take a picture of all my flaws

13

Camila

"Alright, so... I'm taking Lauren Jauregui on a date." Camila says, mostly to herself, but in part to Dinah, Ally and Normani. "I'm walking to her apartment to pick her up, and then I'm taking her on a fucking date. Are we sure this is real life?"

Normani rolls her eyes. "Didn't she say she liked it when you didn't act all fangirly?"

"I'm not acting fangirly, I'm shocked that my crush actually likes me back, there's a difference," Camila quips, but there's no bite behind it, because she's incredibly fucking nervous. She doesn't know how she can compare to Lauren's exes; two of whom were rich and famous. "Alright. I'm going. You'll all be on standby in case I need saving when I inevitably fuck up?"

"You'll be fine," Ally assures her, "but we're here if you need us."

"Now get out of here, and get yourself a hot, rich girlfriend," Dinah says, and when Camila looks at her like really, her best friend just shrugs. "What? She drives a Tesla, you know she's rich."

"I'm- I don't even think about that," Camila brushes her off, "I'm going. I'll... let you know how it goes."

She gets a taxi to Lauren's apartment building, and quickly ducks inside after another resident to avoid having to ring the bell and get Lauren to buzz her up. She gets the elevator to Lauren's floor, all while smoothing out her dress with one hand and inspecting the bouquet of roses in the other, wondering if Lauren will like them, or if they're too cheesy.

As she makes her way down the hall to Lauren's apartment number, the nerves really start to build. She's terrified; not because she's going on a date with Lauren Jauregui, the girl who has been her celebrity crush since she was seventeen, but because she's going on a date with Lauren, her friend who she's crazy about.

She knocks on the door, and after a few moments, it swings open. Lauren is wearing a beautiful black dress that hugs her every curve in all the right places, and Camila feels completely inadequate, because she doesn't think she's ever seen someone quite so beautiful. For a moment, she wonders if Lauren had gotten some kind of stylist or Hollywood makeup artist to come over and get her all glammed up, but the apartment is empty, so she figures that Lauren is just that talented.

"Hi," Lauren sends her that goofy, lopsided grin, and Camila's whole heart melts like candle wax. "I didn't realise you were here, I figured I'd have to buzz you in."

"Snuck in after someone else," Camila smiles sheepishly, holding out the roses she'd momentarily forgotten she had. "Oh, here. These are for you. I wasn't sure if they were too cheesy or whatever, but..."

Lauren looks at her in total adoration, beckoning her inside as she takes the roses. "You're so thoughtful. Let me get a vase for these."

"Oh, thank god, I actually just had the sudden realisation that you might not have owned a vase, because I certainly don't," Camila jokes, as Lauren pulls a glass vase from under the sink and fills it with water, putting the flowers inside and setting them on the counter. "It would've been a total disaster if you hadn't, and I realise that I'm rambling and being totally awkward, but I'm just super nervous because I feel like if I fuck this up then-"

"Then we'll have something to laugh about on our next date," Lauren finishes for her, walking back over to her and taking both of her hands in hers. "I really like you, Camz. Even if you did something awkward that would be some kind of dealbreaker with a total stranger, I know you. It's different, and I get that you're nervous. I am too."

Camila pouts petulantly. "You don't look nervous."

Lauren laughs. "Camz, what do I do for a living?"