Come Back, Be Here (Camren)

Chapter 16

Camila puts both of her hands out in front of her as she slowly approaches her boyfriend who is pacing outside of her apartment. "Austin..." She tries, but is cut off by Austin backing her into the wall and lodging his arm into her throat.

"You don't get to speak." He seethes as he presses his forearm down harder into her throat.

As she looks into her dark, angry eyes, her mind immediately goes back to the day she was attacked outside the hotel in Miami.

"I can't have you remembering who I am." The man says as he grits his teeth. He presses the knife deeper into her throat and she cries out when she feels the knife break skin. "So I'm going to make sure you forget." He immediately drops the knife and in one quick motion he shoves Camila's head into the brick wall that is situated behind her. As soon as her skull collides with the wall, she sees stars and the impact sends her to the ground. Once her face hits the cold concrete, she prays that the man will walk away. Unfortunately, that doesn't happen. Instead, Camila feels something else collide with her head and she groans as the world starts spinning. "Sweet dreams." She hears the man whisper before she feels another blow to her head. This blow causes her whole world to go black.

Camila frantically claws at Austin's face when she starts to see stars and she manages to let out a strangled cry when he punches her in the stomach.

Lauren stands at her bedroom door and watches as Cam claws at the front door. Not seconds later, she hears a yelp. One that sounds familiar. She immediately rushes to the door and grabs Cam so she can shut him in her bedroom. She goes to put on some shoes while she is in there, but then she hears Camila cry out again and she ditches shoes altogether. What she sees when she opens the door to her apartment makes her blood boil. Austin has Camila pinned up against the wall, his arm pressed into her throat.

"I told you not to see that bitch again." Austin spits as he applies more pressure to her throat.

Camila tries to pry his hands off her neck, but she is unsuccessful. Lauren immediately steps into action and drags the boy off of her wife. She throws him into the apartment wall across from Camila and then steps in front of the younger girl as a shield.

"Don't you ever lay your filthy hands on her again." Lauren spits as she reaches behind her and grabs Camila's trembling hand.

"She's my girlfriend, I can do what I want to her." Austin lunges at the green-eyed girl, but she just shoves him forcefully again.

"You sick bastard." Lauren takes a couple of steps forward and backs Austin into the opposite wall, immediately lodging her arm into the boy's throat. "I will kill you with my bare hands if you ever lay another one of yours on her." The older Latina presses her forearm further into the boy's throat. She starts to speak up again, but then she hears the girl behind her start gasping for air. The green-eyed girl immediately drops her arm and quickly makes her way over to her wife. Before she can bend down, she feels someone jerk her back by her hair.

"You don't get to take care of her that's my job!" Austin positions himself between the two girls.

Lauren's heart clenches when she sees Camila wrap her arms around herself and sink to the ground so she can curl up into a ball. She can hear Camila's ragged breathing from where she's standing and the sound makes her eyes burn with rage. She immediately places both hands on Austin's shoulders and brings her right knee up to connect with his crotch. The green-eyed girl smirks momentarily as she watches him double over in pain, but when she hears Camila's strained breathing, she immediately scoops the panicked girl into her arms and carries her into her apartment. Camila clings on tightly to Lauren as the older girl carries her over the threshold and locks the door behind them. Lauren sits down on the couch with Camila still in her arms. Camila tucks her head into Lauren's neck and her hands clutch tightly at the front of the older girl's sweatshirt.

"Just breathe. I've got you." Lauren cooes as she places a quick kiss on Camila's head and tightens her grip on the girl. Camila starts shaking harder when Austin starts banging on the apartment door. The green-eyed girl quickly takes the girl in her arms into her bedroom and shuts the door behind her. She quickly sets her down on the bed before turning on her Beats Pill. She scrolls through her phone and puts her Ed Sheeran playlist on shuffle. She turns the volume up as loud as it will go so it'll drown out Austin's tantrum. Lauren squats down in front of the brown-eyed girl and her heart clenches at the sight. Camila has both hands clasped over her ears and she's looking at the ground. She is still struggling to breathe and it worries Lauren so she gently takes Camila's hands off her ears and holds them in her own. She runs her thumbs soothingly across the back of the tan hands momentarily before letting go of one of them so she can use her free hand to hook a finger under Camila's chin.

"You're safe, Camz." Lauren places both of her hands on the young Cuban's damp cheeks and wipes the tears off of them. "Match my breathing, babe." Lauren coaxes as she takes a deep breath and watches Camila do the same. When she sees the fear and vulnerability in the brown eyes that are staring into her own, she quickly stands up and sits next to the girl. Lauren immediately pulls her wife into her arms and rests her chin on top of Camila's head. She smiles when she sees Cam place his head in Camila's lap. The younger girl pets the dog with one hand, her other still balled up in a fist in her lap. Neither girl knows how long they stay in that position, but neither attempts to pull away. After what feels like hours, Lauren finally pulls back and looks into her favorite pair of brown eyes.

"Are you okay now?" Her hand finds Camila's and she gives it a light squeeze. "Did he hurt you?" She allows her eyes to scan over the girl's body to look for any bruising or blood. She does notice that there are already bruises forming on the younger girl's throat and Lauren's vision turns red.

Camila clears her throat. "No, I'm okay." She promises Lauren. The green-eyed girl is quick to notice the hoarseness in Camila's voice and she has to stop herself from leaving right now and hunting Austin down. "I'm just tired."

Lauren nods and quickly stands up. "You can take the bed and I'll take the couch." She gestures toward the living room.

Camila goes to protest, but Lauren cuts her off. "I'm not taking no for an answer. You need sleep." She smiles warmly at the girl. "Goodnight, Camz." Lauren goes to open the door, but Camila's voice makes her stop.

"Stay." Camila chokes out.

Lauren pauses at the door, her back still turned to the girl.

"Please." The younger girl whispers and Lauren turns the light off in the room. She quickly makes her way back over to the bed and lays down beside Camila. She feels the girl back into her and Lauren immediately shifts on her side and wraps an arm protectively around the girl's thin waist. They both feel the bed dip down, signaling that Cam has joined them.

"Night Lauren. Thank you." Camila whispers and Lauren gives her body a tight squeeze. She hears her breathing even out minutes later and Lauren places a quick kiss to the back of her neck.

"Night beautiful." She whispers before drifting off into a deep sleep.