Signs

Chapter 18

The morning of Lauren's trial, Camila sat at home, anxiously pacing back and forth. Sofi hadn't thought it was a good idea for Camila to be in the courtroom. If things went south she didn't want her sister to have to watch the girl she loved get sentenced to prison and dragged off in handcuffs. Camila wanted to message her, but she didn't want to upset Lauren when she was about to be picked apart in front of a jury. Sofi had assured Camila that Lauren would be fine, and she knew her sister would never lie to her. She clung to the hope that Sofi was right like a lifeline, silently praying that the judges wouldn't be fooled by Clara's scheming.

The whole ordeal would be televised because it was such a highly publicised case. Camila had seen Lauren's face everywhere she looked. On the front page of the paper, on the news, on the front of magazines. It had been upsetting for her, seeing how bad Lauren looked.

Camila made herself a cup of tea, deciding to forgo the coffee because she was already jittery enough, before she sat down in front of the TV. Her leg bounced up and down as she waited for the trial to start, checking her watch every few minutes.

Her phone buzzed and she dived for it. It was Sofi.

Just going in now, try and relax x

Camila rolled her eyes. Try and relax? That seemed unlikely, she'd already bitten all of her nails until they bled and she hadn't gotten a wink of sleep last night. She'd relax when the trial was over, when Lauren had been found innocent and found her way back to Camila's arms.

She turned her attention back to the TV, watching the news as the trial started. There were dozens of reporters outside of the courthouse, giving a recount of the known facts so far, and speculating about the outcome of the case.

It was going to be a long day.

- --

It took hours.

They were some of the worst few hours of Camila's life.

It wasn't until the afternoon that a decision was made. Camila collapsed onto the floor in front of the TV, her shoulders shaking as she silently cried.

Innocent.

They had believed her. The jury hadn't let her mother's bribery trick them, or her family name blind them with hatred and their own personal bias because of what Chris Jauregui had done. Camila had never felt so relieved in all of her life. Free of all charges, free from Clara's threats. She scrambled for her phone, texting Sofi.

How is she? When can I see her?

The text back was almost instantaneous.

She's fine, very relieved. I'll be at yours soon x

Camila couldn't stop smiling, wiping her tears away as she listened to the news coverage from the reporters outside of the courthouse. It was over.

And there was Lauren, a small smile playing at the corners of her lips. She looked the same, but at the same time she looked as if a giant weight had been lifted off her shoulders. Her lawyer made a few comments as she led Lauren over to the waiting car ready to whisk her away from the pressing crowds and flashing lights of photographers snapping pictures.

- --

Sofi showed up an hour later, pizza in hand. She looked tired. Camila knew she'd been spending all of her time trying to prove Lauren's innocence, barely taking a break. The second Sofi put the pizza down on the counter she was engulfed in a giant hug from Camila. They stood like that for a few moments, Sofi laughing as she returned the hug.

Camila pulled back, smiling widely at her sister, the spark back in her eyes. Her eyes were still a bit glassy; she hadn't stopped crying since the verdict had come through.