The Pretending Game

Chapter 9

           

Camila was tossing and turning that night. For some reason, she couldn't sleep. She'd tried everything. Counting sheep, relaxing her muscles, breathing exercises, even blinking a lot of times really fast...Now she had her earphones on and listening to some soft music that promised to help her sleep. The latina knew she needed to get some rest, otherwise she would be too exhausted the next day for their first show.

She'd started to drift off when she felt a new weight on the mattress. The petite brunette opened her eyes. The darkness didn't allow her to see anything, but still she could recognize that scent and warmth in any place. Plus, there was just one other person in the room.

"Camz, are you awake?" Lauren asked in a shy whisper.

"No, go away" Camila groaned.

"Oh, c'mon!"

"Yes," she sighed. "I feel pretty restless lately. What's your excuse?"

Before answering, Lauren made sure to get under the covers and cuddle up to Camila, burying her face in the crook of the girl's neck.

"I don't sleep a lot. On my best nights I get five or six hours, but no more than that," she explained.

"So you decided to come here and annoy me instead?" Camila teased.

"No, I came here to see if you were awake. If you weren't, I was planning on going back to bed and listen to some music".

"Well, I'm awake. What's the plan now?" the brunette asked while she absentmindedly caressed Lauren's hair.

"Mmmh. I don't know. I guess staying like this is perfect," the older one said referring to their current position.

They stayed there in silence, exchanging tender caresses, until Camila felt the need to say something.

"Lauren?". The older gir lifted her head a bit to look at Camila. "Thank you. For your speech at the restaurant. It meant a lot".

The green-eyed girl lifted her torso from the bed and looked intently at Camila for a moment before smiling. Camila could barely distinguish her features in the dim light, but even in the gloom the sight of the girl made her heart race. After a few seconds she realized she was basically staring so she smiled too so it wouldn't be weird.

There it was again. That connection. They were there just looking into each other's eyes and smiling like idiots. Why was that still happening? But then, Lauren's expression changed to a pensive one.

"Camila?"

"Yeah?"

Camila wasn't really able to see Lauren leaning in, but she was totally able to feel it. She could feel her breath tickling her own lips. The petite latina couldn't move. She was too afraid that, if she did, the moment would go away or vanish or something. What was she doing? She could make out those emerald eyes perfectly just a second before they disappeared behind their eyelids. It was then that she knew exactly what was going to happen.

She'd thought constantly about the kiss they had shared almost two years ago, to make sure she remembered every little detail of that night. She was sure she hadn't forgotten anything. Boy, she was wrong. When Lauren's lips connected with hers she realized she didn't really remember any of it. Her kiss was endlessly soft, the tenderness of her caresses on Camila's arm, the warmth that her body radiated...She definitely wasn't ready for the way the mix of those things affected her. She felt lightheaded and was so shocked that she didn't reciprocate at first. Lauren pulled back to look at Camila, her eyes full of nervousness and fear. She opened her mouth to say something, but Camila cupped Lauren's face and kissed her firmly, finally being able to connect her brain to the rest of her body.