Changed For Good.

Part 3

Jo came into the lounge, dropping her keys on the table. Laura was still lying on the couch, her headphones on, looking at her phone. That stupid grin was a permanent fixture on her face.
Jo stopped by the door frame. Laura had been staying with her for over a month now, and she’d never seen her so happy. Hearing no presents of Cameron, she was surprised to see her alone. The two of them had been inseparable since that day; the cute girl introduced herself to Jo at the truck. You could hear them before you saw them. Cameron seemed to always have Laura laughing and they would get louder and goofier the more they were in each other’s company. They were only quiet when they were both engrossed in reading a book, watching a movie, or finally asleep after a noisy teenage sleepover.

Her sister’s laugh brought her back to the present. Laura saw her standing there.
“Hey.” She pulled off her headphones. “Where did you go?”
“Out.”
Laura put her phone down. Jo had been going out quite a bit the last couple of weeks. She was sure she was seeing someone. She sat up. “Out where?”
“Where’s Cammeerooon?”
Laura got up, following her to the kitchen. “At some kid’s party thing with her sister. Don’t change the subject!” She took a seat at the kitchen counter. She didn’t remember Jo ever mentioning guys in the past. This was fun. “You’re seeing someone, aren’t you?”
Jo put the juice back in the fridge. She knew Laura would be smart enough to figure her out, but she wasn’t ready to say anything yet. She leaned over the counter, giving Laura her full attention. Green eyes meet green. The corners of Jos’ lips curled. “As if I would tell you anything, Jordy!” She backed up.
Laura shook her head. “Oh, come on, Joey!” She teased. “I’ve noticed the showers before you go out and the ‘delicate but subtle' hint of perfume you’re wearing.” Laura pointed her finger teasingly. She knew. “You like someone. I think you’re in looove.”
“Oh, cut it out! I am not!”
Laura followed her back into the lounge and down the hallway.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about?”
“See, you just admitted it! You do have the hots for someone, Jo, tell me!”
“Nope.” She followed Jo into the bathroom.
“Do I know him? It’s that guy from the service station! No, wait, that guy Matt that mows the lawn next door! Now he’s cute!”
Jo turned around, shutting the cupboard door where the towels were.
“He is cute, right?”
“Yeah.” Laura agreed with her sister.
“No.” Jo reached her hand up, pushing Laura out of the bathroom.
“Well, then, when do I get to meet him? I have to check him out, check he’s not some serial killer posting false profiles on dating apps or something.” The door was shut in her face. “Jo!” She knocked.
“What!” Jo yelled from the other side, getting ready for a shower.
Laura stopped. “It’s good to see you, happy sis.”
Jo smiled, hearing her through the door. “Yeah.” She shook her head. “Yeah, you too, Jordy.”

~~~

“Alright, alright, settle down!”
Blair tapped the top of the piano, waiting for the group to focus. She glanced at the two girls centre stage sitting on the prop beds in the dorm room scene. “Now, please, can we do that again without you two laughing!”
Laura looked up from Cameron to Blair. “Yes, Miss. I’m sorry she cracks me up when she gets super girly like that!” She tied her hair back up, smiling at Cameron. Her cheeks were sore from laughing.
“Then don’t watch her!”
“Yes, Miss.”
Cameron leaned into her.
“Pretend I annoy the shit out of you; see if we can make her laugh,” She whispered, getting into character. “I sooo loath you.”
“Oh, I all ta...” Laura got up and got back into position on Elphaba’s spot.
“Right!” Blair yelled, taking a seat in front of the stage again.
“Scene 3 Galinda and Elphaba are in their dormitory room, both dutifully writing home.”

Cameron was pretending to write her letter. “Dearest darlingest Momsie and Popsicle.”
Laura was doing the same as Elphaba. “My dear Father”
They both sang. “There’s been some confusion over rooming here at shiz.”
Laura sang. “But of course, I’ll care for Nessa.”
Cameron sang. “But of course, I'll rise above it.” They sang together.
“For I know that’s how you’d want me to respond. Yes, there’s been some confusion for you see, my roommate is...”
Cameron sung. “Unusually and exceedingly peculiar and altogether quite impossible to describe..."
"Blonde.”
They all laughed at Laura.
Cameron started. “What is this feeling so sudden and new...I felt the moment I laid eyes on you. My pulse is rushing...My head is reeling...My face is flushing.”
Jo slipped in, taking a seat next to Blair. The girls continued.
“What is this feeling? Fervid as a flame, does it have a name? Yes! Loathing.”
Everyone laughed.
“Unadulterated loathing.”
They stepped up to each other. Cameron squinted at her. “For your face...”
“Your voice.” Laura sneered.
Cameron looked her up and down. “Your clothing...”
They sang together. “let’s just say—I loathe it all!”
They separated, starting to mimic each other.
The group ran onto the stage up to Cameron. “Dear Galinda, you are just too good! How do you stand it? I don’t think I could! She’s a terror! She’s a tartar!”
Laura started pacing.
“We don’t mean to show a bias, but Galinda, you’re a martyr!”
Cameron turned to them. “Well, these things are sent to try us!”
“Poor Galinda, forced to reside with someone so disgusting we just want to tell you: we’re all on your side!"
“What is this feeling loathing so sudden and new?" Cameron and Laura sang back to back. “Unadulterated loathing. I felt the moment for her face, her voice. I laid eyes on you, her clothing; my pulse is rushing; let’s just say my head is reeling! We loathe it all!”
They pointed at each other.
“Oh, what is this feeling? Is every little trait, however small, does it have a name? Makes our very flesh, yes, begin to crawl!”
“Ahhh!” Cameron yelled in frustration.
“Ahhh!” Laura yelled back. They paced around the stage and then continued. “Though I do admit it came on fast. Still, I do admit that it can last.”
They turned to each other, quickly walking away from each other. “And I will be loathing loathing for forever loathing, loathing truly, deeply loathing you, loathing you for my whole life long!”
They walked up to each other, standing face to face. “Loathing, unadulterated loathing!” They stared each other out.
Laura caught her wink, her lip curling. She leaned into her close enough to breathe on her.
“Boo!”
“Ahh!” Cameron jumped.
Laura let out her witchy laugh.