Professor C (camren)

16 - Jauregui (Part 1)

Lauren nodded, whispering out a timid yes that Dinah barely heard. In all of Lauren's predicaments, the fact that nobody was there for Lauren frustrated Dinah. Sure, they lost contact with Camila, but Lauren did a pretty great job at isolating herself.

Dinah was aware of Lauren's tendencies to keep to herself. Even when she was practically spilling her teething troubles, she averted speaking of her greatest distress and misfortune, Camila Cabello. It was the most important piece of the puzzle but Dinah understood why Lauren chose to be quiet about it, for now.

No one spoke for a moment but Dinah had to release Lauren's hand to allow the brunette to fix herself. A part of her thought Lauren would excuse herself and head to the bathroom but Lauren stayed. She did pick up a compact mirror from her purse despite dreading to see her disheveled face that she was ready to fix with some make up.

When she was finished, only the color of her eyes and partially swollen lips were the only indication that she cried. Apart from those, she looked renewed because her chest felt lighter and even if she couldn't decipher it yet, she was significantly happier.

With enough audacity to speak once again, to joke, Lauren pushed her inhibitions away and proceeded to tuck her things back in her purse. Her lips formed a gratified smile to acknowledge Dinah once more. Lauren decided to be brave and figured it was good to revert back to the original subject, which was her annulment.

"So, yeah, college was different." She shrugged, recalling the biggest reason for the disparity between her post-secondary experience and her failed marriage. "I could just leave them whenever I wanted to and everything was a legit one-time thing. I didn't have to stay with them and sleep in the same bed. And I was drunk...ish."

"Drunk...ish...kinda like Saturday?" Dinah shot, the concern in her eyes instantly dissipated to make way for her typical playful gaze.

Lauren was horrified. Chills exploded up her spine and prickled her clammy hands. All dejected conversation had been concluded with that one implication that definitely did not possess any sort of substance. Lauren was too sure that Dinah had retired to sleep before she and Camila even made any plans. She knew with great conviction that she most definitely tucked Dinah in, making her question her level of lucidity then.

In her distress, she did not once question if Dinah really was awake while she was expressing how skilled Camila was between her legs. Lauren did doubt her own memory, though because something did happen that night that Lauren could not share.

"What did you and Mila do?" Dinah prodded with narrowed eyes, smirking devilishly.

"We...um...we w-watched a movie...and drank brandy." She stammered upon clearing her throat, dropping her gaze to the menu as if she found something far more interesting than talking to Dinah. "And then we slept in different rooms."

Dinah retreated back to her seat's back rest, humming inquisitively as she contemplated on her next question – the ones that had been plaguing her for days, which she could not quite raise to Camila. Between the two exes, Lauren seemed more stable.

However, Lauren began to worry that Dinah's silence meant that her friend was not buying her vague answers - that she knew something transpired in the late hours of the night.

"But your room and Mila's room were locked last Sunday."

"Yeah, because I sleep naked and I don't want Elf or you grown kids to come snooping in." Lauren snapped sassily, silently grateful for the opportunity that Dinah had given her. Because...she does sleep naked and it makes sense that she didn't want anyone to walk in on her exposed. "Even without people around, I lock my bedroom door?"