The Party (GxG) (Camren) **EDITING**

Chapter 23

Camila shivered a little at the new sensation of the warm night breeze whispering across her skin. She felt a little reluctant to trust the emerald eyed girl after the short prank that she had just pulled, but was slight reassured at the guidance provide from those delicate yet study hands that lightly gripped her shoulders. Lauren continued to guide them both forward at a gradual and patient pace, which Camila was quite thankful for, and constantly checked back with Camila to ensure that she was fine. As they approached the stairs, Lauren gave a word of warning before they began descending one at a time.

Camila had a vague idea of their location, however found it difficult to envision the yard without seeing hundreds of people grinding up against one another. As Lauren gently ushered her to the base of the stairs, Camila couldn't help but muse over everything that had happened throughout her day thus far; truths had finally come to light and the there was a promise of something more, a hope that clung to them as they reacquainted themselves. The future, it was something Camila both excitedly anticipated, yet anxiously dreaded. She was aware that beginning something new with Lauren would be a challenge with her living on campus so far away. But it would be a test of fortitude, if they couldn't make it work then maybe it was not worth salvaging.

Camila could feel the soft grass give way underfoot as she padded along some indiscernible path on the way to God-knows-where. Her mind switched over to the ongoing mystery that currently had her eyes bound with tied cloth, still not sure what to expect upon it's removal. It was only once Lauren lightly pulled her to a halt on some random patch of grass, that her enthusiasm started to rapidly build. Taking into consideration the impossibly high standards Lauren had set with this date so far, Camila expected nothing less than something simply astounding. So as those smooth, delicate fingers unraveled the shroud of darkness from her impatient eyes, it was safe to say that she was not disappointed.

Draped blankets hung over the large mattresses and chairs facing outwards with books on their laps. Two queen mattresses lay across the grass, acting as a floor for the fort, and there were pillows galore, as if begging for a fluffy fight to happen between it's future occupants. A couple of central poles were held in place by sandbags, and a narrow table in the gap between held an assortment of junk foods. Camila's eyes zeroed in on the pizza box that sat there taunting her, her mouth watering at the mere thought of that cheesy-dough goodness. There were also potato crisps, and an assortment of lollies and chocolate that lay beside it. Small fireflies of light illuminated the makeshift structure, many of a golden yellow and some of a rainbow arrangement of colours. It was a blanket fort like no other.

A path of red tulip petals carpeted a path to the fort from the exact spot that they were standing in, flanked by over a hundred candles. At each of the larger candles that were dotted consecutively after a precise number of smaller candles – that Camila was not willing to waste her time counting when there was perfect good pizza going cold – there was a line of tulip petals of a different colour. Camila figured that they were likely symbolic, but the meanings eluded her understanding and she was hoping that Lauren would eventually explain. More to the point though, she was curious as to how Lauren had come up with such a fantastic idea. Thankfully she didn't have to wait for an answer, as one was immediately given as soon as Lauren opened her mouth.

"So, um...this is the final part of our night. I – uh, hope you like the surprise," her voice was tentative, as if she were waiting for Camila to turn around a slap her across the face, and yet there was this childish glint that screamed excitement.

"It's amazing, as always. You...uh, you put a lot of thought into this, didn't you?"

She shyly submitted her head in answer, before those brilliant kaleidoscopes locked onto Camila's own through long dark lashes. "There are many shitty things that I have done in my life, Camz. I have made so many bad decisions throughout my life with tragic consequences. I have hurt the people I care about worse than I can bear, and have pushed away anything that was remotely good because I believed that I wasn't deserving. And who knows, maybe I'm not? I mean, I'm not deserving of you, and yet here you are, standing before me and gazing at me lovingly with those warm brown spheres of yours."