Perfect Pair: Opposites Attract

"Family" Dinner

Lauren had offered to help clean up after dinner as her parents went out on the patio to have drinks with the Cabellos. She walked around the table and picked up the dishes, taking them over to the sink to Camila. 

Camila grumbled to herself as she rinsed off the dishes and put them in the dishwasher. It was mandatory "family" night with the neighbors.

She sighed as she dried her hands. She tossed the towel on the counter before sitting down at the bar top to drink her Diet Pepsi. She hated this.

All she wanted to do was go see that new movie with her friends but her parents dropped the bomb on her that she had to stay because Lauren and her family were coming over for a barbeque dinner. She shook her head and looked over at Lauren.

"Do you want anything else to drink?"

Camila and Lauren had known each other for years...since they were in elementary school and her family moved next door. Lauren liked Camila a lot, but she was never sure if the other girl really cared for her at all.

The older girl had gone into the living room and sat on the couch as Camila finished up the dishes. She watched as her and Camila's younger siblings ran up the stairs to play video games.

 Lauren was taken out of her thoughts as Camila spoke to her, "Lauren."

She looked up at the younger Cuban, "Yeah?"

Camila sighed before speaking, "I asked if you wanted anything else to drink."

Lauren blushed a little, "Oh. Uh. No thanks. I'm good." She said as she leaned back against the couch, unsure of what to do next since the adults had left the room and the younger kids went upstairs.

Camila nodded and grabbed her soda, walking over to where Lauren was. She plopped down on the couch on the other side of Lauren and looked at her, running her free hand through her wavy hair. "Did you finish the assignment for English?" She asked, setting her drink down on the table next to her. "I'm having problems on the last question."

Lauren was a nerd, a nobody. She was the kid who cared more about school than making friends. She was probably top of her class. Had been since Camila had known her. The girl was smart. The school year just started two weeks ago, but that didn't matter. Camila was a procrastinator and the assignment was due tomorrow.

Lauren glanced over at Camila as the girl sat on the couch and spoke to her, "Um. Yeah. I did." She said as she looked over at Camila again.

Lauren knew what question Camila was talking about. She was very, very smart. Camila often asked her for help, indirectly, when their families got together like this. "Uh. Did you read the book?" She asked softly.

Camila shrugged. She was kinda smart too... she just had problems paying attention sometimes. She chuckled, "I read it... yeah. But I didn't care much for the book." She looked down at her lap. She grabbed her phone and sent out a text to her boyfriend. She had been dating Michael since a little before summer started. She kind of missed him already. Lauren nodded her head in response as Camila spoke. She looked down at her lap as the girl pulled her phone out.

Lauren had read the book before it was even assigned for class...it was one of her favorites. "The question is just asking about how the time period that the novel is set affects the perspective of the relationship between the protagonist and the antagonist, and why they are constantly at odds in the novel."

"What do you think about it? The question." Camila tried to fish for an answer, at least to help her out a little bit. It was their 'summer reading' for the class. She read a little bit... she probably could have paid more attention to it, but she didn't. That was her own fault, but it was due tomorrow and if she didn't have it in by 4th period, it would cost her an entire letter grade.