Chapter 22: Back

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Lauren's POV:

"Cole, he was in your room going through your stuff." Camila says staring into my eyes. "I'm sure that didn't happen Camz, you're just confused." I answer softly and put a strand of hair behind her ear. I know she doesn't really like Cole, but accusing him of doing something like this is too much. I still care a lot about him and I know he's a great guy. "No, Lauren I swear. And he wasn't alone, Normani was in there with him." She blurts out and it takes me a second to process what she just announced. "What? You're kidding, right?" I say holding my head. "Do you really think I would joke about something like this? I'm serious, she was there with Cole." She repeats staring deeply into my eyes. "But why would they go through my things and then hit you? I doesn't make sense Camz, I'm sure you're just confused." I answer softly. "Lauren please believe me, I'm not confused, I know what I saw and they were both there and Cole hit me with something." Camila says as her breathing gets heavier. "Maybe you need some rest, I'll stay with you until you fall asleep." I say walking towards her room, but she grabs my wrist and stops me. "I don't want to sleep, I want you to believe me! Lauren this is serious, they must be working with Austin, they are dangerous and..." She starts saying louder than before until someone opens one of the bedrooms' door. "What's going on? I want to sleep." Normani says yawning walking out of her room. "Nothing, we were just talking." I answer with a smile and she walks back into her room. "Just shut up!" She adds before closing her door. "Look, Camz I know you're scared, okay? But Normani and Cole are our friends, they wouldn't want to hurt you or me." I say rubbing her cheek with my thumb. "I don't know what's going on, but I need you to trust me, I'm completely sure." She answers staring at me with her big brown eyes and my heart breaks because I can't trust her on this one. "We'll talk about this in the morning okay? Let's go to bed." I say holding her hand and walking towards her room again, but she lets it go. "Your room is that way." Camila says and slams her door behind her. "Don't be a baby, come on." I say knocking on her door. After a couple of seconds she opens it again and sticks out her head. "We'll talk about this in the morning, you know, since I need to rest." Camila says sarcastically and closes her door once more. "Camzi come on! I love you." I say pressing my cheek against the wooden door. "Go to sleep!" She says annoyed. "You know that I love you and I want to talk to you, please open the door." I keep on trying, but at this point I don't know if I have a chance. I understand why she's so pissed. If she didn't believe me when I told her something as huge as this I would be really hurt. But how does she expect me to believe that one of my best friends and my ex boyfriend would do something like this? I'm sure her memories got mixed up with her suspicions. I sit against her door and knock once more. "Please. Please let me in, don't shut me out of your life, not right now. I need you." I beg softly and she finally opens the door. I quickly stand up to face her and realize her eyes seem really red. "Camila I'm sorry." I say hugging her, but her body stiffens and she doesn't hug me back. I try to connect our eyes, but she looks at the floor biting her lip. "Please babe look at me, I'm begging you." I say softly lifting her chin with my hand. When our eyes meet again I feel shivers down my spine, she looks so hurt and broken and I hate to think I'm the reason she's like this. "I am so sorry." I whisper trying to keep our eye contact, but its so hard. "You think I'm crazy, don't you?" She says with a trembling voice and I'm afraid she's going to break down in tears again. "No, I never said you were crazy Camz. I just think you're a little overwhelmed and some of your memories got mixed up." I answer softly rubbing her back. "I don't know what else to say other than I'm 100% sure of what I saw. If you still don't want to believe me its okay, I don't blame you. I just want to be alone tonight, okay?" She asks taking a deep breath and I nod my head softly. "I'll see you in the morning, I love you." I say putting my hand lovingly on her cheek and she closes her eyes. "I love you too." She answers whispering and walks back into her room. I don't know what to do at this point other than giving her some space to sort her thoughts out. I feel like a gigantic bitch for doubting her, but its not exactly easy to be in my position. I know she'd never lie about something like this, and Normani has been acting kind of weird lately, but why would they go through my stuff? I don't think Normani would be a part of whatever Austin has been planning for so long. I mean, I know she allegedly had feelings for me not too long ago, but that's no reason to do everything that has been happening. She used to be one of my closest friends and I love her to death. And I trust Cole with my life and know he would never do something like this either. Camila's head must be spinning and everything must seem like a big blur to her, that's the only possible explanation I can think of right now. I walk into my room and put on my PJs before getting in my bed alone. With everything that's going on lately I had almost forgotten about the projected picture of me and Camila sleeping together at the release party. I have no idea who could've taken that picture, I mean it must've been Austin. The alarm system hadn't been installed yet so he could've broken into our apartment, but Cole was sleeping in the living room that night and he would've stopped him, right? Unless, Cole... No. Come on, I know the guy and he would never hurt anyone. He loves me, why would he hurt Camila? Maybe because I love her and not him and this is some sort of revenge, but I don't think he'd be capable of something like that. I can't let these stupid thoughts get in my head, I already have enough going on and Simon hates us, so we're pretty much screwed. God, I just want this fucking day to be over already. I grab my phone and text Camila before trying to sleep.

