C&L love story (camren) - COMPLETED

Chapter 8

Lauren has never been worried over a simple dinner date. Heck, she has never been anxious about anything at all. she is a woman of confidence. She even practice on how to talk to camila. she almost looked like a loony, staring at her expression in the mirror, trying to look good for this date. Get a grip, Lauren. It's just dinner. Oh who are you kidding? It's not just dinner. It's the first time you'll take your fiancee out.When the clock struck 6, she hurried out of her house and almost flew to her car.

Yes, she had a full hour ahead, but she wanted to make sure that she'd make it on time. Camila hated tardiness. She had always been punctual; school, family gatherings, parties, business meetings, church. she didn't want to make an ass out of herself by showing up late. she was thankful when she saw that the traffic was slow.

Lauren was able to make it a 20-minute ride from her place to Camilas's. she got there 40 minutes earlier, which meant killing time. she tried to distract herself. she turned her stereo on and started playing Drake's latest album, You Welcome, a current favorite of hers. The album's copy was given to her by a friend a week ago, and it had been playing on loop eversince.

she got tired all of a sudden and decided to close her eyes for a while. she only woke up to the loud sound of a car honking nearby. "Oh shit! what time is it?!" she looked at her clock and saw that it was already a quarter after 7. "Holy crap!!" she literally jump out of his car, almost injured her knee on the car door. She was hoping that she wouldn't mind the 15-minute delay. she was almost knocked out of her breath when she reached her door and was about to buzz when she saw the note.

Cookbook Kitchen. I'll be waiting. -C

*****
Truth is, she didn't know how to act once Lauren came knocking at her doorstep,
so she thought of a way to push through with the dinner without having to go through the awkward part. She didn't want to ride in lauren's car.She didn't want the whole where-do-you-want-to-go/where-are-you-taking-me scene. She didn't want to be in close proximity to Lauren, especially after what happened last night. So she thought of a clever plan.

So now she is here in one one her favorite places. Ever since it opened the quaint little hole-in-the-wall, she would always find time to eat there, . The food in the haven is to die for ad she know taht lauren knows where the place was, so she wouldn't lose her way. She knew she would find the note in her door when he showed up. IF she showed up. And if she was really intent on talking to her, then she would follow her here. Twenty minutes still no sign of Lauren. Camila was beginning to feel sad. If she really got to her condo on the time that Lauren stated, then she would have been here by now. But she knew Lauren is always late so she decided to give her time. Fifteen minutes more. If Lauren didn't show up o won't talk to her ever again. She was playing with her glass of water when Cristy, one of the staff, came to greet her. They were exchanging pleasantries when they both turned their heads to the sound of the door. And then she entered, and found her with her eyes at once.

"Wow, Miss Camila. is she your date?" the waitress teased

"Ha? Ah, no. I mean, yes. I mean, not a date date, just..." she stopped speaking when Lauren got within hearing range.

"hi! Ms Lauren" the waitress greeted but lauren didn't even look at the waitress, Instead, she went straight to kiss Camila in the cheek and said in a half-whisper, half-pant,

"I'm such a jerk, Camila, and I really am sorry for not getting here any sooner than now. Forgive me?"

*****
First, a bunch of flowers in her office. Then the note asking for a date. And now, an apology? Lauren jauregui is that you? She was still in reverie when their orders arrived.
They haven't spoken much since she showed up. It was mostly Cristy who broke the ice while she was tending to them and taking their orders. she decided to attack the food. She wasn't speaking. After all,

Lauren was the one who asked to talk. If they were to talk, then she should be the one to initiate. She was halfway through finishing her Chops Pizzalola, her favorite among the delightful dishes. when Lauren cleared her throat. She looked up to find her staring at her.

"Uhm, Camila. Give me your phone," she commanded.

"Phone? why?"

"Just give me, okay?" She gave him her phone, dying to know what she wanted with it when she saw she was punching some digits then started calling the owner of those digits.She heard a ringing sound that wasn't hers then she figured it out.

"Camila. You already have my number and I already have yours. Now we know how to reach each other anytime,"

"why?"

"Why do we have to know how to reach other anytime?" she asked, using her own words.

"Because... Camz... uhm..."

"Uhm?..."

"Uh..."

"Are you stuttering, Lauren Jauregui?" Camila teased and when she saw that she blushed.

"Hahaha. Cat got your tongue, Lauren? Haha,"

*****
That laugh was like music to my ears. It was something that she'll never get tired of hearing.It was a melody, a symphony that she couldn't quite get enough of. So she just let he.she felt stripped of all the day's stress. Who knew Camila's laugh can help her take away her stress? she felt deprived when she suddenly stopped. God, what she would give to hear her laugh again.

"Lauren why are you staring at me? like that?"

"You're beautiful, Camz,"

It was a spill. A slip of the tongue. she didn't mean to say aloud what she was thinking but it was already out. And lauren saw how camila got so red with just a compliment from her.Now it was her turn to tease.

"Cat got your tongue, camzzy?"

"what do you even want to talk about?" she asked, obviously avoiding the former question.

"Well. Uh. Camila. I've been thinking about this whole engagement. And uhm... i was thinking... it would be very unfair... for the both of us... to be trapped into something we both weren't fine with. camz... uh... if I'm gonna marry someone, I'd want to marry out of love. And I'm sure that's what you'd want, too,"

Camila was just staring at her, her face expressionless. But after some time she could see that she was thinking. Lauren always knew when she put on a thinking face. She would purse her lips and crinkle her nose a bit without looking at something in particular.

It had been her thinking face since they were seven. "Camila,"

"Do you have something to say?" And then she looked at lauren.

"You're calling off the wedding. Is that it?"

"Honestly Camila, that's what I was thinking two days ago. but then I'm not putting my heart in this. That I'm not making the effort of getting to know you better. And I know I've been a jerk to you for a long time now but I hope you'd want to get to know me better, too."

"What are you saying?" lauren could almost hear her voice breaking apart with that question. she hated feeling like lauren was hurting camila.

That she'd always been hurting Camila.

"We have three months before the wedding, right?" Camila nodded.

"Camila, three months is enough for us to know and be sure if we should give this marriage a go."

She saw Camila go wide eyed And she liked what she saw in those eyes. Faith. Hope. And a lot of trust. Damn it, Camila. Stop staring at me like I'm the only person in the world.

"So you are....t...ttrying to say..."

"I want to give us a chance, Camila"