My Favorite Camren One-Shots (Part 3)

Valentine's Day Misunderstanding

One thing Lauren didn't know was how she got lucky enough to be close friends with her crush. Seriously, she had no idea how she did it, but she's so damn thankful for it. She gets to hang out with the girl that makes her heart skip a beat every single day. Camila was incredibly intelligent and absolutely stunning. The girl was artistic, well spoken, wise beyond her years, (yes, once again) stunning, and boy did Lauren like her. And she wished more than anything to have the guts to tell her, but that just wasn't Lauren. Lauren was way too shy to do something so scary, and was one of the biggest nerds in school, the complete opposite of Camila on the popularity scale. She didn't think telling the girl about her feelings would be wise.

Another thing Lauren didn't know was that Camila knew Lauren had a crush on her. Lauren couldn't tell she was really obvious about it, but Camila knew, along with the entirety of their school. Lauren never thought Camila would notice the longing stares, the loving sighs or the day-dreamy looks she sported but... who wouldn't? Camila's tried telling the girl she felt the same way many times, but she never took the hint.

Valentine's Day was quickly approaching and for a whole month, Lauren knew she wanted to take a big risk and tell Camila how she felt. She was going to push herself to do this no matter what, and hey, maybe Camila would admire her for it.

It took a while for Lauren to come up with the perfect gift. Camila was constantly talking about wanting to cuddle (it was one of the many ways the brown eyed girl tried hinting at Lauren and one of the many things that went right over Lauren's head).

Lauren thought the perfect gift to give the girl of her dreams would be a big stuffed animal. They sold giant teddy bears at the store and Lauren immediately thought of them when she heard Camila sigh out, "I just really want to cuddle up in my bed and watch Netflix all day."

That day after school, Lauren drove herself to the store and went straight to the big bin of teddy bears. She took a good twenty minutes trying to find the perfect one for the perfect girl and settled on a big yellow one. It even had a button you could push to hear it talk. Lauren grinned as she carried the giant stuffed animal over to the cashiers. She really hoped Camila was going to like her gift.

The next day (Valentine's Day), Lauren woke up an extra half hour early just so she could give herself a much needed pep talk in the mirror before school. She squeezed the only recently named giant teddy bear into the backseat of her car and drove to school, nervous butterflies flapping away in her stomach.

Once she was parked, had her things and Camila's teddy bear, Lauren took deep breaths before walking in. Knowing Camila was already at school; Lauren hid in the hallway nearest to her and Camila's lockers for a moment to text her.

"Are you at your locker?" Lauren sent to Camila, her heart hammering. She stood nervously in the hallway, earning lots of confused looks. Everyone knew about Lauren's crush but they didn't think she would be doing something like this; it was completely out of character. Lauren was too nervous to even see other students staring.

"Yeah, where you at Regz?" Camila replied. Lauren was usually at school ten minutes before now.

"I have something for you." Lauren sent before she could stop herself. "I'm around the corner and I don't want you to see it yet, close your eyes." She instructed.

"Vlodes." Camila replied. Lauren laughed lightly, realizing Camila typed and sent her message with her eyes closed.

Lauren jumped in place to hype herself up for a second before turning the corner and marching right up to Camila who was leaning against her locker with her eyes closed. She pulled the giant teddy bear to her side with a grunt and took one last exhale before speaking.

"H-happy Valentine's Day, Camz." Lauren let out.

Camila opened her eyes and came face to face with the adorable, fuzzy stuffed animal. She broke out into a wide grin. "What's this?"

"This is for you." Lauren answered. "I um... Well since its Valentine's Day I just thought I should let you know that," She paused for a moment. "I've had the biggest crush on you for the longest time and... and I really want the best for you, I want you to be happy, and I think I could do that. You're such an amazing person, Camila and... I really like you." Camila's mouth was literally hung open. She was so surprised Lauren finally admitted her crush. She really wasn't expecting it. When Camila didn't say anything, Lauren kept going. "And I know you said you wanted to cuddle so I thought this guy would be perfect for you." She smiled nervously.

"I..." Camila shook her head, at a loss for words. Knowing she needed to give an answer quickly, she swallowed and spit out the first thing that came to mind. "Well I don't know if I would cuddle him..." She started.

Lauren, who was expecting the worst as it, took that as a bad sign and started backing out before she had to hear anything she didn't want to. "I'm sorry." She let out. "Maybe I shouldn't have done this... I um, I hope I didn't upset or embarrass you. I'm sorry." Lauren repeated, going into straight up panic mode.

"No, I-"

"I, uh, think I should go. Um... I'm sorry. His name..." Lauren shook her head. "Doesn't matter. I'm sorry. Um, here's the receipt, you can return him if you want and get something better. This was a bad idea. I'm so sorry." Lauren handed over the piece of paper and was out of there in seconds, leaving the big yellow bear behind.

Camila stared into the empty hallway. "Shit." She vocalized. "SHIT!" She said again, kicking her locker. She didn't mean to give such a stupid response. She knows how nervous and shy Lauren is and knows the girl needs a straightforward answer because she always expects the worst. And admitting to your crush that you like them is a thousand times more difficult. Camila was mad at herself for being stunned into not speaking.

Lauren skipped school. Unable to face her best friend for the rest of the day (and at this moment the rest of her life, it felt like), Lauren went back home and locked herself in her room trying to calm her breathing and assure herself that everything was going to be okay. Camila might not want to be her friend anymore and she might not be able to show her face at school for a while, but she'll live. Right?