To: Camz<3

Goodnight Camzi, I love you! Please never forget that, okay? I'm really sorry about today :( We'll get through this, I promise! #camrenforevercausewearerad

A couple of seconds later my phone buzzes.

From: Camz<3

Did you really think you'd win me over with a hashtag? Jk I'm not really mad, just confused I guess. And even though I miss you, spending a night apart will be good for us. See you in the morning, sleep tight. I love you<3

Her text makes me smile lightly before I close my eyes and drift into a long night of sleep.

Camila's POV:

I wake up after a horrible night of no fucking sleep at all. I can't stop thinking about everything that's going on. Lauren thinks I'm a psychotic bitch, and she doesn't realize we are actually living with one and her name isn't Camila. And just to make everything worse, today I have to "go on a date" with Austin so the paparazzi will see us and everyone will think Camren is officially dead, especially after someone projected a picture of Lauren sleeping in my bed in front of our fans and tons of producers. I hate Simon so much for making me hang out with that douche bag, but business is business and I guess this'll be the only way of keeping a relationship with Lauren on the down low. I need people to focus on Austin and I, and they will eventually forget about of casual sex tape.

But I'm still not over the fact that Lauren doesn't believe me. We are supposed to trust each other, and I don't know how to make her trust me. I know its not exactly easy to process your ex boyfriend and one of your friends tried to hurt your girlfriend, but it really sucks to know that she doesn't trust me. After a while of rolling in bed thinking about how much my life stinks right now, I get out and walk to the kitchen to eat some breakfast. Lauren and Dinah are sitting on the table laughing about something apparently very funny. "Hey." I say yawning and sitting next to Dinah. "Hello Mila, how did you sleep?" She asks excitedly and Lauren only flashes a smile. "Alright I guess, what about you guys?" I say pouring myself a glass of milk. "Oh, great, I'm just surprised you two woke up in different rooms today." She says chuckling. "Dinah, oh my God! Camila asked me stay because she wasn't feeling well that night and I just fell asleep. Don't joke about that, it isn't funny." Lauren answers and eats a spoonful of Cheerios. "Chill Jauregui, it was a joke. Who took that picture anyway? Are you guys getting those creepy texts again?" Dinah asks us, but as soon as I'm about to answer we hear footsteps behind us. "Hey guys, good morning." Normani says with a smile. "Hey Mani we were just talking about something serious. Sit down." Dinah says and I just want to punch her in the face, but she really doesn't know Normani is one of the creepy texters, or at least that's what I think because Lauren thinks that's a ridiculous idea. "Okay, what's going on?" She asks sitting next to Lauren. "Just about the stupid picture someone projected at the party last night." Lauren answers glancing at my direction. "Yeah, that was so scary! How took that pic? Do you guys know?" She says holding her chin. "Umm not really." I tell her softly. "That sucks, and it was taken when Cole was sleeping here, how weird is it that he didn't wake up when someone took the pic?" Dinah says and Normani starts to look around nervously. She's clearly hiding something. "So how are you dealing with the break up?" She asks Lauren changing the subject. "Oh my God did you and Cole break up? Why didn't you tell me?" Dinah says and Lauren gives me a confused look. "Because I didn't tell anyone, how did you know Normani?" Lauren asks her lifting her eyebrows. "Umm I don't know, I guess you told me." She answers with a smile. "Anyway I better go shower." She adds and walks away. Dinah leaves too after a while and its finally me and Lauren alone again. "Are you seriously going to tell me that wasn't weird?" I ask her and she holds her head. "I'm pretty sure I didn't tell anyone about my break up. And especially Normani, I hadn't even talked to her in a while." She says staring into my eyes. "Do you believe me now? She clearly talked to Cole and they know something's up between us. Lauren please tell me you trust me." I say sitting closer to her. Her deep green eyes stare at mine for a second and then she bites her lip. "So are you really sure it was them?" She asks me holding my hand on top of the table. "Completely sure." I answer nodding. "Then lets bring those assholes down." She says with a smile. Now that's the kick-ass Lauren Jauregui I know.

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