Beautiful When You Don't Try (Camren)

Chapter 62

"I know." Lauren said calmly, trying to get Adrianne to lower her voice. "Part of me is incredibly angry with him and always will be, but I have tried to look at the good that came from it all."

"And what would that be exactly? Because I could make an entire list of all the things to be pissed at him for, all the pain you have endured is because of him."

"I put myself in that situation. I wasn't passed out drunk. I could have stopped him if I wanted to."

"But you trusted him to do one thing that would have prevented you from-"

"Growing? Becoming stronger? Learning that I didn't want to live the life my parents were planning out for me?" Lauren interrupted her, standing up and moving closer, causing the brunette to stop pacing and actually listen to her. Lauren took a final step closer, pulling Adrianne's blue eyes to hers and calmed her anger slightly. "There was a lot of pain and struggle, but I got a lot out of it as well. If it hadn't happened, I wouldn't be standing here in front of you today. I would have never met you because I would already be married to a man and pregnant with my first kid back in Miami, fighting my feelings because it was the devil that making me feel this way. And if we had never met, you and Kim would have never met."

Adrianne hesitated, looking out the office window, knowing Lauren was right but not wanting to admit it. "You sure are giving him a lot of credit he doesn't deserve."

The raven haired laughed lightly. "I'm giving credit to the situation. I'm just asking you to try to keep things civil and if you absolutely can't, at least take care of it without any one else being around."

"I'll try." Adrianne promised without admitting defeat. "I will honestly try, but I make no promises. I may keep my thoughts on the past to myself, but if he says something stupid now, then I'm all over it."

Lauren rolled her eyes and hugged her friend. "Fine. Just try and keep it somewhat humorous."

"So you don't want me to piss him off?"

"It's Zayn. He doesn't get pissed at women. He'll just think your flirting with him and playing hard to get."

Adrianne furrowed her brow. "Even though I am completely gay and have a girlfriend?"

Lauren smiled broadly and nodded her head. "He'll just see that as an opportunity for double the fun."

She cringed and shook her shoulders. "Guys are gross."

"Speaking of..." Lauren noted as she looked out the office window and saw Zayn and Dinah enter the studio. "Here we go."

Dinah ran to Normani on the couch and threw herself into a hug, needing the closeness after her ordeal with airport security. "They didn't do a strip search on my baby, did they?" Normani joked as she wrapped her arms around the smiling woman. Dinah shook her head.

"That's something to be thankful for." Lauren stated as she walked out of the office and was instantly snatched up by Zayn. He had dropped his bag on the ground and lifted the photographer off her feet in a massive hug. "Well, someone's happy."

"Yep. And for two reasons. Not only do I get a vacation for this thing," He explained, putting the beaming Lauren back down. "But weddings always get the chicks sappy and in the need for love." Adrianne watched in disgust as the man humped the air in front of him.

Lauren decided it would be best to get their introductions out of the way before he did anything else... Zayn-ish. "Zayn, this is my best friend Adrianne." She called for the woman who hesitated so she reached over and yanked the brunette closer by the arm. "Adrianne, this is Zayn Malik. Be nice." She added the last part as a whisper through gritted teeth, receiving a smile from Adrianne through identical gritted teeth.