Riptide (a camren fic)

Chapter 4: Look to the right edge of your lane

a/n: apologies for any typos btw

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Chapter 4: Look to the right edge of your lane

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Camila pops the capsules in her mouth, chugs down some of Sofi's water, and then practically rushes out the door. She swings it shut behind her before her mother can so much as reach her and smother her, or worse attempt to walk her next door.

She had enough the night before when she mentioned that she was going to be "hanging out" with Lauren Jauregui. (What "hanging out" exactly entailed was something her parents really didn't need to know).  Both her mother and father had stopped what they were doing, and looked at her. Her mother did that thing where she brings her hands to her mouth, and her father had placed a firm hand on her shoulder, giving it what she assumed was supposed to be a comforting squeeze.

Don't get too excited, she had wanted to say. Look what happened the last time I told you I was going out.

But she let them have their moment. Someone needed it.

"You're not forgetting anything right?" Dinah asks, as Camila steps out into heat. "A condom maybe?"

"What? For my dick?" Camila snaps sardonically.

Dinah splutters on the spot. "Watch your mouth! I'm gonna wash that out with soap when we get back."

The Miami sun is high and drowns everything below in a sticky, muggy temperature. By the time Camila reaches Lauren's house and knocks on the door she's already sweating.

"Yeah, that's one thing I don't miss," Dinah says. An impish grin forms on her face as she takes in Camila's flushed appearance. "This weather sucks."

Lauren opens the door and leans against the frame. She's wearing a loose fitted tank with a very faded version of the Star Wars emblem across her chest. The high waist shorts leave nothing and quite possibly everything to the imagination.

Camila swallows thickly, averting her gaze from the pale legs before her.

"Someone's enjoying the view," Dinah sneers, glancing between the two. "Oh god, Mila, this nerdy shit is turning you on isn't it?" Dinah gags.

Camila glances up at Lauren's expectant face, and flushes a dark red when she realizes she's been caught staring.

"You're late," Lauren says. She doesn't miss the Lauren's lips twitch as if fighting a smile.

"Camila's late to everything. It's tragic," Dinah sighs dramatically.

"Sorry, I got held up," Camila answers sheepishly.

"Do you want to come inside?" Lauren moves, creating a gap for her.

"Don't mind if I do." Dinah walks right through.

"My parents aren't home," Lauren adds, which promptly makes Dinah back up onto the porch again.

"In that case, never mind, I'll pass on the nasty shit you guys plan on doing," Dinah says as she wrinkles her nose. Camila almost laughs at the reaction. Almost. She probably would have if she weren't so distracted with the way Lauren is staring at her.

The nerves slowly creep up on her.

Soft green. Like the texture of freshly mowed grass. An effervescent green that even when one pulled out the strands on a hot summer day they still shimmered brightly in the sun.

Camila's heart pounds as she tries to keep her cool and formulate a response. But the words fall flat.

"No one's home?" She hates the way her voice shakes.