Ever since Lauren was a little kid, she was taught to never judge a book by it's cover. But she had to admit, the house across the street was really creepy looking.
Four years ago, her dad who was a police officer was killed and around that same time a guy moved into the house across the street.
Nobody ever caught her dad's killer and still to this day, Lauren is left wondering what happened to him. She misses him terribly every day.
"Laur, mom wants you to run to the store." Her younger brother Chris says, stopping beside her at the kitchen table.
"Myself?" Lauren asked.
"Yeah, here's the list." The fourteen year old says, handing her the list.
"Myself?" Lauren repeated.
Rolling his eyes, Chris looks at her. "Yes, mom's dealing with Taylor." He mumbles, talking about their four year old sister.
Their mom had been pregnant when their dad was killed.
"Oh." Lauren swallowed. "You don't want to come with me?" She asked, taking the list.
"No, I have to finish my science project." Chris responds, making his way out of the kitchen.
Lauren sighed. She looked at the list before getting up and making her way to the door.
Pulling on her shoes and jacket, Lauren looks around for her mom's wallet and grabs her credit card meant for only store runs.
Taking a deep breath, she left the house.
Looking across the street, she bites her lip as she looks at the broken down house.
There were broken windows, holes in the porch and roof. The front door was the only thing fully intact and seemingly brand new.
She swallowed nervously, walking down the path.
By the time she got to the store, she was ready to just go back home.
She entered the store and rushed around to get the items on the list so she could get home as quickly as she can.
"Where are you?" She mumbles to herself as she tries to find Pomegranate and Grape juice that Taylor likes.
She looked along the shelves of juices. "Come on." She muttered.
"Can I help you?" A kind voice asks from behind her.
Jumping in surprise, Lauren flinched. "Um...." She shuffled nervously.
The girl behind her steps forward, wearing a 'ShopRite' shirt. "Can I help you find something?"
"Um.... juice." Lauren said nervously. She bit her lip.
"What kind of juice?" The dark-skinned girl asks.
"Um.... p-pomegranate and... um... grape." Lauren said, looking at the list in her hands. She pushed her glasses up her nose and looked up.
Smiling, the dark-skinned girl reaches the top shelf and grabs the last two of the pomegranate and grape juice. "Here you go."
"Um... thanks." Lauren cautiously took the bottles and put them in the basket.
"No problem, just so you know, they are actually going to be discontinuing that juice. But if you want, I can put a couple back when we get our last order." The dark-skinned girl says, shifting enough so that Lauren can read her nametag - Normani.
"Um, thanks." Lauren said, offering a small smile.
Normani smiles back before looking behind Lauren as one of her coworkers call her name. "I have to get back to work, but come find me if you need anything."
Lauren nodded. She looked back down at the list. "Done." She whispered to herself.
****
After checking out at the grocery store, Lauren made it back home and told her mom about the juice before going up to her room.
She curled up on her bed and grabbed her book.
Reading was the only thing she enjoyed besides art and music.
She pushed her glasses up her nose and smiled as she read.
"Lolo!" Taylor yells running into her room, the four year old climbs onto the bed and curls into Lauren's side. "Read to me."
Lauren sighed, she looked at Taylor. "Um, do you have your own book?"
Nodding, the little girl holds up The Cat in the Hat. "This one!"
"I read that to you last night." Lauren said, she marked her page and put her book down.
Pouting, Taylor gets off the bed and goes to Lauren's bookshelf, grabbing a different book.
The four year old climbs back onto the bed and holds out the new book. "This one!"
Lauren smiled. "Come on." She took the book from Taylor.
Climbing onto Lauren's lap, the little girl leans against her.
Lauren began reading to Taylor.
Halfway through the book, Taylor was sound asleep, her head dropping on Lauren's shoulder.
Lauren smiled, she put the book down and kissed the top of Taylor's head.
"Laur, have you-" Clara pauses in the doorway and smiles upon seeing Taylor sound asleep on Lauren's lap. "She loves when you read to her."
Lauren nodded, pushing her glasses up her nose.
"I need you to pick her up from preschool tomorrow." Clara says, walking into the room and running a hand through Lauren's hair.
"Why?" Lauren frowned. "I don't get out of school until four tomorrow."
