Trials and Tribulations

Chapter 24

A while later, the waitress returned with their food and a few extra plates of hot wings that were needed for the recently revived challenge. Dinah reiterated the rules of the competition to Ally, Normani and Lauren who would be participating for the first time before sharing out the wings equally amongst the five of them ready to begin. Once the challenge started, the girls began eating the wings, each one of them watching the others closely to ensure that no one was cheating, keeping a firm eye on their rivals. Ally was the first to fold after having eaten only four wings,

her small hand reaching out for her drink desperately in an attempt to cool her mouth which was becoming increasingly more uncomfortable as it burned. Normani soon followed having eaten six wings, her mouth replicating what she described as the fires of hell it felt so hot. Dinah came in third place, quitting after managing to eat a respectable seven hot wings. That left Lauren and Camila to battle it out for first place, the two of them hunched over their plates as they devoured portion after portion of the extra hot wings. Camila glanced at Lauren beside her and smiled smugly, noting her girlfriends' sweaty brow and flushed face as she continued to plough through the latest wing in her hands. Lauren waved her hand in front of her mouth, exhaling gently in a futile attempt to cool it after finishing the wing she'd been eating. She looked at the plate in front of her beaten before casting a quick glance towards her cup, the small beads of condensation sliding down the external surface of the cup beckoning her to drink the cold, refreshing liquid within it. Lauren turned her head to look at Camila who was watching her expectantly as she continued to bite at the wing in her hand, her brow relaxed and untroubled. Camila raised her eyebrow questioningly and Lauren raised her hand in defeat before reaching for her cup and drinking from it thankfully, savouring the icy soda as it passed her lips and refreshed her mouth. Camila continued to finish the wing that she'd been eating before placing the now empty bones back onto the plate in front of her, all

twelve wings that she'd been given totally consumed. She licked at her fingers pointedly and laughed at the still flushed appearance of Lauren's face beside her. "Are you going to finish these?" Camila asked, pointing at the remaining few wings on Lauren's plate. "No," Lauren said in response, giving Camila a disbelieving look. "Please tell me you're not going to eat them?" she questioned as Camila reached over and slid the plate towards her. "They're good," Camila protested, picking one of the wings up and taking a bite. "How the hell do you do that?" Lauren asked impressed. "My mouth literally feels like it's on fire. I actually think that I might have lost a layer of skin in there somewhere it hurts so much." "I know right?" Normani agreed taking another large sip of her own drinking and sticking her tongue out slightly afterwards to try and cool it further. "I stopped five minutes ago and my mouth is still burning." "Well, I guess its official then," Dinah said starting on her main course and picking at the chips in front of her. "You're still the undefeated hot wing challenge champion." Camila lifted her fist up into the air in celebration as she finished the last wing on Lauren's plate and pushed it to one side, finally reaching over to have a mouthful of her drink. "If the worst comes to worst and I fail to finish high school," Camila started playfully, "at least I know that I can always fall back on participating in eating competitions." "As if you're

going to fail high school," Dinah scoffed. "Even after your head injury you're still smarter than me." "Yeah well that's not exactly hard," Camila joked, winking at Dinah teasingly and her friend smiled in response. The girls finished the rest of their food, ignoring, as best as possible, the periodical glances from the other side of the diner where Rachel and her group of friends were sitting. Every so often, Lauren would see Rachel glaring at their group, a harsh look plastered across her face especially when her eyes fell on an unobservant Camila who was deep in conversation with Dinah opposite her. When they'd eventually finished their meal and settled their bill, the girls' left the diner and piled back in to Ally's car to go to their last destination of the day. "So where are we going?" Lauren asked as she played with Camila's fingers mindlessly in her own. "Should I prepare to dodge Rachel again?" she added only halfjoking. "Lauren," Camila scolded, resting her head against the taller girls shoulder. "I'm sorry," Lauren apologised sincerely. "She just annoys me that's all." "Ithink she annoys all of us," Normani agreed. "I wish she'd take the hint and just leave you two alone," Dinah said. "That makes two of us," Lauren replied. She paused for a moment to look at Camila who was staring out the windscreen seemingly lost in thought. "Which reminds me," she said nudging Camila slightly. "I still owe you for that little display in there." Camila turned her face up to look at Lauren, not having heard what she'd said properly. "What?" Camila asked her. "Are you ok?" Lauren countered Camila's