Anatomy Of Love (Camren Fanfiction)

Chapter 6

Harvard Medical College. A tranquil paradise of Georgian red-brick mansions, graced by wise and ancient trees. The architecture is emphatically classical, the center of campus buttressed with bold ionic columns. Over the doors to the main building were the famous words of Dr. Louis Pasteur,“Dans le champs de l’observation le hasard ne favorise que les esprits prepares- (In the field of scientific observations, chance favors are only the mind that is prepared.)

Harvard was everything Lauren had hoped it would be and more. Spread out over several miles  and comprised of several gothic buildings, it was a world unto itself. The size daunted Camila, but not Lauren; she figured if she could triumph here, she could triumph anywhere. The fact that she was accepted gave her the confidence to conquer anything that came her way.

Lauren found a cheap 1980s style apartment that was in a great location two miles away from the campus. It was a two story building with all the apartment doors on one side of the building, the second floor balcony walkway providing a overhang for the first floor apartments below. Their place, perched on the top floor was quiet and private, though it barely had enough space for two tenants. 

“Remind me why we had to move in on the hottest day of the year?” Camila whined, her arms full of sheets, a comforter and her pillow. The sun baked down on her head and she just felt like a sticky mess. She wiped a few beads of sweat that trickled down her forehead and marched up the steps.

“It’s dry heat though,” Lauren replied with a smirk. “Everyone knows that dry heat isn’t really hot.”

“Tell that to a baked chicken,” Camila grumbled as she walked into their apartment. She threw the items that she had in her hands down and collapsed dramatically on the floor. Lauren stepped over her and surveyed their new home.

The apartment, optimistically called a two bedroom suite, contained two adjacent bedrooms, a tiny bathroom, and a kitchen so small that one would have to suck in their gut to get inside. Camila had been busy with grant orientation over the past few days, one of the requirements for the Avery Foundation. That left Lauren with sole responsibility of making the old and tired apartment livable and homey. She purchased furniture from a local thrift shop and filled the apartment with eclectic odds and ends. Sinu had even surprised her with a package full of childhood pictures of themselves which she plastered the walls and end-tables with.

“So, what do you think? I know it’s small but it’ll have to do being that we’re on a poor students budget,” Lauren said, standing across the room, her arms crossed, her expression hopeful.

Camila looked around, the apartment was old, tired, a little grim, but it was the right price at five hundred dollars a month.

 “Laur, there’s peach tiles in the kitchen and a brown shag carpet. I’m not sure what you want me to say?” Camila replied as she looked around the room. 

Lauren sighed as she turned into the kitchen. “Someone’s grumpy,” she called over her shoulder.

Camila’s stomach grumbled reminding her that it had only been fed an egg sandwich hours ago. She dragged herself towards the kitchen and to her astonishment Lauren had set out an assortment of Camila’s favorite snacks- bananas, Oreo cookies, and Cheetos.

“Don’t look so surprised!,” Lauren said, offering up a cookie. Camila held her mouth open while the older one fed her. “You’re such a bitch when you’re hungry,” she said with a grin, “I know when my babe needs to eat.”

Lauren drops into a rickety kitchen chair and pulls Camila down into her lap. Camila smiles and draws Lauren in to kiss her on the cheek.

“You’re the best Laur,” Camila said over a mouthful of Cheetos.

Lauren snakes her arms around the smaller girl’s waist and squeezes her tight. Camila took a deep breath and sank into Lauren’s embrace. It was like letting out a breath she hadn’t known she’d been holding. She sank back into a place of comfort, as if Lauren’s arms were like coming home. She reached back and touched Lauren’s face feeling the silkiness of her skin. Lauren has always been touchy and affectionate with Camila. She acted tough with everyone else in her life but had a soft spot for her best friend. The older one’s nose nudged the back of her ear and Camila’s stomach began to flutter as she was suddenly aware of how the older one’s breath tickled her neck.