Vanilla

Chapter 44

Lauren and I bought the pizza, went back to her home, and laid around her room eating it while listening to the new CDs.

When we finished, we cleaned everything and decided to cuddle on her bed. Neither of us wanted to break first.

"I heard a storm is coming soon," Lauren mumbled.

"I'm already picturing the floods that I have to drive through," I mumbled back.

"It shouldn't be too bad."

"We live in Miami. Shouldn't be too bad is an exaggeration."

Lauren giggled, lifting her head some to look up at me. "Hey, now that we're both adults, shouldn't we go to clubs or something?"

"My grandma will rise out of the grave to personally tell me that I'd lose my mind if I went to one."

"You're right, plus my mom and dad might say it'll affect my career in the future."

"Why go to a club anyway? For the dancers?"

"Pole dancing looks fun. It's a good exercise to help with upper body strength, so I thought I could go watch them do their thing and learn."

"Or...you could just buy a pole yourself, do an online class, and learn from the safety of your own home. There are people out there ready to snatch you up."

"You can be my bodyguard."

"As if I can even try. I fight on adrenaline, so I'm pretty much a scaredy-cat without that boost."

"Well, I don't love you any less, you're still Dani." Lauren laid her head back down.

We went quiet for a moment, enjoying the silence that hung in the air around us.

I was drifting off to sleep when I remembered something. "Oh yeah, there's a Halloween party that Anna is hosting. I received the news in the group chat."

"A party surrounded by people that I don't know?" Lauren groaned. "I rather not, I have enough social interaction at school."

"But you thought a club would be a good idea?"

"I was thinking of one thing and not another, okay?"

I smiled, nuzzling into her hair. "We don't have to go, trick or treating is enough interaction for us anyway."

"Let's invite Shawn and Anna."

"Her party doesn't start till ten anyway, so she might say yes-depends on if her tics are tolerable."

"You forgive Shawn?"

"Shawn was a bit of a douche before, but thanks to his big sister - he's showing fast character development. He dropped the fuckboy persona and picked up the gentlemen one. Though he does say a slick comment here and there, he's way better than before. I think we can be friends with him."

"Since we're inviting boys, can we invite-"

"Not him."

"I didn't say a name, though."

"It's Jose, right? The one that plays video games during lunch?"

"Yes, it is Jose, but he's a cool guy."

"His gamer rage is scary, especially when he snaps in his foreign language. I think he invented new curse words out of anger."

"You'll like him, come on..."

"Fine. But if he pulls out his game and starts screaming, I'm running home."

"You won't." Lauren used her finger to draw circles around my stomach. "We should also invite Chris, the one from Building B. The guy that has a birthmark on his back."