thin walls (are calling me home)

Chapter 6

Camila thought being bored and alone on Tuesday had been bad, but now, after three hours without a break from Dinah and Ally's surprisingly over energetic company, she couldn't say she didn't miss the silence a little bit.

Not that she didn't love hers and Lauren's best friends, but, come on. After she'd met Dinah at the dance studio at four, they'd gone to Ally's and eaten with her just like the day before, but, unlike the previous time they were there, the shorter Latina had announced she would get off early to join them in whatever plans they had. And boy, did Dinah have plans. She hadn't told Camila anything she'd organized for the day, saying it was a surprise, but to say Camila had been surprised wouldn't make her feelings justice.

The circus. Of all the places Dinah could have picked, she'd chosen the circus. And yes, she was completely aware of Camila's fear of clowns – which was completely rational, thank you very much – and had still brought her there because, "you gotta let it go at some point, Chancho."

Why did she even call that smug oversized puppy her best friend?

(The moment the tents and the huge sign had caught her eyes, a rash decision was made. She'd have to kill Dinah, it would be only fair.)

Camila swore that in that moment she'd have done anything to get her friend's car keys and stolen her sedan to get back to the city. It was too far away for her to run back, though, so Camila had endured the show, endured the freaking clowns, and had even managed to have some fun after the performance, when they'd played a few games and gone into random tents – her favorite being the one with the mirrors –, being thoroughly teased by Dinah, of course, who had pushed her towards the circus's clowns whenever she saw them.

That part had most definitely not amused her.

Now Camila was sitting on the passenger's seat of Dinah's car outside her building, the taller girl having already left Ally home, and she couldn't help but glare at the smirk on her friend's face.

"So, Walz, before you go, I just wanted to say that I know you didn't exactly like my idea of a perfect afternoon..." Dinah started, her smug expression intact.

"What a genius!" Camila huffed, interrupting her friend, the annoyance, which had died down after a while, rising back in her as she recalled the experience.

"Shut up, Mila." Dinah chuckled, completely unaffected by Camila's tone, which, rude. "It kinda worked, though." She continued, taking on a serious voice, the smirk fading into a small smile. "When we left the circus you weren't as scared as you were when we got there."

Camila felt her jaw unclench and her eyes soften at her friend's words. Had those really been Dinah's intentions with their unusual day? Yeah, she didn't exactly agree with her method, but she couldn't say she found it at least a little bit sweet that she cared about her most ancient and unexplainable fear...

But then Dinah let out a loud laugh and her face broke into a grin, and Camila felt her own scrunch up into a frown once more.

"I hate you." She muttered, crossing her arms.

"No, really though." Dinah managed through her laughter. "I really had good intentions! I thought it could help!" She exclaimed, placing her hand on Camila's shoulder, but her ongoing laughing fit was making it hard for the Latina to believe her. "But... that doesn't mean it was funny as hell when you... started screaming... like damn!" She struggled to say the last bit amidst her giggles, but as much as Camila wanted to stay mad, she saw that Dinah was being honest about everything, even the part where she thought her fears were amusing.

It also didn't help that Dinah had such a contagious laugh, which made her want to laugh as well, but she fought her need to smile, forcing the corner of her lips to stay put.