Love Me (Normani)

Chapter 65

"She hates me!" "She doesn't hate you." Camila soothed her best friend. "She's just upset Laur." Lauren sniffled in Camila's arms and looked up at her face. "You think?" "Well yeah, it must be awful being in hospital forced to have all your hard work undone." "I guess." "Why don't I go over and see her later? After work." Lauren nodded sadly. "What about me?" "Um, maybe go home and rest. You don't wanna get kicked out again right?" "But-but what if she changed her mind? What if she wants me there?" Camila shook her head slowly. "No, I don't think so, not yet. It's too soon Lo." Lauren sighed and leant her head against Camila's chest. "I know." She mumbled sadly. "Listen, I gotta get to work, I'll drop you home on my way." Camila said, rubbing the girl's shoulders as a hint. "Right. Thanks Camz, I needed that reassurance." "No problem, what are friends for hm?" Camila nudged her as they walked out to her car. Lauren smiled shyly as she got out of the car outside her house. "Thanks for the lift. Let me know how it goes with Normani." "You know I will. Hey and you get some rest, you look exhausted Lauren." Lauren nodded, suppressing a yawn on cue. "I will. Later Camila." "Bye Lolo." Camila waved before pulling off and heading for work. Lauren opened the front door and headed up to her room. "Hey where's Nor-" "Shut up." Lauren dismissed her younger brother. She couldn't be bothered to answer questions now. She didn't think she could even handle it. Camila's shift passed by fairly quickly, that tended to happen when you actually enjoyed your job. "Oh! Bye Camila, see you tomorrow kid." Her manager waved. Camila smiled and nodded before heading to the hospital. "Can I help you?" The receptionist asked when she noticed Camila looking disorientated. "I'm here for Normani Kordei?" "Ah." The name didn't seem to even surprise the woman at all. She seemed familiar to it. "Second floor, take a left down the hall, it's the third door on the right." "Thanks." Camila flashed a smile before making her way to her best friend's room. She knocked on the door politely and heard a hoarse voice tell her to come in. Camila walked in nervously. "Hi Mani." Normani sat up a little in surprise. "Mila, hey.." Camila shut the door and made her way over to the bed. In all honesty, she looked pretty awful. She looked worse with all the tubes in her. "I'd like to say it looks worse than it is." Normani started when she noticed Camila staring. "Doesn't feel like that though." Camila gave a sad smile and put a hand over Normani's. "How are you?" Normani raised her eyebrows. "Is that a trick question?" Camila chuckled lightly. "Right. But seriously." "I'm feeling pretty shit." She scoffed. "I miss you." Camila pouted. Normani squeezed the Cuban's hand and returned a gentle smile. "I miss you too Mils." Normani felt Camila cuddle up to her and sighed. She can feel all the fat, all the weight you're gaining. Disgusting. Camila thinks you're disgusting. So does Lauren. Why do you think she even brought you here? She couldn't wait to get away from you. To get rid of you. "Mani?" Normani whipped her head to look at Camila when she heard her nickname. "Hm?" "You okay?" Camila asked, her head tilted up to look at her, a concerned look on her face. Normani plastered on a fake smile as she looked down at the girl. "Fine." Camila didn't believe her, but let it be. "Lauren," Camila felt Normani tense at her name. "sends her love." "Hm." Normani replied stiffly. "It's not her fault you're in here.." "So what you're saying it's mine?" Normani quickly said accusingly. "No! It's not your fault, but it's not Lauren's either. It's the eating disorder, really, in fact it's nobody's fault." "What're you gonna say now? It's just "one of those things"?" Normani said. Camila gulped. "Well, no. It's not. But it's no ones fault either." Normani bit her bottom lip and tried to calm down. "She misses you Mani. A lot." "She betrayed me." "Mani-" "Can I be alone for a while? Like, I appreciate you coming and all but I'm tired." Camila nodded and kissed her hollow cheek. "I'll come back tomorrow okay?" "You don't have to." "I know, but I want to, I'm going to." Camila said insistingly. "Okay..Bye Mila." Normani mumbled shyly. "Bye, love you boo." Normani gave a weak smile. "Love you too." When Camila left she went straight to Lauren's house to see how she was and update her on how her girlfriend was doing. It was just such a shame she couldn't see for herself. "Hi Camila, Lauren's in her room. Warning though, she's in a mood." Chris said when he opened the door. "Thanks for the heads up Christopher." Camila smirked. "Stop saying that!" He whined at his full name being said. "Never." She ruffled his hair teasingly. Camila passed him by and went up to Lauren's room, not bothering to knock. She didn't tend to. "Hey Laur." She smiled at the girl when she saw her on her laptop. "Hey Camz, how's Mani?" "Uh, honestly, not good." Lauren flicked her eyes down sadly. "Did she say anything about me, ask about me?" Camila bit her bottom lip in thought before replying, "No." "Oh.." Camila sat down on the bed next to her best friend. "She'll come around Lo, just give it time. Normani's upset right now. You can kind of see why." Lauren closed her laptop and leant her head on Camila's shoulder. "Yeah I just miss being able to hold her, be there for her, you know?" Camila just listened. "I really thought I was doing a good job.." Lauren said, her voice quivering. "Lauren listen, she needed professional help. She always did." "But I tried so hard." Lauren cried helplessly. "We weren't, I don't know, experienced enough to help her deal with what she's going through." Camila said, stroking her arm with it around her. "She's in the best place for her right now, okay? We need to trust the doctors." "She'll never trust me again though, will she?" Camila didn't know what to say. "I don't know Lauren. I wish I did." "Camila," "Mm?" "Is she..do you think she's gonna die?" Camila swallowed thickly. "I hope not."