Changed For Good.

Part 4

Lucy watched the girl across from her, looking at her phone.
“Are you going to stare at that all night?”
Laura looked up at her friend. “Sorry.”
“Come on, what’s up with you, Laur? I thought things were going great over there at co-ed?”
Laura flipped her phone over. Sitting back, she folded her arms. “My sister is fucking my teacher.”
Lucy almost dropped her drink. “Say what?” She wiped the drops off the table. “Your sister Jo?” Laura nodded, playing with the label on her bottle. “Wow! What subject?”
“What’s that got to do with anything?!” She glared at her. Sighing, she sat forward. “Miss Williams, my drama teacher.”
Lucy was quiet for a second. “Jo’s gay?”
Laura met her eyes. She nodded. She sat back, taking a sip of her bottle.
“Wow,” Lucy said again. “You know, I always thought she was pretty hot.”
“Stop it!” Laura threw a chip at her. “You’re not helping.”
“Sorry.” Lucy smiled. “So,” She sat forward. “What’s the real issue?” Brown eyes met green. Laura tapped the table. “Jo thinks I have feelings for my friend Cameron. Romantic feelings.”
“And do you?” Lucy asked, taking a sip.
Laura sat forward, running her fingers through her hair. “I don’t know.”
Lucy pointed her bottle at her. “This isn’t going to be another nose-breaking incident, is it?” Laura looked up at her friend, smiling with sarcasm.
“No. I don’t know. All I know is Jos put it in my head, and now I just...” She scratched her hand. “I’m too scared to be around her.”
“Laura.” Lucy leant over the table, picking up Laura’s phone. She lit the screen, seeing the girl in question in the screen saver. “She’s not Louisa.”
Laura looked up at her. She hadn’t heard that girl’s name in months. “How is she?” She continued to play with the label on her bottle.
“She’s doing ok. Her nose has healed up. Has a slight bump to it. You hit her pretty well.”
“I didn’t mean to hit her.”
Lucy handed back her phone.
“Do I need to warn this Cameron girl that you tend to punch girls you like?”
“She threatened me!”
“To out you!”
“To everyone!”
“Ah, you tried to kiss her!”
“I thought that’s what she wanted! I so got that wrong!”
“Big time!” Laura sat back, playing with her bottle. “I’m not doing it again.”
“What, trying to stick your tongue down your best friend’s throat!?”
“Any of it!”
“Soo...Cameron?”
“Definitely not Cameron.” She flipped her phone over, looking at their selfie on her screen saver. “Nah, no way! I want her in my life. I’m not gonna ruin our friendship for anything.”




“Cam, you want another one?”
“No thanks.” Cameron looked over to the sliding door as Malani went back inside. She slipped her fingers back into the pool's warm water, swinging the lilo around to face the sun.
It hadn’t been as fun as she thought last night staying at Ally’s would be. They had stayed there before, but this time felt different without Laura. She glimpsed up at the moon, sitting quietly in the sky as the afternoon sun was making its exit. She chewed her lip. Pushing up her sunglasses, she flicked through her photos again, trying to find the one she was looking for. Blocking the sun with her hand, she held up the image, trying to make out the figures in front of her. Unable to, she pushed her glasses onto her head, squinting against the sunlight. Tilting it, she could see Laura’s features.
They had taken the selfie during practice a few days ago. She was poking her tongue out to the side. Laura had her arm around her neck, kissing her cheek. Cameron bit her lip gently.
It had been playing on her mind since Trudy said something about them the other day, an observation. Causally, she’d asked her if the two of them were dating. She laughed her off, telling her she was crazy! She’d sat on the roof outside her bedroom window that night, looking up at the moon, trying to analogize the emotions that had come over her. They were best friends! Laura seriously was her favourite person!
The sun went behind a cloud, and the image on her phone became clearer. Laura’s green eyes instantly looked back at her.
She put her phone down. Somehow, she had to know, were they more than friends?

