Three Is A Crowd

Chapter 55: Bad Kind of Butterflies

Camila

I wake up, joints stiff from sleeping on the floor, and the first thing I do is look at Lauren's bed. Empty. My anxiety is already taking me to that familiar place where all I wanna do is crawl up and lock myself in the bathroom, and it's not even what -- I grab my phone to check what time it is -- yep, not even seven in the morning. I send her a quick message asking her where she is. Maybe she just went out for a smoke or something. Still, her absence makes me feel nervous, as I remember the way she has reacted last night.

As much as I don't want to, I get up from my makeshift bed on the floor, and I glance at Shawn's sleeping form, a little surprised that Lauren hasn't drawn dicks and shrimps all over his face.

I can't believe all of this shit happened in just one night -- and on my birthday! What, is this karma? Is this the universe's way of telling me that I deserve shit to be laid upon me on my special day, one pile of dung after another?

Still, I wouldn't change anything else if it meant I get to finally be with Lauren. I fell asleep last night just thinking about us, about what has happened, and what is going to happen, and one thing I realize is that it was all me. I was the problem. I could have been with Lauren earlier than this if only I had the courage. But with that realization, I know that it's also up to me to make this work.

First things first, I gotta do what I should have done before. Now, I have to face the music that is Shawn, and free him from my toxic self. Hopefully, without ruining our friendship. Wishful, delusional thinking.

While waiting for my brain to fully wake up, I scroll through my phone, notifications and a little social media. Literally a shit ton of messages, from Dinah mostly asking me about my tattoo. Then I see a couple from my mother, which I don't bother to open. Not a single message from Lauren, though. Damn. I text her again -- just casual shit, nothing too scarily clingy, I hope.

Then I go to my Instagram and see the photo I posted last night already has over a hundred likes, which, for me that's like equivalent to a million since I really don't have a lot of friends -- oh, maybe because I tagged Lauren in it? Of course, I see my mother commenting on it (which I didn't read because I don't want my day to suck even more), and the urge to block her is overwhelmingly strong at this moment. Whatever, I'll try to reply later.

After a quick freshening up, I slip out of the room to buy some coffee. Knowing Shawn, hangovers aren't something he's used to, and what I'm about to tell him is no cure for one. Buying him coffee is the least I could do before I break his heart.

==

Shawn

Why am I floating?

No, why am I spinning?

I try to rack my brains trying to recall the last memory I have. All that flashes in my mind are a couple bottles of gin and a pool of vomit. I'm suddenly reminded vividly of the awful taste in my mouth, and I run (uh-oh, not a good idea) to the bathroom to rinse my mouth.

Seeing the place, I now remember I went to Camila's dorm last night. How, I don't remember. Someone dropped me off, most likely.

Makes me wonder, where is she?

The cold water wakes me up a bit, but the heaviness of my head doesn't leave me. I sit back down on Camila's bed.