Say You Won't Let Go

Jerks & Rumors

"I still don't know why we had to watch that movie last night." I grumble. It's the next day and—thankfully—it's lunchtime.

"It was great!" Normani cheers, a broad grin on her face.

"No way!" I protest, shaking my head. "I couldn't sleep last night when I got home. I'm so tired."

"Aww, Camz." Lauren coos, stroking my arm. "I'm sorry. You really didn't like it?"

"Not one bit." I huff, dropping my eyes.

"I have to admit, it was a pretty freaky movie. But I enjoyed it." Ally shares, shrugging. Her eyes then become unfocused on us; they fix on something in the background. "I'm going to go sit with Troy."

"Alright, see you, Ally." Dinah waves, looking up from poking Lauren's arm rapidly and intently. She has been doing this since Lauren sat between her and me. Ally stands up from beside me, disappearing into the crowd of people at tables.

"We couldn't have not watched that movie? We could've done something else instead." I suggest, shrugging.

"Like?" Dinah asks, her words acting like they're hanging off an edge.

"I don't know. Grilling? I wanna grill with somebody." I admit, sighing dramatically. Dinah furrows her eyebrows as she relentlessly pokes Lauren's arm. "I wanna cook hotdogs with somebody."

"Nice to know." Normani drawls, nodding slowly.

"I'm just kidding, but really. We couldn't have watched a different movie?" I complain, trembling just thinking about the film. It was truly awful.

Lauren pulls a banana off her tray, clearly going to peel it but she turns to Dinah—who is still poking her arm—first. "Why?" She asks, shrugging with her hands.

While she is occupied, I snatch her banana and sink under the table. I peel the banana quietly and take a bite of it. I see all of my friends' legs under the table, either crossed or straight.

"Where did my banana go?" I hear Lauren ask from above the table. "And where is Camila?"

I can't help but let out a giggle. Lauren's body then tilts to the side and she looks under the table. Her green eyes land on me. "What are you dong?"

"Nothing." I mumble through a full mouth, shrugging innocently.

Lauren laughs, rolling her eyes. "Come back up and you can just have it." She offers, making me scoot back up into my seat.

"Why, Mila?" Normani asks, her features puzzled.

"Why not?" I retort.

"She ate all the bananas in her house." Dinah explains, earning my glare. "She sent me about fifty texts about it."

"Oh, Camz." Lauren laughs, making my cheeks flush red. I finish the banana, setting the peel back on Lauren's tray.

"I feel hurt that you didn't text me about your death sentence." Normani clutches her heart, her expression faking pain.

I go to respond but a deep voice cuts me off. "I haven't seen you around."

A body plops down beside me. This body has short brown hair and a pale-complexion, but it isn't endearing like Lauren's. He also has dull, ugly, green eyes, unlike Lauren's emeralds.

"Hi?" I ask, furrowing my eyebrows. Normani looks confused, Dinah looks pissed, and Lauren's hand begin to shake.

"I'm Austin. But you probably already knew that." The boy says cockily, flashing me a grin that makes me want to puke.