Trials and Tribulations

Chapter 29

"Oh my God," Dinah said in disbelief the next day during home
room. "Are you joking?" "I wish I was joking," Lauren informed her seriously, casting a quick look at Camila who was sat at a desk near the front of the room with Miss Lovato. She was discussing a book which she had been reading at the suggestion of the teacher and although it had been hard going for Camila, she had persevered and made herself a promise to read at least one chapter every night. Camila had gotten into Lauren's car this morning desperate to talk to Miss Lovato about it, apparently having gotten to a really moving part yesterday. Lauren had

smiled at the look of pure joy and excitement on Camila's face as she'd thumbed through the book on their journey in this morning; stopping when she'd come to a page she'd read last night. Camila had narrated her favourite paragraph out loud to Lauren as she'd driven, repeating the words over and over, seemingly deriving some personal connection with the text. "Chris walked in on the two of you...you know...doing things?" Dinah asked still gobsmacked by the admittance, drawing Lauren's thoughts back to the current conversation and away from her girlfriend. "It was nothing like that," Lauren quickly told Dinah, glancing at Ally who had a smirk plastered on her face. "It was just...like...ok, so, there's a G rated film right?" Lauren started, holding out one hand for effect, "and then there's NC17," She said and Dinah nodded her head. "We were like...a PG13." "A PG13?" Ally asked in an attempt to get further details. "Yeah, you know," Lauren said, looking at her friend with a smile on her face, "partial nudity with some suggestive material..." Lauren trailed off. "Was there an intense sexual situation?" Ally asked mischievously, raising her eyebrow suggestively. Lauren blushed at the recollection of the damp which she'd felt between her legs at the touch of Camila's lips against her chest and the feel of her girlfriends' hand as it swept over the skin by the waist band of her jeans. She swallowed hard, dropping her gaze to the desk in front of her for an instant before answering, "It definitely had...potential." "Ok," Dinah said making a face that told Lauren she did not need the particulars.

"So what happened after Chris walked in on you?" "He told us not to stop on his account," Lauren informed them. "Your brother is such a pervert," Dinah commented laughing. "I don't know," Ally said teasingly, winking at Lauren. "I wouldn't have minded walking in on that." "Oh my God," Dinah said surprised at Ally's words. "Ally!" Lauren protested. "I'm only joking," Ally said waving her hand in protest at Lauren's remonstration. "Besides, I'm not surprised you're finally...experimenting?" Ally informed her, unsure of the right word to describe the change in their relationship. "I already thought that you guys were...you know..." she said leaving the insinuation unspoken, "I told you as much when I came around and found Camila in your clothes, remember?" she asked. "What?" Dinah asked. "When was this?" "It was about a month ago," Ally said turning to Dinah. "Do you remember when they had that fight because of Rachel? It was back then." She continued to explain. "Lauren called me all agitated because Camila had walked off and left her standing in the parking lot of the police station looking like an idiot..." "Hey," Lauren protested again but Ally continued regardless. "I went round to her house," Ally told Dinah, pointing at Lauren with her thumb, "and found Camila dressed from head to foot in her clothes." "It wasn't like that at all though," Lauren responded giving Ally a pointed look. "It was PG rated at best. Do you remember the awkward

conversation that followed because of that?" "Of course," Ally chuckled recalling the conversation. "You two were so cute and innocent." "I'm glad that you found it entertaining," Lauren muttered amused. "God Ally, a little warning wouldn't go amiss in future if you're planning on embarrassing me completely." "Aww, you normally do such a good job of that yourself that I don't ever have to embarrass you Lo," Ally told her smiling brightly. "You can't blame me for assuming things when you open the door looking all flustered and she looks like she's just had a shower..." "It was raining," Lauren said defensively. "Ok moving on," Dinah said in an attempt to get them back on point. "So you're brother came in, told you to carry on and then...what?" She asked. "Then he vaguely threatened to tell my parents what he'd seen," Lauren told her. "He didn't though? Did he?" Ally asked her incredulous. "No, thank God," Lauren said sighing at her good fortune. "My parents would never let Camila back in my room again if they knew about what we were doing. They don't mind kissing but...they draw the line at anything more than that." "So is your brother just really nice or did he make you pay for his silence?" Dinah asked knowingly. "He made me pay," Lauren groaned. "Let's just say that I'm getting him a really great Christmas present." "Oh speaking of Christmas!" Ally said excitedly. "Are you and Camila coming to the Winter Formal in a couple of weeks? Troy got our tickets yesterday." Dinah clapped her hands together equally as enthusiastic as Ally. "Yes!" Dinah said giving Lauren a