HMU

forty

Lauren tossed her bag into the passenger's seat, starting her car and pulling out of the school's parking lot. Her final class had just let out for the week, and this time she'd actually gotten all her work done before the girls were scheduled to come. Camila had texted her saying they'd be in sometime tomorrow afternoon, giving Lauren time to clean up.

Lauren spotted her parents house at the end of the street, the same thought running through her mind that eventually she'd have her own place. Her college was just so close that she opted staying with her family, instead of wasting money she could be saving on an apartment or something. At least she knew that Dinah, Normani and Camila lived with their parents still, though Ally lived on her own.

With a sigh, Lauren pulled into the driveway, parking beside her mom's beaten down mini-van and climbing out of the driver's seat. Throwing her bag over her shoulder, she locked up her car and headed inside.

"I'm home!" She called to no one in particular, making her ascent up the stairs. She paused briefly when she noticed that the floors had been vacuumed — her mom only did that on weekends. With a shrug she entered her room, changing into a pair of comfortable sweats and her favorite The 1975 t-shirt. She would've put her hair into a bun, but her and Camila had planned to Facetime.

Picking up her phone, Lauren found her contact and hit the call button. A few moments later, Camila's face popped up on the screen, bringing a smile to Lauren's face.

"Heeey," Camila drawled, "How was your day?"

"Good," Lauren answered, propping her feet up on the edge of her desk and grabbing her sketchbook. She opened to a sketch of Camila that she'd left unfinished the last time they called, looking down and beginning to shade in her hair. "What about yours?"

"Tiring."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah." Lauren heard a giggle and a shushing noise, but brushed it off as Camila's sister. "I spent a good chunk of it packing. Then I fell asleep in the most uncomfortable position on the bus.. it was awful, but worth it."

"Bus?" Lauren raised a brow. "I thought Ally drove you everywhere."

"Well she usually does, but her car is in the shop and Mani can only use her parents' car to go to school or one of our houses, so.."

"Mani? You and Mani don't have classes together, why would she be driving you?" Lauren was extremely confused.

"Lauren, you are the most oblivious person I know." That voice was most certainly not Camila's, but it was coming from the phone, and also.. right.. behind her?

Lauren turned her head when she realized her door was open, her four friends standing in her doorway.

"Surprise, bitch!" Were Dinah's first words as she entered, moving to give Lauren a hug. Lauren was in shock as she hugged back, then moving to hug Mani, then Ally. Camila was smiling widely at her as she entered the room, practically tackling Lauren in one of her famous koala hugs.

"What.. you said..." Lauren looked between all of them in confusion.

"We lied." Dinah shrugged. "You're not the only one that can take a bitch completely by surprise."

"I guess not.."

Her parents appeared in the doorway, "We're going out to dinner, you better put on something nicer than that."

Lauren looked down at herself. If she'd known this was going to happen, she wouldn't have changed at all. "I'm.."

"I think you look cute." Camila said with a burst of courage, making Lauren blush.

"We'll be downstairs." They cleared the room, letting Lauren change for dinner.

"What the hell just happened?"

***