One Shots (Camren)

I'm Not the Only One

Four long years I had stayed faithful to Lauren.

The tales about marriage being a never-ending battle were proven more than true in our case. Thinking back to the last eight months, it was a wonder we were even together at this point.

For some reason, we no longer seemed to be on the same wavelength on anything. It felt like we were constantly drifting apart, and to be honest I was too tired to care.

Lately, the love we once shared was shoved discreetly under the rug, forgotten under the mess of vocal arguments and raw exhaustion.

But, despite all odds, we found our next anniversary quickly sneaking upon us.

The extraordinary accomplishment should have been enough to have me bouncing on the tip of my toes from pure excitement, but unsurprisingly it wasn't.

Whenever I sat alone at night, our wedding photo in hand and with a tear rolling down my cheek I asked myself the simplest of question - why do I stay?

You and me, we made a vow

For better or for worse

I can't believe you let me down

But the proof's in the way it hurts

I was sitting on our couch with my legs pulled up under me, a big blanket covering my body lazily.

The clock passed twelve, indicating what was supposed to mark another peak in our relationship.

Four years had started out with a spark of what could only be described as irrefutable passion.

Even the first time I saw Lauren she'd managed to take my breath away, literally.

Never had I met anyone in possession of such raw confidence, while at the same time illuminating an amount of humility that made hearts swell.

To begin with, our love story wasn't more unique than others, but it soon developed. Oh, how quickly it all had escalated from the small crush I used to have on her.

In one second, I was admiring Lauren's smile, but in the next, she was kissing me until gravity was nonexistent.

As crazy as it sounded, I was deeply attached to our now crumbling relationship. Even worse, I was connected to Lauren beyond sanity.

For so long she had been the one discarding me off my insecurities, I simply couldn't look in the mirror without seeing the marks of strength she had left on my body, mind and soul.

Her touch had left me heaving after air, sending delicious shudders down my back.

Nowadays I often found myself clinging to the one wedding-picture of us. It seemed somewhat pathetic to cling to a memory, but it was the only reminder I had of how close we could be.

Afraid to step down the dangerous memory-lane for too long I snorted, shifting in my seat uncomfortably.

My eyes returned to the TV, gaze directed back towards the romantic movie I had ended up with watching. The couple in it were laughing, sitting on their own couch with gigantic smiles plastered across their faces.

Unconsciously, my jaw clenched from the scene. The actors in the movie portrayed their characters extremely convincingly, laughing and grinning until their cheeks must have started to ache.

The evident happiness they were purposely expressing was pulsing through the screen, and it was too evident.

Months had passed since I had felt something even comparable to joy in this house, and watching two actors have a better relationship than me was like being slapped across the face.