Sighing, Clara sits down on the edge of the bed. "I'm needed at the hospital tomorrow night. I already wrote an excuse for you to get out early."
"Oh." Lauren looked down at her hands.
"What's wrong sweetie?" Clara asks, looking into Lauren's green eyes.
Lauren shook her head. "I miss dad."
A sad smile grows on Clara's lips, "I miss him too. Get some sleep." She says softly, standing up and kissing Lauren's forehead before picking up Taylor and leaving the room.
Lauren sighed, she closed her eyes to stop herself from crying.
****
Camila sighed as she sat in her room, something she has done everyday for four years.
"Why can't I go outside?" She asks her dad.
"Because the world is a horrible place." Camila's father said.
"But I'm eighteen." Camila whined.
Narrowing his eyes, Alejandro steps closer. "What have I told you about questioning me?"
Flinching, Camila quickly looks down. "I'm sorry Papi." She mumbles, she couldn't wait for Mani and Dinah to get home.
Alejandro released a slow breath through his nose. "I'm sorry, I just don't want to lose you."
"I know Papi, I just hate being locked inside." Camila mumbles sadly.
Alejandro sighed. "It's to keep you safe."
"I've been practicing everything you've taught me. Please Papi, I just want to go outside once." The younger girl begs, she was tired of being cooped up inside.
"No." Alejandro said. "I can't lose you."
Tears fill Camila's eyes and she rolls onto her side, facing the wall.
Alejandro left the room, he knew keeping her inside was wrong but he couldn't lose her.
A few hours later, Camila jumps awake when she feels her bed dip.
"Hey, Mila." Dinah smiled.
Sitting up, Camila forces a smile. "How was work?"
"It was good. Not too busy." Normani said.
"That's good." Camila says softly, running a hand through her hair.
"How was your night?" Dinah asked.
"I saw the girl again, and Papi won't let me out." The Cuban responds.
"You saw her? What was she doing?" Normani asked.
Camila can't help but smile as she thinks about the girl across the street. "She was reading to her sister again."
"Awe that's cute." Dinah said.
"I wish I could get out of here and meet her." Camila mumbles, glancing toward the broken window in her room.
"Maybe you can." Normani said. "We can cover for you."
Biting her lip, Camila looks down at her hands. "I think he'll find out."
"It was a stupid suggestion." Normani shook her head. "Sorry,"
Dinah reaches over and squeezes Normani's hand. "I have an idea, what if we find a way to get the girl to come here? Like what if Mani and I befriend her and sneak her in."
"You'll get caught." Camila said.
"Not if we sneak her over on Thursdays, your dad is always gone until Friday morning." Dinah responds with a shrug.
Camila sighed. "How will you even get her over here? Or meet her?"
"I actually met her today." Normani says with a shrug. "She came to the grocery store."
"You met her?" Dinah asked.
Nodding her head, Normani smiles. "She's adorably shy."
"Seriously?" Camila asked.
"Seriously." The older of the three girls responds.
Camila smiled.
"Dinner!" Alejandro yells from downstairs.
Camila sighed, she ran her fingers through her hair. "Let's go eat."
Nodding, Normani and Dinah get up and all three girls head downstairs to the kitchen.
"What are we having?" Dinah asked as she sat down.
"Chicken and rice." Alejandro responds.
Dinah nodded as Alejandro placed a plate in front of her and one in front of Normani.
****
Two weeks later.
Lauren was walking home from school and glanced toward the creepy house across the street, her eyes widening when she sees a girl in the window upstairs.
Camila's eyes widen and she quickly hides behind her curtain.
Lauren bit her lip, narrowing her eyes before shaking her head. "I'm going crazy." She hurried towards her house.
She adjusted her glasses on her face and sighed.
"Lolo!" Taylor yells excitedly, holding her arms up.
"Hi, Taylor." Lauren smiled as she lifted Taylor into her arms.
The four year old immediately curls into Lauren and closes her eyes. "Mommy said we need to go to the store again, a'cause I'm outta juice."
"You need to stop drinking so much." Lauren sighed.
Giggling, the little girl shakes her head. "It's yummy!"
Lauren rolled her eyes. "Well kid, I hate to tell you this but you'll need to find another juice."
