Please be my nightingale (Camren)

Part 70

Ally can't spot any unusual as she parks the car and trusts in her friends to having set up what they planned. Lauren's eyes widen in surprise as she follows the short girl through the door. The living room couches are pushes aside and replaces by basically all pillows they could find in the house and the blankets from each bed. It's a pillow circle around the TV where every girl can lean on the couch and sit comfortably. "Surprise!", Normani and Dinah scream as their heads appear from under the covers. Ally doesn't want to know what they've been doing but is glad that they were able to set it up.

The girls sit down, getting comfy. "Damn, you two look good! I like your haircut, Ally, "Dinah compliments.

"I think Lauren looks like a sexy vampire", her best friend chuckles. "Looks really good and intimidating. You should wear eyeliner more often to scare people off," Dinah adds.

Lauren smiles thankfully and inspects the setting. "What's all this?", she asks carefully and tries to remember if she forgot any birthday.

"We wanted to have a girls' night/sleepover and brought everything down, ordered pizza already and we have wine", they explain together.

"But it's a school night?", she asks unsure. "You need to enjoy life once in a while", Dinah shrugs her off and hands her a cup of wine.

The girls originally set up the following plan in the morning, getting her tipsy to find out the details about her and Camila by setting up a movie night since movies are always good and since she freaked out in school, the girls want to talk about it and comfort their friend. The pizza arrived soon after and they finished it within minutes, the hint for Normani to get up and get the ton of chocolate, Cheetos and popcorn that they prepared. By the time she comes back, Dinah has already filled up their glasses and they smile knowingly as Lauren starts to relax.

"So, Lauren, do you wanna talk about today?", Ally asks softly, her hand cupping hers.

Lauren looks down. It's not that she didn't overreact, which she did, but she thinks it's ridiculous to explain herself now to her friends. They'll probably think she's going mad.

"It's nothing.."

"uh oh, Lauren, you had a reason to feel what you felt and we only want to try and help you."

"I just don't want to perform in general and then not in front of all the parents..", she suddenly bursts out. "Mine never attended, never asked if something like that would take place and all the others were there and I just skipped school or sat with Mani's family."

"But we are there now", Dinah tries to calm her down. "We are your friends and your family and in my opinion, such a better option than your parents", she winks. "You can appear and show the others that they didn't take your voice."

"No one is going to bully you anymore. Not when we are around and they have no reason because your voice is beautiful and you'll look gorgeous on stage", the blonde gushes further. Lauren smiles weakly before silent tears fall down her cheeks and her lips wobble.

"I just don't want to perform without Camila", she finally admits. "Our group is not complete without our fifth member."

Dinah's eyes glisten as well. She would have loved for her friend to be there with them but she went her own way which she needed to do and since no one besides her and her family know the real truth, the four other girls have to stick together and do what they do best.

"I know babe", she whispers and hugs Lauren. They are both hurt the most and Ally cries because she always cries in moments like this. "But we are not going down without her. Our group can split the parts and shine on its own and if she comes back and we get another chance to sing as five, we will, but until then, it's us and we are strong enough to make it through all this without her, ok?"

Lauren nods and dries her cheeks, taking another big gulp of the wine before she bites into her chocolate bar. She's not going bitter because of this she tells herself. They talk about random things, what they want to get for Christmas and that they're thinking about going back for a few days to spend it with their families which Lauren can totally understand. She'll simply stay with Normani since that's what she did normally.

"Lauren, tell us Camila's secret now..", Dinah nudges her friend.

"What secret?", she asks confused.

The blonde only wiggles her eyebrows, "Is she good?"

"Good with what?", she asks back again.

Ally sighs, "Is she good in bed?" she asks her friend bluntly who immediately blushes. She remembers the night vividly and bites her lip, nodding slightly.

"So, you enjoyed it?" She nods again. "Would you do it again since it will only get better from now on", Dinah laughs.

"I guess," she whispers.

"Spill the details already", Ally chuckles and earns a glaring look from Normani. "Way to be subtle"

"I skipped dinner and she came back from spending the day with her dad.. I-I changed into the green lingerie and the robe that we got, remember?"

"Oh, how could we forget?! That was eye candy sent from heaven."

"Well, and when she came up to bring me dinner, I came out of the bathroom and yeah."

"Awww, I'm so proud you made the first move, Laur", Normani coos honestly. "You don't regret it, right?" She shakes her head quickly. "So, it was that good, huh?"

Lauren only smirks and sips on her wine, keeping the best secrets to herself.