Talk To Me (Camren)

Chapter Two

Chapter 2

Lauren's POV

I'm officially a bigger dork than Ally. Here I am walking to another English after period and to top it off, I'm alone. Ally went to the movies with Perrie and some other friends. I mean, it is Friday. Any normal teenager would get the fuck out of school the moment their last period ended. I myself found out that I couldn't stay away.

I gripped the strings of my backpack as I looked at the several empty seats in the room. Apparently, my feet knew exactly where I wanted to go since I ended up at the same seat as I sat in the previous day.  The brunette looked up at me, surprised. It crossed my mind how expressive her eyes were. It was easy to guess her emotions even though she didn't talk. Of course she would have to be looking at me in the eyes, which seemed to be occurring for only brief amounts of time, having some exceptions.

"Hey, Camila," I tried to say nonchalantly, but I could hear my voice waver slightly.

She just turned and stared down at her desk. I didn't let that discourage me as I plopped my bag down and took a seat.

"Get her talking," I thought.

"So what are you still doing here at school, I mean, it's a Friday."

I internally slapped myself. I was still at school. And obviously she knew it was Friday, she wasn't dumb.

Camila didn't say anything, but I could see at the corner of my eye that she had started rubbing her hands up and down her jeans. I wondered if I was making her uncomfortable.

I gave a laugh, "My friends thought I was crazy for coming again. I don't know, I guess I just love the vibe this class gives off. Have you ever realized that almost every single person in this class pays attention? I like to watch people sometimes, and whenever I study the students here, they're always somewhat focused. You're lucky you have Miss Lovato for AP English. Of course, what do I know? Maybe she's horrible in her regular classes."

I usually wasn't one to talk so much. After realizing that I had basically just spoken a paragraph, I shut my mouth immediately. That's when I realized she had finally looked up and was watching me.

Embarrassed, I looked away and flipped my hair to one side. I was surprised. It usually took a long time for me to warm up to someone and talk so much about totally irrelevant things. Camila hasn't even talked back.

"So are you going to say anything, or are you going to keep letting me babble like an idiot," I asked nervously before looking her way. I couldn't seem to stop looking at her. Or, I didn't want to.

I sighed when she didn't respond, but I could see her lips twitch up in an amused smile while she kept her eyes glued to her desk.

Fair enough. I will have to try a different approach. Making her laugh.

Without thinking, I blurted out, "Why couldn't the bike stand up on it's own?"

She looked at me genuinely puzzled and I wanted to die right then and there. What has gotten into me.

"Because it was 'two tired'," I finished lamely.

The brown eyed girl cocked her head and stared at me until a huge grin spread across her face. I could honestly say that it was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. I would tell all the cheesiest jokes in the world just to get that smile again.

"Do we have any crackers? Naw, we crackalackin." That was the last one I got in before Miss Lovato started class, but throughout the whole lesson, Camila's face was faintly brighter than usual.
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"So you wanna go to the beach after school on Monday?" Luis asked while making himself comfortable on the couch. My parents wouldn't let me take boys in my room so we had to hang out in the living room.

"I can't," I said simply.

"What? Why not?" He flipped on the TV.

"I'm going to an after school class," I told him truthfully.

The Brazilian boy burst out laughing and for some reason it pissed me off.

His laughter died down enough to say, "Why the fuck would you go to one of those things? You have straight A's."

"Maybe I enjoy them."

"Yeah whatever. So I'll get the van and you, me, the boys, and your friends are all going to the beach after school, Monday."

I frowned as I watched him watch the Heat game. Was he even listening to me? I didn't want to go to the beach with his friends. They were always trying to pull some stunt, like in junior year they pulled my bathing suit off in the water. I would rather go to the class and continue my attempts on making Camila laugh. How the hell do I explain that to Luis?

Screw this.

"Count me out, Luis. You have fun with your buddies." I turned to the screen, but I could feel him staring at the side of my head.

"Is something wrong?"

"No."

"Okay." He spreads out his whole body and slings his arm around my shoulder. I stay stiff with my arms crossed.
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"Turn to your partner and describe everything you have gathered from this passage. Discuss what some of the metaphors may mean to you and try to understand the deeper, hidden meaning, not just the plot summary," Miss Lovato started explaining while walking between desks.

I took a deep breath and glimpsed at the silent girl next to me. I was about to talk when I heard a voice coming from in front of our desks.

"Lauren, would you like to join another group for this?" Miss Lovato asked with an apologetic look on her face, "Camila isn't the most talkative person."

A few students turned in their seat to watch our interaction. One even snickered. She smiled kindly at Camila, but the girl just stared at her desk.

"It's really okay, Miss Lovato. Camila's a good partner, even if she hasn't warmed up to me yet," I answered honestly.

I saw a few people turn to the person next to them and started to whisper. I lightly touched Camila's upper arm to get her attention. She whipped her head towards me at my touch.

"Um, so about the passage...what did you think of it."

Silence. I removed my hand that I had not realized was still there.

"You know, if I'm annoying you I can always move."

By now I must have been irritating her. I was being persistent, even for me. For two weeks I had been coming to this class after school and sitting in this seat next to her. I had talked, joked, faked a trip (to make her laugh, but I failed...miserably), and asked questions. Obviously she would have said something by now if she was interested.

I moved to get out of my seat, but before I could-

"Wait."