Camila glanced at the time on her cell phone as she hurried out of the Barney Building. Class had ended early, for a change. The professor's obsession with a certain Tuesday night television show meant that class was held in turbo speed.
"Hey, beautiful," a voice said near her ear, and Camila turned to see Anthony standing there.
She smiled. "Hey stranger," she said, as he fell in step beside her. "Long time no see."
"I kept meaning to call and say hi, but family holiday stuff, you know? How are your classes this semester?"
He'd cut his hair, Camila noticed. The sides were shaved off and the top was spiked. She thought it made his eyes look greener somehow. "Art & Contemporary Culture is going to kick my ass. I'm sure of it. The rest are okay. What about you?"
"Lots of electives. I'm loving Media Fundamentals, though. I opted for Digital Art."
"Bold move for a sculptor." She smiled. "Are you headed to class?"
"I've got Psych in a couple of hours," he said. "You?"
"I'm done, thankfully. I'm meeting Dinah in Central Park. Did she tell you? She's shooting a film there."
"No kidding?" He looked impressed. "That's awesome. I hadn't talked to her in a while."
"Yeah, I think today's the last day, though. I'm Dinah's date to the wrap-up party."
"Dinah's got good taste." He grinned in a way that managed to look sweet, somehow, and Camila looked away, feeling shy all of a sudden.
They came to a stop at 3rd Avenue. "I'm headed to Lafayette," Camila told him.
"I'm gonna get something to eat before class. We should get together sometime," he said, looking hopeful.
"That'd be nice. Give me a call?"
"Count on it."
They headed in opposite directions, and Camila stuffed her hands in the pockets of her jacket to keep them from freezing. Despite her love of winter, she was looking forward to spring.
The muddy piles of snow and leafless trees were beginning to depress her. And it was only the first week of February.
Her phone began to chime somewhere inside her messenger bag, with a tune assigned to unknown numbers. She dug the object from the depths of her bag, and stared at the unfamiliar number on the display screen. "Hello?"
"Hello, is this Karla Camila Cabello?" a female voice asked.
"This is me, well, her." Camila rolled her eyes at herself. "What can I do for you?"
"I'm Ally Brooke, Lauren Jauregui's assistant. Do you have a moment?"
Camila halted in her steps, and nearly got trampled by a stroller. She got out of the way, and quickly said, "Ah, yeah! Sure. I mean, I do."
"Ms. Jauregui was wondering if you were still interested in contributing your art to her new apartment?"
"Sure, yeah. I'd love to." Camila rolled her eyes again, knowing she sounded like an idiot.
"Great. Would you be available to meet with her sometime this week?"
Camila's stomach fluttered at the prospect of meeting with the actress. "Um, sure. I have classes but maybe after..." She paused, then said, "I'm free on Friday."
"That works. How about Friday at two?"
"Great."
"I'll send you a text message with the address. Thanks for your time, Ms. Cabello."
"Take care." Camila dropped the phone from her ear and shook her head. A minute later a text message came through with the details of the appointment and Camila stared at the series of letters and numbers in mild disbelief.
She snapped the cell phone closed and threw it back in her bag. Her hands were cold again and she rubbed them together before putting them back in her pockets. Then she hurried toward the subway station.
Somewhere along the way it hit her that the phone call she'd been both anticipating and dreading had finally come. She didn't forget about me, Camila thought, as she headed down the stairs and into the warmth.
**************************************************
Lauren stared expectantly at Ally the moment her assistant hung up the phone. "Well? What did she say? How did she sound?"
Ally lifted an eyebrow, looking amused as she put the phone down on the kitchen counter.
"Like... she's terrified." She regarded Lauren seriously. "Are you sure you've thought this through?"
"Yes," Lauren said. "And by yes, I mean of course not. If I thought this through I'd be forced to have myself committed." She took a deep breath. "What do you mean by 'terrified'?"
"Just that."
Lauren frowned. "Do I seem intimidating? I don't want to intimidate her."
"Yeah, good luck with that." Ally shook her head and looked around. "I love this apartment."
Lauren allowed the change of topic, and surveyed her surroundings. She'd fallen in love with the apartment the second she'd seen the pictures. She loved the hardwood floors, the floor-to-ceiling windows, the state of the art kitchen, the gorgeous view. It had cost almost as much as her beach front property and it was worth every penny. "Do you think it comes across as pompous?"
Ally glanced at her curiously. "Is this about Camila again?"
"No," Lauren lied. "Okay, maybe. I just don't want her to think I'm a snob."
"Lauren, I doubt she thinks you live in a cardboard box." Ally looked around again. "Besides you have no furniture. The only thing it comes across as is... empty."
Lauren smiled at that. "Like a canvas."
Ally rolled her eyes. "Okay, on that note, I'm out of here. I have to go finish unpacking before Adrian gets here tomorrow."
"Have fun."
Ally disappeared out of view and a few seconds later, the sound of the door echoed through the apartment. Lauren let the stillness settle before disrupting the silence with her movement. She climbed the stairs that led to her bedroom and collapsed on the bed. She turned the stereo on and let the radio pick the soundtrack for the evening.
Lauren hadn't brought much to New York. The bed was new. She'd had it delivered before arriving. The stereo, the flat-screen TV, the bedside tables, all of that she'd purchased in the days following her arrival. She wanted New York to feel like a fresh start.
KT Tunstall began to play just as her cell phone chimed and Lauren grabbed it off the nightstand and checked her missed messages. She had only a text message. From Camila.
L. J. actually called. Sort of. Details later. Off 2 party w/ strangers. Ick.
Lauren smiled and replied.
Have fun :)
She let the phone slide out of her hand and onto the covers. She wanted to pretend that she wasn't petrified about Camila coming to her apartment. She wanted to pretend that she and Laura were entirely different people, and that she wasn't actually lying to anyone but herself.
But none of that was the truth.
Camila would be stepping into the apartment in a few days and Lauren Jauregui would be there to welcome her. And at some point, preferably before things got any more complicated than they already were, the truth would have to come out.
How or when, Lauren had no idea.
