Apparently, it lasted a week.

Apparently, they were a couple. Apparently, they held hands in the halls and kissed each other at the lockers and apparently the raven-haired girl walked her to all of her classes. All of her classes.

There were a lot of "apparently's" that she wasn't particularly fond of. Apparently, she couldn't look at, think about, or talk to other girls. Apparently, PDA was a common thing now. It was never something she'd really cared about in a relationship. Yes, holding hands and yes, maybe a peck on the cheek but Lucy had seemed ridiculous about the whole thing. Three kisses ㅡ not two and not four and not pecks ㅡ before parting ways whether it be at classes or her dropping Lucy off at her house. The two could never just sit next to each other normally, no, Lucy had to be pressed into her side with the other girl's arm linked through hers. Apparently, she wanted her to believe this was a normal thing but to her, it seemed a little clingy.

And where does our story start today? At Lucy's house on her couch. It wasn't until the third call on her phone did she break the current kiss.

"I should get that," she breathes as Lucy's lips transfer to her neck. The girl had planted herself on her lap fifteen minutes into the movie. She had interrupted Star Wars.

"It's probably not important," she mumbles before taking the girl's bottom lip between her teeth.

"It's probably very important. That's the third call," she sits up slightly and Lucy sighs before falling off her lap in a huff.

She wanted to give a snippy remark but instead, she picks up her phone.

"Camila?" She questions the caller ID. She'd been crying. She knew she'd been crying from the second her voice filtered into her ear.

"C-can you come home please?"

She was already on her feet, her voice a whimper followed by a few sniffles. Lucy trailed after her with furrowed eyebrows and heavy footsteps.

"Are you okay? Do I need to send someone to the house cause Dad'll have a squad car over there in-"

"Just come," she sighs into the phone, the breath stuttered, "please."

She nods but remembers she can't see her and assures that she'll be there as soon as possible before hanging up.

"Where are you going?" Lucy grabs Lauren's wrist as she reaches for the door handle.

"Something's wrong with Camila," she pulls her hand back.

"But I thought we were watching a movie?" she batted her eyelashes innocently at the girl but no goddamn way in hell would she fall for that. Swiping her keys off the small table by the front door, she glares at her. Something in her heart shriveled.

"I used to have the biggest crush on you, but I guess Vero Iglesias was right to warn me." Feeling satisfied, she leaves. However, Lucy had no idea what she was talking about.

-

Her eyes drained of every last tear as she leaned against the frame of her bed. She never understood why she was like this way. The tiny hairs on her nape, falling out of her bun, were still damp and the clothes she threw on seconds before Lauren had busted into her room still clung to her skin from moisture. She was on the floor next to the girl in an instant.

"Are you okay? Are you hurt? What happened?" Lauren immediately began to search for injuries. But she was physically okay. Emotionally, not so much. The girl lets out a sob, covering her mouth to keep any more from escaping. Lauren lifted her gaze from her body to her face where she gently pulls the crying girl's frame into hers while murmuring gentle words.

This wasn't a normal occurrence. This wasn't a thing. The last time she'd seen her cry was that Sunday, approximately five days ago. They weren't this close, they didn't hug, they were barely talking (though significantly more than when they had first met) but the brunette needed her comfort and she seemed to know that.

"I was drowning. I was drowning. I was drowning," she kept whispering into her shoulder. It took her a while to calm down, to tell her she hadn't actually been drowning, to tell her it was only fear. Only another thing that made her weak.

She kept her in the hug for a moment before asking what she could do to help. Shyly, she asked her to sit with her in the bathroom when she took a bath. And of course, it took her by surprise. Little Camila asking her to do what now? She briefly explained how her mother used to sit on the floor next to the tub and tell her stories or read her books. Because as long as there was someone in the room, she'd be fine. Her mother could pull her hair back up for her. The thought of the woman made her want to cry again. So she agreed. Lauren told her she'd wait outside the bathroom door until she was covered with bubbles and when she'd heard her small "okay", it took her a moment to actually open the door.

She was the girl afraid to drown and she was the girl that kept her floating.

"You were on your date, huh?" she asks as the other girl sits Indian style, knees hitting the fiberglass sides of the tub.

"Yeah..." she sighs, picking up some bubbles with her fingertip to blow them in the other's face.

"I'm sorry," the brunette sinks lower into the water.

Lauren chuckles. "Camila, you don't ever have to apologize to me. Okay? Don't apologize to me," she pauses, "Lucy was kind of overrated anyway. Very bitchy. Clingy. Now I'm anagapesis."

Camila laughs causing a smile to creep across her face.

"No longer feeling affection for someone you once loved," she recites and Lauren's smile grew wider. She liked that she understood her use of unused words.

Folding her arms against the lip of the tub, Lauren rests her head there as well and closes her eyes with a sigh. The only sound was their light breathing and the occasional swish from Camila. It was peaceful.

"Lauren," her eyes shoot open immediately, "could you..." she trails off, motioning for her to leave but not stray too far with a soapy hand. Once again, she listens to her. And apparently, they were becoming friends.

- 

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[ edited on july 17, 2019 ]