Hate that I love you

viii

"It's often difficult to love. I go through dark periods like the moon and I hide from myself. But I promise I will kiss your wounds when they're hurting. Even if they're in your soul, I can find them with the light in my fingertips. I will lead you to the river so you can remember how beautiful it feels to be moved by something that is out of your control. And when our dark periods match, we can breath with the grass and look at the night sky. The Stars will remind us of the beauty in our struggles and we won't feel lost." —Emery Allen (via quotemadness)

Lauren remembers the first time they met.

The memory was vivid no matter how long it had been and seeing the photo taken years back with their massive, gapped tooth, grins, chubby cheeks and Sunday dresses proudly hanging on the wall in full display on every morning she wakes and the nights before she closes her eyes, Lauren could not not remember.

Camila was a very shy child (and still is somehow — perhaps excluding the child part). She was quiet, reserved and a little way too proper for a seven year old. Lauren remembers her timid smiles that looked a little too forced, chocolate colored doe eyes and her continues need to wring her hands together as she sat alone under the shade of the tree, far away from the rest of the kids fooling around on the playground.

She had a book propped up on her lap and it was open wide enough for her to see the letters printed on it. It was difficult to read, seeing that it wasn't the kind of book she was used to as the letters were a lot smaller and the words were.. Well, actually, she couldn't understand half of what was written on it. It was almost all gibberish and it made her wonder how a girl like her could read something for her age.

They didn't talk much— Well, more like, Camila didn't talk much. It was just one of those rare days she'd actually take the time to go out and interact with the other kids her age, after all (that didn't turn out too well and although she didn't expect it to, rejection from her peers still hurt. A lot)

So surprise was an understatement when this pretty green eyed girl walks up to her and started talking. Like, literally just walks up to her and introduces herself before rambling on and on as if they'd been long time friends and Camila being Camila, keeps quiet. She didn't want to scare the girl away for saying the wrong things. Camila was quite good at that too, it must be a talent.

Lauren talks a lot. And when she means a lot, Like, a lot. She talks so much that silence never seems to fall upon them. She didn't seem to care that she only receives nods and hums as a reply. Lauren still goes on, and on, and on... And Camila didn't mind. She liked listening to her speak, she could listen to her voice all day.

"Oh, I remember that." Camila's voice snaps her out of her trance, reaching to pick up the photo with a longing smile. She hadn't had the best childhood, but Lauren made it a lot better. "I didn't talk much but my accent was like, really funny."

"It was cute." Lauren tells her, looking over her shoulder to take another look of the photo taken years back. She'd woken up from her quick nap, woke up to the sound of Camila softly humming to herself with an earbud plugged to her ear and the book she'd been reading still resting on her lap, shut closed.

"So not cute." Camila rolled her eyes, taking the earbud off and giving her full attention to her. "And I didn't smile that much because I had no two front teeth. Maybe tiny two growing front teeth, I guess."

"6 year old you was adorable, don't be mean." Lauren playfully shoots her a glare. "Besides, I didn't have either so I guess we're even. I'm actually just really glad I met you. I don't care how... 'Not cute' I am in that picture."

Lauren notices the faint blush tinting her cheeks, moving to cover them with a pillow and Lauren involuntarily smiles in return. She doesn't think too much about that, though. She takes a quick glance at the clock and sat up, leaning against the headboard. "Are you still up for sushi?"