Student Exchange

IX

A hand pulled my arm while I was walking down the halls with Ally and Dinah. I immediately collided with Lauren's body.

"Fuck," I said, putting my hand on my heart. "You scared me!"

"Good, I should always be keeping you on your toes," She grinned. "Ally, DJ, can I steal her from you?"

"Please do!" Dinah joked. I rolled my eyes and gave the girls a little wave which sent them on their way.

"Good morning," Lauren husked.

"Good morning, asshole." I stood on my toes to peck her lips.

"You didn't text me, I gave you my number on Sunday, it's now Tuesday."

"I never text first," I explained. She laughed.

"Well, you need to text me in order for me to have your number to text you first," Lauren began walking and I followed. We both had books to our chest.

"305-555-1738," Lauren swiftly pulled out her phone.

"Say again," She asked.

"305-555-1738," I repeated. She typed something I couldn't make out with her free hand.

"There, I texted first." She slid her phone back into her pencil case.

"What'd you send me?"

"Ah, I guess you'll have to check your phone to see, therefore you'll be more tempted to text back," She explained.

"You're so extra, I'm obviously going to text you back, you're my," I paused.

"I'm your what?" She grinned.

"I don't know," I groaned. "We're a thing so you're my thing," I tried, Lauren laughed.

"I'm your thing? Possessive, I like it." She winked. I rolled my eyes and she moved a little closer to me.

"So when are we gonna be girlfriends?" She said, looking at me briefly before looking back at the people passing through the halls.

"When are you going to stop being so clingy?" I countered, Lauren let out a throaty laugh.

"When you stop being so cute," She wrapped an arm around my shoulder and gave my cheek a quick peck. I pulled my phone out from my pencil case and saw I had a new message from Lauren, or, well, 'Baby' as Lauren had put.

Baby 💦👅: Go out with me?????¿??

"Lo, we go out all the time!" I said, putting my phone away. She gave me a puzzled look. "We went out to the supermarket a couple days ago,"

She smiled but shoved my shoulder slightly.

"You really want some big romantic gesture, huh? I think there's a pep rally next Monday,"

"Oh, fuck no," I interrupted. "Not in front of anyone, I was just messing with you when I said it had to be cute, honestly just asking me out would suffice. I just, I don't know..." My voice trailed off.

"So not something cute but something cute?" She asked, a small laugh escaping with her words.

"I don't know, I kinda just said that because I'm worried," I told her honestly as we made our way down the familiar hallway.

"Worried?" Lauren questioned.

"Yeah, it's weird and I haven't given it a ton of thought but I'm worried about rushing things," She frowned. "Not like that, I think we're moving fine I just-" I paused. "I just see putting a label on us sets us up to fail. It doesn't make it more official or anything I just feel like it would kick us out of the honeymoon stage were in and, obviously, are enjoying so much." I tried to articulate my feelings.