mute ➺ camren

Chapter Five

Camila couldn't help but crack a smile at Lauren's simple, non-cutting or sarcastic response. This was progress, right before her eyes. Camila all of a sudden felt a wave of hope rush through her entire being. Maybe this place wouldn't be so bad after all.

Meanwhile, Lauren watched Camila smiling at the paper in front of her, slightly confused at her silence, and hesitation to continue the conversation. This was a big step for Lauren, she interacted with Ally, and only Ally on a personal basis. This was progress.

"Ummm, how old are you, Lauren?" Camila was desperate to keep the conversation going for as long as possible. Lauren pulled the pad up on her leg and added more elegant, cursive writing.

17. You?

"16. I'll be 17 soon...ish. When's your birthday?" Camila was getting more into the flow of things now.

June 27th, 1996. Yours?

"March 3rd, 1997. Wait, does that make us in different grades at school?" Camila suddenly realized their birthdays would put them in separate school years. Lauren shook her head.

We should be, but I did junior year of high school at a normal school, and, well, hated it, so now I'm retaking the year at arts college.

"Oh right. What was so bad about normal school? Should I be worried about my sister?" Camila's maternal instinct kicked in. Lauren frowned a little and shook her head again.

No, she'll be okay.

Lauren was reluctant to elaborate. Sensing her discomfort, Camila didn't push the subject, simply hoped in time, she would find out. At this point, Camila struggled to find something else to talk about. She didn't know where she stood with talking about families, and not just with Lauren either, but with everyone else in the home.

"Can I ask something? You don't have to tell me anything if you don't want to but..I'm just curious..." Camila tiptoed on the eggshells surrounding the topic. Lauren simply nodded.
"You mentioned before, in, the note, that you had no family," Camila began, and already felt Lauren's unease. "I just wondered what...if you had any photographs?" Camila chickened out of her original question. Lauren hesitated for a moment, clearly not expecting her to say that either. But she stood up, and headed over to her closet. She pushed her hung up clothes to one side and reached down to the bottom left corner, picking up a box.

The box was wooden, with small detailed paintings and carvings on the edges and the lid. Camila inspected it more as Lauren sat back down again. Lauren placed the box in front of her, on her side of the room, safely with her. She didn't open it, but looked from the box, to Camila.
"Oh, mine? I don't have a box or anything..." Camila felt quite embarrassed. Lauren shook her head and shrugged. Camila nodded and stood up, reaching into the front pouch of her back pack, and pulling out a completely battered, brown envelope. The sealing was ripped to shreds, as were each corner of the envelope. Lauren raised her eyebrows, impressed that it didn't fall apart at the slightest touch.

Camila delicately handled the package in her nimble fingers, clearly being careful to keep it in tact. She lowered herself to the floor before carefully pulling the photos out of the envelope, and setting them on the line between their sides of the room. Lauren's eager eyes scanned over the photos, and soon distinguished a pattern in Camila's placement of them. Lauren placed her hands on either side of the first seven photos Camila had laid out, and looked up at the brown eyed girl.
"Those are the only ones I have before care. This is my Papa, and my Mama." Camila pointed to the photos which her parents appeared in.
"Sofia," Camila pointed again, Lauren nodded, seeing the little change in the young girls face in the small 5 years of her life.
"And me." Camila pointed to herself.