Beautiful When You Don't Try

Chapter 28

Camila woke up feeling cold. She drew her sprawling limbs closer to her body for heat as she fought to open her eyes. Lauren was sitting on the side of her oversized bed getting dressed. "You should really bring some of your clothes to keep here. That way you can just go to the studio from here and not have to go all the way home first."

Lauren looked over her shoulder to the waking diva and smiled genuinely. "Maybe I should."

Camila patted the mattress next to her. "Come here."

The brunette crawled back into bed as Camila rolled over on her back to accept her girlfriend's kiss. Camila traced lines up and down Lauren's arm with her fingers as they basked in the morning light, loving every short and gentle kiss they shared between loving glances into each other's eyes. "I have to go." Lauren stated in remorse. "I have to go home and get dressed. Talk with Mom so she doesn't feel like she's been abandoned. And then get to work and deal with Kim and her newly revised schedule and messaging system."

"And Meg." Camila added without a tinge of attitude in her voice that made Lauren kiss her in gratitude.

"And Meg. Although, she did really well yesterday. Everything was very professional."

"It was." The diva agreed as the brunette kissed her forehead and left the bed. "Hopefully the professionalism will continue with me not there today. I have some previously scheduled interviews that I have a feeling will become increasingly single topic inquires as the day progresses. Then I have rehearsals and the show starts at seven."

"Long day."

The diva nodded, mashing her teeth between her lips as the brunette stood in the doorway ready to leave her. She hated this part. In past relationships, she enjoyed the time to herself once her boyfriend had left for the day, but things, as always, were very different with Lauren. Work and alone time seemed to get in the way of their relationship more than the other way around. "So...will I see you tonight?"

"What time will you get home?"

She pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped herself in the linen sheet. "I was actually planning to go out with a few friends, cast mates, after the show since I have been gone for nearly a week. Would you like to come with me? I'm more than positive that you would enjoy yourself."

Lauren smiled broadly. "More than positive?"

She nodded with certainty. "More than positive. My personal life is something we haven't really discussed as of yet. I think there are a few things, and people, that would be more...interesting for you to be informed of in person." The brunette raised an eyebrow and Camila smiled broadly. "So?"

"Okay." Lauren nodded, hanging on to the door frame as she slowly began to leave the bedroom. "Give me a call and let me know where I need to be."

"Oh, and Lauren?" The brunette pulled herself back into the room. "Plan on staying the night as well. I have a lot of repaying to do for last night. While we lost count for me after five, I know for a fact that you only got three." The brunette blushed and nodded her head as she left.

~/~/~/~

It was early. Lauren became increasingly aware of that fact as she entered her apartment building and the halls were empty and silent. She hoped that her mother was already awake so they could talk and do their bonding this morning since they weren't going to be seeing each other tonight, but she opened the door quietly just in case, tiptoeing to her room.

"Good morning."

"Good morning." Lauren blindly greeted, turning around to the kitchen to her mother, who was already cooking breakfast and sipping her coffee. Clara smiled lightly. Lauren was wide eyed, like she had been caught doing something she wasn't supposed to be doing.