Hate that I love you

iii

Camila mindlessly tapped her pen against the surface of her armchair, her eyes intently focused on the clock ticking above the board where their religion teacher had written things she'd never once took the time to read and free hand gripping onto the surface of her table as she waited impatiently.

Mrs. Caroline was her overly strict religion teacher, with her thick rounded rimmed glasses, short mane of white hair that had been pulled up into a near bun and wrinkles that sagged on her face due to her old age; She had been a former nun back in Italy - her hometown - for ten years and had been her least liked teacher ever since she stepped foot in this school. Her thick accent filled the silent room as she waspishly spat out things Camila had tried so hard to block out, but hadn't been successful as she slouched on her seat with a deep frown on her lips.

Homosexuality is a sin. The words ricochets in her head, relentlessly, and Camila was powerless. She felt like she was drowning.

Camila took in deep breath, and reached up to wipe away with the back of her palm as each droplet trickled down her forehead. The people around her weren't at least one bit showing a sign of discomfort with the topic, some even nodding their heads in agreement. Simply seeing that made Camila want to run out of the room from the provocation spat out by her teacher, feeling slightly paranoid that somehow they'd find out what was going on inside her head.

As soon as the bell rung, Camila sprung out of her seat and threw her bag over her shoulder. The walls in the room were starting to close up on her and if she weren't to leave at this very moment, she might just pass out. Camila made the mistake in creating eye contact with Keana, one of Lauren's friends, who didn't hesitate but to throw her a harsh glare, before walking out and purposely hit her shoulder on the way but Camila didn't pay her much mind.

"Ignore her, she's still bitter about Monday." Lauren said, pulling Camila out of the room as her lips curled up in a frown. Camila softly nodded her head and reached down to fix her now slightly wrinkled skirt before trailing behind Lauren, so glad that she was no longer in that room. "The auditions is in two days, have you thought about it yet?"

One of the reasons why I couldn't sleep. Camila thought bitterly.

"Not really." Camila says. She moved aside when a group of jocks jogs down the hallways to avoid them, causing her to collide shoulder's with Lauren instead. She quickly scoots away to put some decent space between them and breathed out an apology, to which Lauren failed to catch onto.

"Are you okay? You look a little.. Pale." Lauren commented, momentarily studying her face as she rummages through her locker and pulled out her calculus book.

"I'm fine." Camila uttered out, unconsciously fiddling with her charm bracelet and straightened her back from her slouched posture when Lauren turned back around to face her. The older Latina scrutinized her, her lips turning down into a frown.

"Define the word fine."

Camila sighed and shook her head, walking alongside the girl who was looking at her with expectancy. They both stopped a few feet away from the door of Lauren's class, because Lauren refused to get inside until Camila speaks up. "I'm just Anxious for Friday, I guess." It technically wasn't a lie and Lauren seemed to accept it, much to her relief.

"You really have nothing to worry about, I know you'll do great." Lauren assured her, resting her hand on the girl's shoulder with a soft smile but it did nothing much to help the girl ease her nerves, especially with this close proximity between them that only cause Camila's heart to beat erratically inside her chest as if she'd just ran a marathon. "And I'll be there on the crowd to support you."