that's why our ribs are cages ➸ camren

chapter 3 ➸ you don't know me, but i want you to

Camila quickly composed herself. “Uh… hi, is Lauren t-there?” she asked anxiously. She’d never expected Lauren to live at a homeless shelter, but all the signs were there now that she thought about it.

She heard someone’s hand cup over the receiver and then muffled talking in the background.

“According to her brother, she’s at work right now.”

Camila nodded, thinking for a moment. “Do you know where she works?”

The line grew silent and the other person awkwardly cleared their throat. “I, uh, I’m not the person you should come to if you’re associated with that… stuff.”

There was a long pause of silence on both ends of the line. Camila was utterly confused.

“Can I at least have the address of the shelter?” Camila bit her lip. The man sighed and complied, and Camila quickly scribbled down the name of the street on her hand, thanking the man and hanging up.

An hour and a few stops later, Camila nearly ran the curb as she pulled to a stop in front of the shelter, checking with the address on her hand to make sure she was in the right place. Just as she got out of her car, a figure in a hooded sweater walked hurriedly past her.

“Lauren?” Camila called before she could stop herself.

The figure froze.

That was enough conformation for Camila, and she took a few steps towards the girl. Just as Camila was about to take off her sunglasses to show the girl who she was, a black suburban skidded to a stop next to them and suddenly they were blinded the flashing of cameras.

She felt Lauren immediately grab her arm, an action she figured to be one of fear. When Lauren realized what she’d done and tried to pull away, Camila quickly grabbed her arm to stop her and shook her head.

“Camila! Camila, how are you and Austin?” One of the paparazzi hopped out of the car and approached Camila, a little too close for her comfort. She bit her lip and tugged on Lauren’s arm, pulling the seemingly paralyzed girl towards her car and making her get in the passenger seat.

“Wh-what?” Lauren stuttered when Camila quickly slid into the car. Breathless, the younger girl turned the keys in the ignition and sped off down the road.

“What the hell is going on?” Lauren finally came to grips with what had just happened. She turned around in her seat and her eyes landed on the same black suburban, following them closely. “Are we being chased? God, I didn’t even bring my mace,” she cursed, fishing around in her purse.

Camila’s eyebrows furrowed together and she quickly shook her head. “No, no it’s not like that, they’re paparazzi.”

“Paparazzi?” Lauren sat down in the seat, biting her lip nervously. She barley knew Camila. What had she been doing at the shelter? She knew. Oh god, she knew. Lauren grew overwhelmingly embarrassed, especially since Camila seemed to be so wealthy.

“Uh, yeah. They… they mistake me for someone else all the time. It sucks,” she lied. Camila had come to realize that Lauren had no clue who she was. All she knew was that her name was Camila, and she lived in a huge house. Camila liked being normal to someone. She liked being Camila, not Camila Cabello the superstar. Maybe one day Lauren would know her just as Camila Cabello, the ballerina who is completely enthralled by the girl with green eyes.

“But they said your name…” Lauren said quietly. She had no clue what she was supposed to think of this whole situation. Camila had only known her for a day and now she was driving her god knows where in a very expensive looking car. This didn’t add up to her.