Lauren's P.O.V

9PM.

Demi and I sat on my couch, red wine in hand, "so what happened?" she asked as she took a sip.

"Wow Demi, this wine is amazing!" I swished my glass around and took another sip, yeah I was only twenty, but most of my best friends and even my ex, they've all been older than me so I've been drinking wine for awhile now, "this is just great."

"I know right!" she took another sip, letting the flavors swish in her mouth, "Selena brought it back from her business trip," she winked.

"It must be nice having a girlfriend that travels picking out the best wines for a living," I nodded perking an eyebrow.

She chuckled, "sure is." She smiled, "but in all seriousness…what happened?"

"The night was perfect, I took her to my favorite Italian Bistro," Demi nodded knowing exactly which one I was talking about, "and apparently, Santana was there too." I said wide-eyed.

I watched my best friend almost choke on her wine, "you're joking?" I shook my head 'NO'. "…so how was it? Are you okay? Is Camila okay? Santana?"

Leave it to Demi to ask a thousand questions in one breath.

I gestured with my hand for her to slow her roll, "geez, anymore questions," I let out a chuckle, "Yeah I was surprised to see her since I haven't seen her in months, but I was fine, just taken by surprise." I tilted my head and took another sip, "it wasn't EXACTLY the ideal situation, you know your EX and the person you're currently in LOOO," I caught myself, "LIKE, in the same place and it was our first date, I was in shock to be honest."

"Nice try," she pressed her lips together, "you LOOOOOVVEEE, this girl."

"Do not!" I said making a face as I put my wine glass down and crossed my arms.

"Oh no?" she perked an eyebrow, "you should see your face, you look like a twelve year old." She laughed.

I exhaled, there was no hiding it, my best friend knew me too well, "Camz makes me feel like a twelve year old sometimes," I smiled shaking my head.

"Oh gosh Jauregui….geez," she scrunched her face, "I can't wait to meet the girl that makes you all, giddy!" she made a face, analyzing me, "I've never SEEN you like this. It' precious." She hopped up near the sink, downed her red wine and made her way back to me.

"Taking off?" she leaned down for a hug.

"Yeah, Selena is almost home and we haven't seen much of each other," she kissed my head and made her way towards the door. "Lauren…"

"Yeah?"

"Next weekend, it's Selena's company party, you should bring Camila, it'd be nice to get to know the girl that makes you act like," she shook her head as a smile began to creep across my face, "like that." She pointed, "it'll be perfect, Jade and Perrie will be there too, think about it!" she said closing the door behind her.

THINK ABOUT IT.

Yes, I would certainly do just that. It would be a big step ALL my best friends would be there. I'm still getting to know Camz and I want to be selfish and keep her to myself for a little while longer, but Demi has a point, all of them would be there and it's a social gathering, not too intimidating, maybe I will ask Camila to go with me.

I looked at my phone…

12AM-MIDNIGHT.

It was Saturday night and I poured myself another glass of red wine, YUM, nothing like a good bottle of red wine, aged to perfection and just opened. Well, technically Sunday now and I was sitting at my kitchen table still grading papers and catching up on my own schoolwork as well. Of course my mind began to wander to the only thing that seemed to occupy most of it-HER, the brown-eyed girl.

***Flashback***

I was at the University library going over last minute, textbook material before I began writing my papers of a graduate course I was taking.

"Here you go Ms." the nice waitress placed a cup of coffee on my table as I looked up, "thank you." I whispered out and there she was, just across the café

She's wearing dark skinny jeans, a loose gray oversized sweater, her dark brown locks a little wavy, draped over one shoulder, a pair of chucks on, super casual, still beautiful as ever-STOP IT-I couldn't stop IT, and her lips, bright red. I chuckled to myself, I love how she still wears lipstick to study, eyes in her book, STUNNING. Why is the head cheerleader HERE on a Friday night, doing schoolwork? I felt my lips pull to my eyes that couldn't stop admiring the girl across the room. She's different; she quoted Aristotle today for crying out loud! Different isn't the word-REMARKABLE-yeah, I began to shake my head to snap out of my daze.

"Excuse me," the waitress turned around, back to me, "could you send two chocolate chip cookies to that girl over there," I pointed at the brunette across the café.

I turned my attention back to my textbook when it was broken by the sweetest voice, "Umm…Ms. Jauregui." I looked up into bright, brown eyes.

"Camila," I couldn't help but smile at the sight I took in, "I see you got the cookies…finally" I let out a light laugh.

I watched her lips pull to her eyes, "Better late than never right?"

"Please," I pointed to the seat in front of me. "And it's Lauren, we're not at school." I watched her sit down, "Plato's Symposium, impressive, are you SURRREEE you're seventeen?" I tilted my head, trying to figure this girl out as my half smile made an appearance.

She laughed, "alright Mssss-, I mean, Lauren, how old are you?" she brought her hot chocolate to her lips-GEEZ, STOP IT! "I mean, you," she pointed a finger at me, almost teasing, "…are you sure you're NOT seventeen?"

She MADE me laugh…she's pretty funny; I'll give her that.

"Close, but no, I'm not seventeen." I sipped my coffee, making her wait for an answer.

"So are you just gonna keep me guessing or…" she let out teasingly, leaning over the table, closer to me-CLOSER.

