A Light in the Dark

Chapter 3

A loud knocking had woken her up. This time she didn't need to wonder who could possibly knock on her door. Only two persons in the entire world knew where she lived and she highly doubted that it was her landlord. That had left only one option.

She frowned at the girl with the emerald eyes. If there was one thing, that she could not stand, it was to be woken up on a day where she could have slept in. She had not chosen to live for this day, only to be disturbed while sleeping. "What are you doing here?"

Lauren smiled brightly at her. "A good morning to you too, sunshine! And what a splendid morning it is, wouldn't you say? The sun is shining, the birds are singing, the sky is-"

"I get it!" Camila cut her off and ran her hand through her wild locks. She probably looked like a scarecrow. "Good morning... but what are you doing here? At... a time that I normally use to get some sleep?"

"It's 8 o'clock, dude. Be glad I woke up you up, sleepyhead. You wouldn't want to waste an entire day, right?" she asked, still smiling.

Camila groaned and rubbed the bridge of her nose. "8 o'clock on a Saturday, Lauren. Normal people use this time to sleep in!"

"Ya know, you're way more entertaining when you've just woken up," Lauren said and tilted her head to the side. "More talkative. I like it."

"I am annoyed." Camila sighed. This discussion was going nowhere. This girl was just too stubborn. And Lauren obviously didn't have a care in the world. She wanted to be like that...

"Well, are you getting ready or what?" Lauren shook her out of her thoughts and Camila frowned.

"Ready for what?"

"To get breakfast, of course." Lauren looked at her as if she had just asked the most stupid question ever. "Why should I be standing here otherwise?"

Camila opened her mouth, ready to respond, only to close it again. There was no winning. She didn't even know this girl for a day, but she could already tell that it would take a long debate with very good arguments to make Lauren see her point. It wasn't worth it.

She shook her head and, without uttering another word, walked into her bedroom to get dressed. She was really no morning person. And now she was apparently stuck with one?

After finishing her morning routine in the bathroom, she stepped back into her living room. Lauren had let herself in and was standing in front of the various bookshelves, intently studying her collection.

Camila cleared her throat and Lauren turned around.

"You look beautiful."

Camila stared at her in shock and felt her cheeks getting warm. No one had ever said something like that to her. Did she mean it? Or was she only polite? Was it normal to tell others that? She ragged her brain for answers, but came up with none. Some girls in her school had sometimes told their friends that they looked hot... but beautiful? Was that normal?

"Um, thank you," she shyly answered and Lauren nodded with a smile.

"We have the same taste in books," the green-eyed girl said and turned back to the bookcases. "But I never read Harry Potter."

"How can you not?" Camila stared in disbelief at her.

"Don't know... I was more of a Twilight person."

Camila shook her head. "If you really want to be my friend, you have to read the books."

Her eyes widened when she registered what she had said. What was going on with her? But it was too late to take it back. And Lauren giggled. She liked to hear Lauren laugh. It was becoming one of her favorite sounds. She should make her laugh more often... no, she really needed to control herself.

"Well, if you say so... can you lend me the books sometime?" Lauren asked, smiling widely at her.

"Uh... sure, I guess..."

"Great! And now grab a jacket, it's already quite chilly outside."

She blinked confused, but did as she was told.

"Alright, now where are we going?" she asked as she came back into the room but stopped short. She froze, not sure what to say or do. This couldn't be happening... how could she be so stupid?

Lauren sat on the couch, eyeing the letters and the bottle of sleeping pills that Camila had filled again last evening. The letters were thankfully in their envelopes. At least that was something. How was she going to explain? What could she even say?

"You, uh... you have problems to fall asleep?" Lauren asked unsure and bit her lip. Her eyes switching between the bottle of pills and the letters.

Swallowing dryly, she wiped off her sweaty hands on her jeans. She had to play it cool. Even the slightest sign of nervousness and the alarm bells would surely start to ring.

"Yeah... my life is pretty stressful right now. My brain just won't stop thinking at night. I don't really like taking them, they make me feel kinda drowsy and you can get addicted and all that crap..."

She crossed her fingers behind her back and waited for Lauren's response. Hopefully she would buy it.

"Oh..." Lauren breathed out, her eyes still darting between the letters and the pills. "Right. That's... unfortunate."

Camila almost let out a sigh of relief. "Can we go now? Where are you even taking me?"

"We are going to get the best muffins in the world!" Lauren said excited. "Well, maybe not in the world because, you know, I've only ever went on vacation in Puerto Rico and I only went to Los Angeles and Texas other than Miami... so maybe not even in the United States... but they are, without a doubt, the best muffins in New York City!"

She suppressed a grin as she listened to Lauren's rambles. It was cute. Like an overexcited little puppy. "Let me be the judge of that," she answered and Lauren rolled her eyes.

"Trust me, those muffins are to die for... I mean, they are delicious," Lauren quickly corrected herself and Camila frowned. It was a common figure of speech, why did she change it? Maybe she was one of those people who didn't talk lightly about death. It didn't have to mean that she was getting suspicious... right?

"Uh, sure... let's go."

"Yup, let's!" Lauren stood up and Camila saw how she threw a last glance at the letters.

She had to be more careful.

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A/N: Sorry, this chapter is a little shorter than the previous ones... but that way I can, hopefully, update tomorrow too and not let you guys wait two or three days, right? If you enjoyed it, don't forget to vote! And thank you for reading!