Wonderfall

Drapetomania

T/N (Translator's note):

Hey, I just wanted to clarify something regarding this chapter so you don't get confused.

Lauren's going to tell us what happened during the joint class of engineering and architecture (given by Ally + Camila) from her point of view. Therefore, the chapter starts before they went to class and before Camila met with Louis at the restaurant.

I just wanted to let you guys know that, since I saw a lot of comments on the original chapter from people wondering if the order of the chapters was correct—which is, indeed, but the point of view and timeline changed.

Anyways, have a good reading! 

Lauren's POV

Drapetomania (n.): an overwhelming urge to run away. 

The cold wind blew through the small crack in the glass and touched the exposed skin of my left arm, which was pressed against the window frame. At five in the morning, there weren't any signs of the sun, but the weather was extra icy and the sky was at its darkest, indicating that it would appear shortly. 

It had been less than an hour since I had gone to sleep and woken up to a distressing nightmare. Trying to go back to sleep would be as hard as ever, so I chose to sit on the large window ledge and wait until the time came, when I was supposed to wake up. 

The breeze came from the outside, the smell of burnt leaves tickling my nose. I let that air fill my lungs until my chest hurt, trying to focus on my breathing.

Oxygen in, I inhaled deeply. Carbon dioxide out, I slowly exhaled the air. One more time, Lauren, I thought, preparing myself. Air in, diaphragm contracting, rib cage expanding, I kept my mind focused on the process. Air in, diaphragm contracting, rib cage expanding, I repeated. Air in... Camila's intoxicating scent, the smell of her hands, her neck, her hair... And I smiled, but I immediately realized what I was doing, so I blinked hard, trying to push the image away. 

And once again, she flooded my mind like a giant wave without warning, swallowing everything in its wake.

"Why are you still awake?" Normani echoed from the darkest corner of the room, piercing the silence. 

"Can't sleep..." I managed to utter. 

You're weak, Lauren, I thought as I squeezed my eyes shut and leaned against the window frame. 

"Camila?" Normani asked, almost as an affirmation. 

Camila... Is there anything in my life that's not about her lately?

"Yeah..." I mumbled.

"Come here, Laur," Normani said drowsily as her hand tapped on the mattress. 

A sudden feeling of vulnerability made me sigh, and I realized I needed comfort. I immediately turned around and walked toward her bed, which was only four large steps away. 

Laying down, I turned my back to my friend, who hugged me from behind and tucked me into her arms. 

"What's wrong, Snow White?"

"Snow White?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Let me be, it's the early hours. If someday your life story turns into a movie, at least I'll get credit for giving you that cute nickname," she said, her hand resting on my stomach. 

I smiled. Even without looking at her, I knew she was struggling to keep her eyes open.

"You can bet I'll write about it in my journal," I spoke, glad Normani called me to lie down with her and took me away from the solitude of so many unsettling thoughts.