A Change Of Directions (Camren)

Chapter 20: Cherry pie

I would lie if I said I wasn't nervous. I would lie if I said that I had everything planned, everything under control. No, nothing was okay anymore, everything had sprung out of control and what I was about to do just confirmed it all.

Once again, standing on the porch of the Jauregui's, I felt my heart wildly pounding and about to jump out of my chest. I pondered on turning around and running away while I still could, but my feet wouldn't move.

And then it was too late.

"Hi, Camila."

Lauren. Lauren standing right in front of me, her head questioningly tilted and a sweet smile on her lips. She looked amused as she crossed her arms expectantly and my eyes darted to her curve-hugging clothes, involuntarily swallowing.

"So, Camz, my mom and I made a bet on how long it would take for you to ring the bell. Guess who won?" Lauren said with a smirk, noticing the way my eyes drank her in. I quickly averted my gaze with a blush and cleared my throat, pulling out a flower from behind my back that I had kept hidden until now.

Lauren's eyes widened at the sight and her previous smirk turned into a touched smile. Pausing, she gave me an insecure look and I grinned at her, raising my hand with the flower a bit.

"What would Valentine's Day be without the perfect flower?" I lightly said, twirling the stem of the flower between my fingers. "Red roses are overrated. I don't want you to have something every other plain girl gets, so I went to the florist and got you - this one. A gardenia. Here."

I watched Lauren accept the gardenia flower with trembling fingers like she was afraid that it would fall apart. She stared at it for a while, before she shyly looked up and timidly said, "Thank you."

I gave her a soft smile, shrugging, "You deserve it." After everything that Jack managed to screw up.

Stepping forward, she opened her arms to hug me and I happily let myself get locked into a tight embrace, contently humming into her hair.

"Just - please wait a moment, I want to put the gardenia into a vase. Then we can go." She mumbled into my ear and I stepped out of the embrace, hiding my frown at the loss of body contact with her.

Still standing outside the house on the porch, I patiently waited for her to return so we could leave for our - uh, not date, just friends going out.

I self-consciously stared down at myself, brushing flint off my black, waist-hugging blazer and I nervously tugged at the hem of my white shirt beneath it. Glancing at my watch, I saw that it was ten past seven now. Had I really been standing ten whole minutes in front of the house door?

Lowly groaning at the embarrassing fact that Clara and Lauren had witnessed me standing there like a fool, I shook my head at no one particular.

Very smooth.

I was, still am, I defiantly thought. It was just that I lacked this attribute whenever it concerned a certain Jauregui.

"Camz?"

Snapping out of my trance, I immediately gave Lauren a bright smile and offered her my arm like a gentleman. "Ready?"

She lightly laughed and linked her arm with mine, letting me guide her the short way to my car.

"Soo, where are we going?" Lauren curiously asked as I opened the passenger door for her. I just chuckled and made shooing motions to get her into the car.

"Patience, Lauren." I replied and shut the door before she could object. Walking around the car, I got in myself.

"I'm sorry, what?" Lauren said with a grin, her teasing smile was testing me.