Laura stepped up to the gate at the back of Ally’s parents’ house, seeing the sliding door still open. She’d caught the bus back to town and decided she wanted to spend the rest of the afternoon with the girls.
She hadn’t heard from Jo. She didn’t want to see her anyway. She wasn’t ready to talk about that kind of stuff.
Hearing voices, she spotted Dayna and Malani dancing in the lounge.
“Nah, Nah, Malani, go lower. Like this.” Dayna pumped her hips, dropping her knees. Shaking her head, Laura walked past. She was looking for Cameron.
She heard her laughing in the kitchen. She was leaning over the breakfast counter, wearing only her bikini.
“Damn.” Laura stopped. She couldn’t help admiring the slender, tanned legs and the petite bum wrapped in blue. Ally looked up, seeing her in the doorway. Laura quickly put her finger up to her mouth. Ally smiled. She looked at Cameron in front of her, peeling back another banana.
“Do you have to eat all my bananas?” She slapped her hand.
“Ally, you know I’m a banana freak. I looove bananas!” She took a big bite. Chewing her bite, she noticed Ally wink over her shoulder.
Cameron dropped her shoulders. Taking another bite of the banana, she sighed. “Dayna is behind me isn’t she...going to try and scare me” She turned around.
“Mmmm!” She screamed with her mouth full. She automatically jumped onto the girl with the beanie, throwing her legs around her waist.
Laura quickly wrapped her arms under her legs, catching her before she slipped. She laughed.
“I take it your happy to see me?”
“Mmmaaaoouut!” Cameron pulled back, swallowing her mouthful. “I thought you were staying at your nanas?” She didn’t let her go.
Laura sat her up on a barstool. Her hands came to rest on the naked skin of the girl’s thighs.
“Yeah, she’s ok. So I wanted to come back and hang with you guys!”
“And so you should!” Cameron nodded, reaching up to straighten Laura’s beanie, taking in the green eyes searching her own. She suddenly heard Trudy’s words in her head. Laura could hear Lucy’s in her own.
“Ahh, where are the others?” Laura stepped back, scratching her cheek. Cameron noticed the sudden change in her. Did she just sense something?
“In the lounge, having a dance-off. Ally...” She looked behind her. “Ally? Where did she just go?”

“Guys, I want your opinion on something?” Ally looked over her shoulder as she entered the lounge where the two girls were practising their moves.
“What’s that Shorty?” Dayna laughed, watching Malani do the splits.
“Is it just me, or is something going on between Cameron and Laura?”
“Like what?” Malani got up off the floor laughing. Ally scratched her head checking the girls in question weren’t behind her.
“Are they a thing?”
Dayna stopped what she was doing. She looked over at the older girl. “What do you mean a thing?” She flopped down on the couch, looking up at her.
“Ah, well.” Ally checked the coast was clear. “You know...I think they like each other more than friends.”
“Ohhh.” Malani flopped down next to Dayna. Dayna shook her head.
“Laura’s not here, though.”
“Yeah, she just arrived. I left them in the kitchen. I don’t think they even noticed I’d gone.”
Malani and Dayna looked at each other.
“Honestly, I have no problem if they are,” Malani spoke up. “They are cute together.”
Dayna glared at her. “You think they are?”
Malani shrugged. “No, but I’ve seen how they sometimes look at each other. I think they are still working it out.”
“So? What do we do?” Ally came closer, leaning on the couch to whisper.
“I say we just allow them to figure it out for themselves. They’ll tell us. Right?” Malani looked between the two of them. Dayna noticed the two in question coming in from the kitchen. Laura was giving Cameron a piggyback.
“We keep this between ourselves, right?” They both nodded.
“What you guys doing?”
“Hey, Laura, how’s your nana?” Malani asked over Ally’s shoulder, watching the younger girl slide off Laura’s back.
“Yeah, she’s okay. Was just a bit lonely.”
“Cam was missing you.”
