Journals (Camren)

Chapter 25

Plot twist.

"Camila?" Lauren squeaked in response, just as surprised to see her as Camila was.

Destiny had a funny way of working out in the universe. She'd come here to be alone, only to find the very cause of her inner turmoil sitting right there. It was like their time had run out, forcing the two to be together by some miraculous twist of fate. And what were the odds? Camila skipped school just like Lauren had. Neither had seriously done it before, and the one time they did, they ended up in the same place. It was serendipitous.

"Hi..." Camila greeted her, already feeling awkward. She closed her journal timidly and made a move to stand up, suddenly hit with the sense that she was intruding.

"Uh, what's up?" Lauren said cautiously, slowly making her way over to Camila. Her confusion was ill-disguised. Although she was ecstatic to see Camila here, her face betrayed her emotions. Camila gathered that she was upset with her for being here, but it was quite the contrary.

"Nothing. I just came here to... I don't know, actually. I guess I just kind of ended up here... But I'll go," Camila excused herself quickly. The awkwardness between them was killing her.

Lauren watched her scramble to get up in amusement. She was so cute when she was nervous. Lauren looked on as Camila dropped her journal in the process of standing up. When she bent over to pick it up, her phone slipped out of her pocket. While picking up her phone and the journal, she refused to look up at Lauren. The older girl just decided to let her finish before saying anything.

"Camz, you don't have to go anywhere," Lauren said softly. A small laugh escaped her lips at Camila's flustered antics.

"No, this is your spot. I'm not even supposed to - I don't even know why I'm here," Camila shook her head and insisted on leaving. If she would've taken the time to look at Lauren, just once, she would've seen the tender expression she wore. It would've been easy to tell that she didn't want her to leave at all.

Lauren crossed her arms and leaned against the tree branch, waiting for Camila to face her. Camila was too busy looking for an alternate escape route, seeing how Lauren was blocking the only one she knew of. Crawling out through the little outlook in the bushes crossed her mind, but that would just make her look stupid. Taking her clumsiness into consideration, she'd probably fall. She could always ask her to move, but that would probably be rude. Why wasn't teleportation a thing yet?

"Sorry," Camila said meekly, moving towards the exit and just hoping she'd move on her own.

"What are you sorry for?" Lauren questioned. "If I remember correctly, this is our spot now. Just like the staircase," she pointed out.

"Oh," Camila mumbled. She looked up at Lauren, but was unable to read her as well as she hoped.

"You have the right to be here just as much as I do," Lauren smiled. The smile calmed Camila's nerves a little bit. Maybe this wouldn't go so badly after all.

"I guess," Camila shrugged, despite the fact that she didn't really agree much.

"Can you come here?" Lauren requested evasively. Disregarding the conflicted way she felt about her now, she wanted her affection. She craved it. She opened her arms wide and looked at her expectantly.

Camila didn't argue, but instead found herself moving towards Lauren without hesitation. Lauren's grin only widened when she saw Camila coming.

Camila immediately closed the space between them. Small arms instinctively wrapped around Lauren's body and their bodies fit perfectly together. Camila nuzzled her face into her neck and inhaled the scent she'd been missing so much. Lauren did the same, really taking the time to appreciate this hug. Thin fingers stroked Camila's back slowly and she tried to recall the last time the two of them had been this close. The tension and awkwardness between the two girls faded with every second spent in the other's arms. Being in Lauren's arms felt like home, and she was definitely homesick.