Love in the Fields

6

The afternoon sun hung high in the sky, casting a golden glow over the fields and making the grass feel warm beneath Camila's feet as she followed Lauren down the winding path to the river. In the distance, she could already hear faint laughter and splashes, and something in her chest fluttered with a mixture of excitement and nervousness. It was only her second time hanging out with Lauren's friends, and the memory of the first day they'd invited her was still fresh. But this time, she felt a little more at ease, like she belonged here, or at least, like she was beginning to.

"Hey, you're not chickening out, are you?" Lauren teased, nudging her playfully.

Camila smiled, her nerves easing slightly. "No way. I'm just... you know, mentally preparing."

Lauren chuckled, tossing her an amused look as she adjusted the bag slung over her shoulder. "Trust me, you're gonna have fun. Just relax."

The trail opened up, and suddenly, they were at the riverbank. Dinah, Ally, and Normani were already there, sprawled on towels by the water, their laughter floating over the breeze. Dinah noticed them first, shooting up with a grin and waving them over.

"Look who finally decided to show up!" she called, grinning. "We were about to think you got lost."

Camila rolled her eyes, laughing as they joined the group. "I'm not that bad, am I?"

"No," Ally said with a soft smile, shifting over to make room for Camila, "but Lauren's infamous for making people late."

"Hey!" Lauren protested, settling down beside them. "I was on time, thank you very much. Camila's the one who spent forever packing, like she's moving in or something."

Camila felt a light blush creep into her cheeks. "I just... wanted to be prepared," she defended, pulling out a bottle of lemonade and a few snacks she'd packed. "You never know what you'll need!"

Dinah gave her an approving nod, snatching the lemonade bottle and twisting it open. "Prepared and generous? City girl, I think you're growing on me."

As they settled in, the group fell into an easy rhythm. They shared stories, their laughter rising over the soft murmur of the river as it flowed around rocks and drifted lazily past. Camila found herself easing into the conversation naturally, surprised at how open she felt around these girls who, just weeks ago, had been strangers to her. Lauren's friends were warm and genuine, with a sense of camaraderie that felt as natural as the river's current. For the first time in a long time, she didn't feel like she was on the outside looking in.

"You've gotta tell her the one about the time you almost burned down your dad's barn, Normani!" Ally urged, nudging her friend with a gleeful grin.

Normani rolled her eyes but couldn't help but laugh. "Oh, God, that was so bad." She turned to Camila, hands gesturing animatedly as she launched into the story. "So, I was, like, sixteen, and I had this brilliant idea that I was gonna make my own fire pit, right?"

Camila laughed, already sensing the disaster about to unfold. "Please tell me this doesn't end with you actually setting the barn on fire."

"Not the barn, thankfully," Normani said, grimacing. "But I almost set the whole field behind it up in flames. My dad freaked out, grounded me for a month. He still gives me grief about it every time I light a match."

The group broke into laughter, the sound bouncing off the water, and Camila felt a warmth spread through her chest. She looked around at each of them, feeling grateful to be here, to be part of this easy joy.

At some point, Lauren stretched, standing up and shading her eyes from the sun as she glanced over at the river. "Alright, enough sitting around. Who's ready for a swim?"