you make me sick (for being so perfect)

Twenty Two.

Lauren clutches onto Camila's hand as she follows her friends through the shopping mall. She doesn't really know where they're going – she hopes it's somewhere quiet – and she's not really paying much attention, because her friends' words are getting tangled into conversations with people passing by, and this is why Lauren really hates the mall. She didn't even want to come, but her friends had told her that Camila was going and that they would be heading back to Ally's later to bake, and Lauren really likes baking at Ally's.

She just really, really hates the mall.

They go into a makeup store that's incredibly cramped because of a sale that's on, and it makes Lauren nervous because people she doesn't know are getting too close and she hates it. She doesn't say anything though, because her friends are happy and smiling and she doesn't want to ruin it.

"Hey, Lolo," Camila's soft voice gives her something to focus on, "Can I do your makeup one day?"

"Makeup itches," Lauren voices her train of thought and touches a hand to her face. "It itches and it's bad and I only wear it if I have to do something important."

"You didn't answer my question, baby," Camila reminds her, and Lauren realises that she's right. "Can I do your makeup one day?"

"Um," Lauren bites down on her lip and taps her fingers against Camila's knuckles. "I don't know. Maybe if we have to do something important I will let you put makeup on me. But it itches."

"Alright. Maybe if we go to a fancy dinner one day." Camila squeezes her hand and turns back to the shelves full of makeup, and Lauren lets out a sad whine because now her distraction is gone and everything is starting to flood back into her head. Camila picks up on it. "You want my attention, honey?"

Lauren nods. "Yes. It's too, uh... crowded. I can't concentrate."

"Go and wait outside the store for me. I'll be a few minutes, I just need to buy some mascara," Camila kisses Lauren's cheek and lets go of her hand, and Lauren grabs on again, because she doesn't want to go by herself. "What's wrong?"

"I don't want to go alone," Lauren looks towards the door apprehensively, aware of the people crowded around the racks of makeup by it. "There's too many people."

Camila nods and tugs her towards Normani, handing the other girl the mascara she wants and a ten dollar bill. "Can you get this for me? I need to take Lauren outside."

Normani nods and sends Lauren a comforting smile, which she appreciates. Then, Camila pulls her towards the door, muttering an excuse me to the people blocking it. While it's slightly quieter outside the store, the mall itself is still busy, and busy always equals loud.

Camila leads Lauren over to one of the benches that generally only occupies old people and sits her down. "Is this better?"

"A little bit." Lauren mumbles, burying her face into Camila's neck. "It's so loud. I hate the mall."

"Why'd you come along, then?" Camila asks, and Lauren shivers when her girlfriend's fingers start combing through her messy hair. "You didn't have to come if you didn't want to."

"You're here. Ally told me you'd be coming when she texted me, and then you said in the group chat that you're coming." Lauren replies, not sure why Camila doesn't understand that. "I wanted to be here because you're here and I want to spend time with you."

"Aw, Lo," Camila kisses her on the top of her head, "We can do other things together. You didn't have to come somewhere you know you hate."

"I want to do things together with our friends." Lauren replies, tapping out a pattern on her leg. "Our friends like shopping and it makes them happy so I said I'd come. And then- uh, then we're going to go back to Ally's to bake, and I want to help bake."