“How the hell did this happen? No. How? No… forget it…”
“I just – I just – I don’t know – we went to sleep together!”
She flails her arms wildly.
“I wake up, and then… this happened?”
“It’s an… orange.”
“I can see that, Dinah!”
“Why don’t you try telling me what I want to know?”
“What do you want to know?”
“You’re telling me this is really her?”
Dinah points to a perfectly round orange. It sits unmoving as both girls stare at the object.
“It’s her…”
“How do you know?”
“She rolls.”
“What?”
“When I called for her name she rolled every time…”
“Lauren?”
The orange rolls, and Dinah shrieks.
“It’s a demon-orange! Throw it away!”
The orange, Lauren, rolls off the bed, lands squarely on Dinah’s foot. She yelps and pulls away, lowering Lauren to the carpeted ground.
“Why does an orange weigh so much?”
Camila frowns.
“Don’t be mean, Dinah.”
“It hurt me!”
“It’s Lauren!”
“You’re evil even as an orange, Lauren!”
“Don’t yell at her! It’s not fair! She can’t even talk!”
“I don’t care! Your girlfriend is an evil orange!”
---
“Sorry… I don’t know what to do… should I put you in the fridge? Or do you want to be here? Do you want the blanket or is your peel enough?”
Lauren rolls.
“You want to stay here?”
Rolls.
“Blanket?”
Rolls again.
“This is so awkward, but…”
Camila bends, kisses the top of Lauren, a single stem.
“We didn’t do anything productive, but I’m exhausted and I’m hoping tomorrow will bring answers? Night?”
---
Camila wakes up to the scent of citrus. The cold outer layer of an orange pressed to her left cheek.
“Morning, Lauren.”
---
“Can I ask you a question?”
Lauren remains still by the television.
“Why an orange? Couldn’t you decide to be an apple?”
Lauren rolls away.
“Hey, I’m sorry!”
---
“Oh, this is the first time I’ve seen you bring a snack to work… not liking the lack of nutrients and the artificiality of our vending machines?”
Camila nervously chuckles at her co-worker’s words
“Can I have a piece?”
“Um, uh, um, actually this is for someone…”
YOU ARE READING
Speak (Camren)
FanfictionWhen Lauren turns into an orange. - "Well, besides that, I've been thinking... maybe you should kiss her?" "Right now? Why?" "Maybe it'll change her back." "That's a fairy tale, and I've kissed her many times before." "Seriously, you made-out with a...