"What!?" Taylor asks, her eyes widening.
"They've stopped making your juice." Lauren said softly.
"Oh no!" Taylor whines, tears filling her eyes.
"Laur, mom needs you to go to the store again, she has to go to work." Chris says walking into the room.
Lauren sighed. "Fine." She put Taylor down.
When her father was killed, Lauren had to grow up a lot quicker than anyone else her age and it took its tole on her.
"She wants you to take me and Tay." Chris says as he pulls on his shoes.
Taylor holds her arms up once more. "Me go!"
"Put your shoes on." Lauren said softly to Taylor.
Picking up her shoes, Taylor holds them up to Lauren.
"You can put them on yourself." Lauren said softly. "You know how to."
Pouting, Taylor sits down and pulls her shoes on before standing back up. "Lolo up!"
Lauren sighed and lifted Taylor into her arms. "Chris, grab mom's card."
Ten minutes later
Taylor fights Lauren on being put in the cart. "No!"
"Tay, please." Lauren begged.
Chris had run off to the video game section.
Shaking her head, the four year old buries her face in Lauren's neck, it was already close to nap time for her.
"Please, Taylor." Lauren said.
Tears fill Taylor's eyes and she shakes her head once again. "No! Sleepy!"
"You can sleep in the cart." Lauren said.
Whining, Taylor slowly lets Lauren put her in the cart.
Lauren sighed. "Let's go see if they have your juice." She said softly, fixing her glasses and looking at the list Chris had given her.
Nodding tiredly, Taylor rubs her eyes.
"Hey," Normani says, walking over to Lauren with her own cart.
"Hi." Lauren said shyly.
"I never caught your name." The older girl responds with a soft smile.
"W-why do you w-want to know?" Lauren bit her lip.
Normani giggles softly. "Well you know my name, so I think it's only fair that I know your's."
"Oh." Lauren looked down. "It's... um... Lauren." She said shyly.
"Well Lauren, it's nice to meet you." Normani says with a soft smile. "Oh, I put an entire box of that juice in the storage room for you."
"Um, thanks." Lauren looked up slightly.
"I can have someone get it for you if you would like." Normani offers, grabbing herself some blue juice.
Lauren nodded. "Please."
Grabbing one of the working employees, Normani sends him back to the storage room and he comes back a minute later with the box of juice.
"Thanks." Lauren said shyly as he put it in the cart.
The guy flashes her a charming smile before quickly walking off.
"Lolo!" Taylor whines, tears in her eyes, she was becoming really tired.
Lauren sighed. "Taylor, we have stuff to get. You'll have to wait to nap." She whispered as she pushed the cart down an aisle.
"Up!" Taylor screams, she wanted to go to sleep.
"Taylor, shh." Lauren said nervously. She didn't want to make a scene in the middle of the store.
The four year old begins throwing a fit, she just wanted to go to sleep.
Lauren bit her lip. "Taylor, stop, please." She begged.
Chris appeared and looked at Lauren. "Shut her up, it's embarrassing to be here with her."
Taylor cried even harder and held her arms up for Lauren.
"I can't Chris." Lauren said weakly. "I can't."
"Move, I'll take the cart, you carry her." Chris said.
Lauren sighed and moved, lifting Taylor into her arms.
Taylor immediately curls into Lauren's arms and closes her eyes, slowly starting to fall asleep.
Lauren sighed. "Let's get the rest of these groceries and get home before it gets dark."
Chris nods and begins pushing the cart so they can get done faster.
By the time they got all of the groceries home, Taylor was up and ready for dinner.
Lauren put Taylor down and closed the door behind them, locking it.
"Lolo eat and then bath!" Taylor says excitedly.
Lauren nodded. "I have to make dinner first. Want to help?"
Nodding her head, Taylor grabs Lauren's hand and follows her into the kitchen.
Following the instructions for spaghetti and chili sauce that their mother had left out, together Taylor and Lauren made dinner.
By the time they have eaten and all bathed, Taylor is falling asleep.
Lauren read Taylor a story and put her to bed.
****
Camila bit her lip and paced around her room nervously.
Normani came into the room followed by Dinah.
"I got her name!" Normani announced triumphantly once the door was closed.
