All This Time

Chapter 1

August 2011

Miami, Florida

Another new year, another new high school. Lauren Jauregui was enrolled as a seventeen year old high school senior, as per normal. She was a few days behind all of the other students but she'd had other things to do before she started school again. She straightened out her The Who t-shirt and smoothed out her worn out jeans and smiled at her once white Chuck Taylors that she had decorated and colored. She went through the routine of going to the guidance counselor's office and getting her schedule and her locker combination. Each high school was always the same. The social hierarchy was the same. The teachers were the same. The students were the same.

Lauren walked through the crowded hallway to her locker and spun the dial to get it open. The lock stuck and she growled and tried again and again.

"That one always sticks," a voice said. "I had it last year."

Lauren snapped her head to the right to find the source of the voice and she stepped back. A short brunette wearing a raincoat and holding a pink binder and a few notebooks was staring up at her with a smile.

"Camila Cabello," the girl said. "President of Miami High's glee club and resident slushie target."

Camila Cabello shifted her books to one arm and stuck out her hand and Lauren took it.

"Lauren Jauregui," she said with a smile as she winced a little at Camila's firm grip. "New student."

"I gathered. If you hold my books for a moment I can unlock your locker."

"Yeah, thanks."

Lauren took the books from the short brunette and Camila put in the combination and jerked the locker open. The door rattled and Lauren smiled and handed the brunette's books back to her. The smile she received in return could've rivaled stadium lights.

"So, Lauren Jauregui, as president of the glee club I am extending an offer to you to audition if you're interested. Can you sing?"

Lauren shrugged. "Yeah."

"What about dance? Do you have any dance training?"

"Yeah, I've been a cheerleader if that helps any."

"Oh..." Camila's smile dropped from her face. "I suppose you'll be joining the Cheerios then."

"Cheerios?" Lauren stuffed her backpack into her locker and pulled out a few notebooks before shutting it again.

"The cheerleading squad. If you let it be known you were a cheerleader and you have dance training then the odds that Coach Lynch will recruit you are quite high."

"I'm guessing they're more of a dance team than an actual cheerleading squad?"

Camila nodded.

"Then I have no interest. Cheerleading used to be about being encouraging. If I wanted to dance like a whore then I'd go find a strip club."

Lauren almost cursed herself for saying too much but there was a flicker of an oblivious smile on Camila's face. "Glee club meets this afternoon at three-thirty."

"I guess I'll give it a shot."

"Wonderful! What's your first class?"

Lauren pulled her schedule out of her pocket. "Spanish with Williams."

"Mr. Williams is our glee club adviser! Although he is determined to destroy my career as a future Broadway star, he is a fairly good Spanish teacher. I would offer to walk you but there's a chance that I'll receive a slushie facial on the way and I wouldn't want to subject you to that on your first day."