By the time the movie had drawn to a close, Camila had received three missed calls from her mother.
The petite girl sighed deeply. Inevitably she would have to return home at some point but she had hoped to delay it for at least a few hours longer. She'd left for Ally's yesterday just as her grandparents' car had pulled into the drive. Camila had got away with only sharing brief greetings before jumping on her bicycle and speeding off. She'd only temporarily avoided the dreaded encounters and she knew she'd have to face them today instead.
"Looks like mom wants me home."
Lauren could easily recognise the dejected tone within Camila's words. She wondered why the brunette seemed reluctant to go home. To Lauren home was a place detached from the outside world, a safe haven as such. She'd be naive to think everyone viewed their homes this way but still, she found it difficult to comprehend how someone could dislike their home life. It wasn't the person who had an aversion against their home Lauren couldn't understand. More so how the others living in that household had managed to create that problem. Lauren couldn't perceive parents who didn't have their child's happiness above all nor presumably didn't love them unconditionally. The knowledge that this was true in countless situations was inconceivable to the Miami native. She just didn't get how or why and it muddled her to no ends.
"Text me if you need anything," Ally said as she hugged her friend goodbye.
As Camila pulled back, she smiled gratefully at the smaller girl. "I will. Thank you Al, love you. See you soon Lauren," Camila forced her lips to upturn more to send the other Latina a friendly smile.
"Bye Camila," Lauren returned her grin along with a small wave.
Camila retrieved her bicycle from Ally's back yard before pedalling the short distance back to her own house.
Cycling up the drive and seeing her grandparents' old beaten up car caused a flurry of nerves to wash over the brunette. This would be the first time she'd have to engage in conversation with her grandfather after her accidental and catastrophic coming out...
"Kaki there is a letter for you," Sofia, Camila's five year old little sister, sang, skipping over to where her older sister sat watching TV with an envelope clutched in her hand.
"Thanks Sofi," Camila kissed the small girl's cheek as she took the letter from her tiny grasp.
The older sister inspected the front of the letter, recognising the writing immediately. Camila had met Thalia, the sender, through Instagram and their mutual love for the British boy band One Direction. They'd started conversing online around a year ago and became incredibly close. Camila found herself divulging more about herself to Thalia than anyone in real life. She was, in fact, the first person the Latina had disclosed her sexuality to. Thalia had been endlessly supportive and her open acceptance had been the driving force behind Camila coming out to Dinah, Ally and Normani a week prior during their weekly movie night. All three girls' reactions had been similar to Thalia's; they were proud and happy that Camila was comfortable enough in herself to share that part of herself with them.
Camila sighed contently, remembering how good it had felt to have her secret out in the open - well out to a few people at least. She'd immediately written to Thalia (both girls preferred this method of communication as it just seemed so much more personal and real than online and wrote back and forth to each other regularly) to thank her for giving her the courage to tell her friendship group.
The letter Sofia had just picked up from the mailbox seemed to be Thalia's response.
Camila,
I can't express in words how proud I am that you came out to the girls. I know it must've taken a lot of courage, coming out is probably one of the most difficult things...
