Her Light

XI

"Why are you here?" Lucy's voice runs like cold water down the back of Camila's neck, sending chills throughout her body. She's looking up at her, standing in her doorframe, but her eyes aren't focused and her head is spinning. "Camila?"

Footsteps creak over a wooden porch, down a single step. All the other girls fade, even Lauren, when Lucy comes into full view, inches from her face.

"Hey, hey." She keeps her hand close to her skin but not close enough to actually touch it, levitating above. "Is everything okay?"

Camila trembles slightly, trying to shake herself out of her trance. "Yes," she replies tightly, still a little out of it. "I'm just a little dizzy."

Lucy laughs softly. That laugh. Camila remembers how it sounded echoing throughout the lighthouse late at night, when Lucy would stay up with Camila in her room. It was just the two of them for a little while, until—

"I'm a little dizzy myself, seeing you." A gentle smile breaks out across Lucy's face. It's been so long.

"Hi," a familiar voice pulls Camila completely out of her daze, her eyes immediately landing on Lauren who shoves her way beside her. "You're Lucy?"

Nodding, Lucy seems to only now notice there are other people with Camila, her expression becoming somewhat surprised. "Yes, I am. Lucy Vives. Uh, come in, it's kind of chilly out here."

Chilly? It's been four years since she felt the Alaskan freeze, Camila supposes. She's become accustomed to warm California air.

Following behind Lucy, Lauren keeps side-eyeing Camila as they walk in, keeping close to her. The house isn't big, but it also isn't terribly tiny—it's small, or it looks from where the group stands idly in the living room.

Clasping her hands together, Lucy places herself a foot or so away from the women. She's standing beside a table pressed against a light brown-painted wall. The living room is nicely decorated, but Camila can't take her eyes off Lucy.

She looks different from the last time Camila saw her—but that's to be expected. Her brown hair is a little longer, reaching slightly past her chest, her arms look taut along with her legs, and her face is brighter. She wears blue shorts and a light shirt. Camila is surprised when she sees her eyes fixed on her.

Maybe she's evaluating her, too; how much she's changed.

"It's so nice to meet you, I'm Ally!" Ally is the first one to beam forward (of course), hand outstretched politely. Lucy smiles and shakes the hand.

"Nice to meet you, too. What're you guys doing here?" Lucy tries to grace the entire group, but her gaze always ends up falling on Camila.

Camila wants to speak, to be the one to dish out the whole story, but she's tongue tied and sick to her stomach. Normani ends up piping up, stepping in front of Ally.

"It's kind of a long story, but we are in San Francisco looking for Lauren's stolen ship—Lauren, wave—" Lauren waves belatedly, clearly occupied elsewhere. "And Camila's the only one who knew someone in San Francisco we could maybe stay with?" Cringing slightly, Normani's voice goes nervously high at the end.

Quick to follow-up, Ally puts her hands out. "Just for the night. We have a lead."

Lucy raises her eyebrows. "Yeah, you guys can stay. I'll find space." Even while talking to the others, she can't stray her gaze. Camila can't, either. It feels almost magnetic; pulling at Camila, reminding her of how it felt to be drawn to. Maybe she acted like a magnet to Lucy's answer, swaying her to let them stay so she can spend more time with Camila.