SHE LIKES GIRLS - CAMREN

14. Roommates.

"Lauren are you okay?" the young woman repeats. "Yeah. It was just an accident" I say. "Uhm okay" she says, visibly concerned. My mind is racing. I don't know what to do. I'm embarrassed. I'm upset. I'm angry at Lucy. "Can I- I'm just gonna go home I'm sorry" I scramble to get back in my car. "Where are you going?" Camila asks. I pause. I don't know where I'm going. Probably home. "I want to come with- if you're comfortable" she says. "What about dinner?" I ask. "Uhm- I don't really want to be here" she bites her lip. "Give me a minute" she disappears into the house.

She returns after a few minutes and says, "See that black car?" she points to the car in the street, "that's me. Follow it?" "Okay" I nod. She sprints towards the car, jumps in and starts the engine. What am I doing?

I follow her. She leads us to the beach. The beach where... where we spent her birthday, the night I can't forget. She removes her shoes and I do the same. We trail along the sand without saying a word. The only sound is the waves and the birds. I sneak glances at her. She doesn't look very happy but still beautiful as always. The wind plays with her gorgeous brown hair as she stares into the sunset. We find some rocks to sit on and rest for a while. I can't help but wonder where her thoughts are as she stares across the ocean. It's like she doesn't even know I'm there.

"You want a smoke?" I hold out my pack of cigarettes. "Sure" she says pulling one out. I hold out the lighter for her. She flips her hair out of the way and leans in. She looks up at me, her chocolate brown gaze making my knees weak. No! I can't feel this way. I don't even know her anymore. It's in the past.

"So, what's up with you?" I ask. "It's a long story. I'm moving back here" she says, a sad tone in her voice. "Are you staying with your parents?" I ask, lighting my own cigarette. "No, I have an apartment. I moved in yesterday" she says, a half smile creeping onto her face, "what about you?" "I actually live close by here" I say. "You live alone?" she asks. "No, I live with my- uh roommate" I frown. "Roommate huh? Did they do that to you" she says pointing to the small bruise on my face. "Yeah..." I sigh. "They're not your roommate are they?" she blows out smoke. I stay quiet. She flicks the cigarette into the sand. "Yeah my 'roommate' did that too" she looks down at her feet. What?

"Can I ask you something? Why do you stay?" she asks. "I don't know. I don't want to" I put the cigarette out on the rock. "So don't. Come stay with me for a while" she smiles, but she still has that sad look on her face. "I- I don't know what to say" I stutter. "We can be roommates? We're still friends right?" she says. She fumbles with something in her purse. I watch her fingers as she pulls out a diamond ring. "To new beginnings!" she says throwing the ring far into the ocean. She smiles. "Come, you can see my place and then decide. If you want of course" she pulls me towards our cars.

We enter her apartment. It's pretty empty. Boxes and clutter still standing around. "Welcome" she says excitedly. "I stay upstairs. The downstairs is empty. There's an extra room down there" she points down the passage. It's nice. It's very nice. "I know it's kind of out of the blue but, it's better than staying with that person right?" she says showing me around. She's right. This is better. "I won't be in your way. I work down the street. You'll only see me at night. We can split the rent and you can use everything that's here already" she says, "I need a roommate anyway."

"Meow" I hear a small noise coming from the upstairs. "Oh!" she jumps. "Pspspspsp" she calls. A black cat comes hopping down the stairs. "Come Yoyo!" she begs the cat. He comes running over and bumps his head again her leg. "Is that-" I start. "Yeah it's him. Isn't he big now?" she picks him up. "He's hella chonky now" she hugs him. I step closer to pet his head, he purrs.

"So you want some dinner? I can order us some pizza?" asks. "Sounds good!" I say. Maybe living here is going to be good for me. We spend the rest of the evening catching up and eating pizza over a fee glasses of wine. She is different, not the girl I knew back then. We didn't address the relationship we had, I think we both decided that it wasn't important, it was in the past and this is a new beginning. 

"You can move in as soon as you want. I'll give you the extra key. If you need help moving just text me" she says, writing her number on a piece of paper. I make my way back to my place, Lucy isn't home. Perfect.