If you ask someone what they think of Lauren Jauregui, you're gonna get different answers. Snobby, hot, hardworking.

Lauren's a lot of things. Smart is definitely one of them.

But after today in class, well, she's starting to doubt that. A lot.

She got a 89% on a test and it's the first grade she's gotten that's below an A since high school started, and the way she's reacting to it isn't the best.

Lauren's teacher gave her a look when she handed the paper over to her. It wasn't really disappointment, because what teacher in their right mind would get mad at their best student for getting a good grade, but the teacher looked confused. Concerned, even? It mixed in empathy in there, too. Everyone knew Lauren always got A's. Always.

Except now. And it was hurting her fucking head.

When she saw the grade on the paper she felt herself shut down in her own crumbling world. She wasn't expecting it and she honestly didn't know how to handle it. After that, she went through her entire school day paying attention in class, ignoring everyone, and disregarding her phone. She didn't want to make this day worse than it already was. She just wanted everything to stop.

The dreadful day finally came to an end and now she's crying in her room on top of some stupid AP review book. Because she's stupid.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid." She mumbles to herself in between sobs.

Crying probably won't help this situation, considering she could be spending this time studying. To make sure she doesn't end up being a failure.

But now her phones ringing and she knows it's Camila without looking at it because they both set each other their own special ringtones. Lauren picks up the phone after fumbling with it, and she can barley even make out the name in front of her, because her tears are making everything really hard to see.

"H-hello?" She tries to say without choking on her sobs. It didn't really work out.

"Lauren? Are you okay?" Camila asks. Lauren can tell she's really concerned just by her voice. Lauren also feels a bit guilty, since she's ignored everyone today. Including Camila. "You haven't been answering my messages, so I assumed you were just busy. But I wanted to hear about my little Lauren's day." She says with a teasing voice, obviously trying to make Lauren feel better.

Lauren tries to say something, but she just ends up crying again. She gets why she's acting this way, but Camila calling just messed her up even more. She's just really sweet and Lauren feels overwhelmed. This girl makes her feel so happy, but at the moment her emotions are a mess and she doesn't know what to do.

"Lauren," Camila starts with a very quiet, caring voice. "Do you want to tell me what's wrong? Or do you just want to stay silent for a while? I'm fine with either, as long as I can be on the phone with you to make sure you're okay."

'Oh god,' Lauren thinks. 'The water works are really gonna start going' Lauren ponders that she may be getting her period. She's usually never like this.

After a few moments of silence and some wiping of tears, Lauren finally speaks up. "I-I got a B+ on one of my tests. And I know it's really dumb to be worked up over something like this. I just, it wasn't an A. I know I sound like I'm being over dramatic, which I probably am, but it's just- grades mean so much to me? If th-they aren't perfect, I don't feel perfect. There's no point in doing anything if I'm not succeeding in it." Lauren manages to get out with only a few sobs in between.

If Camila thought hearing Lauren cry was heartbreaking, hearing her talk about her insecurities hurt her even more.

"Lauren, listen to me. You're the smartest person I know. You're probably the smartest person in this entire fucking county, but a B+ isn't the end of the world. That's a really good grade! I get excited when I get B+'s, that stuff is hard. I know you feel bad and that this is a touchy issue for you, but I want you to know how many people want to be you. You're practically perfect. You win at everything, you're fucking brilliant, and you're gorgeous. No one can ever beat you, Lolo."

"Lolo?" Lauren sniffs and asks, and Camila can practically see her smirk through the phone call.

"Out of all of that, that's what you choose to reply to?" Camila laughs, which makes Lauren laugh.

Everything might be okay.

They talk for two more hours. Lauren feels herself losing good grades with every minute that passes with them on the phone.

After Camila tells some story about how she got a detention that she thinks she didn't deserve, Lauren speaks. "I think we should talk less..."

"What?" Camila asks, and if Lauren listened closer, she could probably hear the heartbreak in Camila's voice.

"Everything is so, - I don't know. I talk to you too much and I always leave class to see you. And I need to focus on school more. The whole point Dinah had with me talking to was to be less stressed, but I'm finding myself distracted by you constantly and it causes me to mess up in school. And that stresses me out."

