Eight o’clock Saturday morning I was up in my room—yes, watching cartoons if you must know
—when Lauren’s voice suddenly caught my attention. Wherever it was coming from, it wasn’t that far from my house. "That’s great, Mom," she was saying.
I turned off my TV and tried to concentrate on her conversation. Invasion of privacy? Maybe. My moral compass usually points pretty north, but I do have my moments of weakness, and let’s face it, a teenage girl spying on her crush is not exactly front-page news. I can’t help it if I’m better at it than most. Besides, I was curious as to why she was in my neighborhood.
I could hear her mother’s voice coming through the receiver of her cell phone. "Well, we wanted to come home and take you to lunch to celebrate, but we’re going to be a little longer than we thought. I’m sorry, Laur, but it looks like you’ll be on your own today."
"That’s okay. I actually have plans for the rest of the day. Well, hopefully. I haven’t asked her yet, but I took the day off work."
"Something I should be worried about?" her mother teased.
"Only if I get caught, in which case the police will fill you in, I’m sure." Lauren laughing with her mom had to be the cutest thing I’d ever heard. What a momma’s girl. It’s no wonder she got along so well with my parents. "Actually, Mom," she said, becoming excited,
"remember that girl I was telling you about, Camila?"
Wait, what?
I was at my window now, trying to see if I could spot her driving down my street. I couldn’t.
"Oh, honey!" her mom gushed with sudden excitement. "She’s finally letting you take her out? Laur, I’m so proud of you! You see? I told you no girl could resist you."
"Oh sure!" I laughed out loud to myself. "Throw gas on the flames, why don’t you?" It’s no wonder ehe has such a giant ego.
"Well, actually," Lauren said, "she hasn’t agreed to a date yet, but I’ve got a plan that I think will work. I’m headed over to her house right now."
"Good for you, honey. Good luck."
"Thanks, Mom. Have fun with Mike, and tell him congratulations for me." Lauren was on her way to my house? Not good. If she showed up, acting like we were friends now, my father would have a conniption. Especially if he realized that Lauren knows about me. I had to cut Lauren off before she could reach the front door. I ran downstairs, but then I saw my reflection in the china cabinet and headed back to my room.
I know I could break a lot of world records if I wanted to, but even for moving at superspeed, I took the world’s fastest shower, brushed my teeth, and threw on the first thing I could find. I came flying down the stairs, but my parents are all too familiar with that faint breeze rushing past them.
"Camila, you get back here right now and tell me where you’re going, young lady!" my mom called out to the thin air, knowing I could still hear her.
"Sorry, Mom." I was out of breath because I was slightly panicked, not because I was tired. "I was just going to go for a run. I’ve been cooped up too much, and I need to get some of this energy out. You want me to bring back a souvenir from somewhere?"
You should see our refrigerator. I’m not sure if having so many magnets is really healthy, but I can’t help picking them up from the random places I stop at when I’m bored. I like the look my mom always gives me when I come home with one and she realizes that I was just in Nebraska or wherever.
"Camila, sweetheart." Oh great. She was in one of those lecturing moods. Not exactly the best time when Lauren was going to show up any second. "I don’t think going for a run is what you need. Why don’t you try to find where all the kids are hanging out? Isn’t there a school football game to watch or something?"