“Yeah.” Dayna subtly slapped Malani’s leg as Cameron wrapped her arm around Laura’s neck.
“I was... and now you are here; yay!”
“Yay!” Everyone cheered.
“So what are we doing?” Laura looked between the four of them.
“Well, first.” Dayna got up trying to hide her grin at Malani. “I think you...”
Laura watched them get up and head toward her.
“Need to get wet!”
“Ah, no!” Laura stepped back, realizing what they were doing. “No, aha! I haven’t got my togs! Shit! Camz, help me!”
Cameron reached up, removing her beanie and putting it on her head.
“Oh no, no! Come on, guys! Wait!” She quickly stripped off her jacket and shoes before Dayna reached for her.
“Ready, Malani?” Dayna got a grip on Laura’s t-shirt.
“Wait, wait!” She managed to get her socks off just before Malani and Ally grabbed her legs. She felt Cameron grab her arm as she was lifted off the ground. “Fuck no, guys, put me down! I’ve got jeans on!”
“Too hot for jeans, right Cam?”
“Aha!” Cameron flicked her eyebrows just as they stopped at the poolside.
“Ready!” Dayna yelled. “One!” They started to swing her. “Two!”
“You’re going to get it!” She directed to Cameron.
“Three!” She felt herself freefalling before the cold water slapped her back. Coming up to the surface, she felt the weight of her wet jeans. She wiped the water off her face, taking a breath.
Opening her eyes, she was instantly drawn to the blue bikini in front of her. Her eyes met the girl’s chocolate brown eyes watching her, her lips parting slightly.
Cameron watched the dark-headed girl’s head come out of the water, rubbing the water off her face. Those lips parted, and green eyes met hers.
Dayna deliberately walked behind her and pushed her into the water. Cameron screamed. She popped out of the water, wiping her face.
“Dayna! What the?”
Dayna leaned closer, a large smile on her face. “Thought you needed to cool off.” She flicked her eyebrows.
Cameron instantly glimpsed at Laura over the pool's other side, checking she didn’t hear.
Dayna noticed her cheeks redden. “Better get that crush under control, Cam, before it becomes obvious.”
Cameron brushed her hair behind her ear, watching the tall girl head back inside. How did she know?
Laura turned around to see Cameron just bobbing in the water. Seeing the girl again, she knew straight away she was in trouble. She needed to stay away from any physical contact with her. She put her hand on the rail, lifting her wet jeans out of the pool. That, unfortunately, was going to be hard.

~~~


“Scene 9”, Blair read. “The Woods”
“Careful! Don’t shake him!” Laura yelled as she walked through with Sean.
“I’m not!”
“We can’t just let him loose anywhere, you know! We’ve got to find someplace safe!”
“I realize that, too! You think I’m really stupid, don’t you?”
“No, not really stupid.”
Sean looked at her. “Why is it that every time I see you, you’re causing some sort of commotion?”
Laura shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t cause commotions. I am one!”
“That’s for sure.” He smiled.
Laura put her hands on her hips. “So you think I should just keep my mouth shut? Is that what you’re saying?!”
“No! What I’m saying...”
“Do you think I want to be this way? Do you think I want to care this much?”
“Look, all I meant was...”
“Do you think I don’t know how easier my life would be if I didn’t?”
”Do you ever let anybody else talk?”
Laura stopped. “Oh, sorry. But can I say one more thing? You could have walked away back there.”
“So?”
“So no matter how shallow and self-absorbed you pretend to be...”
“Ah, Excuse me, there’s no pretence here: I happen to be genuinely self-absorbed and deeply shallow.”
“No, you’re not. Or you wouldn’t be so unhappy.”
“Fine.” Sean rolled his eyes. “If you don’t want my help...”
“No, I do!” She sat down next to the cub. “His heart is pounding. I didn’t mean to frighten him.”
Sean sat beside her. “What did you mean to do? And why was I the only one you didn’t do it to?”
