Chapter 8

It was their first day of college. And Lauren and Camila were nervous. Since they were different majors, they won't be in the same classes. They also won't be in the same area. Lauren dropped her girlfriend off in front of her campus before she drove off to the other side to get to hers.

Lauren pulled up and parked the car at the parking lot and stayed in the car. Her heart was beating rapidly and her breathing was shallow. Her grip on the steering wheel was so tight that it made her knuckles turn white. Lauren took a few deep breaths to calm herself as her grip on the wheel loosened. Her phone buzzed. She picked it up and smiled.

Camz:I love you and good luck! :)

Taking another deep breath, Lauren grabbed her backpack and exited the vehicle. She looked around and swallowed a lump in her throat.

"Here goes nothing," Lauren said to herself as she entered the building.

Meanwhile, Camila was surrounded by people she didn't know as she tried to navigate her way through the campus. She jumped when she felt a tap on her shoulder. She spun around and saw a tall brunette, smiling at her.

"Hi, are you new too?"

Camila nodded as she calmed down.

"I'm Hailee," the brunette said as she extended her hand out.

Camila took the hand and shook it, "Camila," she said politely before taking back her hand.

"So what's your major?"

"English," Camila said quietly.

"Oh cool, me too!" Hailee said.

"Um... Do you want to sit with me?" Camila asked nervously, "I don't know anyone here and it'd be nice to know someone."

"Sure! Thanks," Hailee said with a smile.

Half of the orientation day flew by in a blur. Everything moved so fast. It was overwhelming. Lauren sat in a small café nearby as she drank her coffee quietly. She saw movement from the corner of her eye. She looked up and saw her neighbor, Maia, taking a seat across her.

"Hey!"

"Maia, right?"

"Yup," she said.

"You go here?"

Maia hummed a reply as she took a sip of her drink. Lauren smiled at her.

"Thank god I know at least one person," Lauren said.

"Where's your girlfriend?" Maia asked.

"She's at another campus," Lauren said.

"Is it tough? Being away from her?"

"A little, not gonna lie," Lauren said, "But at least I'll see her later."

"You picking her up?"

"Yeah."

"Can I tag along?" Maia asked.

"Sure," Lauren said as she drank her drink.

After the first day, Lauren left with Maia and drove off to pick up Camila for dinner. She pulled up in front of the campus and waited.

"So what's it like?"

"What's what like?" Lauren asked, confused.

"What's it like being with a girl?"

"I'm not sure. I've never been with anyone else other than Camila," Lauren said.

"Tell me about her," Maia said with a smile.

"She's," Lauren smiled to herself, "She's something special."

"She loves deeply and wholeheartedly. She cares a lot. Even the little things. Her mind is so beautiful even if you only see a glimpse of it. Her soul is so pure. She could never hurt a fly."

"She puts others before herself. She's," Lauren paused as she let out a light chuckle, "She's Camila."

"Sounds like you love her a lot."

"I do," Lauren said.

"Talking about me?"

Lauren turned and smiled as Camila's head popped into the car from the window.

"Hey," Lauren said, her face instantly light up.

"Hey babe," Camila said as she kissed her girlfriend's lips, "I missed you."

"I missed you too."

"Hey Maia," Camila said as she waved. The girl at the backseat waved back.

"Oh, babe! I met someone and they're joining us for dinner. Is that okay?"

"Sure," Lauren said. Camila walked around the car and got into the passenger seat. Camila's friend, Hailee, got into the backseat and smiled when she saw Maia.

"What a small world," Maia said.

"What's up?" Lauren asked.

"Lauren, this is my roommate, Hailee," Maia said.

Camila exchanged an amazed smile with her girlfriend. Lauren shook her head as she drove off to a small diner, near the apartment.

The four girls talked as they ate their dinner. Camila and Lauren found that their neighbors and new friends had a lot in common with them. It almost reminded them of the other three girls they had left after summer ended. Camila exchanged a look with Lauren as the older girl reached out and gave Camila's hand a light squeeze.

"So," Hailee said, "How did you two get together?"

Lauren blushed, "It's a funny story actually..."

"Not really," Camila said as she shook her head.

Hailee and Maia just looked at the green eyed girl as they waited for her to continue. Lauren blushed and she took a deep breath.

"We were actually best friends before we got together," Lauren said, "We met on the first day of Freshmen year."

"That reminds me of an R5 song," Maia commented, "But carry on."

"Throughout the years, I started to have feelings for her and the feelings grew when we were in our Junior year."

Camila blinked in surprised.

"She was different. More sure of herself. More confident. But she was still a dork," Lauren chuckled as she met Camila's gaze, "And I fell for her. And I fell hard," she said.

Camila smiled at her girlfriend with love in her eyes. She didn't think it was possible to fall in love with her more but she did.

"Then we graduated and we had our last summer together before college. I left for half of it to coach at a Softball camp," Lauren told Maia and Hailee. She turned to Camila and smiled, "I thought of you the entire time."

"Then I came back. We hung out. I didn't tell her about my feelings. I mean, I wanted to but I couldn't. And then I found out she had a boyfriend-"

"Which was a total jerk, by the way," Camila added.

"Yeah. Then we walked on the beach. We danced under the stars."

Maia and Hailee smiled.

"We went over to Lauren's house for a sleepover. I couldn't sleep. Neither could she," Camila continued the story as she looked at her girlfriend.

"She told me the most beautiful thing I've ever heard and then she said she loved me."

Lauren had the widest smile on her face as she recalled that day. The two girls were so lost in each other's eyes that they forgot about the other two brunettes. It was just them. Lauren and Camila. Camila and Lauren. Just like it has always been.

"And I told her that I loved her and we kissed. The rest is history," Camila said. Lauren reached up and kissed the back of Camila's hand softly.

"You two are so cute," Hailee said with a huge grin. Lauren and Camila looked at their two new friends and blushed.

"I ship it," Hailee said, "What's your ship name? Laurmila?"

"It's Camren yo," Lauren said and the other girls laughed.

"Guys, we've literally been here for 2 hours," Hailee spoke.

"Wow. Time flies," Camila said.

"Yeah," Lauren said.

After they paid and left a generous tip, Lauren drove everyone back to their apartment building. The green eyed girl and her brown eyed girlfriend said their goodbyes to their neighbors before entering their own apartment.

"You've never told me that story before," Camila said once they were in bed.

"It never came up."

"I love you, Lauren. So much," Camila said.

"I know, baby," she said as she gave Camila a soft kiss on her lips, "I love you too," Lauren said as she pulled away.

~

A/N: I don't really like this chapter. It's terrible.

But tell me what you think.

Be kind and love yourself.

- Shah (LauserCabello on Twitter)