A Slow Dance With Reality

My Darling Girl

Another converted story. This time, I'll just post as many chapters. I love this story so much. It was completed by the original writer. Hope you guys enjoy this.

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Lauren had changed. For some time at least. For some time Lauren Jauregui was showing a side of herself not many ever got to see. A side that was her, Lauren Jauregui. Not Cheerio. Not Tubbers. Not Brad's girlfriend. But Lauren Jauregui. And for some times Glee Club was proud of her. Not many voiced it, in fact Mr. Cowell and Camila Cabello had only shown any sign of pride in her change, but it was something, and for a while that was enough. But one phone call, one police investigation, hidden well by Mike Jauregui as to keep their family name proud and happy, one letter changed it all; and pride just wasn't good enough anymore.

Lauren didn't want pride from her classmates. She didn't want the smiles people gave her when she walked in the room. She didn't even want friends anymore. She wanted her sister. She wanted Taylor. God, she wanted Taylor.

In the days following her suicide, Lauren resorted back to what she knew. Sarcasm, teasing. Her words towards Camila were short; she tried to keep them neutral. Camila. Camila was innocent, so pure, and so kind. If she ever....if Taylor was ever repeated, Lauren would be the next in line.

She didn't even know. She had no idea how much she'd miss her, how badly it'd hurt. All Lauren's life she'd been jealous of Taylor, all Lauren's life she'd wished to be her, she wished to have that life, go to a top notch school, have her own life away from daddy and mom. But now, now Lauren didn't even know if she knew what life Taylor actually had. She hadn't a clue apparently. She glorified Taylor, much like her own father. Lauren made this image of her sister, one that held her on a pedestal.

If only she knew. Jesus Christ if only she knew. She wouldn't have held her so high, wouldn't have thought so much of her. She would have seen her as equal. But every day something knew was thrown in Lauren's face. "You'll never guess what Taylor achieved this semester." "Oh what a wonderful new trophy," "Taylor won her third consecutive year in cross country." Every day the pedestal got higher. Every day Lauren grew more jealous. And every day she knew less and less about her own flesh and blood.

It was all a slap to the face. The day the letter came, the night Lauren couldn't cry, the morning she couldn't eat. A letter.

One letter with just a few paragraphs on it. Just a letter and it made Lauren's entire world crash around her. 'My darling girl'. That's what Taylor called her. Her darling girl. Hers. Lauren was Taylor's and not once did Lauren ever call Taylor her sister. It was always Taylor. Never, 'My sister, Taylor,' 'The girl that I shared a room with until I was six, Taylor,' 'my older sister,' 'Taylor, my sister,'

My darling girl.

The words taunted her everyday. And to rid herself of this guilt, of the pain, of the anger and despair and every horrible feeling Lauren held inside her body, she lashed out. She forced her way back on the Cheerios, she scolded, she shouted, she threw fits. But she never bullied. She couldn't. The consequences were...she couldn't have a Taylor repeat. Not because of her. Not from her words.

Camila Cabello. She taunted Lauren almost as much as the opening sentence in that letter did. Every night Lauren had nightmares, ones with Camila blaming her. Camila always blamed Lauren every night for everything, and then, forced her to watch as she turned a gun to her own head.

And each morning Lauren would call off the slushie attack, she'd glare at Dinah, she'd knee Keaton where it hurt the most, and even agreed to a date with Luis just to keep Camila safe. Camila had to stay safe. Dear God, please let today be easy for her.

The diva had begun to notice a little bit of the dark haired girl attention. Each day she'd catch those green eyes on her in History, in Glee Lauren sat the same distance away. One row up and one chair over. Those eyes bore into her if anyone spoke to the diva too. If anyone dared to say something hurtful, dared to call her annoying, Lauren Jauregui was right there, calling them out on a habit they had, calling them out on what a horrible person they could be. Slowly Camila Cabello became Lauren's life. The only reason she could find a reason to stay breathing.

Protect the girl. Protect her like she couldn't protect Taylor.

It'd never make up for it. It would never bring Taylor back but it would keep Camila with her. Camila would live to breathe the air for another day and that's all Lauren needed.

Weeks went on with this same routine, Lauren had almost gone up to stalker status, leaning against a wall, filing her nails, Austin eyeing her as he stood next to his girlfriend, Camila confused and yet somehow comforted by the protective side coming out of the Cuban. She hadn't questioned it yet; at the moment the only portion Camila questioned was why it felt so good. Why, when she had a boyfriend that could be doing the exact same thing, did it feel even better that Lauren Jauregui was playing her knight? Though the answer always came minutes later.

It was Lauren Jauregui.

That was Camila's answer.

Lauren Jauregui post high school bully had somehow become Camila's own silent bodyguard, and it felt nice. It felt good. It felt safe. Safer than Austin's arms, safer than Brad's hold. Safer than Gabby, her stuffed bear that Daddy had given to her the day she was born. And nothing had ever been safer than Gabby.

Austin on the other hand was tired of it. Every time Lauren was around the hairs on the end of his neck stood up, his eyes grew shifty, and he found speaking harder to do. It felt as if he was the one being stalked. As if he was the target, as if he was the one Lauren was after.

It had been weeks and he'd had enough. "Why are you stalking me? It's not cute anymore, it's just plain freaky. I used to have to check for Camila under my bed, but now it's you. Under my bed, in my closet. You're freaking me and Camila out so just leave us alone already." He shouted in the middle of the hall, gaining gazes from all around him.

"I'm not stalking anyone." Lauren deadpanned, not at all surprised by the rasp and scratch at her throat. It had been days since she last spoke. These things happened.

"Bullshit."

"Austin."

"No, Camila, I'm done with her. She's following us, keeping tabs, and I want to know why. I'm not just going to pretend I don't see you anymore. What's with you?"

But Lauren never answered, instead her phone bleeped, she took one glance at it, and walked away. Not after giving Camila one final look over of course.