Type: Love
You and Dinah sat on the outside bleachers of the school. You were waiting for your cue to take photos of the cheerleaders for the yearbook. You held the reputation of being the most talented photographer in school, anyone was honored to have a picture taken by you. You wouldn't consider yourself popular, you just always thought of it as anyone wanting a photo. Your friends never started a conversation as 'hey, can you take a photo of me after school?' like a bunch of other people have done in the past. Although you wouldn't care if that's how you started a true friendship, it just gets very annoying knowing people are using you for their Instagram profile photos or anything else.
"Now, exactly how are you going to contain yourself around Lauren?" Dinah questioned. Thankfully, the two of you were at the highest level of the bleachers so no one could hear you.
Lauren has been your crush for the past year — you've never spoken more than the times she was sat next to you in last year's English class, she'd ask you questions about the homework from the night before. And when there were shoulder partners, she'd always pick you over her friend sitting on the side opposite to you. When you did ask her about that, she said that her friend would be a distraction, she needed to focus, which you understood. The best part of it all, she never asked for a photo. She never asked for a dumb photoshoot after school, you two would have real conversations.
Lauren has been on the cheer team since Freshmen year and you two are now Juniors. Not only does being a cheerleader make her popular but she also has the reputation of being the only bisexual cheerleader. With the friends she has and their boyfriends, she's never been messed with. She's never had a comment made to her or about her, at least to your knowledge.
"It's just a few photos, nothing special." You said, "You act like I'm about to confess my proclaimed love for her."
"You might one day." Dinah teased, nudging your shoulder.
You said, "Highly doubt that. And as if she would go for a girl like me." you rolled your eyes.
"Hey, don't doubt yourself. Of course, she would go for a girl like you. I heard she likes the Tumblr users." Dinah joked, she laughed at herself.
"Fuck you." You said.
"I'm just kidding, Y/N/N." She replied, "Bro, look at Lauren."
You followed Dinah's gaze, meeting the sight of your crush in her cheerleading uniform. She was taking a break, sipping her water bottle. You glanced at your friend in confusion, "She's just drinking water."
"Yeah, she's thirsty for you." Dinah's eyebrows wiggled around jokingly.
"I quit." You lifted your hands up in surrender.
"Y/N, we're ready!" Coach Hailey shouted.
"Duty calls." You saluted at Dinah. You picked up the duffle bag that held all your camera equipment, "See you tomorrow."
"Later." Dinah waved.
You stepped down the bleachers, walking to the cheerleaders on the field. You walked passed Lauren before feeling her follow behind you, only for her to join her cheerleader friends. You lightly sat your duffle bag on the ground. You zipped it open, pulling out your camera and the lens that would fit well for the photo. Coach situated the cheerleaders in alphabetical order as you waited patiently.
"We're ready whenever you are." She smiled.
You lifted the camera up to your eye, peeking into the viewfinder. Everyone was smiling and posing for the picture when a certain girl caught your eye. You wanted to laugh at the funny face Lauren was making but you just released a tiny smile. Snapping a photo, the shutter went off.
"Just a few more." You sent a thumbs up to Coach.
Your eyes trailed back to Lauren, smiling like the rest of her cheer friends but right as you took the photo, she winked at you. Is she flirting with me? You asked yourself. Nope, that can't be it.
"One more." You called out.
After a few moments, Lauren took the photo seriously and posed with a smile. The final shuttered signaled the cheerleaders that the photo was taken. You pulled the camera away from your view.
"Picture perfect." You said. All the cheerleaders separated from each other, all doing their own thing. Coach walked up to you, eager to see the photos. She clapped her hands together, glancing down at your camera.
"Let's see your magic." She grinned.
You lifted the camera to her viewing, revealing the winning shot of the cheerleaders. "Is this alright?" You questioned.
"Y/N, you have so much talent. Each cheerleader looks stunning with the way you angled the photo, the sun hits their skin and uniform perfectly. I better see your photos everywhere in a couple years, they're going to do big." Coach said. "Plus, you're going to make the yearbook look like GQ threw up on it."
Your cheeks flushed red — although you've received the compliment many times, it still makes you happy to hear it. "That means a lot, Coach. I'm happy you love it."
"Of course. See you tomorrow at P.E., okay?" She patted your back.
"Yeah, totally. Bye, Coach." You waved.
"Have a good night." She said.
"You too." You replied.
You trailed back over to your duffle bag, gently placing your camera and lens back into its place. You zipped the bag shut before throwing the strap over your shoulder. You stood up from the grass only to be met with the girl who could take your breath away in a heartbeat.
Somehow, every time you encountered her, you never let her see the effect she has on you. You always become super charming and outgoing, you don't know how you don't reveal it to her but she's never noticed. "Oh, hey, Lauren." You said, adjusting the strap on your shoulder.
"Hey, Y/N. It's been a while." She bit her lip to resist the smile wanting to form. You noticed she fumbled her fingers together, almost as if she were nervous. You wanted to question it but you just let it go.
"It has, isn't it?" You replied. "How've you been?"
"I'm doing good, really good, actually. In a couple months, I'm auditioning for X Factor." Lauren's hand raised up to nervously scratch her neck.
Your jaw dropped, "Holy shit, Lauren, that's amazing." you cheered. Last year, during English and the two of you had free time, you both would talk about your hobbies. Obviously, Photography for you but you found out that she had a passion for singing. Although you've never been there to see her sing for you, she's sent you a video one time and you were just beyond shocked by her killer vocals. She told you that you were the first person to ever send a video of her singing because a lot of her friends support her but don't really think it'll go far. Somehow, over every period in English, she said you always encouraged her to really try. You felt pride with that.
