Step by Step

Chapter 4

Camila POV

I still manage to walk out of my house late even with the fact I don't have to be up as early as I would for the bus. I rush over to Lauren's jeep where she is already in. "I'm so sorry." I say as I put my bag in the back and hop in.

"I was wondering if you shot down my offer about the rides." Lauren pulls away from her house and starts heading to school. "But when I came back into my room I happened to catch a glimpse of you running around with your head cut off."

"I couldn't find pre-calculus homework." I explained why I was late and also why she saw me running around. "It ended up being in my bag the whole time so I guess I got a little extra work out and stress for no reason."

Lauren shakes her head laughing. "You are something special."

Should I take that as a compliment or an insult? "Thanks..."

"So I was thinking about what you asked me yesterday." Lauren turns her music off. She is going to tell me she doesn't want to do it. I can feel it. "I think we need rules."

Or maybe she isn't. "What kind of rules?"

"I have a couple on my mind and you can add some in too." Lauren states. "One rule is that anything I help you with will always be done in private unless it's working on something like your confidence which I think is the first step." I can handle that rule. "If we stick to it and we get to the part where there might be neck kissing there can be no hickeys that are visible."

Lauren stops talking so I speak up. "Are those the only rules?"

She shakes her head. "No, I have one more. If you get in a relationship I'm done helping. Even if what we are doing is to help you out it can still be considered cheating and I don't want to be a part of that."

Those rules are all completely understandable. "Okay I can follow those, but you said I can add one so I will. You can't tell anyone you are helping me."

"Are you embarrassed of me?" Lauren glances at me with a smirk.

She knows it's not the reason so I explain anyway. "I'm embarrassed that I needed to ask for help and guidance, but I'm not embarrassed of you at all. I can only imagine what your group of friends would do and say if they found out you are helping me become experienced."

"I would never tell them anyways."

Now I'm the one to ask. "Are you embarrassed of me?"

She shakes her head and puts her hand out to touch my hand. "Not at all. I know when you asked me to help you yesterday it wasn't easy for you and like I told you I'm willing to help. It's no one's business. What we do has no effect on their life so I would have no reason to tell anyone. I will admit right now though if anyone does know it will be Alexa. She knows everything and she is the one person I go to with everything."

I can't be mad at that. "That is fine. Alexa seems trustworthy. If we are being honest then you should know my friend Sandra will know as well. I actually already told her a little bit. She knows I asked you for help but I never went into detail."

Lauren removes her hand and puts it on her steering wheel. "That's fine. At any point that you don't want my help or it's too much tell me. Remember I'm doing this to help you."

"Okay I will. Even though you are doing this for me, remember as well that you don't have to. Whenever you teach me kissing, I might be so bad that you won't want to help me anymore."

"I doubt it." Lauren sounds so sure. "Your statement right now though is why today is about confidence. You my dear lack it."

I nod in agreement. "I know. So do I wait until after school or is there something I need to do or think about throughout the day."