beyond the monotonous city

twenty six

"C'mon let's sit near the room." Lauren followed after Sinu started walking. Lauren tried to focus on putting one foot in front of the other. She occasionally looked to her side where there were just rooms of in-patients. They passed a nurse's station at the end of the hallway.

Sinu stopped at one of the rooms, and sat down on the chairs in front. Lauren found herself looking at the room, which had its blinds on, thinking that Camila was at the other side.She gulped. She felt her knees weak and sat down before her knees gave in. Out of tiredness, she fell asleep once more, resting her arm on the armrest.

She woke up when Sinu gently shook her awake. Her eyelids felt like the heaviest part of her body as she struggled to open them. "Lauren, Camila wants to see you."

Lauren shook out of her tiredness. When she did, she felt the anxiety swarm over her all at once. She knew Camila was sick, but to actually see her was something else. She wasn't sure if she was ready for that. Sinu seemed to read into her expression.

"Lauren, I know it's really hard for you but it would mean so much to her if you go in there. She was surprised at the fact alone that you stayed."

Lauren nodded, finally agreeing. She helped herself up gently before making her way in front of the door. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. She felt anxiety spread to every fibre of her body but she opened the door before she chickened out from crippling anxiety.

She was blasted with the cold air of the air conditioner. The room was small, a bathroom on one end, a couch against the wall next to a window. There was a draw curtain that separated Lauren from seeing her friend. Lauren urged her feet to move slowly. She heard the slow beeping of the heart rate machine.

The first she saw was Alejandro who was sitting on the couch, leaning on the bed. His eyes met hers and that's only when Lauren looked at Camila.

She was still, herself. To Lauren's relief.

She was dressed in the standard issue blue hospital gown, an IV at her arm, though Lauren was sure that wasn't the only thing she was attached to. The biggest difference was how pale Camila looked. The glow she had in her skin, that made it seem like the spotlight was always on her, was missing. She looked plain old Camila.

Camila smiled softly. "Hi Lauren."

Lauren just stood, there unsure if she wanted to hug her or what.

Alejandro put a hand on her daughter's shoulder as he stood up. He gave Lauren a soft look, "I'll leave you two to talk." before he went out, leaving the two of them alone in the room.

"Are you okay?" Camila asked, her brows furrowing in worry. Lauren found it ironic that Camila was the one asking her if she was okay. It hit her that Camila didn't probably know about her episode, as her father might have not wanted her to worry.

"I'm a b-bit shaken up." she admitted. Lauren found it in her to walk all the way towards the couch, to keep her from crumbling from anxiety. "How are you?"

"Well I'm here aren't I? I forgot what it felt like to blackout, honestly. Guess it came back to kick me in the ass." Camila said in her usual manner of speaking. Half sarcastic, half mocking.

Lauren scowled. She knew emotion was going to take its toll on her eventually. "Camila, you could have I don't know-died and you're talking like this?"

Camila was taken aback by the sudden burst of emotion from Lauren. "Just because you wallow in your sadness doesn't mean everyone else should, you know."

Lauren tried to ignore what she said, though it hit close to home. "I can't believe you didn't tell me." Lauren fought the cracking of her voice. She didn't want to admit it but she knew Camila was starting to see through her.