Beautiful When You Don't Try (Camren)

Chapter 12

A/N: Okay. So here is an extra long chapter for the weekend. Enjoy!

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"So, how long have you been out?" Sinu ask setting some of the bags down just inside Camila's bedroom door before taking a seat on the diva's bed. She watched as Lauren slowly scanned the room in amazement that everything still looked the same from all of her youtube videos.

"Three years."

The older woman nodded and followed with her eyes as Lauren finished her inspection and sat down next to her with a light, nervous smile. "But you've known for longer?"

She hesitated and nodded. "I had a really good idea in senior year, an inkling late junior year."

"So, if you knew then, what took you so long to come out? Especially since your parents were out of the picture."

She nervously scratched her head and diverted her eyes to the floor across the room. "I hadn't actually admitted it to myself. I had some other issues I was trying to deal with and that was just adding to the emotional fire."

Sinu never broke her sight on her and she was beginning to feel the pressure of her stare. She couldn't tell if Sinu was disapproving of her or just trying to get a read. She braced her heel on the bed frame and hooked her hands around her raised knee, softening her posture slightly. Sinu was reading her. "What type of issues would you allow to prevent you from being who you are?"

She didn't want to do this, but she needed to. This was for Camila. Lauren may not have a family to answer to, but the diva did. "They were issues best dealt with on my own. Emotional damage. Proving to myself that I wasn't a disappointment like I had been told. Proving to myself that the bitch I portrayed myself as was actually the cause of a good portion of my unhappiness. There are still a few things that I am working on though."

"Like your daughter?" Lauren's eyes snapped to Sinu's, wide with nothing less than shock. "Has Camila told you that we have contact with Mila's biological mother Ariana?" She was stunned but finally managed to shake her head. Why hadn't Camila told her that? Sinu suddenly had a glint of guilt in her eye, seeing her reaction, and lowered her eyes from Lauren's, shaking her head. "I mean, it's not like we just call each other up and chat for hours like old girlfriends, but it is about a half hour conversation once a week. Would you like to see a picture of her?"

"No!" Lauren sprang up off the bed, but held on to her arm that was reaching for her wallet. "I...I...I'm not ready for that." Sinu nodded and returned her hand cautiously to her lap. Lauren released her arm and fought to catch her breathing that was now panicked. "This weekend is about Camila. That...I'm not ready to do both.

Sinu nodded her head once more as he watched the raven haired woman fighting to keep the tears from falling while she stared at the spot on the mattress where she was sitting. Sinu could tell that she wanted to know but was scared. "Okay. Well, if you change your mind, just let me know."

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"Dad," Camila's voice was pleading. It broke Alejandro's heart not just to give in if it made his daughter happy, but happiness now could very easily turn into very public heartache later.

"I'm just worried for you, Camila. This is such an unexpected change."

"I know. It caught me off guard as well. But when I almost lost this because of my uncertainty, I realized just how much I wanted it. Dad, I really and truly love her. Just get to know her and you would even agree that she is perfect for me. She lets me rant and actually listens to it. She even provides feedback!"

Alejandro ran his hand over his head and repositioned his glasses on his face. "that is a...unique quality."

With Camila's flare for the dramatics, she threw herself off the couch and to her knees by his chair. Alejandro rolled his eyes. No matter how old she got she still acted like the little diva who use to feign panic attacks when asked to mow the lawn. "Give this a chance. Your approval means so much to me."