Stay (Camren)

Chapter 1

She mouths Luis? and Lauren shakes her head slowly.

Camila's jaw clenched. She's had enough of his bullshit. Calling her late hours in the night/all hours of the day drunk off his ass. Camila doesn't mean to, but the curiosity in her often has an ear to the door or casually standing around the corner from where she's speaking to her boyfriend.

Dinah laughs loud and dominant, jolting Camila from her gaze at Lauren.

"Mani, you're too funny!" The youngest laughs, slamming a hand on the table.

After Camila checks the source of the noise she turns back to her main interest, noticing the other girl turned back to playing with her food on her fork.

She looks so small, so innocent and sweet when she's in this vulnerable state. Yet, she's still Beautiful. Even when she cried, Camila concluded.

Camila's always thought Lauren was attractive. All of the fifth harmony girls were, but her eyes always wondered to Lauren's the most.

She bites her lip as their tour manager walks in warning 20 minutes until they had to get ready for stage time.

Lauren huffs and takes her plate to the garbage, throwing out the food she's hardly touched.

Camila's eyes follow Lauren as she walks passed the younger girl and out the double doors.

"What's up with Lauren?" Ally asks, tapping Camila's arm.

"I don't know, she's just not herself right now." The younger one lies, having just been told the source of the older brunettes discomfort, she's not sure she would appreciate the confession going around.

Ally's facial features sinks, she knows the feeling of helplessness when she sees it, and the band has seen that frequently this past week.

Ally deflated, huffing in acknowledgment. "You should go talk to her."

Camila shrugs. "She just needs time. She'll be ready for show time. She knows what's more important."

The smallest of the group takes an uneaten Apple off her tray and hands it to Camila. "She hasn't eaten." The bandmate motions for Camila to take it, which she does with a small smile and a mouthed thank you, and with that, she's out the door, leaving her lunch behind for the others to clean (as usual).

-

She finds Lauren in her dressing room, practicing breathing techniques their choreographer had taught them.

Camila leaned against the door quietly, watching as Lauren's stomach muscles rose and relaxed with every breath. Her eyes were closed so she couldn't see the gaze. At least, that's what Camila thought.

"You're staring." Lauren chuckled.

Camila cleared her throat and presented the apple Ally had given her with a sweet smile.

Lauren smiled back with a huff and walked over to Camila. As she approached the shorter girl, her eyes became sad again and her lips curled down.

"Oh no baby don't cry.." Camila wrapped her arms around Lauren's torso, the taller girls' arms around her neck.

"He's such an ass." Lauren chocked.

"And you're too good for him." Camila closed her eyes and smoothed the curls in Lauren's hair with one hand, still holding onto the apple with the other.

"God don't you think I know that?" Lauren snorted, backing up to wipe her eyes.

Camila took control of finishing off the tears with her sweater sleeves. Lauren looked down, tears still running. "Why are you so good to me?" Lauren asked, holding one of Camila's hands and taking the apple from her other.