Exposed || Camren

Chapter Eighteen: Secret Love Song Part 2

Camila sat in the backseat of the car Dinah rented, swishing the bubbling apple juice in her glass. It was some kind of added bonus to the fact they were underage and couldn't drink. There was a radio playing some trashy 80s pop music, and the windows were tinted so dark, Camila could barely see out them. The wind was blowing through her hair as Dinah and Normani, and some other girl Camila was sure was named Patricia, hung out the sunroof. Patricia's date was eyeing Camila like she was a piece of chocolate cake, so she turned to look out the dark window. If this was what prom was going to be like, the girl just wanted to go back home. 

"Whoo!" Dinah suddenly screamed out the sunroof before popping back down, a wide smile on her face. Her hair was still in place, miraculously, but Patricia and Normani's hairstyle was now a bundled up mess. "That was a rush! You should try it, Camila. I think your hair will last the trip." 

Camila looked up, meeting Dinah's eyes, then sighed and shook her head. "No, it's okay. I don't really want to risk it," she excused, smiling before taking a sip of the bubbling apple juice. 

Dinah frowned. "Chancho, you look a bit depressed. What's going on? Is it your outfit? I can get the man upfront to back to your house so you can grab a dress," she offered, already moving to roll down the window separating them from the driver. 

"No, no! It has nothing to do with my outfit. I really just don't want to stick my head out the sunroof. I promise," Camila said with a reassuring smile. 

In all honesty, she was completely lying. Camila just wanted to go home and sleep in bed. She didn't think it was a good idea to be surrounded around a bunch of people who didn't really seem to like her at that moment. Especially not Lauren. There was a screaming in Camila's head trying to rationalize the whole situation. There was no way that Lauren, who only talked to Camila and Ally, would start wanting to go to dances. Especially not after the leaking of the paper and the picture. 

Normani seemed to pay attention at that, scrutinizing Camila for a few moments before smiling. The grin didn't meet her brown, sad eyes, though. "Well, if there's anything you need, just tell us," Normani said with a nod. 

Then, like a flip of a switch, Dinah and Normani were chatting about how they should dance with each other and Patricia was making out with her boyfriend. Who was still looking at Camila every now and then. She started to wonder what would happen if she just started to say, "Hey, back off, I'm a lesbian." 

She would have to try it sometime, when she wasn't feeling like kissing girls was a huge mistake.

Once the car had pulled up to the school, Camila could already hear people talking about how nice the car was. They, then, started to talk about who could possibly be the in the car. She knew that, in the time it would take for them to grab their things and clamber out of the car, that they would all decide it was just Normani and Dinah. Because there was absolutely no way that Camila would come to the prom after embarrassing herself. 

When they got out of the car, people instantly started to compliment Dinah, Normani, and Patricia on their gorgeous dresses and fabulous shoes and stunning makeup and stelar hair. But, when Camila tripped out of the car, looking quite abnormal for a prom, they all outright stared at her. The judgment was strong, as a couple girls giggled and a few more looked on in disgust.

Suddenly, Camila was wondering if showing her true side was a good idea. Even the nerdiest and most unpopular girls and guys in the school were dressed up for the prom. So why was Camila, the Sweet Pea Queen, not dressed up, as well? It couldn't have made any sense. If Lauren was there, she was probably dressed up in something elegant and sexy, something that drew attention, even if she hated it.