beyond the monotonous city

twenty three (part 2)

Camila walked up the steps to her room as her parents cleaned up in the kitchen. Lauren followed behind. Camila put her gifts at her bedside table. Lauren sat on the floor in front of her bed, as Camila got out the polaroid she gave her. Camila put the camera in front of her and took a snap of Lauren before she could swat the polaroid away.

"Hey," Lauren said, eyebrows furrowed but she was sort of smiling. "That's for your adventures and travels."

Camila just smirked. "Well it's mine now, I could do whatever I want with it. That was a demo by the way, to see if it works."

"Why did you want me to stay over? It's your birthday." Lauren said, though obviously she knew her heart leap so high at the offer.

Camila was looking at the polaroid photo as it was starting to show. She looked up when Lauren spoke. "Because I enjoy our conversations."

Lauren hated that she felt choked up in that moment. She did enjoy her conversations with Camila, and the fact that Camila thought so too made her feel so much better.

Sinu knocked and came in the room, and went up to Camila. She kissed her daughter's forehead, smiling. "How's my lovely 18 year old?"

"I feel like I've grown wise beyond my years. I, an intellectual, am ready to take on the next great challenges of life." Camila said, matter of factly.

Sinu rolled her eyes, looking at Lauren who just smiled. "Have a good night girls." She kissed Camila goodnight and left the room.

"But you really are wise beyond your years." Lauren started.

"But so god damn pretentious sometimes." she quipped. "I guess that's my character flaw, I mean everyone's got one right."

"What's mine then?"

Camila thought for a while. She raised a finger. "You care more for other people more than yourself sometimes."

The words stung Lauren, refusing to believe it was real. But deep down, she knew the girl was right. The fact that she was depressed made things hard for her because it asked her to pay more attention to herself than to anybody else.

"I'll just go change, you can change as well." Camila made her way to her bathroom. Lauren went behind her closet door and started changing from her jeans to her sweats and and one of her worn out band shirts.

When Camila got out, her eyes landed on her shirt. "The Rolling Stones? Really?"

"My boyfriend loved them, and I started liking them too."

"I figured you were too real for those kinds of people who band shirts without knowing them." Camila went over to her dock, holding her phone. "Lauren, let's listen to our favorite songs."

"Um, sure."

Camila turned to her, asking her to sit on her bed. "No I mean, I'll let you listen to my most favorite song, and you let me listen to yours. We close our eyes and just think of the lyrics. I read somewhere that you'll know a person more deeper if you do that."

"That sounds like a good idea."

Camila put on a song, then shut off the lights in her room. She lay on the bed, beside Lauren, closing her eyes which prompted Lauren to do the same. Quick guitar strums filled their ears.

When I was six years old I broke my leg

I was running from my brother and his friends

And tasted the sweet perfume of the mountain grass I rolled down

I was younger then, take me back to when I

Found my heart and broke it here

Made friends and lost them through the years