Wishes (A Camren Story)

Chapter 20

Lauren stood up tall and looked straight up at the dark, cloudy, night time sky. She blinked her eyes harshly as she got out the excess tears instead of producing more.

She hated crying more than anything. Lauren didn't like the warm liquid falling down her face or how snotty her nose became. She didn't like the feeling of someone sitting on her chest as she struggled to get some air, and most importantly, the green-eyed girl hates when her eyes become blood shot after a good cry. They were always so ugly and caused more problems than she wanted. Blood shot eyes meant she was forced to explain the pain she was feeling.

"Hey," a voice said softly sending shivers down Lauren's spine.

"Hi Camila," Lauren croaked before biting onto her bottom lip tightly.

"What's wrong?" Camila asked, sensing something was bothering Lauren more than anything. "Where's Alexa?!" The young mom started to panic when she saw Alexa no where around Lauren.

"Inside with Taylor," Lauren replied as she rubbed her puffy red eyes with her fists while her back still faced Camila.

"Lauren..." the brown eyed girl dragged out hesitantly.

"Don't worry, Taylor has babysat a lot of kids. You can trust Alexa in Taylor's care."

"No," Camila said, shaking her head. "I'm not worried about Taylor. I'm worried about you," she explained as she took a few steps closer to the green-eyed girl.

"Don't be worried. I'm fine," Lauren lied. She was far from fine.

"Okay," Camila said, not feeling convinced.

Camila's brown eyes stared at the helpless girl in front of her. Lauren was slowly breaking down and Camila couldn't bare to look at her. It felt as if someone had stabbed her in the heart with a knife repeatedly. She was clueless as to why she felt this much pain. Camila barely knew Lauren, but at the the same time it felt like Camila had known Lauren since kindergarten. No one has ever made her feel like this, not even when she was in a serious relationship with Paul.

"May I hug you," Camila asked, wanting nothing more but wrapping the green-eyed girl protectively in her arms.

"Please," Lauren's voice squeak as she felt her tears begin to blurry her vision.

Camila pulled the taller girl into her arms tightly, not caring about the humid Florida air. Lauren melted into Camila's soothing touch and let herself break down.

"It will be okay," Camila said in a soothing voice as she ran her finger tips around in a small circle on Lauren's back. "I'm here for you, Lauren."

"I fuck everything up," Lauren forced out.

"Don't say that. You haven't fucked anything up."

"I'm a horrible person, Camz. A really horrible person."

"No you're not."

"Yes I am!" Lauren yelled in full blown tears, trying to get it into Camila's head. 

"Lauren, you treat everyone nicely. You do a lot more than you have to for Alexa and I. Finding someone like you this day in age is hard to come by. You give everyone a chance, more than just one chance. You give people more chances than you should because you believe in them and know deep inside they are a good person. You gave me a chance, more than one chance when I was flat out nasty to you," Camila went on as her voice trembled.

"I treat you terribly, Camila. Don't you get it?! I'm hurting you more than you'll ever know. I'm toxic."

Camila stood silently as she tried to process every word Lauren was saying. Toxic? Hurting me?