exploring sexuality | camren

chapter 9

"Although we're living our dreams... Why does it feel like we're missing big parts of our lives? Is this what we're supposed to do? Leave big parts of us behind?" Lauren asked, but stopped when she saw Camila in tears.

"Camz, what's wrong?"

"It's just..." Camila sobbed. " I hadn't thought about it a lot, but I just miss Sofi so much... She was always so shy around other kids and would cling to me. Now when I visit she has so many friends. I just hate that I missed that transition. I also hate that I always forget the names of her friends because I'm never around."

Without thinking, Lauren sprung forward and caught a crying Camila in a tight embrace. Feeling comfort in not being held in ages, Camila let herself fall into Lauren's arms as she sobbed into her chest quietly. Lauren just held her in silence, providing nothing, but someone who understood what she was going through. She was struggling not to cry herself, but she had to stay strong for Camila as she held her.

With her free hand, she rubbed small circles in Camila's back until her crying began to settle down. She could hear Camila's trembling breaths deepen as she struggled not to fall asleep in her arms.

"I'm right here. Just close your eyes and go to sleep," Lauren whispered as she felt Camila cling to her tighter. She placed a soft kiss on her hair.

Lauren waited in silence for a few minutes until she heard Camila fall asleep. She had a barely audible breathing that Lauren could identify when she was knocked out.

Taking Camila's hand off her waist and moving her face away from her chest as gentle as she could to not wake her, she placed the younger girl comfortably on her bed while she silently rose up to leave.  Just as she was about to close the curtain and go back to her bunk, she heard an unmistakeable sleepy voice call for her back.

"Stay."

Lauren looked back and saw a sleepy faced Camila with begging look in her eyes. Her eyes were still puffy and red from her earlier crying and she looked like she really didn't want to be alone tonight.

Wanting to do as she wished, Lauren returned back to the bunk and cuddled up closely besides Camila. She placed an arm over Camila's body and embraced her tightly, to which the brown eyed girl sunk into her body comfortably.

The last thing Lauren felt before closing her eyes and falling into a deep sleep, was Camila intertwining their fingers together.

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"You do it."

"No you do it!"

"Why me? You do it!"

Ally shook her head in annoyance at her Dinah and Normani bickering over who was to wake the other two girls, as they all stood over Camila's bunk watching her and Lauren sleep. They were wrapped in a tight embrace with Camila's leg wrapped over Lauren's body and Lauren's head in Camila's chest.

"Rock, paper, scissors?" Dinah requested. "Loser wakes them."

"Oh for goodness sakes," Ally sighed. "I always have to do things myself."

With her hand, she shook Lauren's shoulder softly. After a few seconds, Lauren opened her dazed eyes to find three girls staring at her expectingly with wide curious eyes. She was about to ask what their problem was when she realized where she was and who was holding her.

"Camila," she whispered. No response from the other girl. "Camila!" She said a little louder. Finally the brown eyed girl opened her eyes and quickly let go of her when she saw the company towering over them.

"Hey guys!" She greeted a little too loudly. "What gives?"

"What is possibly going on here?" Dinah asked with a smirk.