Unexpected

Chapter 8: One Step at a Time

Lauren woke the next morning to the feeling of Camila's small body squirming in her arms. Almost forgetting that she slept at Camila's, Lauren lifted her head slightly to see Camila's face.

"Morning" she said with a sweet smile.

Camila got up off the couch and reached out her arms to help Lauren up. She pulled her in for a hug that lasted several moments. 

"Can we talk about yesterday, for real this time?" Camila asked quietly, her head still buried in Lauren's chest. 

Lauren pulled out of the hug to see Camila's face. "Yeah. I just gotta go home, check in with my parents...change." Lauren looked down realizing she still had the same clothes on from yesterday.

Camila giggled, "okay well, how 'bout I shower and get dressed quickly, then we go?"

Lauren nodded her head in agreement and they headed upstairs. 

Later, after arriving at Lauren's house, she introduced her parents and siblings to Camila. "This is my friend Camila, guys." Lauren noticed her brother discretely checking Camila out, laughing inwardly at the idea that maybe they had the same taste in girls. 

After talking with her family for about a half hour, the girls decided to go back to the park they visited a few weeks prior. They walked hand-in-hand straight to the bench in the clearing in the woods, just as they did before. 

Camila let out a deep sigh after sitting down. "So I've been thinking," she paused, "and I realized...I do like you Lauren. I just didn't know it."

Lauren felt happy, but at the same time worried that Camila was just saying this so she wouldn't feel bad.

"My mind's been so screwed up lately, I've been in my own little world. I don't think about things the same way anymore. I'm always so focused on the negative...I don't take the time to appreciate what's right in front of me."

"But you're always so happy, Camila. I don't get it" Lauren questioned.

Camila leaned in closer to Lauren. "It's all a front. I'm not truly happy ever since what happened. I only pretend to be so my mom won't worry about me, even though I know she does; every second."

"Can I ask you something?" Lauren was nervous to release her thoughts. "Why didn't your mom let you press charges on the guy either? Like, didn't she believe you?"

Camila folded her arms across her chest. "You know, I asked myself that every day for weeks. I hated her. Absolutely despised her...how could she turn on me like that? Her own daughter. But then I realized...my step dad's a bad person. He puts thoughts in my mom's head. Makes up these ridiculous lies and forces her to believe them. It's like he's got her brainwashed or something."

Lauren's heart ached listening to Camila.

"I know my mom would never do anything to hurt me. It's him. He's doing this to her. Making her believe that I made it all up." Camila shook her head in frustration.

"I'm so sorry Camila."

"Ever since I met you Lauren...I've been getting better, happier. I'm not miserable anymore. I can see the good in people again. I trust again." Camila paused momentarily. "I didn't realize it until last night. When all that happened. I was still in that bad mindset, not taking the time to look around me and realize that things were changing. That I was changing. I'm happier now, Lauren. And the only thing that's different in my life is you."

Lauren smiled, her cheeks blushing as Camila's beautiful brown eyes looked deep into hers.

"Thank you for everything. Thank you for being there for me when no one else was, thank you for listening to me talk, thank you for helping me be happy again. In the short time that we've known each other...you changed my life."

Lauren felt guilty taking credit for something so important, "I didn't change your-"

Camila stopped Lauren's words with a kiss. She held their lips together for a moment before releasing them and saying, "trust me. You did."

Lauren could only smile.

"So do you really wanna do this?" Camila asked.

"Do what?" Lauren said, slightly confused.

"You know, be together."

"Oh, well I don't-I don't...I mean yeah. Yeah I do." Lauren's face turned a light shade of red yet again as she stuttered.

"Are you sure, 'cause I'm prettyyy crazy" Camila teased.

"You're perfect." Lauren planted two quick kisses on Camila's lips.

After sitting on the bench in silence for a minute, Lauren couldn't keep her thoughts in, "so are we like...together together?"

"What do you mean?" Camila asked, giggling.

"You know, like togetherrrr together?" Lauren said, emphasizing the words dramatically.

Camila smiled, "let's just say I don't wanna be with anyone else but you. We'll just take it one step at a time."

Lauren smiled and rested her head on top of Camila's.