Unconscious Beauty (Camren)

Chapter 3

"Guess who's coming over to my house tomorrow after school!" Lauren yelled opening the store doors dramatically.

"I don't know, Jesus?" Ally called sarcastically from atop the counter.

"Close, it's Camila!" Lauren squealed picking her friend up and spinning her around. "We have to work on a project for English together, it couldn't be a more perfect situation. I have to write a biography about her...she's not what I thought she would be. She's smart and articulate but she can still be goofy and funny."

"I have a feeling all I'm going to hear you talk about for the next few weeks is Camila," Ally complained. A smile still plastered on her face because her best friend is happier than she's been for awhile.

"That's what friends are for," Lauren joked taking her spot in front of the register. "Are we still going to the fight after work?"

"Yeah, our shifts end at 9 o'clock and the fight starts around 10 o'clock, so if we leave as soon as we can, we can get there in time," Ally explained. Lauren couldn't help but be excited and nervous all at once. It would be exhilarating to see her crush fight, but she doesn't want her to get hurt.

"Camila mentioned something weird right before the bell today," Lauren thought aloud.

"What was it?" Ally questioned resting her chin in her hand.

"I asked why she hadn't talked to me when I tried making conversation, she said that she didn't want me to get hurt...Then the bell rang and she left without another word," Lauren said still confused about what Camila had meant.

Ally hummed thinking to herself,"I guess you'll just have to find out what she means yourself. Maybe you could ask her tomorrow...or tonight."

"I have a feeling I'll be shielding my eyes more than anything tonight," Lauren said thinking about it.

"Probably, if someone lands a punch on her you'll scream," Ally chuckled.

"I don't doubt that at all," Lauren laughed stacking a few boxes.

After that Lauren and Ally actually had customers come in, the normal slow day turned into the store being filled with gamers. So instead of playing any of the sample games they could get their hands on, they stuck to being professional and helping everybody out.

When the hours ticked by and the sales slowed down they locked the doors and headed to Lauren's car, ready for the anticipated journey ahead of them for the night. On the way there Ally mostly yelled at Lauren for going the wrong way, but Miami was a confusing place. Even after living there for so long she saw new things along the way.

Lauren pulled up where a lot of cars and trucks were parked at the address they had found earlier. The building looked like a bar, even a guard was stationed at the front door. Ally and Lauren stepped out onto the wet street and carefully walked up to the front door. The bodyguard was tall and broad, dressed in a skin tight grey shirt and blue jeans, a permanent stern look on his face. "You girls look a little young to be here," he said in a low voice stopping the two girls.

"We're uh, friends of Camila's-" Ally tried to finish before the man cut her off.

"Oh, g-go right in," he urged opening the door for them.

"They must respect her a lot," Lauren said in awe as she walked in. Right past the door were a flight of grimy concrete stairs.

"It shouldn't be a surprise, she could probably beat them up if she wanted to," Ally shrugged walking into the arena. The arena was larger than I had expected, it easily held 200 people along with the square rings and octagonal cages where fights were held. Most of the people that filled the underground room were sweaty men yelling at the fighters.