Breathe Easy

Chapter 14

"You should totally call in sick today," I said to Camila around a mouthful of chomped up Twizzlers. Nudging my nose in her hair, I placed my hands on the counter she was standing in front of, my arms parallel to her side.

Camila sat down the bagel she was spreading cream cheese on. "Well, why do you think that would be a good idea?" she said, and slowly turned her head to look at me.

She looked fairly surprised, but then grimaced at the sight of me chewing with my mouth open. "Ew. Lauren, what are you eating?"

We were face to face, and it made my breath hitch, but I just smiled and took a small step back as she turned around to face me.

"What are you eating, huh?" I peeked over her shoulder at the pack of bagels, burying my face in her straightened hair and messing it up once again. I purposely acted obnoxious, for whatever reason.

It didn't matter, I knew she'd find it adorable.

Maybe it was because I was in good spirits this morning. I suppose that was it. Or it may be the fact that last night on the couch as we watched movies was the first time Camila had ever laid her head on me while being awake and fully aware. It wasn't like how it was before, where we sat on the couch somewhat close together or against each other and she fell asleep and somehow wound up in that position.

I'd sat in the corner of the couch and she laid her back against me, and we held hands and we played with each others fingers and I ran mine through her hair and she would look up at me for the longest and I'd pretend to be too into the movie to notice, then she'd reach up and stroke my face to get my attention.

Until last night touching had always been in that not-too-creepy friendly way, except for that night in her room when she caressed my face and looked like she was about to do something crazy - crazy good, by the way - and shit got extremely awkward because neither of us were that aware of our feelings toward one another.

But now, it was in the air. It was all out there in the open. All of the suppression and such.

"Make me one too. I like bagels," I said delightedly, coming in closer again once she turned back to her bagel business. I rested my chin on her shoulder and looked at her profile fondly, my hands gripping the edge of the countertop as I leaned into her. "And call in sick, please... The books can wait. Today Dinah and I are going to Siope's to get her things and I'd like for you to come. We need as much help as we can get."

Camila tensed up all of the sudden and turned her head to look at me. "You're a little close, huh?" She pressed her lips together to keep herself from smiling, and ended up giggling awkwardly.

Maybe her hips were touching me just a bit. I knew what I was doing, but feigned confusion and glanced down at the lack of space between her butt and my waist and then craned my neck to see her face again and fought a smirk.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't notice." I only shimmied closer. "Is that better?"

She couldn't help herself at this point; she was full on grinning, face beet red. I snickered, thinking of all those times she'd picked on me for blushing too easily.

"And you only moved closer." Camila spun around and looked at me like I knew better.

I drew back, smiling an easy yet impish smile. "I thought that's what you wanted. I apologize, Camz."

"You are so inappropriate." She grabbed the tub of cream cheese from the counter, dipped her finger in and slapped some right on my nose.

Sighing, I dropped my arms to my side and shook my head, slightly exasperated now. "Why would you do that?"