HMU

one hundred thirty one

Ally begrudgingly opens the door after the obnoxiously loud knock sounds from it, glaring at a smiling and energetic Lauren.

"Allyson Brooke!"

"Lauren Michelle!" Ally mocks enthusiasm.

"You're coming with me to work today, so go get ready and meet me in the car."

Ally glances to Camila's driveway next to hers, spotting the oldest Cabello fixing her makeup in the mirror from the driver's seat as she waits for the two of them. "Why can't you just take your girlfriend? She's already in the car."

"Because she's dropping us off. She has errands to run and her mom is at work, so she needs my car." Lauren explains. "Now go get ready!"

"Why? I don't wanna." Ally didn't want to admit that she had plans to text Lucy and hang out with her all day, wanting to avoid any teasing.

"You'll thank me later when we get back, I promise." Ally narrows her eyes at Lauren's implications. "I would've had one of the other girls force you out of your home, but they're all busy today."

Ally clenches her jaw and gives Lauren a look. "...Fine. But only because I want to figure out what you're hiding, not because I want to spend the day with you."

"Rude." Lauren places a hand on her chest dramatically. "I'm hurt and offended. See you in the car!" She chirps happily before descending Ally's porch, joining Camila. Ally grumbles to herself the entire walk up the stairs to get ready, still mumbling even as she climbs into the back seat of Lauren's car.

"Stupid gays dragging me everywhere.. god, why do you make me put up with this?" Ally glances upwards, begging for some kind of sign.

"What did you say, Ally?" Camila turns around to look at her, her mumbling too jumbled to be decoded.

"Your hair looks pretty, Mila." Ally smiles sweetly, pretending the last twenty minutes she spent getting ready hadn't been a constant loop of her complaining to herself. She loves her friends to death, but it's eight in the morning and she hasn't gotten her coffee yet.

"Thanks!" Camila fluffs it in the rearview mirror, giving Lauren a kiss on the cheek before beginning to pull out of the driveway. "Lolo braided it for me last night."

The radio was the only thing interrupting the silence that followed as Camila drove them to Lauren's work, though Ally wasn't really focused on the music.

Lucy: i'm sure you'll have lots of fun with lauren

Allysus: what am i gonna do? throw paper clips at her?

Lucy: sure

Allysus: 😑

Lucy: i'm sure you'll come up with something. it's a big place, have fun with it like camila did last week.

Allysus: hmph

Lucy: i can see you pouting in my mind, and while it's super adorable, i'll promise you now that if you solider through this i n s a n e l y difficult day you have ahead of you, i'll come over when you get back

Allysus: 😩😩 why would you say that, now all i'm gonna think about is seeing you

Lucy: that's gay

Lucy: but fr have fun with lauren, i'm sure you can make fun of her with that halsey chick

Allysus: yeah... fiiine

Lucy: and it's not like you have to work, you can always text me if you get bored.

Surprisingly, Ally didn't end up getting bored. As it turns out, Lauren's work actually was an interesting place to be. Ally didn't realize how prestigious this gallery was until Lauren showed her the warehouse backed up with paintings to be displayed leading all the way through next year. She even dragged Ally through so many twists and turns just to show her her favorite piece that Ally was concerned they wouldn't be able to find their way out, until Lauren assured her that as an intern she spent a lot of time roaming the warehouse organizing and labeling paintings.