Birdgirl (camren) PREVIEW

1 - Spread Wings, Take Flight

"Heads up, Birdgirl." A tensed Trevor Derek Washington muttered; bending down to the petite Latina with dark brown hair and matching chocolate eyes, who stands a mere two inches over five feet. His eyes were fixated on the two girls that had just come in through the front door as he nibbled on his lower lip nervously.

He had spotted his target.

Birdgirl is a codename Trevor and three other guys coined to refer to their ultimate wingman and best friend, Karla Camila Cabello, who prefers to be called by her middle name. The boys thought it would be more appropriate to call her as such given her gender and to give her a differentiating factor from every other wingmen in the world. Birds have wings and Camila is a girl; hence, "Birdgirl."

To people who don't know the backstory, they assume it was merely because of the feather tattoo on the inside of the middle of her right forearm despite how recent the inked outline is. It had only been three months since her skin was permanently marked. While they know of the nickname; they don't know how to play the game.

Camila is a 17-year-old Cuban-Mexican whose parents migrated to the United States before she was born. The four guys fondly call her KC or Birdgirl; depending on the situation. If it was a social interaction, she was plain old KC. However, when the heroes cannot fight their own battles; she steps in and claims their girls for them, and becomes the sidekick called Birdgirl.

That was what had been happening since the brunette girl set foot in Palm Grove High School. It was when her best friend of 15 years, at the time, asked her to help him with a certain girl. The rest is history.

Trevor and Camila were at an end-of-summer party hosted by the former's friend. They were inside a swarmed beach house with barely enough room to go around. The specific house was filled with seniors and teenagers, even a few college students from all over the city, joining together to celebrate freedom before going back to the tedious yet demanding life with school in the mix.

Camila followed her friend's gaze and narrowed her chocolate brown irises at the target; carefully observing them from a distance as she formulated her move. Her vision had to blur out the sea of boisterous drunken teenagers with cups of various alcohol in their hands.

"Which one is it?" The brunette queried as she leaned against the mahogany sofa table facing the wide living room. She was holding a red solo cup filled halfway with beer in her right hand. The tattoo on her forearm was very visible given her white graphic tank top. "Hook up? Relationship?" She took a gulp of the bitter beverage, scrunching up her features as she swallowed.

She studied the two girls who were about to sit on the powder blue sectional sofa, slyly watching their every move while pretending to be in a more riveting conversation with her exceptionally tall, ebony skinned friend. She was assessing the situation, thinking of a way to separate them from each other. She had easily recognized the two girls who were from their school; one of them, her classmate in several classes while the other, an upper classman.

Unlike Trevor, Camila was calm. Experience had taught her well.

However, the composed and tranquil blanket hid an insecurity within herself. The veil that had masked her fright was strong yet she was determined to keep her demeanor intact. She had been afraid of something for a while. It had been three months and all the planning had been done. The only thing left to do was immerse herself in that fear and surrender to what has been scheduled; right after she reels the catch in.

"The taller one; blonde. Dinah Jane. You know her." Trevor, the 18-year-old, incoming senior, nervously looked elsewhere as he scratched the back of his neck. "It's not a hook up, Birdgirl." He emphasized the word that divided two possibilities; one of momentary bliss while the other, lasting.