Chapter 5

19:09, 17 January 2015

"Camila!"

Camila turned around and was surprised when she saw Austin approaching her.

"I'm surprised that you finally learned my name," Camila said.

"Yeah, sorry about that," Austin said sheepishly.

"Don't worry about it," Camila said as she brushed it off, "So what's up?"

"I was wondering... Would you like to go out with me sometime?"

"Like a date?"

"Yeah," he said nervously.

"Don't you have detention?"

"Nope. I served out my detention. So... Is that a yes?"

"That's a maybe," Camila said as she walked away.

"I'll take it!" Austin called out.

Her next class was English. Camila took her seat as she waited. Her teacher, Miss Lovato walked in and wrote only one word on the black board; project. She turned to the class and smiled.

"So, I'm going to shake things up a bit, if you don't mind," Miss Lovato said.

"Instead of boring reading assignments and essays, let's do a project," she said and the class cheered.

"Okay, so for this project, it's simple. I want you to partner up and make a video. Now, I know you guys are seniors but I'm pretty sure you don't know everyone in your own class. So here's the catch, you have to partner up with someone you don't know," she said and the class let out a loud whine.

"Alright! Alright! Hush, my children," she said jokingly.

"I want you to get to know your partners and make a video about them. It can be about anything, favorite memory, favorite place, anything! But it has to be about your partner."

"Okay, ready?" she asked the class and people were hovering above their seats, ready to move.

"Go!" And the class went wild. People were running around, busy looking for a worthy partner. Camila just sat at her seat, watching as all the other people were being taken, one by one.

"Okay, who doesn't have a partner?"

Camila raised her hand. She was surprised when she saw Lauren raise her hand too.

"Alright then. You two are partners."

Camila lowered her hand as she looked at Lauren nervously.

"Okay class, remember, you have three weeks to do this and I want you to give it your all," Miss Lovato said.

"I will help you any way I can. All you have to do is ask. Good luck."

"And may the odds be ever in your favor," she said dramatically, quoting Suzanne Collin's Hunger Games.

The class laughed, just as the bell started to ring. The students gathered their books and bags and headed out of the classroom. Camila saw Lauren rush out of class. She quickly grabbed her bag and books and ran after her.

"Hey! Wait up!" Camila called out.

"I didn't think you'd follow me," Lauren said amusedly.

"So um, do you want to meet after school?"

"Sure. Where?"

"Really? Wow, okay. Um, there's a small café not far from here. We could go there?"

"Okay, see you there," she said before walking away. Camila just stood in the middle of the hallway, watching her walk away.

"Lauren!!"

"I'm not in the mood, Mahone," Lauren said.

"Please, I need your help."

"Lauren!"

Lauren turned around, "What?!"

"I have this thing... With a girl..."

"So you have a date. So what?"

"I really like her. I need your help. You're a girl!"

"Oh really? I hadn't noticed," Lauren said sarcastically.

"Ignoring that," Austin said, "What can I do to convince her that I like her? I want her to be my girlfriend."

"Isn't that a little fast?"

"I don't think so," Austin said with a shrug.

"Please," he begged.

"Fine. What's her name?"

"Camila."

"Wait... Cabello agreed to go on a date with you?"

"Sort of. She said maybe but I think she's just teasing me."

"Do you know what she likes?"

"I barely know the girl," Lauren pointed out.

"Dang it!"

"But I do have a project that Lovato gave us. She happens to be my partner."

"No way! Are you serious?"

"I'm not promising anything."

"Doesn't matter!" Austin exclaimed, "You're awesome, Jauregui!" he said before walking away.

Lauren rolled her eyes before she walked away.

After school, Camila was waiting for her partner at the Café and she kept checking her watch. It has been an hour and Lauren hasn't shown. Just when she felt like giving up, she saw her walking up the door and entering the small building.

"Hey," Camila greeted, a smile forming on her lips.

"Hey," she said as she sat across her.

"I didn't think you'd come," she said.

"Why wouldn't I?"

Camila looked away, "I don't know."

When she looked up, she saw her smiling at her. She suddenly felt a wave of emotions flowing through her, building up against her chest. She didn't know why but she liked it.

"Um, we should get started I guess," Camila said.

"Okay."

"I have a few ideas actually."

"Really?"

"Yeah! I was thinking of making some kind of documentary video," Camila said.

"So you follow me around with a camera all day?"

"Well yeah. But of course I'd have to do some major editing before I can present the video."

"You do know that we only have 20 minutes to present the video, right?" Lauren asked.

"Yeah, I can make it work!" Camila said determinedly.

Lauren smiled as she shook her head and looked through the window, "I got to admire your spirit, Cabello," she said as she looked at her, "Not many people have that."

She blushed as she looked down, "Thanks."

"So um, that's mine. What about yours?"

"So we have three weeks, right?"

She nodded.

"But I just need one day."

"Can you explain?" Camila asked.

"I need to spend one entire day with you. The entire 24 hours."

"How is that going to work?"

"Well, we'd be doing whatever you want on that day," she said.

"But I'd need to get to know you first," she added.

"So that means what?"

"I'd spend one week with you, while you follow me with a camera, the next week, I'd take one day to do whatever with you and the following week, I'd use it to edit the footage."

"You might get annoyed seeing this face every day," she warned, jokingly.

Camila smiled as she looked at her fidgeting hands, "I don't think I can be annoyed by you," she said without thinking.

"Well, I'm glad."

Camila looked up and met her eyes. Lauren was smiling. Not just with her lips or face, but with her beautiful green eyes. Camila looked away as she began to blush furiously.

Camila gave her a small smile, "It's getting late. I should go."

"Oh okay. Do you need a ride?"

"Are.. Are you serious?"

"Don't make me regret asking, Cabello," Lauren said with a smirk as she shoved her hands into her pockets.

"Um... I'd like that," Camila said.

Lauren Jauregui pulled up in front of the Cabello's house. Camila got off of Lauren's motorbike with a huge smile on her face.

"Whoa! That was a rush!" Camila exclaimed as Lauren got off the bike.

Lauren reached out and helped to take the helmet off of the brunette's head. Camila smiled softly. Lauren returned the smile before she kept the helmet into her backpack.

"Thanks for the ride," she said.

"No problem. I'll see you tomorrow?"

"See you then."

"Laters, Cabello," Lauren said as she got on the bike and drove off.

"Bye," Camila said in a soft voice. She smiled before she walked back to her house.

Camila walked up to her room and flopped onto her bed. She shut off the lights and stared at the glow in the dark stars on her ceiling. Her phone buzzed. It was a text from Lauren.

Hey?

Hey.

What's up?

The ceiling.

Ha ha. Very funny.

No, really. I'm staring at the ceiling.

Oh wow. Okay. So...

So?

What's your favorite color?

Camila laughed at how ridiculously lame she was.

Blue. Why?

No way!

They spent the rest of the day texting back and forth and Camila couldn't help but smile. Lauren was so lame but she was nice and funny. She didn't seem like the Lauren she first met.

It's getting late.

I know.

I don't want to say it...

Then don't.

But I don't want to keep you.

Then don't.

Your making things really hard.

Shit! *yur

No! Dang it!

*you're

Camila laughed.

Who says dang it?