shut up and dance | caminah au

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Oh don't you dare look back

Just keep your eyes on me

I said, "You're holding back"

She said, "Shut up and dance with me!"

This woman is my destiny

She said oh, o—

I was jamming along to my new-found favorite song when I heard the doorbell ring. People still use doorbells, huh? I fixed myself and rushed downstairs. I was alone because my parents are away for the weekend. I opened the door and...

Splash

"Oh shit!" I screamed, and quickly covered my mouth as they shot me with a water gun. I don't usually cuss, you know.

"Woah... easy, Cabello! You're invited to the largest year-end party in the block! People from other schools will be there. Mani's house, tomorrow, 8 pm. Be there, Camila!" My bestfriend, Lauren said as she ran to the next house.

"Go to the party, okay? I'll be waiting," Austin said and he pulled off his flirtiest smile.

"Whatever," I replied and shut the door.

"You're really rude!" Austin said from the other side.

"Go away and just do your job or whatever," I talked back and went back to my room.

This is going to be my second party. My first one was a mess. I almost got drugged, if it wasn't for Austin. I may hate his really annoying, cocky aura sometimes, but I can tell that he really cares for me.

I'm terribly nervous for this party. Damn. Tons of people would be there and attending a party with people I don't know would be the last thing I'd ever do. But since I'm almost done with high school, I need to overcome my social anxiety to prepare myself for college. You know college, bigger crowds, bigger parties.

I've been seeing a therapist and it's going well. All I need is to go in the field and socialize. People scare me and weird me out. It's a good thing that I grew up with Lauren or I'd be alone forever.

Most of the time, I would be reading sappy books or scrolling through Tumblr and Twitter, which I'm doing right now.

An hour has passed, or maybe two... I don't really know and my phone lit up.

From: hoeregui

door!!

I knew what she meant. Maybe that's how 12 years of friendship works?

To: hoeregui

are u with austin?

From: hoeregui

nah

I got up and went downstairs to open the door. Lauren quickly stepped in and went straight to my room without saying a word. Friendship.

"So... How are you feeling?" Lauren said as she jumped on my bed, looking through the pile of books on my nightstand. She may be the outgoing kind of friend, but we share the same love for books.

"Uh, I don't know..."

"Camila..." She stared at me while holding a book that she was reading the other day.

"...leave it in the past. I know, your first party was like a disaster or something, however you wanna describe it, but it'll be fun! There'd be food and drinks and hot guys..."

"You know I don't like 'hot guys' or whatever you wanna call them," I said and sat down on the other side of the bed.

"That's because you cut me off! Jesus, I wasn't done speaking. You never let me finish."

"Sorry? I'm not into meeting 'hot girls' either."

"Loosen up, Cabello. I promise you, it'd be fun. You want help with picking out an outfit?"

"Nah, I'll be fine. I'm just really nervous and scared and I don't know."

"I believe in you," Lauren said in a serious tone. She barely speaks like this and when she does, she really means it.

"Thanks, Lo. I really appreciate it."

"C'mere," she said and pulled me into a tight hug.

"Maybe you can help me pick out something to wear."

We went to the mall to buy things to wear for the party. Shopping for an event lessens my anxiety and it helps a lot. There were lots of unfamiliar faces in the mall, of course. Maybe I'll see them in the party tomorrow.

Lauren and I went home and washed the clothes we just bought. I got a white crop top and a white skirt. My typical style. When we finished the laundry, she went home for a while to get clothes because we decided to have a little sleepover.

We got prepared for bed and turned the lights off, still on our phones.

"Camz..."

"Yeah?"

"You'd do good tomorrow."

"Thanks. You too.

"Good night, Cabello."

"Night, Jauregui," I said and shut my phone off, letting my eyelids close.