Bad Intentions

10

Lauren

I sigh loudly in frustration as I delete the single paragraph I've been working on for the past couple of hours, yet again. I have no inspiration whatsoever today, and this foreword I'm supposed to write for one of my close author friend's new book is due in four days.

Giving up, I pick up my phone and scroll through Tumblr for a few minutes before finding myself opening the dialling app. The first thought that enters my head is to call Dinah, but then I remember she just left for New York to visit a friend. My next thought is to call Ally, but then I realise she's at work. I don't even consider Normani as an option anymore. Our relationship is so complicated, and I know if I try talking to her or meeting up with her, my confused simultaneous feelings for both her and Camila would get even messier. Normani is the safe option. Camila, however...

Camila.

Why didn't I think of her before? I try to think up an excuse to be calling her, but can't come up with any. The truth is, I just want to see her. Talk to her. Just hearing her voice would frankly be just fine for me. Before I know it, I find myself tapping her name in my contacts and pressing the call button.

The phone rings forever, and I'm about to hang up before she finally picks up.

"...Hello? Lauren?" Her voice sounds raspier and sleepier than usual, which concerns me a little.

"Hey Camz, yeah it's me."

"Oh, hey!" I can hear her brightening up a little once she hears my voice. It makes me smile extremely big, knowing the fact that I just cheered her up by talking to her.

"Listen, Lauren, you called me at the perfect time, actually... Can you, um, can you please pick me up? I would get Ally to drive me home but she just left for work." Camila seemed really upset about something.

"Where are you? Were you just with Ally?"

"Yeah, I'm at Troy's house. There was a party here last night, and I really just need to leave. I'll explain everything later, I'm so sorry..."

"Hey, don't be sorry, alright? I'll be there in ten." I hang up before she can say anything else, grabbing my car keys and racing over to my car. I grow more and more worried by the second. Thankfully Troy's place is pretty close to mine, and although I'm not as close to Ally and Troy as Camila is, I still know them well enough to know exactly where Troy lives.

When I pull up, my jaw drops at the state of the house. There are people asleep on the doorstep, in the driveway, basically on every inch of the property. I have to step over a few people before reaching the front door, pressing the doorbell gingerly.

Camila immediately answers it. She looks smaller than usual, and a little vulnerable. I've never seen her like this before. Where was the fearless, intimidating girl with all the tattoos? She was wearing an oversized sweater, covering all her ink and almost swallowing her alive. It came down to her thighs, but still managed to look adorable on her however.

She pulls me into a tight hug, resting her head on the crook of my neck and sighing. I step into the house without letting go of her once.

When she finally lets go, I manage to get a good look at her face. I can usually tell immediately if someone is suffering from a hangover, and looking at the state of the house this morning I assumed Camila would be having a pretty bad one too. But when I studied her face, she just looked a little tired and upset, and that was all.

"Did you drink last night?" I ask curiously, furrowing my eyebrows.

"Barely," she mumbled. I nod slowly, still worried.

"What's wrong?" I wrap my arms around her waist, pulling her closer to me into a semi-hug. She gives me a sad smile.

"I'm just glad your here now. I'm already feeling a little better." I could tell she was trying her best not to cry or act weak in front of me. What could possibly have put her in this state? She wasn't hungover at all or anything.

"Have you been on drugs?" I ask carefully. She shakes her head, which relieves me a little. "Uh, let's get you out of here first, yeah?"

I take her hand and guide her out of the house, navigating through seas of sleeping bodies. When we get into my car and I start the engine, I hear her chuckle softly and turn to her, surprised.

"This is pretty ironic, actually," She giggles. I tilt my head at her in confusion. "I mean, the roles have really been reversed."

I laugh along with her lightly as I realise she's referring back to the night when we first met, the night when I passed out and she helped Ally take me home.

"Care to tell me what's going on?" I ask finally after a few moments of comfortable silence. I'm still not sure if Camila completely trusts me yet, so I try to be a little cautious.

"It's... Well, it's a little embarrassing," Camila starts. I nod for her to go on. "I was at that house party last night and woke up really early. I went into the kitchen and saw this girl... Her name is Tess and we have this really complicated thing going on with each other..."

I nod, understanding her completely. It reminds me of Normani.

"Well, Tess... she kinda made a move on me... And..."

"What?" I exclaim, pulling over to the side of the road and switching off the engine.

"Lauren, please, listen.."

"No, Camila. That's not okay." She flinches when she hears me use her full name. "We're going back there now and I'm gonna have a talk with her."

"Lauren, just listen for fuck's sake!" Camila raises her voice, causing me to stop talking immediately. "It's already hard enough for me to be telling you this at all right now, so please don't make it any worse."

"You're right, I'm sorry. Go on," I mumble.

"That girl was going to do God know's what to me, until... Until your girlfriend Normani came and saved me," she finally stammered out.

I didn't know whether to be more shocked about the fact that Normani was there at the party or the fact that Camila just referred to her as my girlfriend.

"Camila, Normani isn't my girlfriend," I say softly. She shrugs a little and continues.

"And, well, I was too proud to admit Normani saved me so I was a little bitter to her. I told her I didn't need her help and she left, and then... And then I went back to Tess... And I-I..."

"What, Camz, you what?" I put my hand on hers, encouraging her to go on.

"I... I kissed her... Well to be exact, I made out with her..." Camila mumbles just loud enough for me to hear.

"Camila..." I sound a little disappointed, turning to her and looking into her empty eyes, trying to find out what she's thinking. I'm hurt, but there's no reason for me to be. So why am I so hurt?

"I don't know why I did it. I just wanted to prove I had control over something, I guess."

I start the engine again, driving in a different direction away from Camila's house and mine. She looks at me questioningly.

"Lauren, where are you going?"

"Somewhere different. I think we both need some air."