Love is Blind

chapter ten

Lauren looked at her sample, confused as to what she was looking at other than murky pond water.

"Wait where are the sheets?" Colson asked Ms. Lovato, a little dumbfounded.

"They're on the other side of the pond. The third sheet is on this side but the sheet with the table is in the gazebo." Their teacher explained, pointing across the small body of water. Lauren had been hanging out with Colson, Ashlee, and Lucy for the first half of their assignment but as she looked a few yards to their left, she felt the need to approach the blind girl quietly sitting there.

"Alright, Lauren you coming?" Colson asked, seeing as she hadn't began walking with them yet and was instead turned towards Camila.

"I actually think I'm going to go see if Camila needs any help with the assignment." Lauren nodded as she spoke.

"That's a great idea. Maybe you can help her get started and analyze her sample for her." Ms. Lovato smiled.

"Alright, we'll catch you later then, Laur. Better meet us at the campfire tonight, alright?" Ashlee laughed and the three began to walk their own way.

Lauren was desperate to talk to the girl she had left the night before but Ms. Lovato put a hand on her shoulder. "Thank you for offering to help her. You know, she hasn't opened up to many people, just Shawn. I noticed her acting out a bit before you moved her. I think you're the one thing she needed, a new friend."

Lauren nodded, "Well she's a great friend to have, miss. I uh, better go help her."

The raven haired girl walked slowly towards Camila and stopped once she was by her side. She took a seat next to her in the grass and Camila flinched and furrowed her brow, wondering who was there.

"Good morning, Camz." Lauren said quietly, observing the girls expression, "How is your sample?"

"Good, I guess." Camila shrugged. She nervously held her knees close to her chest.

"Here, let me see." Lauren raised a brow and reached to take Camila's sample, holding it up to look at it in the light. "I think your zooplankton is looking a little down." She said.

Camila let out a gentle laugh as Lauren handed her back her sample, "And what about your sample. How does it look?"

Lauren looked at her own with a smile, "definitely hung over, that's for sure." She laughed.

Camila nervously held onto her cane and sighed, thinking of the night before. There was a long bit of silence between the two as Lauren inspected her sample.

"Colson's party was pretty crazy, right?" She brought up with a small grin.

"Yeah," Lauren let out a small laugh. "I can't remember anything." She admitted.

Camila's expression fell and she furrowed her brow. "How come?"

"I was pretty drunk. The last thing I remember is talking with Shawn in the bathroom. He must have thrown up." She said, turning to face Camila.

"You drank that much?" Camila asked, a little hurt.

"Yeah, I guess so." Lauren laughed. Camila sighed, lowering her head. Maybe it was for the best that Lauren had forgotten what happened. And maybe she should try to forget it too.

__________

Lauren stayed with her for the day, which Camila found surprising since Lauren had been ignoring her just earlier that day. It did help fill in the gap that was Shawn, however. Lauren and her walked back to the campsite after finishing their assignment. Everyone was headed to the pool and Camila was less than enthused to go but Lauren had insisted.