Perking up, Camila moves over to Normani. "What is it?"
"Lauren." Normani smiled.
"That's so cute." Camila hummed. "I wish I could meet her."
"She was very reluctant to tell me her name, I think she's got some trust issues." Normani shrugged.
Pouting, Camila sits down on her bed. "Then how are we going to get her to come here?"
"It'll take time." Dinah said softly. "But we'll work on it."
"I think she saw me today." Camila said after a long pause.
Normani's eyes widen. "What?!"
Camila nodded.
"I don't know whether this is a good thing or a bad thing." Normani mumbles.
Camila lowered her head. "I didn't mean for her to see me. I was just standing looking out of the window and she looked up. I panicked and hid behind the curtain."
"Don't worry about it Mila." Dinah says, wrapping an arm around Camila.
Camila nodded. "I hope I didn't freak her out."
"You probably didn't." Dinah responds with a soft smile.
Camila nodded. "I'm kinda tired."
"Get some sleep, I work in the morning but Mani will be here until one." Dinah says, kissing her best friend's forehead.
Camila nodded before a yawn left her mouth and she lay down on the bed, curling up and closing her eyes.
****
Three weeks later
Taylor curls up on Lauren's lap, the four year old was running a temperature and their mom had to work.
Lauren sighed, running her fingers gently through Taylor's hair. She'd had to take another day off school to take care of Taylor. It was a miracle that she wasn't failing.
Shifting, Taylor buries her face in Lauren's neck and releases a soft whine.
"Shh." Lauren cooed.
Slowly, Taylor relaxes and falls asleep, gripping onto Lauren's shirt.
Lauren sighed, she didn't know what to do.
Suddenly her phone pings, signaling she has a text message.
Reaching for her phone, Lauren looked at the screen.
Mom: How's Tay doing? Did you give her the children's Tylenol?
Lauren: She fell asleep, I gave her it just after you left.
Mom: Let me know if she gets worse? Thank you for taking care of her. I have to go, I love you.
Lauren: Bye.
Taylor shifts in Lauren's arms, shivering slightly.
Lauren grabbed the blanket off the back of the couch and wrapped it around Taylor.
Sighing, she picked up the photograph of her father that was sitting on the coffee table beside her. She looked at it. Her father was wearing his police uniform. Gently, she traced her fingers down the picture and bit her lower lip, tears filling her eyes.
A few hours later, Taylor wakes up and begins asking for her favorite juice.
Lauren put the picture down and wiped her eyes. She got up, without saying a word, and went into the kitchen to pour a glass of juice for Taylor.
As soon as Lauren hands her the cup, Taylor lays back down and begins quickly drinking it.
"Hey, slow down." Lauren said softly. "You'll choke."
Slowing down, Taylor holds her free hand out for Lauren and slowly starts to fall asleep one more.
Lauren sighed and took Taylor's hand.
She couldn't help but wonder what would've happened if her dad didn't go in that night.
Thinking of her dad made her want to cry. She missed him terribly and felt bad that Taylor would never meet him.
She wishes he had never gone in that night, that he had gone to the hospital with her mom. It really hurt that the same day her dad died her sister was born.
Every time Lauren looked at Taylor she thought of her dad and it really upset her.
A knock on the front door startles her out of her thoughts.
Taylor flinches awake and releases a tired whine, holding her arms up for Lauren immediately.
Lauren sighed and lifted Taylor into her arms. Slowly she made her way to the front door and unlocked it.
Laying her head on Lauren's shoulder, Taylor slowly relaxes.
Opening the door slowly, Lauren swallowed nervously.
"Hey." Normani says from the other side, a soft smile on her lips.
"Um..." Lauren bit her lip.
"You told me to come over on Thursday when I got off work. Well it's Thursday and I'm off work." Normani offers with a small smile.
"Oh." Lauren swallowed. "My, um, sister is sick."
"That's okay, I think I can handle a sick kid." The older girl responds with a shrug.
"She's got the, um, the flu." Lauren said. "My mom isn't home. I'm not supposed to open the door. I'm not supposed to let people in when she's not home." She shook head head, growing nervous.
Normani smiles softly, "Laur, I've already had my flu shot and plus your mom won't know I was ever here."
