"I love this place." Lauren states, pushing the door to a dark room open. "I've never really showed anyone but Mani and Ally this place, the college have basically forgot it exists and so we spend a lot of time here."
"I guess that would explain why I've never seen you before?" I ask and she nods her head, moving past me to a switch on the wall.
The room lights up and straight away I understand why the place means so much to her. Each wall is covered in drawings or words and there's a large window at the end of the room from which you can see most of the city surrounding the college. The drawings are done in bright colours and depict copious amounts of feelings, things that I would never show anyone. There are paintings of bodies and faces and flowers and anything that is natural and raw. To one side of the room there's a keyboard and a mic stand, beside it a guitar placed on top of a sofa and a small table beside that with a small box on top of it. "I know it's not much, but you said the artwork on the walls distracted you. I wanted to show you some of mine." She smiles shyly, dropping her whole bad ass demeanour.
"It's-" I step forward, running my fingers over one of the paintings, following the line resembling a woman's hips. "Beautiful." I continue to walk around the room, running my fingers over the words, the paintings and the drawings, taking in the meanings I interpret from each.
"So you like it?" She asks and I meet her eyes, finding the green to be a little lighter with a small glint of hope weaving its way through the jade patterns.
I nod my head yes, making my way toward the sofa with the guitar on it, taking a seat on the far end by the table. I reach for the box and Lauren rushes over, taking it from my grip and shoving it in her pocket. "I uh, you- don't snoop through my shit."
"How did you find this place?" I ask, attempting to relieve the awkward air that had just settled.
"Let's just say I have a few bad habits, exploring places I probably shouldn't is one of them." She smiles, sitting beside me. "So what are your interests, Camila?"
"I don't know."
"What subjects have you taken up?" She picks up the guitar, beginning to play a soft tune on it.
"English, sociology and music." My thoughts drift off, listening to the music she's playing as she leans back, effortlessly plucking the strings. "How long have you played for?" I nod toward the guitar and she shrugs, not lifting her eyes from the instrument.
"A while." She stops, placing her hand over the strings in order to silence them immediately. "Well, it's getting a little late. I told the girls I'd see them later. We should go." She stands, reaching her hand out to help me up. I follow her through the door as she turns the light off and draws the blackout blind down over the window that would usually allow you to see into the room. We head down two sets of stairs before Lauren stops.
"See you around." Before I can say anything back, she jogs off, leaving me alone in the corridor.
***
"I'm just saying, he's a nice guy Mila." Dinah groans, swinging open my fridge door. "You should just give him a chance." She grabs a loaf of bread and a plate of ham, closing the door and placing them on the kitchen counter. "Sandwich?" I nod my head no and she continues talking. "He's really into you and he's definitely a better match over Austin."
"Hey, who said I was comparing him to Austin?" I defend myself, lifting my body onto the counter beside her.
"Well I'm glad you're not because he was an ass. Anyway, I was told you wasn't in English today?"
"And who are you, my Mom?" I laugh and she frowns, placing the second piece of bread on top of what she'd already made, completing her sandwich.
"What were you doing?" She asks, taking a seat on the stool beside her and lifting the food to her mouth. "You never skip class, I should know." She takes a bite, still looking at me.
"I was with Lauren." I state simply and her eyes widen.
"Wait, Lauren as in Lauren Jauregui? Lauren as in the girl who trashed a diner because they wouldn't let her in?"
"She's not all bad, Dinah."
Before my friend can retaliate my Mom walks in and I lift my finger to my lips, indicating for my best friend to keep her mouth shut about me skipping class.
"You're teacher called." My mom meets my eyes from behind Dinah, pushing her glasses up slightly in order to get a clearer view of my face. I look down to the girl in front of me, who smiles smugly with a mouth full of food.
"I wasn't well." I lie and Dinah's eyebrows raise dramatically as she stops chewing. "I was going to let my teacher know, but then the class started filling up and-"
"Just try to get there earlier next time Mija, you had the whole of lunch to tell her you weren't feeling too good."
"Uh- actually, I had her help me with some work." Dinah chimes in, turning to face my mom with an apologetic smile.
The older woman's gaze shifts from my face, finding Dinah's instead as her features soften. "Ok. Well, I've got a few things to do, you girls don't mind ordering takeout for dinner? I'll leave some money here on the counter. I shouldn't be too long."
"That's fine Sinu, thank you." Dinah smiles again and she heads out of the front door.
"Oh my god, you just lied to my Mom!"
"Like you gave me any choice!" Dinah retaliates, shoving me playfully, causing me to fall off the counter. "Anyway, I wanna hear more about this Lauren girl." She smirks and a feeling of embarrassment instantly overcomes me.
"Dinah, I'm not gay."
YOU ARE READING
Breathing underwater
Fanfiction" When I was younger, my mother told me that things are only hard as you make them, but it was the green eyed girl that made leaving her feel like breathing underwater. "
