A Light in the Dark

Chapter 77

Camila pressed her nose against the ice-cold glass and watched with glee as the snowflakes floated to the ground, twirling and spinning, performing a dance all of their own. Around the same time last year she had had her first experience with snow, but the circumstances that happened months prior had left her brooding and sulking, crying and devastated. The white flakes hadn't stood a chance against her bad mood and she had cursed the cold weather.

Today, however, was different. She was giddy with the possibilities she was presented with. Snow was romantic. It was fun. She could do plenty of things now that she wasn't alone anymore. She had friends, she had a girlfriend, she didn't have to stay in the apartment and curse the frozen water that was going to slow down her way to university. No, she could finally enjoy and embrace a typical winter. She could be in awe of the snowflakes, each differently built, each unique.

Her warm breath misted up the window and she slowly wiped it away with her sweatshirt. New York in the snow looked truly like a winter wonderland.

"Babe, if you keep doing this, you're going to be the one who has to clean the windows later today. I know it's technically me, but do you have any idea how that's going to look later?"

Arms engulfed her from behind and Camila snuggled into them as Lauren gave her a peck on the cheek. This moment right there was perfection. A perfection she had never thought of being able to experience a year ago. "Don't be such a buzzkill. Look! It's snowing!"

"It's been snowing for the last two hours, Camz."

Camila didn't have to turn around to know that Lauren was smiling while she said it. Had it been really two hours since it started? But now that she was looking down to the snow-covered streets and sidewalks... maybe she had lost track of the time. "But doesn't it look magical? It's like... like everything is covered in tiny crystals or... or fairy dust."

"Fairy dust?" Lauren chuckled and rested her chin on Camila's shoulder. Goosebumps appeared on her neck as her girlfriend's warm breath tickled her skin. "How many pills did you take?"

"Not too many," she replied sulkily. She had only been high one time  because of her meds and that had been in the hospital right after her surgery, but Lauren refused to let it go. "I should have taken more considering how you forced me to call my dad for you."

"He's intimidating!"

"Over the phone?"

"Especially  over the phone..." Lauren muttered and pulled a face. "He hates me. He hated me before I even met you and now he has another reason to hate me. God, why does your father have to be the state attorney...?"

Camila shrugged, fighting the urge to smile. She had asked herself that question multiple times. But she had to admit that it was sometimes really convenient. "Well, anyway... he's going to talk to us about the trial when we're having dinner... and that means –"

"On the 23rd," Lauren groaned. "That's two weeks away, Camz! And only a month before we have to testify! What the hell am I even testifying against? I saw nothing! For fuck's sake, they could have asked a random high school student who went to the party and they would have probably seen more than I can remember..."

"What about your mom? Did she tell you anything?" Camila asked curiously and watched the reflection of her girlfriend in the glass.

After receiving the witness summons, she had immediately called her father upon Lauren's request, although they hadn't received any answers. He had gone quiet after getting the news before telling her that they would discuss everything over dinner in two weeks.

Sighing deeply, Lauren nodded. "Chris managed to get some kind of deal with the prosecution... like, a plea bargain or something? Anyway, I guess they agreed on two years of probation and he has to do some community service and I'm... don't get me wrong, but I'm just really glad that he's not going to prison. He wouldn't survive in there... he's... he's just..."