Laura grabbed his arm, seeing blood. “You’re bleeding!”
“I am?”
“It must have scratched you.” She touched his cheek.
“Yeah. Or maybe it scratched me or something.” Sean stood up abruptly, moving away from Laura. “I better get to safety. I mean the cub!”
“Of course! Get the cub to safety.” Laura watched him exit the stage.
“Fiyero!” She sat back on the rock, looking at her hands. She began to sing softly.
“Hands touch, eyes meet sudden silence, sudden heat hearts leap in a giddy whirl; he could be that boy, but I’m not that girl.
Don’t dream too far, don’t lose sight of who you are, don’t remember that rush of joy he could be that boy, I’m not that girl. Every so often, he longs to steal to the land of what might have been, but that doesn’t soften the ache we feel when reality sets back in. Blithe smile, blithe limb,”
She glanced over at Cameron, sitting in the auditorium seats, watching her.
“She who’s winsome, she wins him, gold hair with a gentle curl, that’s the girl he chose, and heaven knows I’m not that girl.”
She felt the tears behind her eyes.
Don’t wish; don’t start wishing only wounds the heart. I wasn’t born for the rose and pearl; there’s a girl I know...”
Her eyes fell on Cameron.
“He loves her, so I’m not that girl.”

“And scene,” Blair yelled. Everyone cheered.
Laura took a large breath, wiping her cheek, fully aware she had let herself lose control in that song.
“That was amazing!” The other girls joined her as she came to sit at the edge of the stage.
“You almost had me crying.”
“Hard out.”
“Thanks, guys.” She sat down.
Sean stepped up to her. “Wow! You, you are great!”
“Thanks.” She smiled at the boy’s blue eyes. He was kind of cute.
“Alright, class.” Sean moved aside, and Laura saw the look on Cameron’s face. She was sitting in her seat chewing her nail, her eyes locked on her.
Laura’s heart sank. She’d deliberately kept her distance from her since the afternoon at Ally’s. She knew her best friend knew something was wrong. She looked away, her emotions coming too close to the surface.
Cameron could see her friend fighting to keep herself composed. She bit down on her nail-biting of the sharp bit. She had a feeling Laura had heard Dayna tease her about having a crush on her.

“Alright, what’s the time?” Blair looked at her watch. “Cameron and Laura.” The two looked up at her. “Sean and Trudy. Next scene, please.”

“Scene 10 Galinda has accompanied Elphaba to the train station to bid her goodbye. And action.”
“All aboard!”
Trudy looked up at her sister. “Elphaba, I am so proud of you! I know Father will be, too. We’re all proud, aren’t we?”
“Will you be alright without me?”
“She’ll be fine,” Cameron said. “Bick will keep her company. Won’t you, Bick?”
“It’s Boq! I can’t do this anymore!” He ran off the stage. “Boq!” Trudy yelled out.
Cameron put her hand on her shoulder. “Nessa, maybe he just isn’t right for you.”
“No! He’s the one. It’s me that’s not right. Don’t worry about me, Elphaba, I’ll be fine. Safe journey.” She left the stage.
“Nessa! Wait!” Laura called after her.
“Elphie, let her go. She’ll have to manage without you. We all will.”
As Galinda, Cameron looked up at her. Tears came to her eyes. Laura wet her lip, trying to stay in character.
“You’ll barely notice I’m gone. You have Fiyero. Where is he anyway? Not that I expected him to say goodbye to me. I mean, we barely know each other.”
“I don’t know him either. Not anymore. He’s distant and moody. And he’s been thinking, which worries me. It all started the day Doctor Dillamond got fired. I never knew he cared so much about that old Goat.”
Sean walked onto the stage.
“Oh, look, there he is! He did come! Fiyero! Over here, dearest!”
Sean handed Laura some flowers. “Elphaba, I’m happy for you.”
Cameron moved closer. “Yes, we are both so happy for you!”
