The Girl Nextdoor

Chapter 67 Part: 3

She flashed me a charming smile, "Hey, Lauren."

Mr. Anderson turned to look at me, "Miss Delevigne is here to talk about her success under the principal's request. Take a seat."

I quirked my brow up in confusion before I rolled my eyes and sat next to my girlfriend.

She instantly turned to look at me with an apologetic look, "I texted you that she was here but you didn't answer..."

I sighed, "It's alright. I'll be okay."

"You sure?"

"Yeah-"

-Lauren, it's rude to speak during a presentation. It would be nice if you stopped chit chatting with your little girlfriend." Cara scolded.

I stiffened when I realized that the whole class heard what she had just said.

Everyone was staring. Some had their jaws so far dropped they almost hit the ground.

Darren laughed, "HA HA HA, GOOD ONE MISS. DELEVIGNE. YOU'RE ALWAYS ONE FOR JOKES."

"Ha, Lauren with bows?" A random kid laughed.

"That's funny." Another said.

I quickly caught onto what they were doing, and nervously laughed along.

Cara furrowed her brows in confusion before she caught on herself. She smirked mischievously. She then transitioned and continued with her presentation.

I felt my hand clenched the fabric of my jeans as I sat through it. She talked about working hard, failing, and losing yourself. Every word that came out of her mouth was a filthy lie. She had everything handed to her. She didn't have to work for any of it. Just like I don't have too either.

"And that's the thing," she closed off, "You go through your life hoping that you're genuinely happy with yourself. But even when it seems like you have everything. You don't. And because of that, I think there's a part of me that's still looking for me. And maybe that's the way it should always be."

While everyone clapped, she made eye contact with me. She didn't smile, nor frown, but rather, stare at me as if she wanted me to understand something. But what was there to understand? That she abused me? And disappeared? That she's been a total fake this whole time? That our friendship meant nothing?

"Lauren." I heard Camila say.

I snapped out of my thoughts and realized that I was squeezing her hand too tight. I instantly let go and apologized, "Shit, I'm sorry."

Camila rubbed her hand before she turned to look at me and smiled, "Don't worry about it. I know seeing her isn't easy for you."

But I did worry about it. And I couldn't help but worry about it...because she still had control over me.

After school, Camila and I drove to her aunts apartment. On the way there, Camila told me all about her. She told me things about her life. Like how she had fallen in love with a boy just before she graduated high school and how her parents forced her to leave him behind. How life forced her to leave him behind. But the hardest thing of all was abandoning what she felt for him for the sake of living her own life.