Chapter 7

The girls sat in the living room as they ate the pizza. Lauren sat on the floor with Camila while Dinah and Normani sat on the couch. They were laughing at a story that Dinah told as they played cards and Camila blushed in embarrassment. Camila looked up and saw Lauren looking at her.

"So Camila, what's going on with you and Austin?" Dinah asked.

Camila looked at Lauren before she looked at her best friend, "Nothing's going on," she said.

"But he asked you out, didn't he? And you said yes?

"I said maybe," Camila corrected.

"Do you like him?" Lauren asked as she took a sip of soda.

"I don't know. He seems nice but he has a temper," Camila said with a shrug.

"Girl, just say no," Normani said.

"It's not that... I just... I want a guy who would treat me like a princess.. I don't know.. Austin seems like the kind of guy that dates and dump," Camila said.

"Would you ever consider dating a girl?" Dinah asked suddenly and Lauren almost choked.

"I'm not sure. I don't think so," Camila said.

Lauren looked away.

"Not that I have any problems with..." Camila quickly said but then trailed off as she saw Lauren's face.

"I'm just saying that.. I haven't thought about that before."

Lauren looked up and gave the brunette a small smile.

"Alright, I'm done," Dinah said as she tossed the cards on the table.

"Me too," Normani said.

"So it's just me and you, Cabello," Lauren said.

"What's it gonna be?"

Camila tossed the cards and crossed her arms as she rolled her eyes. Lauren chuckled as she gathered the cards and shuffled it.

"Another?" Lauren asked.

"Nah, I should head home," Normani said.

"Me too. I'm swamped," Dinah said.

"Lauren?" Normani asked.

"Nah, I have my own ride," Lauren said.

Normani and Dinah hugged Camila goodbye. Normani hugged Lauren goodbye while Dinah gave her a nod. After the two girls left, it was just her and Lauren.

"Believe it or not, I had fun today," the green eyed girl said.

"Me too."

"I'll see you next week?"

"See you then."

Lauren gave her a smile before she walked out of the door. Camila took a deep breath before closing the door and headed to her room.

~

Austin opened the door and was surprised to find Lauren there.

"I'll do it," Lauren said.

"What?"

"I'll help you," she repeated.

"Really?"

"But if you hurt her, I'll come after you," Lauren said.

"Deal," Austin said with a smirk.

~

Camila opened her locker on Monday morning to find a card inside. She picked it up and opened it.

Will you go out with me this Friday?

When Camila looked up, she saw Austin smiling at her as he leaned against the locker beside her. He took out a single red rose and gave it to her.

"Persistent, I see," Camila said as she took the rose.

"Let me prove to you that I'm not like the other guys," he said.

"Fine. Friday. Don't mess it up," Camila said as she playfully hit him with the rose as she shut her locker door before walking away. Austin smiled before he made his way to Lauren's locker.

"Guess who got a date with the most beautiful girl in school?"

"I agreed to help you but you don't have to gloat," Lauren said as she shut her locker door.

"How'd you know that the card and the flower would work?" Austin asked.

"She likes the simple things," Lauren said with a smile before she headed to English class.

~

"So, how are things?" Miss Lovato asked.

There were a few murmurs here and there before Miss Lovato silenced the class.

"I'm giving you guys a free period," she said and the class cheered.

"Guys, guys, wait a moment," she said.

"I want you guys to use this wisely. Use it to get to know your partner and vice versa. You may go anywhere you want but it must be on school grounds, you hear me?"

The class agreed. Just as the teacher dismissed them, the students rushed out of class. Lauren and Camila headed to the music room while the others scattered around the school.

~

"Play something for me."

"Are you serious?" Camila asked.

"I know you can," Lauren said.

"Only if you play with me," Camila said.

Lauren smiled as she took a seat. Camila took a seat beside her and took out the camcorder.

"Seriously?"

"Oh why not?" Camila asked as she set the camcorder at a certain angle so that the two of them could be seen. Lauren took a deep breath as she straightened her back.

"I'm gonna pick up the pieces, and build a lego house. If things go wrong, we can knock it down," Lauren sang 'Lego House' by Ed Sheeran.

"My three words has two meanings but there's one thing on my mind; it's all for you, mmm."

"It's dark in the cold december, but I got you to keep me warm," Camila sang.

"If you're broken, I will mend ya, I'll keep you sheltered from the storm that's raging on now."

"I'm out of touch, I'm out of luck. I'll pick you up when you're getting down. And out of all these things I've done, I think I love you better now."

"I'm out sight, I'm out of mind. I'd do it all for you in time. And out of all these things I've done, I think I love you better now," Lauren and Camila sang as they harmonized with Lauren singing the lower notes and Camila singing the higher ones.

"I'm gonna paint you by numbers," Lauren sang with her low and raspy voice.

"And color you in," Camila came in as she harmonized.

They sang the entire song, full of emotions and passion. After the song ended, Lauren met Camila's gaze.

"That was incredible," Camila breathed out.

"Yeah it was," Lauren said with a soft smile.

Camila bit her bottom lip as she looked away shyly. She grabbed the camcorder and stopped recording.

"How would you know that I play?" Camila asked.

"I uh.. A-Austin told me," Lauren said nervously.

"Really?"

"Yeah. He told me that he'd come to school early everyday just so that he could hear you play. He uh... He told me that he played with you once," Lauren said.

"I see."

"And how do you know that I play?"

Camila smiled, "I saw you. That Saturday when we had detention? You were incredible. There was so much emotion and the song was so... Raw," she said.

"It was beautiful."

"Thanks," Lauren said with a smile.

Camila brought the camcorder up and recorded, "So Miss Jauregui-"

"Seriously?"

"Stop interrupting me!"

Camila cleared her throat as Lauren rolled her eyes, "So, Miss Jauregui.."

"Yes, Director Cabello?" Lauren mocked.

"Ignoring that," Camila said, "When did you realize that you had a passion for music?"

"I grew up in a very musical family. My father would always blast music in the house and I've always loved it."

"Interesting."

"So Lauren, serious question."

"Okay..."

"What is your biggest fear?"

"My biggest fear?"

"Yeah."

"Losing people I love," Lauren said.

"I've lost so many people in my life that I can't bare to lose another. That's probably why I usually keep to myself."

"Wow."

"What?"

"Nothing, it's just that... You never cease to amaze me," Camila said.

Lauren smiled as she looked away.