“I’ve been thinking...”
Laura smiled. “Yes, I’ve heard.”
Sean continued. “About the Lion Cub and everything. I think about that day a lot.”
“So do I,” Laura stepped closer to him. Cameron butted in.
“Me too! I think about it constantly! Poor Doctor Dillamond! It makes one want to take a stand! In fact, I’ve been thinking about? About? Changing my name!”
“Your name?” Sean looked at her. “Why yes! Since Doctor Dillamond had his way of pronouncing my name, in solidarity and to express my um outrage, I will henceforward no longer be known as Galinda but as simply Glinda.”
Sean smiled. “Well, that’s very admirable of you, Glinda.” She smiled up at him.
“Fiyero.”
“Elphaba.” Sean took her hand kissing it gently. “good luck.” He left the stage.
Cameron watched him go. “Well, there! You see?!”
Laura could see the tears in her eyes. “Oh, don’t cry, Galinda!”
“It’s Glinda now! Stupid idea, I don’t even know what made me say it!”
Laura sighed. “It doesn’t matter what your name is.” She wet her lip before she said the following line.
“Everyone loves you.”
Cameron stamped her foot. “I don’t care! I want him! I don’t even think he’s perfect anymore, and I still want him! This must be what other people feel like. How do they bear it?!”
Laura was watching her. “Come with me.”
Cameron looked up at her, standing beside her. “Where?”
“To the Emerald City.” Laura smiled.
“Really? I’ve always wanted to see the Emerald City.” Laura reached out for her hand leading her off the Stage for the next scene.

Big Musical Scene 11
The Emerald City
Laura and Cameron came running onto the stage, holding hands. Laura looked around excitedly.
They began to sing. “There are buildings tall as quoxwood trees.”
“Dress salons”
“And libraries.”
They headed to separate ends of the stage.
Cameron continued, “palaces!”
“Museums!”
They sang together.
“A hundred strong; there are wonders like I’ve never seen!”
“It’s all grand.”
“And it’s all green!” Laura smiled.
They sang together.
“I think we’ve found the place where we belong! I wanna be in this hoi polloi!”
Laura looked around.
“So I’ll be back for good someday.”
Cameron did the same.
“To make my life and make my way.”
But for today, well wander and enjoy.”
The rest of the cast joined them. “One short day in the emerald city, one short day to have a lifetime of fun one short day.”
They looked at each other. “And we’re warning the city: now that we’re in here, you’ll know we’ve been here before we are done!”
Cameron took in the scene, enthralled.
“The nightlife! The hustle and bustle! It’s all so Ozmopolitan!”
She ran over to Laura, putting her hand on her shoulder. “Elphie, come on, we’ll be late for WizoMalania!”
Laura stood still, looking out into the distance.
“I want to remember this moment. Always, nobody’s staring. Nobody’s pointing. For the first time, I’m somewhere. Where I belong.”
Cameron smiled at her. “You look positively...emerald!”
They took each other’s hand and ran into the theatre. As the others sang, they ran through them, coming to the front of the group.
“Where so many roam to well call it home, to and then, just like now, we can say: we're just two friends.”
Laura reached for her hand.
“Two good friends.”
Cameron smiled, wrapping her fingers between hers.
“Two best friends sharing one wonderful, one short...”
Someone yelled out. “The wizard will see you now!”
“Day.”
“And scene.” Blair closed her hand. Everyone cheered.
Cameron leaned into Laura beside her, still holding her hand. She let out a breath.
“I think this play is going to wear me out.”
“I’ll say.” Laura looked at her, rubbing her throat. “I’m starting to sound husky.”
“Don’t worry; you always sound good, babe.” Cameron squeezed her hand, smiling up at her. For a moment, Laura smiled back. Then she suddenly let go of her hand.
“Where’s Sean?”
There it was, Cameron thought as she watched the green-eyed girl find the tall boy. There was definitely something wrong between them.