"Well, jeez Lauren. If you didn't want to spend time with me all you had to do was tell me." Camila's teasing, but in reality, there was a lot of hurt behind that statement.

"I do want to spend time with you. I really do, but school is my priority."

"Blah blah, I know. You wanna get into an Ivy League and make mommy and daddy proud. You've told me. But I don't think it's fair to you–to us, to push our... 'relationship' away." Camila added that last part a little awkwardly. More of a question rather than a statement, but Lauren understood. "I know that we spend too much of our time in a gross bathroom, but I find myself always looking forward to that part of the day."

"I mean...I guess you're right." Lauren felt like her mind was going crazy right now. "But I still need to get better in school. And if I have to cut you out, then so be it." Lauren said finally.

"Oh, shut up." Camila started. "We don't need to put ourselves through any hardships, my dear. All we have to do is study more. I say, you and I, become study buddies."

Lauren snorts. "No offense, Camila, but you think a D+ is a good grade. I don't think we would meet each others standards for that."

"It is! It's not failing, and that's all that matters." Camila exclaims pointedly. "Well, your problem with me is that I'm taking too much of your time. This way, we can both see each other and still work on school."

"That's actually not that bad."

"See, and people think I'm dumb. Lauren Jauregui thinks my idea is good. What a day."

"Be quiet, dork."

—

They decide after that, that there's no need for Lauren to always be stressed. They're gonna push their date, whenever that was supposed to be, back until Lauren gets an A on a test in that class again. Every Wednesday after school they'll go to the library and study in one of the private rooms. Nothing could go wrong.

Camila and Lauren kind of have this thing going on now. Lauren starts leaving her phone on in class, much to her own dismay, and Camila's always texting her. Lauren should really mind it, she really should, but she doesn't. Lauren leaves in almost every class to go to the bathroom, just to see that annoying girl. The behavior is kind of weird, considering she used to never leave. Never ever. Class time was precious and she wanted to utilize it to the best of her ability.

But then Camila happened. Lauren's pretty damn sure she went past the crush stage and went straight to falling for her. She's kind of okay with that. The way she does things in her life is different now, thanks to Camila. Lauren leaves class constantly, Camila and her make out for five minutes, and then a dazed Lauren goes back to class. It's all fine and dandy.

Right now she's waiting for her substitute to pass out some worksheet that'll help them for the next quiz. As soon as he gives the paper to her, Dinah pokes her. "Lauren, you've been acting a little strange lately. Wanna tell me anything?" Dinah asks with suspicious, yet concerned eyes.

Lauren shrugs while only feeling a little bad that she hasn't been talking to Dinah that much. "Nothing out of the ordinary has been going on. I've just been busy with school work." Yup. School work. Not locking lips with Camila every class. Nope. Nope. Nope.

Dinah rolls her eyes. "Aren't you always?" She asks rhetorically with a smile. Dinah goes back to the worksheet and Lauren lets out a breath of relief. She felt like an interrogation could start at any moment, and she was not prepared.

Class is almost at the end when Lauren finally gets a text from the girl she always craves during school.

💘I think we've worked hard enough today, don't you think?

💘come to the bathroom and I'll give you a reward for being such a hard worker today

She really shouldn't go, she really shouldn't.

She goes anyways.

Lauren doesn't even have time to feel bad about missing more class because she's already out the door, headed straight down the hall.

It goes like this almost every time. Camila looks smug, Lauren makes a witty remark, and they make out. They've had the luck to not ever be walked in on.

That is, until today.

The door swings open when Camila's pushing their hips together against the wall and a shriek comes out of the girls mouth when she sees the sight in front of her.

"Jesus, Mary, and Joseph!" The small girl lets out as she abruptly turns around to face the door.

Lauren separates herself as quickly as possible from Camila. "Oh, hi Ally." She says sheepishly, as she turns to Camila. "We'll continue this another time." She whispers and she gives a peck to her before she's out the door, leaving a shocked Ally and lovestruck Camila in there.

"Well I'm gonna...pee now." Ally says awkwardly as she points her thumb to the stall.

"Yeah, me too." Camila says, not even hearing what the other girl in the bathroom said. She was too busy thinking about the taste Lauren's lips left on her mouth.