Professor C (camren)

22 - (Ex)Lovers

***Horribly written. Forgive me if there are unfinished sentences or a sh!t ton of typos and grammatical errors. I'm too lazy to proofread. But hey! I promised I'd update in less than a month, and it still is. :P 12400 words. I promise to reply to messages and comments the soonest I can. Oh, and heads up, I might take a long ass break due to certain things. I'll probably detail it in TYG10. So yeah...

There were only a few things in Camila's mind, upon waking up at 7:22 in the morning with tiny droplets descending from the spring skies, creating a therapeutic melody as it gracefully crashed on the surface of the earth.

It was a different sound compared to the drizzle splashing on their lap pool in the Cabello household back in Miami, the very one directly adjacent to her old room.

It was different but it was salutary nonetheless.

A serene smile instantly flourished upon her lips as she was reminded of her beautiful night with Lauren that even the throbbing ache in her head could not erase. She certainly did not get enough sleep and remnants of the bottle of wine she had ingested contributed to her agony.

Camila could not recall what time she arrived home but she remembered the searing kiss Lauren sent her off with. Driving was a risk as she was admittedly inebriated and incredibly exhausted. It didn't help that one of her hands would reach for her lips, feeling the agitated surface that seemed to prickle perpetually.

Camila couldn't remember much but her body wouldn't let her forget the way Lauren held her, and the way her skin trembled beneath her fingertips. She wondered if her heart would ever stop trembling when the rasp of her voice would ricochet in her ears, or if her nerves would ever let her breathe when those plump lips were pressed against hers even for the most innocent kisses.

Lauren was still gentle and patient, but she was even more beautiful with time. A heart so strong, she chose kindness when Camila was the most ruthless.

Lauren Jauregui will be her ruin.

She would threaten whatever Camila built all those years, disintegrating everything from the inside until what was left would be a vestige of her supposed greatness. But Camila couldn't find it in herself to be remorseful any longer as living in denial was only hurting her.

The gap that distanced the two had slowly been filled by a deluge of love no less, but the crack could never be concealed and healing would never commence until the flagrant truth of their separation would be dissected.

Camila wasn't even sure if she deserved it all the second time. She wasn't sure if she deserved her at all, especially since she wore another person's name.

And while she was overwhelmed, overpowered by compelling, unbending reality, she would reach for her momentary reprieve, tucked in her bedside drawer. She would count on it to pry her windpipes open and keep her lungs from collapsing, while paving the way for a clearer head.

Alas, there was an interruption before she could even grasp the handle.

"Mrs. Claus." Elf's timid voice rang through the door with accompanying knocks before the boy peeked in, hands desperately clinging to the lever-type knob.

It was an adorable sight that Camila would have preferred to immortalize in a photo, but she was too busy admiring Elf in his dinosaur onesie, limp tail hanging from his back. The arch formed by his pitiful brows displayed his bright, hopeful eyes that no one could ever resist, not even Camila.

And thus, distracting her from a craving she so desperately desired to vanquish.

"Come in, buddy." Camila's voice was soft, inviting amid the scratch in her throat. "Good morning!"