Now it was Friday evening, Lauren and Camila sat at a table in the back of a small coffee shop with their laptops in front of them working on their script.
"So maybe the girl can be mute throughout the whole thing to show that she's simply existing," Lauren paused and typed that out. "And it shows that you don't need words to show that you exist."
Camila nodded, "yeah, and maybe everyone else around her treats her normal even though she doesn't speak." Suddenly, her eyes widened and she gasped, "She should have a love interest!"
Lauren snapped her fingers, "That's good, I like it." They both began rapidly typing.
"So we've got the plot figured out, now it's just a matter of typing up the script." Lauren nodded.
"Yeah but can we maybe do that after we get our drinks? I feel like I'm gonna die of an empty stomach at any minute and you'll have to wheel me home in a wheelbarrow," Camila laughed.
Just then, a waitress approached their table. She was young, maybe in her early thirties, with blonde hair tied up in a messy bun.
"Hi, what can I get for you ladies?" she smiled.
"Triple espresso with some cream and sugar for me," Lauren smiled up at the woman, who was writing her order down on a notepad.
"I'll have a hot chocolate with whipped cream, drizzled in chocolate syrup and two marshmallows," Camila smiled.
The woman smiled and nodded, "Alright, ladies. I'll be right out with your orders," and with that, she walked back to the kitchen. Lauren raised an eyebrow at Camila.
"We're at a coffee shop and you order hot chocolate?" she laughed and Camila pouted.
"That's because I'm not crazy enough to order a triple espresso after 9pm," she shot back playfully. Lauren just mumbled a 'whatever', waved it off and went back to typing-- as did Camila.
Not even five minutes later, the waitress returned. Sliding their laptops aside, Lauren and Camila began sipping their drinks.
"I love how calm the environment is here," Camila said, looking around the peaceful, living-room type coffee shop.
The place was lit with twinkling lights and a fireplace. The tables looked as if they came straight out of an expensive log cabin along with maroon coloured leather couches sitting right in front of the fireplace. Light jazz music was playing faintly in the background.
"Yeah, it's a good place to just relax. I'd love to own a place like this one day," Lauren nodded, looking around at the lights that bordered the walls.
"What would you call it?" Camila asked, genuinely curious. Lauren bit her lip in thought.
"Hmmm," she hummed. "Probably 'The Hideaway' or something like that." she nodded.
"Why 'The Hideaway'?" Camila questioned.
"Because if I was stressed, I'd look at a place like this as my hideaway," Lauren shrugged. "It's like, walking through these doors and being introduced to such a peaceful environment, all that stress is just instantly lifted and you're brought into this euphoric state of mind. Sort of a 'leave your problems at the door' kind of thing."
"You just gave 'coffee shop' a whole new meaning, my friend," Camila giggled.
"Hopefully after I graduate I can take some business classes and learn how to do that stuff," Lauren laughed.
"Wait, you wanna go to school for business?" Camila asked, somewhat surprised.
"Well my main goal is to move to New York and attend NYU next year to take some art classes but..." she paused. "I dunno, I don't really see it happening anymore," she sighed.
"What do you mean? I could totally see you going to NYU," Camila shrugged nonchalantly. Lauren bit her lip, debating on whether or not she should tell the smaller girl what had happened a few days prior. She quickly decided against it so she just shrugged.
"Eh, we'll see," she said as coolly as possible. "What about you? What do you wanna do after high school?"
Camila shrugged.
"You have no idea at all?" Lauren raised an eyebrow. Camila shook her head.
"I wanna get out of Miami, that's for sure," she rested her chin in the palm of her hand. "I wanna see the world. I wanna change lives."
Lauren could see the longing for adventure in the girl's eyes. She wasn't surprised, though. Camila seemed like the type of girl that would find joy in seeing new places.
"You can do whatever makes you happy," Lauren smiled. Camila gazed into Lauren's eyes and gave her a genuine smile as well.
"So um-- I...I've been meaning to ask you something," Lauren said nervously. Camila nodded for her to continue. "I was just uh...I was wondering if you would sing with me? Next Friday night at this charity auction?"
Camila thought for a moment and played with her sleeve.
"I mean, you don't have to," Lauren quickly added. "I-- I just think that you have such a nice voice and people deserve to hear it and-"
"I'll do it," Camila cut her off.
"Really?" Lauren asked, shock laced in her tone. Camila nodded.
"Cool," Lauren smiled, hiding her excitement to get to sing with the other girl.
"So what are we gonna sing?" she asked. The green eyed girl just shrugged.
"That's what we still have to figure out," Lauren laughed. "Anyways," she changed the subject, "I should probably get you home now."
Camila nodded. They packed up their stuff and headed to the car, making sure to leave a tip for that waitress who treated them so well.
In the car, Camila leaned her head against the window, staring up at the night sky. They drove in a comfortable silence until Lauren switched on the radio. Lukas Graham's voice filled the car and both girls started singing along to the song.
Once I was 7 years old, my mama told me,
Go make yourself some friends or you'll be lonely,
Once I was 7 years old
It was a big, big world but we thought we were bigger
Pushing each other to the limits, we were learning quicker
By 11 smoking herb, and drinking liquor
Never rich so we were out to make that steady figure
Once I was 11 years old, my daddy told me,
Go get yourself a wife or you'll be lonely
They sang through the whole song, making eye contact as they sang the last lines.
Once I was 7 years old, momma told me
Go make yourself some friends or you'll be lonely
Once I was 7 years old
Once I was 7 years old
"I think we found our song," Lauren smiled.
___
A/N:
:)
song: '7 years' by lukas graham (beautiful song)