You pulled Lauren into a bone-crushing hug, which she accepted when she wrapped her arms around your waist. "Lauren, I'm so happy for you. You're gonna rock Simon Cowell's ears." You said.
Lauren giggled beside your ear, hearing it in awe. "You're cute," She mumbled so quietly that you were surprised you caught it.
You peeled your body away from hers, meeting her emerald eyes. "When you're famous, you better not forget about me." You chuckled.
"How could I? You're one of the only ones if not, the only one in this school who actually believes in me." She said.
"And that, Lauren, is exactly why you'll be more successful than any of these fools. No offense to your cheerleader friends." You said.
"Oh, don't apologize. They are." She snickered, crossing her arms. "Can I walk you to your car? You know, to catch up?"
"Sure." You said before the two of you began walking to the parking lot.
"Anyways, enough about me, how are you?" Lauren asked. "How've you been?"
"I've been doing well. All summer, I went to a Photography camp, and there were so many famous Photographers. I was the biggest nerd. Wait, actually, I am the biggest nerd." You joked.
"But the coolest nerd." Lauren teased, nudging your shoulder.
"I wouldn't say that. I'm far from cool." You shrugged your shoulders.
"Exactly what a cool person would say." She smirked.
You said, "Whatever."
"Hey, can I ask you something?" Lauren started to tense up at her own words. Her shoulders tightened, her heart began to beat a little faster, and her body started to shake.
"Yeah, of course." You smiled.
As the two of you approached your car, you opened the trunk to quickly put all your equipment inside. You sighed in relief when the heavyweight was no longer attached to you. You closed the trunk, listening to Lauren's words.
She leaned against your car with her arms remaining crossed. You leaned beside her, not even realizing she was nervous right now. "Uh, look, I've been thinking for a long time..." She paused herself to meet your eyes, to make sure your full attention was on her. As she recognized your attention was definitely on her, she continued.
"I've sort of had a crush on you since last year in English. And that probably sounds really childish like I had some middle-school crush on you but it's true. You've always caught my eye more than anyone else in this hell of a school. But I'd always look forward to English because you made it better with your charming and adorable self. And every time you looked at me, I could never tell if you looked at me like I did for you but from what I'm trying to get at this, I was hoping I could take you out on a date?" Lauren sighed when she finally had that taken off her chest. She's been wanting to tell you that for so long.
You couldn't believe the words you were hearing. You could barely process them, let alone come up with an answer for Lauren. Of course, you wanted to go on a date with her but somehow, this all seemed too good to be true. Maybe she was in the middle of talking and you heard her wrong? Nope, this is real life, Y/N.
"Lauren," You said, grabbing her attention. "I'd love to go on a date with you."
"Wait, really?" She said in disbelief.
"You seemed surprised." You smirked.
"I am. You don't seem like the type of person to associate with a cheerleader." She said.
"Well, I don't think of you as a cheerleader," She glanced at you in confusion, "I think of you as a singer."
Lauren's cheeks have never been redder, her heart has never skipped faster, and her hands have never twitched like ever before. She was not expecting that at all and who knew any girl or boy could make her at this state of blushing?
"Okay, that must be the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me." Lauren's smile grew wide.
"I doubt that. I'm just saying you're not like the typical cheerleader who's a bitch to everyone except her dad and her boyfriend who's captain of the football team." You said.
Lauren chuckled, "Oddly descriptive but yeah, I'm happy you don't think of me like that."
"And if we're being honest, I may or may not have had a crush on you since last year as well." You didn't feel embarrassed by the fact you were spilling your feelings for her since she just did, but there's something about telling your feelings that make you uncomfortable.
Lauren gasped, "Holy shit, really?"
"Yeah, it started right before we sat next to each other. The day Ms. O'Brien put me next to you, I was very nervous. And as if things couldn't have gotten any worse, you asked for a pencil so I was forced to make human communication with you." You joked, making Lauren break out into a fit of giggles, which you did eventually start giggling with her.
"Uh, I would say sorry but I'm also not. You, Y/N Y/L/N, get nervous?" Lauren's eyebrows wiggled around teasingly.
"I mean, you're the only girl that I liked that has ever... you know, started a conversation with me and actually be interested in the conversation. Plus, you didn't start the conversation with 'Hey, can you take a photo of me with your camera?'." You said.
"That has to be annoying, doesn't it?" Lauren replied.
"Definitely." You nodded, "But needless to say, I do really want to go on a date with you."
She chewed on her bottom lip, her heart wants to explode every time she thinks of going on a date with you. "Then, I'll pick you up at your house Friday night, at six?"
"I'll be waiting." You said.
"I have to get back to my friends before they leave me here, I'll see you soon." She said.
"You know, I can give you a ride home if you want." You offered.
"Oh, no, it's fine. I don't want to intrude." She said.
"Don't be silly, I offered." You said.
"And if I enter your car, you're not going to murder me, right?" Lauren joked.
"Why would I?" You replied, shaking your head at the girl.
"I don't know, every murderer has their reason." She teased.
"I'm not going to murder you, Jauregui." You said.
"Cool, thanks for the ride," Lauren said as the two of you walked to the front doors of your car, climbing in.
"Of course." You said, slamming your door shut.