Well, I can play this game too, "Maybe," I let out with a smirk, leaning closer, "you have to admit," I was almost off my seat, leaning in closer-WHAT AM I DOING? "It's a bit more fun this way." I whispered, my eyes held in place by shimmering brown ones, the hold so strong that I found myself reaching for her hand-STOP IT!

I grabbed a cookie instead, WHEW, that was too close, "hey! You bought those for me!" she pouted-SO CUTE.

"There's another one in there for you," I laughed, taking another bite, "I just turned twenty."

"Twenty," she bit her cookie, "this is delicious…twenty, how are you even a teacher?"

"Student teacher, I'm still continuing education." I said with a smile before popping the last bite in my mouth.

"Now that, that's impressive." She said with a toothless smile.

I took a quick look at my watch, "Gosh, it's almost midnight," DON'T DO IT, "do you need a ride?"

DID IT!

She looked a bit surprise, "Uhh, yeah sure."

We headed outside, walking in silence; it was nice. The kind of silence I welcomed, we didn't need to say a word. I would steal glances at her every now and then and I'd catch her brown eyes looking at me, she'd quickly just turn away and bump into me, playfully and I'd do the same, there's SOMETHING about her…my walls were gone.

I hope she's not afraid of bikes.

"Ahhh," she looked around confused, "where's your car?"

"Right here," I walked towards my Ducati and the expression on her face said it all.

Is it a bad thing that I think THAT FACE is the most adorable thing I'd ever seen…because it IS.

"A bike?" yeah, she looks scared.

"Not just any bike, the fastest," I held out a helmet, maybe that WASN'T the best thing to say when trying to convince someone to get on a bike with you! "You'll be fine, trust me, I know what I'm doing." I flashed her a half smile, hoping that would do the trick and I think it did, her expression softened, her eyes flickered with the light above, HYPNOTIC.

***End of Flashback***

~RING-RING-RING~

1AM

Who's calling me? CAMZ, "Hello?" it was almost a question, it was pretty late and I knew she was with her friends tonight, "Camz?"

Was that a burp? Cute, very cute, I chuckled, what the heck is going on? "Hi Ms. Jaur-Lauren…Ms. Teacher," IS SHE DRUNK? "Ms. JaurLaurTeacher…" she began to giggle-YUP…DRUNK, definitely drunk.

I chuckled; it was all I could really do, "Camila," I said slowly, "is everything okay? Are YOU okay?"

"I think the room is trying to get me," she whispered, "it won't stop spinning."

Gosh, I know she's intoxicated, but she has got to be the MOST adorable drunk I've EVER gotten a call from, "oh really?" I whispered back, "well don't worry, I won't let it get you."

"Mszzss Lauren," –MS. LAUREN, WOW.

How could I NOT go with it, I couldn't resist, "Yes Camz?"

"Do you love that girl?" her tone completely vulnerable and the way she sounded just-IT JUST MELTED MY HEART.

WAIT-that girl? What girl-Oh gosh, "Camz…are you talkin-"

"She's so pppuuurrrttty and beeeyoootifuull and tannnned and more sophistimacccaattted than I am," her tone was down and I could hear the sadness in her voice, "you're better off with someone byooootttiifffuull and tannerrrr than me."

I've had my share of drunken moments and I KNOW we tend to tell the truth, it's like a truth serum and even though she's intoxicated, that just broke my heart, knowing she feels that way.

"Camila…"

I heard her let out a sigh, "yes Lauren?" she let out barely audible, almost sleepy.

"You're right," I heard her let out a whimper and I'm not sure if she'll remember this and truth be told, I think I'm a little braver because she probably WON'T remember, "I am absolutely IN LOVE with an intelligent, absolutely beautiful, remarkable girl…she just so happens to wear bows." My heart fluttered at my confession, I said it out loud, I'm in love with her, "and her skin is perfectly tanned, caramel like." my lips pulled to my eyes at the thought of HER.

It was quiet for a few seconds, "Oooo! I wear bows! I LOOOOVEEE BOWSSS!"

I began to laugh, "Yes, yes you do wear bows." TOO FUNNY! She has no idea what I just said.

"I wish you were here," she let out so sweetly.

"Oh yeah?" ME TOO!

"Yeah!" she said enthusiastically, "we could cuddles, I could be the BIGGESSST spoon and you could be the TEEEENNNY spoon."

I always figured I'd be the big spoon, I began to laugh, "whatever you want Camz, what else?"

"And then we could just stay in and sleep in and then we could make BANANA PANCAKES! They're the bessssttteeeessstt! Maybe it could just raiiiiinnnn all day and we would never have to go outside, we can just snugggleeesss and eat more banana pancakes and stay that way forever…" she let out all in one breath, "and you could just hold me."

I just listened and all I could do was smile from ear to ear, I wouldn't mind it raining all day and having the world in my arms, her in my arms…not one bit.

"That sounds nice, you must LOVE banana pancakes?" I chuckled out.

"I do," her tone a little sleepier, "I LOVE banana pancakes…and you're MY banana pancake."

WHAT? DID SHE JUST SAY THAT, she LOVES banana pancakes, I'm HER banana pancake, what does that even MEAN?…she's drunk, shouldn't look into it TOO much-TRUTH SERUM.

"Camz?" I could hear her breathing go steady and I knew she had fallen asleep.

I stayed on the line for a little longer just to make sure before I hung up the phone.