The next three weeks were brutal for Lauren. She tried giving Camila some space and did, in fact, lose her number for a while. But when she tried calling a few days later, after having cried for nearly two days straight, Camila still wouldn't take her calls. Not a week after that, either. She tried going to Camila's apartment but Camila wouldn't even come to the door. Lauren sent flowers and chocolates. Camila either didn't get them or didn't care. Eventually, Lauren simply decided that if it could be fixed, it would be after more time. She left Camila alone.
Lauren kicked herself every day, all day, for the entirety of the three weeks. Her days used to be full with the woman she loved like nobody she'd ever loved before. Now it was her empty house and a few hours a day in her store. The only person she could even talk to about it was Normani and she was not the most sympathetic of ears. Not that Lauren felt she deserved much sympathy. So she lamented at work and cried at home. She stopped the thing with Lucy the day after the incident at the store. Even as she did it Lauren couldn't believe she'd jeopardized her relationship with Camila for more of crazy Lucy. Lauren was alone and depressed and she felt she deserved to be. She was miserable every day, all day.
So it was no different on the Friday the 8th of June. It was her and Normani her scribbling away and her standing glumly by the register listening to his music. She'd wigged out because she thought life with a gorgeous, funny, adventurous girlfriend would be all there was. Now she looked at what her life was like because of what she'd done, thought that might be the rest of her life, and the thought made her want to jump in front of a bus.
"What's the song?" She said, glumly, falling back into her routine.
"The Weepies. Gotta Have You."
"Because you're trying to get me to slit my wrists?" Lauren sighed
"Playlist is on random. I can put on Britney Spears if you like." Normani said, her tone the same as it ever was.
Lauren just sighed again. She went back to unpacking a few boxes when she heard the door open. She stood up and there, looking as tired and worn out as Lauren knew she did, was Camila. Wearing an oversized rugby shirt and jeans instead of her usual smart attire. She looked harshly at Lauren but some of the anger in her eyes had definitely faded. Lauren was just happy to see those eyes again. Camila threw something at her. Lauren flinched but it was only a bundle of papers.
"Ok, you wrote it. Now say it." Camila demanded, her soft Scottish accent sounding guarded but hopeful. Lauren picked up the papers and saw that, to her surprise, it was a copy of the Mildly Interesting Adventures of Mani & LJ #30. The one they'd only sold out of a few days ago. It detailed Normani's entirely half-hearted effort to cheer Lauren up with her theory about how the Star Wars prequels were a gigantic cry for help from George Lucas.
"Normanis stupid theory?" Lauren said, entirely confused. "I didn't write it but she figures that Anakin Skywalker is a proxy for George Lucas. Anakin is supposed to be the Chosen One and George Lucas had to make these ridiculously anticipated movies that couldn't possibly please people who'd waited 20 years. So just like Anakin buckled under the pressure of being the chosen one and not being able to save Natalie Portman, George Lucas buckled under the pressure of not being able to satisfy his fan base and they both turned evil and succumbed to the temptations of the dark side which represents overly commercial film-making."
Camila looked angrily at Lauren.
"If you're not even going to take this seriously I can leave for good." Camila said, throwing her hands up in frustration.
"No, no, don't." Lauren pleaded and picked up the book. She began flipping through the pages. It was an entirely different book than the one they'd sold. It was Mani and LJ in the store with Lauren crying big cartoon-y tears and wailing while Mani looked annoyed. Lauren began reading it outloud.
