Breathing underwater

Five

After my first two lessons, I meet up with Dinah to grab a coffee and catch up on some work during our free before lunch.

"So guess who I saw today." Dinah says the minute I pull a chair from the table she's sat on. I stare at her for a minute waiting for her answer. "Lauren."

I meet her eyes and she smirks. "Wait, her and Shawn both go here?" I question and Dinah pulls a face, rolling her eyes as she takes a sip of her coffee.

"How else would I know him and Kevin?"

"I don't know I just thought-" I grow quiet, eyeing the brunette making their way in our direction and Dinah swivels in her chair to see the reason for my silence. Before I can say anything she stands, grabbing her bag and her coffee, smirking and leaving, greeting Shawn as she rushes off.

"Hey Camila." He smiles, taking Dinah's seat. "Sorry I'm late, we got kept behind last lesson and-"

"Late?" I ask and he looks up, clearly noticing my obvious confusion and frowns.

"Dinah?"

"Dinah." I watch as he grabs his bag off the ground, readying himself to stand. "Wait, you don't have to go. She just ditched me anyway so..." my voice trails off and he smiles.

"I know I've already said it, but I really am sorry for the other night. I shouldn't have let Kevin speak to you like that." His face contorts and he looks up, meeting my eyes. "He's a dick." I laugh slightly at his remark, taking another mouth full from my coffee.

"It's fine, we'd all had something to drink, plus it's not like you're obliged to defend me." I smile and Shawn's frown disappears. "So how long have you been here for?" I ask, gesturing at the college building and Shawn laughs.

"Since I left school." He pauses, looking down at the table in front of him. "I'm actually a little offended you didn't know, I mean I have been in your English class since the beginning of last year."

"Wait, you're not-"

"I'm joking, Mila." He laughs loudly, clearly amused by the obvious guilt on my face. "I know who you are because of Dinah." He smiles again, flashing his teeth.

"How do you know Dinah? We're together almost all the time." I ask, sounding like some kind of possessive girlfriend.

"Kevin is in one of her sports classes, I met Dinah at a party."

***

After spending the whole of my lunch break with Shawn, I head to my next lesson, not allowing Shawn to walk me no matter how much he insisted. Due to the fact I'd set off a little earlier than usual, I decided to take the long route, heading past the performing arts department.

I turn down a small corridor, slowing my pace to appreciate the artwork on the walls before the sound of someone singing catches my attention. I head in the direction of the noise, finding a classroom with the door slightly open and a black girl stood by a piano while another is playing.

"She's pretty great, right?" A familiar voice questions and I turn my head to find Lauren stood unnervingly close to me.

"She's amazing." I state, shifting my gaze back to the girl in the room who was so lost in singing, she hadn't even noticed Lauren and I were stood there. I feel a soft pressure against my back as Lauren leans into me slightly, pulling the door closed quietly.

"We really shouldn't distract her." She states, a strange sense of knowing in her voice. I turn to face her again, shifting my body slightly so that I'm now leaning with my back against the wall beside the door. "I didn't think I'd see you down here." Lauren smiles, pushing a lock of hair over her head.

"I uh, I decided to take the long way to class."

"The long way to class." She repeats, looking down at the watch covering her wrist. She stays silent for a minute, meeting my eyes with that piercing green the same way she did the first time I met her. "Well either you don't want to get to class on time, or Mani really needs to stop worrying about this audition next week."

I turn to look at the girl in the classroom again who is now looking over at the door where Lauren and I are stood. The girl beside me waves, her smile growing much more.

"Hey guys." She opens the door just enough to poke her head through and the two girls in the room begin to frown, the small one at the piano opening her mouth to speak. "Listen, I've got a few things I need to do and you guys sound great so I'm gonna skip practice right now and I'll see you tonight?"

"Lauren you can't seriously-" the black girl begins to speak, but Lauren closes the door quickly and grabs my arm, sending a pang of heat throughout my whole body.

"So Camila.." she begins, slowing her pace down and letting go of my arm. "Assuming you wanted to be late for your lesson, I say why even bother going." She smirks as we reach a stair well, stopping to assess my feelings.

"I should really go, I just left early because I felt too awkward sitting with Shawn and then I got distracted by the artwork on the walls and-"

"Hey, hey, I was joking. I know you're a good girl." She chuckles lightly. "But even good girls get ill sometimes, right?" She smirks again and my hairs begin to stand on end. The area becomes silent and Lauren's smile softens. "You don't have to skip, sorry. Here, I'll walk you to your lesson." She grabs my bag from my hands and slings it over her shoulder, pointing toward the stairs wth a questioning look on her face.

I nod my head, following her up the stairs toward the maths department which would then lead to English where my last lesson takes place.

"I still have your jacket." I state, attempting to break the awkward silence after Lauren wasn't able to convince me to skip my lesson.

"Yeah, I noticed before I got in Mani's car." She pulls open the double doors at the top of the stairs, allowing me through.

"Why didn't you come back for it?"

"Well, I needed some kind of excuse to see you again." She smiles, stopping again once we reach a study area filled with computers. "Where are we heading?" She asks, pushing her hair back and meeting my eyes.

"I uh, I have English." I watch as she adjusts my bag on her shoulder "you really don't-" I reach for the handle, not expecting the contact with her shoulder to cause the hot flush to come back. "You really-"

"I really what?" She smirks, as though she knew what I was feeling.

"You don't need to take my bag, I can-"

"It's ok." She cuts me off, tucking a loose strand of my own hair behind my ear. Unwillingly, I lean into her hand and she instinctively steps closer. Her breath on my face escalates the unfamiliar heat radiating from my whole body and her eyes begin to move between mine, her hand now cupping my cheek. "Hey Camila?"

"Yes."

"Can I show you something?"

"Yes."

She takes my hand in hers, rushing back down the hall the same way we came, not letting go until we've climbed another two set of stairs and my breathing becomes rugged.