Growing Love - Camren

Chapter 1

Camila's POV

It was almost the end of the semester... almost the end of the year to be more precise and I can't wait to get out of here and enjoy my summer break already. I just handed in my final and I can't tell if I did good or not. I never really know until it's too late and already in the grade book. I'm a solid B- and C+ student, which I'm definitely okay with, I thought I'd be doing horrible and get kicked out of college by now but nope, three years and going strong.

If there was anything I should be afraid of, it's when I'm out of college and on my own completely. I'm planning on doing one more year of this and then starting my own little 10 acre plot of land somewhere slightly secluded yet not far enough away from a town that I can't get chocolate at 2am. So there definitely has to be a 24-hour gas station or something close.

I grew up in Miami mostly and then moved up here to Nebraska when I got accepted to the University of Nebraska - Lincoln. I know I probably could've picked somewhere a lot closer but I wanted a fresh new beginning with new people and new places to go. I was sick of seeing the same of everything.

Senior year of high school was the year that turned my life upside down. It was the year I gave up on God, happiness, hope, family, my sanity... just a lot of things, trust me.

Something happened that completely changed me into someone I couldn't recognize or control. I had to re-establish myself and start fresh so that's why I like living up here, it was the only way I could get out. So far, it's worked pretty well and I've met a lot of new people who love me like family.

The only thing is... I never told anyone what happened. None of my friends or teachers truly know what happened to me ad my family. That's something I plan to keep going. If I ever bring it up, there's no turning back and I won't feel good anymore. I'll just go back into that dark space and I definitely don't want that. So yeah I guess you could say I have a couple tricks up my sleeve that nobody knows about but that's for the better.

Mr. Connely's obnoxious hand clap that he always does brought me out of my thoughts as it seemed everyone has now handed in their finals as well.

"Alright class, that seems to be everyone. Is anyone else still testing," he asks scanning the class, everyone looking side to side doing the same thing. Nobody is seen with paper still on their desk so he moves on finally.

"I guess not, alright then," he exhales quite loudly, "since we're all done it seems there isn't much else to do as that concluded the last assignment for the year."

And with that, I could hear almost the entire class sigh as if the same amount of weight was lifted off their shoulders at the same exact time.

We were all about to get up, reading that as his cue for us to go when the professor quickly announced, "Wait, not just yet, I wanted to make one last announcement before you all leave me forever."

All of us annoyingly sat back down in order for him make his pointless speech.

"I know summer vacation starts in just two days but I have an opportunity for some of you to continue your learning over the summer," he goes on even though there were some quiet and some not so quiet chuckles coming from around the room, "The other teachers and I have found a couple of very generous volunteers that are willing to teach anyone here how to live on a farm and actually experience what it's really like to completely immerse yourself in their lifestyle. These farmers will take you into their homes and show you how they manage their farms, giving you the skills to do the same with yours possibly someday."

I rolled my eyes and looked across the classroom to the small clock hanging high above the wall in the corner of the room. "How much longer can he actually keep us here?" I wondered as I squinted my eyes to see. The answer, for about 7 more minutes.

"Yeah yeah, I know this is honestly the last thing you want to hear but I promise you there is a really big pro if you decide to go through with this. It is possible for you to earn a full half-year, 0.5 credits off your transcript."

And that is what made me stop for a second. Wait so if I do this, I could graduate early? I don't know what to think, I really want to stay here for as long as I can and be with my friends, yet I want to move on and forget my past, getting a jump start on my future. I stopped zoning out and listened back in.

"-already have seven farmers available so there can only really be seven students set up for the summer unless some of you want to pair up with a buddy, but I'll have to check with the families to see if that's okay."

I looked around the classroom and saw that some students were interested and others just kept their eyes on the clock, tapping their feet in anticipation to leave.

"So if any of you are interested, please see me now," Connely added over the now hushed conversations starting around me.

"Are you gonna do it?" one of my best friends Ashlee asked me.

"Uh I don't know," I said truthfully.

"Wait you're actually thinking about it?" she said confused and surprised. "I was just joking, shit. Why would you want to waste your summer like that?"

"I don't know I think it'd be nice to graduate early and start looking for a place to live before late spring begins"

"Well I'm not doing that, I'm enjoying my summer. Ya know, sometimes I get the feeling you're always focusing on something and don't enjoy yourself."

She was right, I was always doing something. Distractions are just what's easiest ever since the ...well whatever. I don't care what Ashlee thinks I'm going to do this, it has a lot of benefits.

"Whatever Ashlee I'm going to go for it, I definitely need the experience since I'm practically scared shitless at the thought of messing up when I actually am on my own," I explained.

She just shrugged her shoulders and watched as I walked down the aisle to Mr. Connely and a couple other kids gathered around him.

A/N:

Hey y'all (see what I did there) thanks for reading the first chapter of my fic! The first chapter is always the slowest but I promise you it only gets better from here. Read the next chapter for Camila to meet you-know-who and enjoy.