The Stage Door (Camren/Norminah)

The Question

Camila POV

"I love this school," I said with a laugh as I dropped myself down onto the grass in the courtyard. "How's everyone's first day going?" I said directing my question to the three girl's in front of me as I unwrapped the sandwich I had bought from the cafe beside the library.

"Dinah and I got separated during math class, we're now on opposite sides of the classroom, so that's shitty," Normani said, nudging Dinah in the side, causing the girl to laugh hysterically.

"What happened?" Lauren asked, making Normani start to laugh along with the girl beside her. I watched the two of them, leaning into each other and laughing, there hands brushing in the grass and I wondered if they could see what I saw when I looked at them, I wondered if they knew they were meant to be.

I looked at Lauren and shook my head. "We may never know. How has your day been?"

"Well, the one class I didn't have with you sucked," Lauren said thoughtfully, sending me the sweetest smile. "But the rest of the day has been good so far. I'm excited for our Music and Composing class next period."

"Wait, hold up," Normani interrupted. "Ya'll have Music and Composing next period too?" 

"Mr. Rinaldi?" Dinah said wiggling her eyebrows, "I heard he is easy on the eyes."

"Gross," Normani and Lauren said together, giving one another a knowing look.

I sat there only half listening to the three of them discussing what they had read and what they had heard about the class, humming responses to anything they had directed towards me, giving little input, my mind distracted with thoughts of events that had happened earlier in the day.

"Camz?" 

"Hm?"

"I need to head back to our room, I spilled yogurt on my shirt. Wanna come?"

I watched Lauren stand up and stretch her legs, holding a hand out to me. I smiled and reached for hers and allowed her to pull me up, maybe this was a good time to get to know her a little better. 

"See you in class?" I said turning to Normani and Dinah. 

"Be there or be square."

"Mani, you're so weird sometimes."

"You know it Mila, baby."

As we walked away I turned back to see Normani and Dinah sitting under the tree, a little closer than they had been sitting before talking loudly and taking selfies on their phones. 

"Yo Mila, don't forget to add me on Instagram, don't think I haven't noticed you're still not following me!" I heard Normani yell out after us moments later.

"Done!" I yelled back, pulling out my phone and opening the app. 

.....................

Lauren POV

We walked in silence back to the dorms, there was something on Camila's mind. I could tell. 

"Okay, what's up with you?" I asked as we stepped into our room and watched Camila fall onto her bed. 

I could feel her watching me as I pulled my t-shirt over my head and rummaged through my drawer for something new to wear. It had gotten cooler throughout the day, so I opted for a sweater, white with a Campbell's soup can on the front that I had bought from a second hand store for my birthday the year before.   

"Are you gay?" Camila asked, as she turned onto her side. My eyes widening at her blunt question. 

"Wh-what? Why would you, how?"

"I saw you checking out the girl that sat in front of you in our American History class," she said averting her eyes. 

"I wasn't."

"When she dropped her pencil case and she bent over to pick it up, you were staring. You were checking her out. I'm not stupid you know?" Camila said her voice getting a little louder towards the end.

"No one said you were stupid, Camz," I said feeling instant regret and walking over and sitting on the edge of her bed. "Does it bother you?" 

"No."

"Promise?"

"Did you always know you liked girls?" Camila said sitting up with her legs tucked under her. 

I watched her play with the hem of her dress and laughed. "I mean, I guess. I never tried to hide it, I knew pretty young I guess, I was like 10 or 11 when I really figured it out, I saw two woman on the beach and they were holding hands and kissing and I realized that's what I wanted, I didn't want a boyfriend, I wanted a girlfriend. There wasn't really a struggle for me, if that's what you're asking."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"How come you didn't tell me?"

"I don't know, I guess I didn't know how, I've never had anyone to tell before, it's always just kind of been me." I answered honestly. 

"Does your family know?" Camila asked scooting closer to me on the bed. I didn't answer I just sat there, playing with my hands. "Lauren?"

"Camz, can we just-"

"Why don't you talk about your family?"

"I don't have one," I said pulling myself from the bed. "Is that what you wanted to hear? I don't have a family, it's just me." 

"What do you mean you don't have a family?" Camila asked innocently, causing more anger inside of me. 

"Stop Camila, okay, just stop. I don't want to talk about it," I grabbed my bag and ignored the pleading look on Camila's face asking me to stay and talk. "I'll see you in class," I spat leaving the room and slamming the door behind me.