Lauren bit her lower lip nervously. "I don't know."
Taylor shifts in Lauren's arms and shivers slightly. "Lolo,"
Lauren picked up the blanket she had dropped. She wrapped it around Taylor.
Relaxing, the four year old closes her eyes and slowly starts to fall asleep.
Lauren held Taylor close.
****
Camila frowns as she stands by her window, she could see Normani talking to Lauren and wished she was there.
She bit her lip, stepping closer but keeping herself hidden by the curtain.
"What are you doing Mila?" Dinah asks, stepping into the room.
"Watching her. Watching Mani. They are talking." Camila said.
Nodding, Dinah looks out the window and smiles softly. "Mani and I are going on a date tonight, maybe she can get Lauren to come over."
"Maybe." Camila pushed a strand of her hair behind her ear. "They've been standing outside for a long time. I don't think Lauren will let Normani in."
Dinah glances toward Camila and smiles. "She just did."
Camila returned her gaze to the window. She remained quiet.
"What's wrong?" The younger girl asks, looking toward Camila.
"I don't know if she'll be able to convince Lauren to come over." Camila shook her head.
"You gotta have faith in Mani." Dinah responds, moving over to the bed and laying down.
"I have faith in Mani." Camila said, looking back out the window.
Dinah closes her eyes and yawns. "I need a week or two off work." She mumbles.
"At least you can go outside." Camila muttered bitterly as she turned away from the window.
"We'll figure something out, that way you can go outside." Dinah responds.
Camila sighed. She sat down at her desk chair and ran her fingers through her hair.
"Come cuddle so I can take a nap." Dinah mumbles.
Camila sighed, she stood and moved over to the bed, lying beside Dinah.
Rolling onto her side, Dinah curls around Camila and closes her eyes. "Thanks Walz." She mumbles.
Camila hummed, staring out of the window at the sky.
Three hours later.
Normani walks into the room and smiles softly upon finding Dinah and Camila sound asleep on the bed.
She had somehow managed to convince Lauren to come with her and the younger girl was standing behind her nervously.
Lauren bit her lip, looking at her feet.
Camila shifts on the bed and curls into Dinah even more, her hand falling onto Dinah's breast unknowingly, she was very handsy in her sleep.
"Wait here." Normani told Lauren softly before she entered the room and woke the two sleeping girls.
Dinah made a strange noise that made Lauren flinch.
Camila groans and unconsciously flexes her hand around Dinah's breast as she wakes up.
Normani swatted Camila's hand away jealously.
Shifting, Camila slowly opens her eyes. "Why'd you hit me?" She whines, she was half-awake.
"You're really touchy when you sleep and I don't appreciate it." Normani said.
"Dinah never complains." Camila mumbles grumpily, curling back into Dinah who groans and relaxes against the bed.
Normani rolled her eyes. "We have a visitor."
"Mani, I'm tired." Dinah whines out, she had been working more doubles because Normani's birthday was coming up.
"Lauren's here." Normani whispered quietly so Lauren didn't hear.
The youngest girl was still standing in the hallway, looking down at her feet.
She occasionally pushed her glasses back up her nose but otherwise she didn't move.
Camila immediately sits up, "Why didn't you tell me?" The younger girl asks, looking down at her pajamas.
"I just did." Normani said. "Hurry up and get dressed, I'll keep her occupied." She made a move to shake Dinah again. "Just to warn you, she'd extremely quiet and awkward." She whispered.
Nodding, Camila quickly rushes into her closet to change.
Dinah groans and pulls Normani onto the bed and relaxes.
"Dinah, fuck sake!" Normani wriggled out of Dinah's grip. "We have company, lazy bones."
Groaning, the younger girl pulls a pillow over her head. "Sleep."
Normani rolled her eyes. "We are supposed to be on a date." She reminded Dinah before making her way back out of the room and fixing her hair.
Shifting on the bed, Dinah goes back to sleep.
"Sorry about that." Normani apologised to Lauren who remained quiet
Camila walks out of the room and smiles sweetly. "Hi, I'm Camila."
Cautiously, Lauren looked up. She scanned Camila nervously before taking a small step back and looking down shyly.
