Bad News

Bad News - Chap. 17

Chapter 17

 

Lauren saw the engraved words on Camila’s bracelet shimmer in the sun light. She wondered what those words meant to her and she was about to ask her, when a low voice broke their comfortable silence.

 

‘’Camila Cabello.’’ Principle Jameson spoke loudly.

Lauren’s head shot up from Camila’s shoulder and she looked at the tall, bold principle standing in front of them. Camila didn’t react to him at all, and just kept sitting there, looking down, and playing with her bracelet. Lauren gulped; she had no idea what was going to happen now.

‘’Camila.’’ He said, standing in front of us now. Camila nodded once, letting the man know that she was listening to him. ‘’Camila, it’s your first day back at school since your suspension, and you already fought with somebody.’’ Mr. Jameson spoke.

Lauren looked at Camila next to her. She wondered what Camila was thinking about. Was she afraid of getting in trouble again, or did she just don’t care at all?

‘’Can you explain to me what happened?’’ Mr. Jameson asked after Camila didn’t react to what he said earlier. Camila just kept looking down, her hood completely covering her face for the man in front of them.

After another few minutes of silence, Mr. Jameson seemed to lose his patience. ‘’Look Camila, I’ve got a football player with a broken nose and two missing teeth, and I’ve got two girls who are telling me that it was your fault. So I need to hear your side of the story, so I can try to fix this mess that you’ve caused.’’

‘’Excuse me?’’ Lauren asked. Camila looked at her with an unreadable expression, and Lauren quickly realized that she should stay out of this conversation when Mr. Jameson looked at her sternly. Lauren shook her head. Should she really stay out of this, or should she be helping Camila?

Camila kept looking at her, wondering what Lauren was thinking about. And when their eyes met, Lauren made up her mind. ‘’Mr. Jameson, I’m sorry for interrupting.’’ She spoke to him. He nodded at her and was about to open his mouth to talk, when Lauren continued.

‘’I know this is none of my business, but I need you to know that it wasn’t Camila’s fault.’’ She said. Mr. Jameson looked at her in a way that Lauren couldn’t decipher. ‘’Lauren, I’ve got an injured student, and two witnesses that are telling me that it was Camila’s fault. How am I supposed to believe you?’’ he asked.

Lauren felt herself getting angry. ‘’Mr. Jameson, Camila was only defending herself. That Chloe girl was provoking her and called her a worthless little bitch. Camila didn’t do anything to her but walk up to her. That’s when Jason came up asking what happened. Chloe told him that Camila had threatened to beat her up, and that’s when Jason took a swing at her.’’ Lauren said, getting out of breath.

Camila looked down again. She smiled under her hood and put her left hand on Lauren’s leg. She started caressing her thigh just above her knee with her thumb, while she slowly looked up at Lauren. Mr. Jameson watched them intently.

Lauren’s breath hitched at the feeling of Camila’s warm hand on her thigh and her skin burned under her jeans. She looked up at Camila, who was looking at her attentively, waiting for some sort of reaction. Lauren sighed, and reached her hand out to Camila’s. She laid her hand on top of hers, and caressed her hand with her thumb.