utopian ➳ camren

Part 9

"Lauren? Lauren as in your imaginary friend?"

There it was. Camila could impossibly back out now, she had to tell Dinah about her. She had to inform her about everything that has happened.

"I wouldn't call her tha-"

"So you still see it in your dreams." It was more of a statement than a question but Camila nodded in response.

"Lauren is not an 'it', Dinah." She said quietly as her hands were wrapped around her mug of coffee. She looked at her own hands, afraid of looking into her friend's eyes.

Dinah seemed to need a moment to process all of it and once she did she seemed angrier than ever. "You're nearly seventeen Mila, it's not normal to have a friend that only appears in your dreams."

"About that... she's not really my friend."

The Polynesian scoffed, already sensing what was coming. "Let me guess; you're in a relationship with her."

Camila nodded again.

"No, you didn't hear me clearly; you're in a relationship with someone who only exists in your head. Alarm bells should be going off like crazy right now, Camila."

The brown-haired girl scoffed. "Are you not going to let me finish my story?" She said.

Dinah got up and retrieved her purse as she threw some coins on the table for her coffee. She didn't make eye-contact with her best friend which meant she was serious. "I really think you need to make an appointment with a therapist Camila, I care about you but this is outrageous, you know this right?"

The last bit of confidence that was left in Camila's body had now vanished completely and she started doubting. Was she really mentally unhealthy? Dinah made some good points. Camila basically gave up her social life in order for her to be with Lauren as often as she could.. to be with someone that only existed in her head. How many people were experiencing what has been happening to her for the last six years?

"I think you're right."

Dinah's facial expression got a little more softer and she sighed. "I have to go, I can't... I'm just, it's too much to process right now. I'll see you at school tomorrow."

The Polynesian left and there Camila was, on the edge of breaking down in the middle of a coffee shop. She wanted to go home and talk to Laur-

No. She didn't want to talk to Lauren, she forced herself to not want it. She had to go to a real life friend. But other than Dinah, who did Camila have? Her neighbor was nice, her name was Ally. But she couldn't talk to her about something as weird as this.

Back in her car, Camila rested her head on the steering wheel and started sniffing quietly. Luckily for her, it started raining really heavily so no one was there to witness her being the sensitive little piece of shit that she was and taking all of this really heavy.

Dinah was mad at her. She was afraid of losing her, but she also felt that she was going to lose Lauren. It was as if Dinah was giving her two options: Her or Lauren.

——•——•——

Lauren didn't show up in Camila's dreams that night, in fact, the girl didn't dream at all. She woke up confused, thinking her bedroom would be were the dream was going to take place at for the first time ever. But then her father bursted into the room without a warning, complaining about the chores Camila was supposed to do the night before.