Biting her lip, Camila runs a hand through her hair. "Are you thirsty?"
Lauren shook her head.
"Don't take it personally." Normani whispered in Camila's ear.
Nodding, Camila bites her lip and curls into Normani's side. "Should I make dinner?"
"Sure, if you're hungry." Normani said. "Dinah and I were supposed to be going out but I don't think it's happening now."
Camila sighs and looks up at Normani. "She's been working doubles lately, she's trying to do something for your birthday."
"She knows she doesn't have to." Normani said with a heavy sigh.
"It's your birthday soon?" Lauren squeaked.
"Two weeks." Camila says in response, smiling at Lauren before looking at Normani. "She knows that, but you know how she is."
Normani rolled her eyes and sighed again. "I'll speak to her."
Nodding, Camila begins making her way downstairs, stopping to look at Lauren. "Do you want to help?"
"O-okay," Lauren bit her lower lip nervously .
Once they go downstairs, Normani walks into the room and tries to wake Dinah up again.
Sitting up, Dinah smiles softly. "Hey baby," she says tiredly.
"You don't have to do extra hours. I don't need anything for my birthday." Normani said.
"I've already gotten your present." Dinah responds.
"Then you don't have to take on anymore hours." Normani said. "Drop your extra hours. It's making you too tired."
Yawning, Dinah runs a hand through her hair and looks at her girlfriend. "I'm saving up for a car."
"Oh." Normani moved over to the bed and sat down. "I can help, you don't have to take on hours."
Wrapping her arms around Normani, Dinah yawns again. "I'll be fine, I have to work at midnight."
Normani sighed. She ran her fingers through her hair. "Camila is making dinner."
"Mhm, give me a minute and we'll go on our date." The younger girl says softly.
Normani nodded. "Okay,"
Kissing her gently, Dinah stands up and heads into their room to change.
Normani smiled and got up, leaving the room to go down stairs.
****
"You don't talk much do you?" Camila asks, smiling at Lauren as she stirs the noodles.
Lauren nodded in response.
"That's okay. Do you go to school?" The older girl asks.
Lauren nodded again.
Switching to cutting the chicken, Camila hides her frown. "Do you like it?"
Lauren shrugged. "It's o-okay." She mumbled.
"That's good." Camila says, smiling softly. "Do you plan on going to college?"
"Um.... p-probably." Lauren shrugged again.
"That's good. Um, sorry I haven't been around people much." Camila says quietly.
Lauren shrugged for the third time. "It's, um, fine."
Biting her lip, Camila perks up as soon as Normani enters the room. "Mani." She mumbles, knowing the older girl would understand.
"Hi." Normani smiled.
Biting her lip, Camila looks back at the food and shifts nervously.
"You guys having fun?" Normani asked, smiling softly.
Camila looks at Lauren and then Normani, her eyes filled with fear.
Lauren nodded shyly, she forced a small smile.
"Mani," Dinah mumbles, walking up behind
her girlfriend and wrapping her arms around her waist slowly.
"Hi." Normani smiled.
Humming, Dinah begins kissing down Normani's neck. "Date." She mumbles against the older girl's skin.
"Yes, let's go." Normani said.
Grinning, Dinah pulls away and pulls Normani with her. "Have fun!" She yells as they walk out the door.
Flinching, Lauren takes a shy step back.
Swallowing thickly, Camila focuses her attention on finishing their food.
Lauren looked down at her feet shyly.
"Do you like chicken alfredo?" Camila asks quietly.
"C-chicken a-alfredo?" Lauren repeated quietly, she pushed her glasses up her nose and looked up slightly.
Nodding, Camila points to the food she is finishing up. "This."
Lauren lifted her head to look over Camila's shoulder. "I've, um, never had it."
"My mom used to make it. You might like it." Camila offers softly.
Lauren nodded, offering a small smile.
After a few minutes, Camila plates up their food and sits it at the kitchen table. "Would you like anything to drink?"
"Water." Lauren said quietly. She slowly moved over to the table and sat down
Smiling, Camila grabs two water bottles and offers one to Lauren.
"T-thanks." Lauren said with a small smile.
"You're welcome." The older girl says with a smile.
Opening the bottle, Lauren took a small sip.