(i think) there's a flaw in my code | camren

day 7

The digits on Camila's phone tell her it's nearly 2 AM, but she's not tired at all. Her head is still buzzing from the party, even though it's quiet in the car. On her left, Lauren is staring out the window, absentmindedly tracing patterns on Camila's palm. The feeling sends electric shivers down her spine, and there's something about the gesture that makes her heart swell.

"Where are we going?" Camila asks, breaking the silence.

Lauren slowly turns her head, staring at Camila for a moment before answering, "The beach."

"Oh," because wow, that's romantic. Camila wonders if Lauren knows just how much she's falling in love with her right now, just for saying those two words.

"Is that okay with you?" Lauren asks, screwing up her face in concern.

"Absolutely."

"Okay." Lauren smiles. She glances out the window again, and Camila realizes they've been driving along the ocean the entire time. She was just too busy staring at Lauren to notice.

They drive for a few more minutes arriving wherever Lauren told their driver to go, and Camila breathes in the fresh ocean air. She's not sure why, but it smells differently from the beach in Florida. It smells differently from the last time she was at the beach, too.

Spinning around, her eyes lock with Lauren's, who's just wrapping up paying for their ride. It's insane how much has changed in one week. Just four days ago, Lauren hated her. Now she's slowly walking towards her with that adorable smile on her face.

The only thing that hasn't changed is the way Camila falls in love with her every second of the day.

"I just wanted you to have one good experience on the beach, since that's sort of what California is known for," Lauren says as she reaches Camila, her voice soft and raspy. She still feels bad about the photoshoot, Camila realizes.

She reaches out for Lauren's hand, lacing their fingers together with a certain air of confidence. It feels natural, holding Lauren's hand. She almost doesn't remember not holding it.

"Lead the way," she smiles.

They slip off their shoes, digging their feet into the cool sand as they start walking. It's quiet, save for the sound of ocean waves, and in the far distance the engines of cars. Even at 2 AM, Los Angeles is still wide awake.

Even though she normally hates silence, Camila doesn't feel the need to say anything. She's comfortable enough around Lauren to not feel awkward when they're not having a conversation. Of course, she loves talking to her, but it's okay if they're not. It's a feeling she could get used to.

Eventually, after they walked quietly for some time, Lauren clears her throat. "I wanted to say thank you, for giving me a second chance, even if I didn't deserve one."

Camila stops walking. Her coordination has never been the greatest, and meaningful conversations are best when they're not messed up by accidental tripping over air. "Of course. You don't have to thank me."

"I want to, though. I've been a really bad host, and an even worse person to you. I'm supposed to be your idol, but instead I acted like an asshole."

"You're not my idol anymore," Camila says. "You're something else. I read a quote once, about how there are two ways to dehumanize someone. One is by dismissing them, the other by idolizing them. If there's one thing I learned this past week, it's that you're human. There is more to you than what you show the world, and I'm still getting to know that person. You're my friend, more than you are my idol, now."

Lauren doesn't reply immediately. Her hands have gone a little sweaty, but it's too dark to see her face. Camila starts to get worried she said something wrong, but then Lauren moves and suddenly her face is so close Camila can feel her breath.