Take Care (Camren)

Chapter 3

A.N.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING !!!!

I've been looking forward to today for a while now. Getting to spend some time alone with Camila could only benefit me at this point. Though we're meant to be working on our project I know that won't last very long. She's been really affectionate lately and we've grown closer and closer over these few weeks and it makes me feel like she has some feelings towards me but I know we can't go there. At least not yet. I like talking to her, and not just about stereotypical things. The fact that she has an opinion on every thing and that she's so loyal and passionate towards every thing she loves makes my heart jump inside my chest. She's beautiful. Just looking at her makes me smile goofily.

I've never felt this way before towards anyone and it's scary how quick I've fallen head over heels for her. I wouldn't say I'm in love but she makes me feel things I've never felt and she's completely taken over my thoughts. Every minute of everyday I find myself thinking about her or her eyes or her smile. Everything.

Suddenly I hear the doorbell ring and I'm pulled from my thoughts. I jump up from the edge of my bed realizing who it was at the door and made way down the descending stairs. I glance at the mirror at the end of the steps to fix my appearance and hurry to the door.

"Hey" she says as I open the large wooden door and my jaw nearly drops to the floor. She's wearing a red baby doll dress with a white bow on top of her head, something incredible simple, but she looks absolutely gorgeous in it. "Uh... is this a bad time? Should I come back later?" she asks interrupting my thoughts. "Oh... um... no, you're fine. You're really fine." I stumble over my words. "What?" she says. "I didn't mean... not fine like fine, not like that." I say and her face contorts. "I mean you're fine too... like really fine but... I'm so sorry, I'm being really awkward." I state. "It's just you look really good right now and I don't know how to react to it. You look really beautiful... I mean I like your dress, that's all." I stutter again. "It's okay." she smiles while looking at me intently. "Can I come in?" she asks, still staring at my eyes. "Oh. Yeah of course." I say, letting her in, still trying to comprehend what just happened. "You're going to catch flies if you keep your mouth open like that you know." she smirks before bending down and putting her bags, full of supplies, on the ground. "Sorry." I say feeling the heat in my cheeks rise. "You can go ahead upstairs. Do you want anything to eat or drink?" I ask trying to lighten the mood, hoping she'll forget about our awkward encounter. "Bribing me with food won't make me forget what just happened. Seriously, I think we need to talk about some things..." she trails off before taking a seat on the couch in the living room. I follow behind her.

"Listen Lauren... You know I'm not gay right?" she says seemingly trying to convince herself more than me and I find myself smiling despite the content of her previous words. She just looks so beautiful. "Yeah I know. I never said you were." I state truthfully. "I know but... sometimes you say things and it makes me wonder if you think of me in a different way. Sometimes you rub my leg or hold my hand or stare at me with those eyes for a really long time... like you're doing right now... I don't know... you might treat every girl like that but..." she says, obviously trying to let me down easy. "I don't treat you like I treat every other girl Camila..." I say as confidently as possible. "I figured so. You've really helped me these past few weeks and you've been there for me when no one else was and you're funny and amazing and smart and I love you for that... just not in that way... and I really don't want to hurt you." she said trying to spare my feelings and I smiled at the gesture still not accepting the words coming out of her mouth. "You're not going to hurt me Camila. I don't think you could ever really hurt me. I'm not going to lie though... I like you, a lot. You're one of the most amazing people I've ever met and I haven't been able to get you off of my mind since the day we met. You make me extremely happy and every time I'm around you I can't wipe this stupid smile off my face." I say pointing to the prominent grin on my face for reference. "You inspire me too. You've been through so much and you still manage to be the brightest person in my life. I don't want to make you uncomfortable though... I just love complementing you, and I know you love it too. I can tell by that smile." I say now pointing to the grin on her face and she chuckles lightly. "You don't have to hide your feelings for me though. I know you feel something when we're together, I can tell by the way you blush and your cheeks get really red and by the way you have to be as close to me as possible when we're next to each other..." I say glancing towards the lack of distance between us. She does the same and throws her head back in defeat. "You don't have to admit it... but I know I'm not the only one who's crushing here. You don't have to reciprocate anything or tell me but i still want to be the one that makes you feel good about yourself. No matter what." I smile again as the smaller girl looks up at me, pondering what I just said. "I don't blame you though, it's kind of hard not to fall head over heels in love with me." I smirked. "I mean look at these eyes." I said and crossed them together at her to make a face. She laughs. "I'm not in love with you." she says through her giggles. "I guess you're kinda cute though." she says and a goofy smile spreads across my face. "But we still can't be together, at all... there's Austin..." she trails off. "I could treat better than he does you know..." I say lowering my head. "You're probably right." Camila flashes a small smile before intertwining her fingers with mine. "You should let me..." I said inching closer to her. "I should... but I can't. Things are really complicated right now." she said resting her forehead against mine. "I'm sorry." she said meeting my gaze. "Don't ever apologize for your feelings Camila. Ever." I said truthfully. "You're too good to be true." she said smiling. "You have no idea how bad I want to kiss you right now..." I said.

Our faces only mere inches apart. I felt her breath hit my lips causing my stomach to erupt in butterflies. "Don't." she spoke softly. "We can't turn back then..." she spoke again trying to control her actions. "We can't turn back now..." I said attempting to close the distance between us. Camila moved back at my not so sudden impulse to feel her lips against mine.

"I brought some stuff for the project." she said after moments of silence. "We should get started." she continued trying to change the subject.

[...]

"Hey." I said pulling Camila's attention from our project. "I think we need to make some ground rules." I stated shyly laying down beside her on my bed. "For what?" she asks genuinely curious. "Well... Since we had that talk last week I've been finding it harder and harder not to kiss you..." I said watching her smile grow wider. "So I think we should make some rules on what we can and can't do. If we're going to be friends that is." I said suggestively. "You're not very good at following rules Lauren." she said eyeing me intently and I found my gaze falling on her lips as she licked them. "Yeah, but I'll try for you." I said still focusing on her mouth. "Alright then. Here." she said handing me a piece of paper and a pen.

"Golden Rules." I titled the paper.
"Number one..." I said. "No sex." I stated seriously and Camila bursts into laughter, throwing her head back laughing. "Right, no sex." she said in agreement. "Why is that the first thing that came to your head?" she says laughing again. "Have you seen your body?" I asked eyeing her up and down and she hits my arm playfully.

"1. NO SEX" I wrote.

"Number 2..." Camila started. "You can't look at me like that." she said. "Like what?" I asked smirking. "Like that... You can't stare at me with those eyes, it's not fair." she said smiling. "Fine." I agreed willingly.

"2. No staring at beautiful girls" I wrote the second rule. Camila smile grew bigger.

"Well, if I can't stare at you then you can't smile at me like that." I said and she laughed. "What? That's just my smile! I can't help it!" she laughed again. "It's not fair." I said repeating her previous words. "Don't make me smile so much then." she said lowering her gaze. "If I don't make you smile then who will?" I asked seriously.

"No kissing." she said ignoring my question. "You can't kiss me." she reinstated. "So what exactly can we do then?" I asked throwing the pen and paper to my side. "I don't know..." she trailed off. "How about this, we keep doing what we're doing now and if things go too far then I'll let you know." she said sitting up straight. "I guess I can live with that." I beamed. "Do you want to get a pizza or something? I'm starving." I said after feeling a rumbling in my stomach. "Yeah, let's go."