She walked off the stage, taking a seat next to their bags. This was frustrating. She heard a phone ring. Looking down, she could see Laura’s phone lit up in the front pocket of her bag. She glimpsed up at the girl over the other side of the stage, talking to Sean and Trudy. Pursing her lips, she slipped her fingers into the pocket, pulling it out. The screen said, Lucy...
“Lucy?” Cameron’s brows knitted in question. Taking a glance at Laura she swiped the screen and put the phone to her ear.
“Laura’s phone, Cameron speaking.” The line was quiet for a second.
“Wow, now that I know what you sound like, you are more gorgeous than I imagined.”
“Excuse me?” She sat forward, not knowing who this girl was.
“Do I know you?”
“I don’t know. Has Laura mentioned me?”
“A no.” She glimpsed over at the girl in question.
“That’s a shame. I know all about you, Chica Bella. I went to school with Laura at Carrollton.”
“Carrollton?” Cameron frowned. “In Castle Gables?”
“That’s the one. I’m her best friend, Lucy.”
Cameron was looking at the dark-headed girl walking to the front of the stage. Carrollton was only fifteen minutes up the road. Laura let her believe she was from Houston, where her Dad is.
“Anyways, chica is Laur around I need her help with Physics?”
Laura’s eyes met Cameron’s. She was sitting by their bags, talking on the phone. Noticing the white cover of her phone she realized it was her phone she was on, and she didn’t look happy. She jumped off the stage, heading toward her.
“Sure, Lucy.” Cameron stood up just as Laura stopped in front of her. “Laura is just here.”
“What are you doing?” Laura growled, putting her hand out for her phone.
“It’s your best friend, Lucy from Carrollton!” She glared at her. “Apparently, she needs your help with Physics.” She slapped the phone down in her hand.
“ I’ve had enough!”
Laura’s eyes widened as Cameron grabbed her bag and headed up the aisle. “Camz, wait!”
“Miss Rodriguez! Where are you going? We have not finished!” Cameron turned around, giving both Blair and Laura the middle finger.
“Miss Rodriguez!”
Laura looked at her screen, seeing Lucy’s name there the seconds ticking over. She put it to her ear.
“Luc, what did you say?”
“Nothing that you shouldn’t have already said to her, Laur.”
“Hey, Cam..eron.” The girl pushed past Jo as she came down the aisle. Laura looked up, seeing Blair beside her.
“What did you do?”
“Excuse me?” Laura looked back at her young teacher. “Look, just because you’ve got some secret affair going on with my sister doesn’t mean you can get up in my business!”
Jo walked straight into Laura’s rant at Blair.
“Hey, don’t talk to her like that!” Laura and Blair both looked up at her. Laura hung up from Lucy, looking between the two older girls.
“You know what? I don’t have time for this! I have to go after Camz!”
Blair could see the look on Jo’s face.
“Just give her a chance to cool down,” Blair said softly, reaching around Laura for her bag and handing it to Jo. Jo sighed, noticing the hurt look on Blair’s face.
“I’ll drop you off when you’re ready.” She ushered Laura up the aisle.
Blair turned around, seeing the class staring at her. “Alright, class dismissed; see you all Wednesday.”
“Did I just hear that right?” Malani and Ally watched Jo and Laura leave. “Miss and Laura’s sister?”
“And you were worried about Laura and Cam. You can’t have two siblings who are gay; that’s just weird.”
“Maybe I had it wrong.” Ally sighed.
“Nah, you were right.” They looked at Dayna. “Cam has a crush on Laura big time. But I don’t think Laura feels the same.”
“That makes it difficult.”
“Sure does.” They all looked at the young teacher, feeling her embarrassment.
“Don’t worry, Miss!” Dayna yelled, getting her attention. “Doesn’t change a thing.”
“Yeah, you’re cool, Miss.”
“Kind of have a girl crush on you myself.” Malani winked.
“Thanks, guys.” Blair smiled.