves. Black rests upon the top, due to the sky, navy blue dancing along the sides and teal with speckles of white sparkling in and out when the wind blows.
"You can see why I like it here." Lauren comes up beside me, resting her arms next to mine. She turns her head to me, her eyes unreadable. I shift my gaze to meet her eyes. I'm addicted to them.
Maybe it's an infatuation. It has to be. Lauren is undeniably gorgeous, her eyes reflecting some of the aqua color from the water below us and her dark hair tumbling over her shoulders.
It's an infatuation, I'm sure of it. Whenever I'm around her, my heart speeds up and I feel nervous. I only met her today and I'm clearly attracted to her. She makes me feel important and special and that's what I crave. I only crave that feeling.
I'm addicted to her light. The way she moves, the way she laughs, the way she smiles and makes me feel like I'm worth her time. I don't know her bad traits so her light is all I can see.
But, what happens when darkness drowns light out?
"Camila?" Lauren asks, waving her hand in front of my face. "You okay?"
I blink a few times, nodding. "Yeah, yeah. I'm good."
"Okay, good, because I called your name four times and you didn't respond." Lauren exhales a breath of relief.
"Sorry, I was just lost in thought." I explain, taking a deep breath. Stars begin to glitter in the dark sky. "This place makes me think."
"Yeah, it has that kind of affect on people." Lauren smiles mysteriously.
I take a step back from the fence, soaking in everything my eyes can see. A few shops line the street, their lights fading into the darkness. Light Italian music plays from one of the shops.
"Dance with me?" Lauren offers her hand suddenly, making my heart jump. Her eyes gleam in the dark, reminding me of home.
"No way, I'm not dancing in public." I glance a frightful stare around the area, not seeing anyone out tonight.
"No one is even out here." Lauren says, jumping up onto the concrete ledge of the fountain, prancing around the circle. I walk toward her and she stops in front of me. "C'mon."
"I'm not the best..." I murmur, taking a step back. Lauren extends her arm, reaching out to me.
"Neither am I." Lauren grins assuringly. "Come on, live on the edge with me."
Her corny phrase makes my heart melt and I take her hand. She grins, pulling me up onto the side of the fountain. Mist from the fountain falls upon my skin lightly.
Lauren walks backwards so she is facing me. I'm scared she going to fall but then I realize that this is her favorite place so she's done this before. She's fine.
Me, on the other hand... I'm not so great.
My foot slips over the side barely, making me stumble toward the water. "Ah!" I shout but Lauren takes my hands in her's to steady me.
"Can't take you anywhere, can I?" Lauren jokes, her eyes fixed on mine.
"Hey, it's not my fault I'm clumsy." I retort, the corner of my lips twitching upward slightly.
"I never said it was your fault." Lauren lifts an eyebrow. "Just stay with me and I'll hold you."
Stay with me... those words seem to hold more for Lauren than for someone else. What happened?
"Sounds like a plan." I grin, her hands warm against my normally cold ones. Her skin is soft and addicting. What am I getting myself into?
Lauren begins to skip backwards on the concrete ledge, swinging our arms as we prance around. I keep looking down at her feet which are tempting the edge, making me more and more nervous about her falling.
"What if you fall?" I blurt out, my eyes fixed on her feet prancing with mine clumsily stomping along.
"I won't." Lauren says seriously like it's the most well-known fact ever. "I promised myself I'll never fall again."
Her words hit me like bricks. My eyes dart back up to Lauren's. Suddenly, I can see every broken fragment in her emerald eyes. Every rip and tear telling a story she won't read aloud.
She blinks, creating a facade cloud over her eyes, blocking out the slashes tears have brought to her eyes. They glow bright again as they stare into mine.
"I've never met anyone like you before, Camila." Lauren suddenly shares, twirling me around under her hand, pulling me upright before I fall over the edge.
"That's a surprise." I say, trying to regain my footing.
"Don't say that." Lauren tells me, her eyes tender. "Sometimes I come down here at midnight when stuff is hard at home and I ask random people if they will dance with me up here. No one ever does."
"They're all stupid." I allow Lauren to guide us carefully around the circle again for what seems like the millionth time. I begin to pick up on her footing.
"They're not you. That's what is wrong with them." Lauren says truthfully, her features sincere. We move as one on the ledge.
"You don't even know me." I retort, blushing nevertheless. Emerald eyes sparkle against chocolate eyes.
"You're right, I don't. But I feel like I do." Lauren shares, reflecting my exact feelings. She jumps off the edge, letting go of one of my hands but still holding the other. I hop down as well; Lauren spinning me around when my feet touch the sidewalk.
We stop dancing, our bodies just a few inches apart. Moonlight cast itself on Lauren's face, darkening her jawline and brightening her eyes and the curve of her nose. She grins.
Our eyes mix together but then she drops her's unexpectedly, leaving mine just hanging there. She looks back up to stare at the clock on the side of the stores.
"I should get you home." She says, meeting my eyes again briefly. We turn to the opposite direction, walking away from paradise.
"What about the other places you love?" I ask, wringing my hands nervously.
"We can save those for another day."
Another day. That means this isn't the end. I'm so used to someone leading me on then leaving me alone for someone better. But when Lauren's eyes cross mine, I can tell that isn't how this is going to be.
As we walk back around the pizza diner and toward my house, I become tired. It's like Lauren distracted me just enough to keep me high on energy.
Or maybe I'm just high on Lauren.
-~-
I'm back home and Lauren is gone. When we were walking back to my house, we talked about all of our favorite things. From animals and songs to numbers and color; we just talked. Anything and nothing—if someone can name it, we discussed it.
I crawl into my bed, curling up with a faint smile on my lips. I feel Cheesecake's warm body beside mine as I slip into sleep.
As I go under, I realize that Lauren really did take my mind off Noah. So much so, I forgot to call him.
__
A/N: hallo! Okay, so I was reading through my plot-line for this story and I realized that this next chapter is the last chapter of no drama. Get ready, guys, it's coming soon.
Anyway, if you enjoyed this chapter, please star it. Thank you so much and have a wondrous day! I love you!! :)
~StrangeBlob