BELONGS TO ME

Chapter 17

Camila

Putting the car in park, Lauren turns off the engine and looks at me. "You mean to tell me you've never had sushi?"

"I have never had sushi," I admit, picking my bag up off the floorboard.

She drops back against the seat. "How is that possible?"

"It's always grossed me out." I shrug. "I like catfish."

"Cooked catfish, I assume?"

"You assume correct. There's this little place my grandparents used to take us to called The Catfish House; we'd go, eat fried catfish, okra. It was out in the country in a little town on the way to the bay. But sushi?" My nose pinches, and I shudder. "Heck no."

"I'm gonna make you some, change your mind."

"No way!" I pretend to gag. "Homemade sounds so much worse."

"Trust me, Camz."

I sigh, playfully, a single thought running through my mind as I stare at her, and that is, man, is she easy on the eyes.

A small smirk tips her full lips, and she steps out, so I follow, and as usual, she walks me all the way to my dorm room.

At the door, I turn to face her. "Just to be clear, I should get my game face on, ready to try some sushi soon?"

She smiles wide, glancing down the hall.

A short piece of hair falls over her forehead as she does, and before I realize what I'm doing, my hand is brushing it back into place.

Lauren doesn't tell me no, she doesn't reach out halting my hand, warning me that I shouldn't touch her. Not even as it lowers from her thick, dark hair, but instead allowing fingertips to test the feeling of her skin from her temple to her jaw.

My eyes lift to meet her, and then the door behind me is ripped open. Laughter flows from the room, but cuts to silence in the same second.

My hand flies down, and I whip around, coming face to face with a wide-eyed, glued in motion, Hailee. Harry's at her back with a frown in place.

"Uh, hi," I offer lamely, my face growing hot, even more so when I peek into the place, spotting Carl and Shawn inside. Both slowly rise from their place on the couch, matching glares on their faces, and I quickly look back to Hailee.

Hailee's smirk slowly slips into place, and she crosses her arms. "Well, hell to the oh."

I snap my attention to Harry, too nervous to allow it anywhere else.

Come on, Harry. Help me out.

His features twitch the slightest bit, but he eases up, offering Lauren a small grin. "Perfect timing. FunWorks is closing the bumper boats for the season this weekend, so we're going to get a round in. Looks like you guys are free to join us."

I glance at Lauren over my shoulder, and her eyes snap from where they're pointed across the room to mine and I don't have to guess to know what—or more who—she was looking at. Her expression holds so many questions right then, but she says not a word, waiting to see what leaves my lips instead.

Do I want to go with my friends to ride the bumper boats? Sure. We used to do that kind of stuff all the time, but do I want to be on edge and anxious all evening? Not even a little bit.

I had such a good-ass day. I deserved a good day and won't allow anyone to ruin it this time. So maybe we pass on the outing?

I search Lauren's face.