Come Back, Be Here (Camren)

Chapter 24

"We missed you, kiddo." Mike mumbles as he hugs his daughter tightly to his chest.

"Dad, no offense, but you smell like wood and sweat." The brunette scrunches up her nose.

"Oh sorry, honey. I've been working on some Adirondack chairs for the backyard." Mike self-consciously smells his shirt and grimaces.

"Yeah, I saw that on Instagram. I can't wait to try them out." Lauren smiles. "Anyways, I'm being rude. Mom, dad, this is Dinah, Ally, and Normani." She introduces the three girls to her parents before turning to face her wife. "And of course you already know Camila."

"We are so glad you all could join us for Thanksgiving. It's so nice to meet you all and Camila, honey, it's so great to see you again." Clara smiles warmly at the brunette, but there is pity laced in her eyes and Camila wishes that it wasn't directed at her.

"It's nice to meet you, Mama J." Dinah pipes up and all the other girls nod their heads in agreement.

"Yes, thank you so much for opening up your beautiful home to us." Ally chimes in.

"Yes, thank you." Camila smiles shyly and Mike and Clara smile sadly at her.

"We are glad you could all be here." Clara says. "Everyone is in the backyard so let's join them all, yeah?"

All the girls nod and follow the mother of three to the backyard.

"Lauren Jauregui." The green-eyed girl hears her name being called and she doesn't even have to look to know who the voice belongs to. A small smile plays on her lips when she looks to her right and sees Vero walking toward her, Alexa and Keana right behind her.

"Hi, guys." The brunette meets them halfway and embraces them all in a group hug. The other four girls walk away to a nearby table to sit down so they can give the friends some privacy.

Moments later, someone plops down next to Camila at the table and the Latina jumps at the sudden movement. "Camila Cabello." Vero smiles widely at the brunette. "Last time I saw you, you were chastising me for hitting on your work friends at your wedding."

"I don't really remember the last time I saw you. Those memories were kind of forced out of my head and by forced I mean beaten." Camila chuckles until she realizes that she is the only one laughing.

"Too soon." Dinah mumbles and everyone nods in agreement.

"Well it's nice to see you again." Vero smiles and pats Camila on the shoulder before getting up and allowing Lauren to take her place.

"I'm Keana." The girl extends her hand across the table and Camila takes it in hers. "Last time I saw you was-" She pauses when she notices Lauren giving her the 'please stop talking' look. "Never mind." Keana smiles sheepishly

"Lex, this is Camila." Lauren introduces the two and Camila smiles and extends her hand. However, she immediately retracts it when the girl across the table doesn't make a move to shake it. Lauren clenches her jaw and gives her friend a death glare, but Alexa just avoids looking at the green-eyed girl.

Clara, noticing the tension, quickly speaks up. "Chris and Taylor wish they could make it, but they couldn't. Taylor went to a friend's house in New York to attend the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and Chris went with his girlfriend to her parent's house in Georgia."

Lauren nods her head in understanding.

The rest of the lunch goes by rather smoothly. Everyone eats until they cannot eat anymore and when it seems as if everyone has thrown in their napkins, Alexa leans over the table and whispers to Lauren. "Can we talk to you alone?"