Amnesia (Camren)

Chapter Thirty-Four: The End, Part Two

Lauren

She was absolutely stunning standing up on that stage commanding everyone's attention with the song she had chosen. No one spoke a word while they hung onto every single note she sang. I was not excluded. I was leaning forward in the booth, my face resting between my hands, enchanted by her heavenly voice.

Those lyrics...They sounded eerily familiar, as if I had heard them somewhere before.

Ears open to every word and note she sang, my mind turned them over and over to recollect where I had heard them before.

Where had I heard them before? Had I heard it on the radio? Was it one of Camila's favorite songs? Or the girls? Or maybe a fan had posted it to one of my social media accounts?

Then, like a force to reckoned with, my brain was slapped with a terrible pain. It burned and wormed it's way in until I was squeezing my eyes shut and I was holding onto my temples.

"What's your name?"

"My name's Lauren."

"Lauren...?"

"Jauregui."

On the stage, I didn't see Camila anymore. I could see my younger self there instead, holding a mic, wearing a purple button-down shirt and some jeans.

"And where are you from?"

"I'm from Miami, Florida."

"How old are you Lauren?"

"I'm sixteen. Just turned sixteen, yes."

"Congratulations."

"Thank you."

It was me auditioning on The X Factor. I was going for my dream.

"Okay. Why are you here Lauren?"

"I'm here to pursue my dreams. To become what I always wanted to be."

"And what are you going to sing?"

"If I Ain't Got You by Alicia Keys."

"Great."

"Some people want diamond rings. Some just want everything. But everything means nothing if I ain't got you, yeah."

"Now that, Lauren, is how you do it."

"Well, Lauren you know what? I like to be surprised and you really, really surprised me. I mean the maturity of your voice for sixteen, your tone, everything about you. One of my favorite auditions."

"It's a yes."

"Definitely a yes."

"Yes."

"Lauren? You got four yeses sweetheart."

As quickly as that memory passed through my mind, other memories rushed in. I got thrown into all my memories, no instructions on how to stay afloat while they threatened to pull me down into the depths of its ocean.

"Where are you taking me, Jauregui?"

"It's a surprise. You'll see when we get there."

"Do you ever wonder if we would have met if we hadn't auditioned?"

"I can't believe we were taken out after boot camp. I really thought I would have gone further."

"Camz, I love you. Today, tomorrow, for the rest of my life. You're it for me."

"Lucy? Why is it always Lucy? Are you in love with her or something? Do you have a history together that you didn't tell me about?"