Camila sent endless amounts of texts to Lauren all through the school day and spent every free second trying to call the older girl. She got no response and no answered calls. Camila really fucked up. She kicked herself all day for not being able to think in that moment.

That day after school, Camila had to go straight home to babysit her little sister while her parent's went on a date when really she wanted to go over to Lauren's house so she could sort everything out with the girl and let her know that it was okay and she returned her feelings.

Camila impatiently waited for her parent's to come home. She hoped they would be home at a decent hour but sadly, they chose their favorite restaurant an hour away and by the time they got there, ate and got back, it was way past Camila's curfew and she couldn't go out to see her best friend.

That night, Camila hugged the big yellow teddy bear tightly, bursting into tears at the thought of Lauren and what she was doing right now. Knowing the girl well, she was probably blaming herself and looking back at everything she's ever done wrong. She was probably crying too.

With her face buried in the yellow fur of her bear, Camila let out another sob. Her eyes wandered around her room and landed on one of the many pictures of her and Lauren that she had. The green eyed girl was looking at her with so much love in her eyes that it made her well up with tears again, just after getting them to stop.

Camila pressed her face harder into the bear, jumping when she heard a voice. "I think you're BEARY sweet." The bear spoke. Camila's bottom lip quivered and she closed her eyes once again. She eventually cried herself to sleep.

The next day at school, Lauren was thankfully there. She wasn't talking, smiling, or making eye contact with anyone, but she was there and that's all Camila needed. Here she couldn't ignore her as easily. Spotting the older girl right away, Camila walked up to her and rubbed her lips together in thought. She had so much she wanted to say but didn't know what she wanted to say first.

"What's his name?" Camila let out, instantly regretting saying something dumb again.

Lauren briefly looked over her shoulder, not allowing Camila to see her swollen-from-crying-all-night face. She didn't see Camila had the same one, either. "It doesn't matter." She answered.
"It matters a lot, actually."

"Woofalump." Lauren answered after a moment.

Camila furrowed her eyebrows. "Huh?"

"Woofalump," Lauren repeated. "It's a cross between Heffalump and Woozle from Winnie the Pooh. He's yellow and reminds me of him so..." She trailed off, putting things into her locker.
Camila gave a small smile, though Lauren couldn't see it. "You know I cuddled with him all night." Camila shared.

"I thought you said you didn't know if you would cuddle him." Lauren replied sadly.

"Well I was going somewhere with that." Camila began. "What I was going to say was: I don't know if I would cuddle him. If I could cuddle you that would be better. You'd be my first option." She said, finally able to vocalize what she's wanted to all along.

Lauren finally turned around. "What?"

"Lauren, I knew you had a crush on me. I've known for a really long time and it's my fault for not acknowledging it and making you feel like this, I take full responsibility. I'm stubborn and I wanted you to say it for yourself, that's why I didn't do anything about it. I'm so, so sorry. It's not what friends do and I really hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me." Camila let out, willing to do anything to work this out. She did not want to lose her best friend over her dumb decisions and lack of appropriate responses.

Lauren didn't respond.

Walking to her locker right beside Lauren's, Camila put in her combination. "I know Valentine's Day is over now but... this is for you. I kind of had the same plan as you yesterday." She admitted, pulling out the small basket and handing it over to the girl.

Inside a cute wooden basket was a bunch of goodies. There was a fuzzy blanket rolled up in a neat cylinder, candles in Lauren's favorite scent, all of Lauren's favorite snacks and drinks, and some movies. There was even a Valentine's Day card and balloon in there, too.

"It's a Cuddle Kit." Camila explained. "Not only did we have the same cuddly theme for presents without each other knowing, we both planned on telling each other how we felt. And Lauren, I've had a crush on you for the longest time too. How could I not fall for you?"

Now it was Lauren's time to be surprised. Her eyes went wide as she looked at her best friend. She couldn't believe her ears. "You're serious?"

"Dead serious." Camila answered. "I've kind of been hinting at you for a while that I felt the same way, but I don't think you understood." Lauren shook her head. "Well... you know now." Even though she knew Lauren liked her and things would work out, Camila was still nervous to ask Lauren the following question. Would you like to come over this weekend for a cuddle date?"

"I-I would love to." Lauren replied, smile growing. "More than anything in the world."

Camila sighed thankfully, excited butterflies taking over the nervous ones. "There's just one condition."

"Anything." Lauren answered instantly. She would jump off a cliff if Camila asked her to.

"Is it okay if Woofalump cuddles with us too? We've kind of established a relationship. I mean, he's seen me cry already and everything." Camila joked, nudging Lauren's arm with her elbow.
Lauren frowned. "You were crying?"

Camila sighed. "I was so fucking frustrated with myself for not being able to tell you how I felt."
She explained. "I mean, I was just so surprised when you told me you liked me that I couldn't
think! I had literally the dumbest response and I completely ruined the moment."

Lauren grinned once again. "That's okay. I'd take a million more heartbreaks if it meant I got to end up with you in the end." She spoke truthfully.

Then Camila did something she had been dying to do for a lot longer than she would like to admit. With a bright smile, the younger girl stepped forward and kissed Lauren right on the mouth, eyes closed in bliss. Lauren was taken by surprise at first but quickly composed herself and kissed Camila back.

When the best friends pulled apart, Lauren's heart was beating so loud and fast she thought she might pass out. "Scratch that." She spoke. "I'd take a trillion heartbreaks if it meant I got to end up with you in the end."

Camila laughed lightly and buried her face in Lauren's neck, arms wrapping around her waist in a loving embrace. Lauren did the same. Maybe taking risks wasn't so bad after all.