3 A.M. (Camren)

2

Shortly after finishing my latte I ended up leaving the cafe. It was nearly one in the morning. My first thought was to head back home but, I wanted to stay out just a little while longer; or at least while I could stay out.

I'm sure my parents aren't worrying about me. They never have to be honest. Probably because I've never given them anything to worry about. I'm either home or I'm out with Normani roaming the city at night. Not much to stress about over that. Normani's parents worry--often. I don't think it's so much her, you know? Mainly, me. To them I'm the bad apple. Yet, they don't know me but, like I said before I'm not well liked by her parents. I'm okay with that. I loved being out at night, I always felt like there was so much more to see versus the daytime. People often think that I'm some kind of lunatic but in my defensive I just think that I'm different. Everyone else just has a hard time accepting that as a fact.

A group of kids were in front of me. Three girls and two guys. They seemed like they were having a good time; laughing and carrying on. I noticed that they were beginning to take up the side walk as it narrowed down a bit. My initial instinct was to move over and just cross the street but I didn't want to. They could make room, couldn't they? They closer they got to me the clearer their instinctive chatter became. One of the girls had told a joke, everyone just looked at her. I laughed. Then they all stopped and looked at me-- everyone but her at least.

Well, this is awkward.

"Come on you guys, that was really funny! You can't say it wasn't." The girl whined with her back turned to me, Her voice seemed a bit familiar.

The other girl began laughing. "No it wasn't but, somebody agrees with you that it was for once." The girl pointed directly at me.

"Very funny Dinah." The girl scoffed. "You guys-" The taller girl had grabbed her and turned her body so she was now facing me.

Camila

"Sorry, I didn't mean to laugh. I just thought..."

"Lauren, right?" She asked.

I nodded. "Good memory. Do you remember all your customers?"

She laughed, running a hand through her hair. The color suited her, it matched her eyes. "Only the interesting ones."

"She really means the good looking ones." Her friend, I'm assuming her name is Dinah, said. "Like what are you? Are you even human? How can you be so pretty."

The shortest girl hiding behind the guys spoke. "Dinah, you know better. Sorry about her." I now noticed the girl was Ally, Camila's other friend. "She doesn't do well with good looking people."

"All I'm saying is---You're hot." Dinah shrugged.

"Guys.." Camila groaned. "Sorry about them. Where are you heading off too? Its pretty late to be out by yourself, isn't it?"

No, it's not. Thank you very much.

"Just maybe." I shrugged.

"You don't say much do you?" She asked, narrowing her eyes at me.

"Not really." I replied.

"Hmm. The silent insufferable type huh?" She laughed.

Everytime she laughed the more I enjoyed hearing it. It was a sound that I couldn't ever possibly get tired of. It was nothing like I ever heard before.

"You don't always need words to express things."

She nodded, the cornera of her mouth formed this grin. It was nice to see. "I see you held onto your cup."

"What?" She averted her gaze towards my right hand. I hadn't noticed that I still held onto the cup from the cafe. "I guess so."

"Something special about it?"

I shrugged again. "Shouldn't you be home? I mean, aren't your parents worried about you or something?"

She simply shook her head. "No, ever since I graduated my parents haven't worried about me much. You know, they give me space to be adult and all."

Must be nice.

"Yeah, I understand.."

"Do you want to come with us? We're just going to go hangout a this bar right up the street for awhile to meet some friends. We could give you a lift home if you-"

"Camila." A harsh voice cut her off. "We don't have time for you to inviting the whole world to hangout with us."

"Shawn.."

"I really don't like you." Dinah growled. "Like you see her talking to this magical creature.."

"Magical creature?" I mumbled.

Ally tried throwing her arm around Dinah's shoulder but soon realized she fell a little short and settled for putting her around the girl's waist. "I think you had a little much too drink honey."

"A little?" Shawn rolled his eyes at the girls. "Either you all can sit here and talk about nonsense or you can come with Adam and I and go have a good time."

"No wonder why Walz doesn't want you." Dinah mumbled. "Asshole."

They all began walking passed me. First Shawn and Adam. Then Ally. Dinah lingered next to me she rested a hand on my shoulder. "Got green eyes, nice thighs..If I wasn't straight I'd probably fuck the--"

"Alright!" Camila quickly covered Dinah's mouth. "I'm taking you home."

Dinah managed to remove Camila's hand away from her mouth to speak. "Waaaalz, no. I have to see her tonight.." Dinah hiccuped. "She's my sun.."

"Yeah and I'm sure tomorrow she only bring you sorrow." Camila rolled her eyes.

I stood there awkwardly playing with my cup. "She must be in love."

Lucky one

"Yeah, it kind of hit her like a sledgehammer." Camila giggled holding onto her friend

"At least I'm not in love with a monster." Dinah mumbled.

"Go to sleep." Camila groaned.

"Camila!" Shawn yelled halfway down the street. "Let's go!"

"Alright! Jesus.." She sighed. She looked at me once more. "Maybe I'll see you around?"

I shrugged. "I don't know maybe.."

She smiled. "Only time will tell, right?" She slowly began walking away from me with Dinah latched onto her like a koala. I smiled at the site of them.

Best friends

I began walking away just like them.

"Lauren?"

I looked over my shoulder, "Yeah?"

"Be careful getting home, okay? It's not safe for pretty girls to be roaming the city at 3 a.m."