The Party (GxG) (Camren) **EDITING**

Chapter 1

Her mind was now rewinding the tape of her memories as she attempted to recall the events of the night. After a few minutes, things began to fall together in a painful picture that held further evidence of his betrayal. That night he had "accompanied" Lauren to have a smoke, which –at the time– Camila had deemed the gesture sweet but unnecessary as she was worried that Lauren would make a move on her boyfriend of over a year. Lauren's reputation at that point was quite tarnished and renowned for being a "slut", not that Camila was overly fond of using the word herself. But at the time it seemed rational to believe Lauren to be capable of something so despicable. They were sworn enemies, after all.

As the recollection of that night grew clearer, Camila's own anger grew with it, but to her surprise it was not directed at the person she would have originally assumed it to be. After the cigarette break, she remembered that Lauren had adamantly insisted that she had to leave almost as soon as they returned inside. He had coerced her to stay, convincing everyone else to agree including his begrudging girlfriend. What Camila had once considered as a chivalrous act of care and inclusion, had in reality been a continual harassment of a girl throughout the night, who didn't even want to be there. Lauren's natural charisma and charm had, for once, worked woefully against her. If Camila's memory was correct, Lauren had tried to leave the small party at least 3 or 4 times, yet was forced to stay upon Austin's request and the enthusiasm of the rest of the group. Considering he had lost a "precious" eyebrow over it, she dreaded to know what Austin had tried to pull to evoke Lauren's anger.

Camila had to fight back the hot tears of hurt as each moment contributed to a twisted, albeit correct, perspective of that night. Lauren had protested against his insistence to walk her home, yet they all rallied against her; "safety comes first". Camila's friends had noticed how long Austin was missing for and she had ignorantly blamed it upon Lauren's usual shameless flirting. She dreaded to know what had truly conspired on the doorstep of the house across from her own. A sinking feeling dragged down her stomach, and a large degree of sympathy for the emerald-eyed girl manifested for the first time in many years. For four whole years Camila had assumed the "eyebrow incident" was an unprovoked spiteful prank that Lauren had found amusing, and for some reason she had convinced everybody of such; yet in reality, it was more than likely an act of revenge.

Guilt and shame welled up within Camila, causing to stop her mechanical folding of the clothes before her to try and breathe through her sudden nausea. She couldn't understand how Lauren could not hate her after that . After all, news spreads fast and Lauren had lost a lot of her popularity in high school because of that incident. Due to Austin's own popularity with the scores of girls in his school and their own, Lauren was essentially vilified for harming their precious poster boy.

Austin had attended a prestigious prep school close-by and was considered a "heartthrob" by majority of girls at their high school. Many people were able to gain popularity by mere association with him and his male posse, so to be partnered with him was one of the most enviable positions. Camila had gained her popularity by such means unintentionally. She had never wanted to be part of a popular group at school, and was rather content in her anonymity when she was a middle-schooler. Life unfortunately had other plans for her. She was soon swamped with new friends and new enemies as soon as the rumours spread about the two of them dating.

Lauren, on the other hand, had used her natural charisma and quick wit to draw people in, and was probably considered the female version of Austin – as majority of guys would say, a "hot, sexy bitch". She likely had hundreds of guys and girls alike that would do anything to merely kiss her. If there was one thing she knew, it was sex. She gave no thought to consequences and literally did not care about rumours or opinions, unless they were her own. It also helped that she was undeniably and inexcusably sexy according to the entire student body of their high school.

Even Camila was begrudgingly smitten.

Porcelain skin that to touch was the equivalent of cashmere. A shapely body that possessed the perfect ratio of curves to muscle, with slightly defined abs that garnered rapt attention. Silken dark locks that perfectly framed the ivory skin about her flawless face as if it were a prized art piece. Long fingers and soft delicate hands that possessed the beautifully delicate touch of a concert pianist. The deep, sultry voice of a jazz singer, with that slight rasp that whispered promises of suave promiscuity. Plump rose-coloured lips that were more inviting than the finest selection of foods laid out in a banquet. And those eyes... the unspeakably brilliant orbs in which no human words can even hope to encapsulate. Eyes possessed by a kaleidoscope of different hues of green whilst a snow-globe of other colours swirled aimlessly within the gorgeous display of her irises. The seasons had never been more beautiful within her eyes. Autumn, Winter, Spring, Summer; each captured in all their glory within a single pair of eyes. It was so utterly mesmerising that it was easy to get lost.

Her beauty was as captivating and dangerous as the girl herself.

Camila shook herself out of her strange thoughts and once again attempted to focus on the task at hand; folding the recently ironed clothes. It didn't take long for her thoughts to stray again though. Lauren was a curious character, that was for sure, and it wasn't like Camila was really going to be doing anything for New Years anyway, other than sobbing over an entire tub of Ben & Jerry's whilst vicariously experiencing true love through "the Notebook".

Somehow, it was in that moment that Camila had already subconsciously made up her mind to go to Jauregui's for New Years Eve. After all, Lauren was right; what did Camila have left to lose?