Bonfire Hearts (Camren)

Chapter 6 - The Truth

Two days have passed since the party, and Camila still wouldn't even look towards Lauren. Granted, they were all dreading to be back in school on a Monday, but the Cuban girl specifically said no for a ride to class with the Jauregui twins. 

Instead, she chose to ride with a Ally so that they could work together for some student-council project. 

Chris on the other hand, was not his usual and happy self. It intimidated Lauren because her brother was the most happy, optimistic, open minded guy she knew. He had a smile on his face even through the worst days. 

They sat in Cowell's class but all chose different seats. Lauren stayed next to Normani while Camila sat in the front row with a couple cheerleaders. Chris sat in the very back row, wearing his Letterman jacket and while his head resting on his arms. He looked completely tired or depressed, and Lauren thought it was a mix of both. 

As the day continued, Lauren realized that something happened between her brother and his best friend. They weren't seen together around the campus like usual. In fact, Chris was hardly seen at all.

"Do I want to know?" Lauren spotted her brother smoking a box of cigarettes behind a building of the school. He sat on the ground with his back against the wall, playing with the pack of cancer sticks contemplating whether to smoke or not. 

She wanted nothing more than to yell at him, but it would get her nowhere. Chris didn't have the balls to smoke, and only played with the box when he had major anxiety. He looked at it as something that could kill him in his time of despair, but it reminded him that he's stronger than that. 

Lauren placed herself right next to him. The differences between them could never pull them apart.

"You know, I used to think I had it all." Chris sighed out, "The perfect life. With 4.5 GPA, football, great friends, family-"

"Yes we know you're the golden boy," Lauren nudged him jokingly. 

"My point is that I didn't realize that it could all be taken away at the snap of a finger. One thing happens and it's.. It's like a domino effect. It all comes crashing down one after another."

Lauren hasn't seen Chris in one of these moods since the day she quit the football team on him. 

"I realized that I was only trying to please everyone else around me that I didn't take the time to think for myself... And I didn't know how."

"What'd you do?"

"I thought I liked Hailee. But that was just everyone else telling me that we'd be cute and perfect together." He pulled his knees towards his chest as he hid his head in his crossed arms, "I broke things off because I realized I've had feelings for someone else."

"And that's why you're like this?" Lauren asked cautiously, "For a second I thought tha-"

"I told Camila that I loved her, Lauren." He rolled a hand through his hair, pulling it as he grunted at the confession. "I told her that I've been in love with her since... Since we were just little kids. Camila Cabello is like the girl of my dreams and I stupidly told her I loved her while I was drunk at Troy's party."

Lauren's heart had dropped. It wasn't as much of a surprise that Chris had feelings for their next door neighbor. It was like her subconscious always had a feeling but she was too in denial about it.

The worst part of it all though, was that after the party, Lauren realized her own feelings for the shorter girl. She wanted out of it but the thought of Camila constantly consumed her mind as if they were the one's meant to be together. Not her brother.