Walk A Mile (Camren)

XXI

"What are you afraid of?" Camila searched her eyes, not fully understanding what it was that was holding her back. If Lauren were to ask her right now, there was no doubt that she'd say yes.

"I just want to know if your feelings are as real as mine are," Lauren phrased herself awkwardly.

"Of course they are, why wouldn't they be?" Camila tilted her head in question. They were going in circles. Lauren was constantly second guessing herself, despite their progress. Camila saw then that she'd have to reassure her daily. It was a responsibility she was eager to fulfill.

"Well, I don't know. This thing happened before... And it didn't end well for me..." she reminisced sullenly. "Nevermind, though. Ignore me. It's stupid."

"No," Camila prevented her from closing herself off by scooting closer and angling her body towards her. They were having this conversation here and now, because it was obviously something that was conflicting her. "Don't do that. You can tell me..."

"It's so dumb, just forget about it," Lauren shook her head subtly and tried shying away from that serious gaze. "You wouldn't want to hear about it anyway."

"Lauren, you could literally read straight from the dictionary and I'd still be hanging onto every single word that came out of your mouth. I live to hear to speak. I don't care about the context. If you're willing to tell me something, I promise you that I'll listen," Camila took ahold of her fidgeting hands to convey her point even further.

"O-oh, okay," Lauren stuttered. She always fumbled over her words when Camila did sweet things like that. "It's just that I didn't want to offend you by thinking this way. And you're making it hard to keep thinking it, so yeah - nevermind."

"Thinking what way?" Camila stealthily probed, seeing that Lauren was more apt to answering questions that weren't as direct.

"That you only like the way I make you feel, and not me as a person," Lauren confessed her underlying doubts. "But I don't think that's the case here anymore."

"It most definitely is not," Camila asserted resolutely, squeezing the pale hand within her own. "I do like you - You, being Lauren Michelle Jauregui Morgado in all of her perfections and imperfections alike. That's in addition to the way you make me feel."

"And I like you, Karla Camila Cabello Estrabao," Lauren found herself giggling from the whirlwind of butterflies Camila managed to unleash.

"That is so beautiful. I want to keep that smile on your pretty little face forever," Camila took the time to marvel at the gushing girl next to her. The hand that wasn't tending to Lauren's then lifted to trace the outline of her lips. While looking, her heart surged with emotion. It had been doing that a lot lately. What that emotion was specifically, she wasn't so sure. It was intense, whatever it was.

"God, you just love driving me crazy," Lauren admitted and gently stalled Camila's wandering hand.

"Well, you're not wrong," Camila beamed and reveled in the warmth of Lauren's skin on hers.

"Yeah, what I was thinking was so dumb. I guess I should know that this is real... But sometimes I just get beside myself. Sorry," Lauren retracted her previous statements.

"So can you tell me why you would think that it wasn't?" Camila questioned genuinely, hoping for an answer with more depth.

"Because it wasn't with Keana," Lauren reluctantly divulged, still resonating with that distant feeling of rejection. Even after all of those months had passed, she still managed to spark that same sensation.

"Who is Keana?" Camila wondered aloud, perking up at the mention.

"The only other girl I've been even remotely involved with," Lauren answered, but dreaded where Camila had steered the conversation.