Through Her Eyes (Camren)

Chapter 18: Backwards and Forwards

Lauren never planned on living in the house she lived in. She never planned on working the job she worked. She never planned on befriending a strange girl named Camila, either.

Lauren never planned a lot of things.

"You have so many shiny things. Don’t you want them anymore?"

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Chapter 18: Backwards and Forwards

A/N: You asked for it… and here it is Chapter 18!! Hope you all like it :)

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Camila got sick and Lauren kissed her.

It was the rain. Lauren was positive she could blame the whole thing on the rain. She’d always heard that staying out in a storm would make you sick.

Camila had been trying to befriend the rain but clearly it hadn’t wanted to be friends. Lauren didn’t see why not.

They spent all evening under the downpour, Camila laughing and complimenting the dew covered leaves and telling Lauren excitedly how all of the city would be green when the rainbow came.

Lauren had loved it. She’d been there beside Camila and she’d anticipated the rainbow that hadn’t come in the darkness, but it didn’t matter because Camila was there, a kaleidoscope of color within herself.

Camila’s hair was still damp when she’d fallen asleep, Lauren’s fingers numb as she raked them through the knotted locks.

In the morning, Lauren woke to feed the stray cats that she knew would be waiting on the back porch. When she left the bed, Camila was still fast asleep but Lauren wasn’t surprised to hear Camila’s soft footsteps padding down the hallway after her.

After the first time Lauren had left while Camila was sleeping to go to work, Camila had started to wake immediately when Lauren moved from the bed. Lauren was sure she should have felt guilty, but mostly she wanted to have Camila around all the time.

“Do you know any of the strays besides Elvis?” Lauren asked as she was pouring the cat food into bowls. Camila gravitated naturally to Lauren’s side, their arms pressed warmly together.

“Strays?” Camila repeated, picking a piece of cat kibble out of a bowl and considering it thoughtfully. Her voice sounded odd and when Lauren turned towards her, Camila looked odd, too.

Not odd in the way Camila decorated her face with glossy and powdered colors, or the way she wore huge bows on her head. Camila looked odd because she looked naked, vulnerable. Her skin looked pale and when she looked up to meet Lauren’s gaze, Camila’s eyes were puffy and red. Before Lauren could ask the question, Camila cut her off with a violent sneeze.

Lauren froze and Camila tried to look down at her nose disapprovingly, cross-eyed.

“You okay?” Lauren asked, glancing around the kitchen. “Want a tissue?”

Camila snuffled and wiped her nose on the cuff of the sweatshirt she was wearing. Which happened to be Lauren’s.

“Guess not,” Lauren observed. When Camila laughed, the sound was hoarse, and Lauren frowned, stroking her fingertips against Camila’s neck.

“You’re hot,” Lauren said, startled.

“Yes,” Camila agreed.

“No, you’re—hot. Your skin. Is warm. Hot.” Lauren moved her touch fluidly to Camila’s cheek, Camila’s skin silky beneath her fingertips. Her skin was warm, but then, Camila was living, her skin should have been warm, right?