So Close (Camren)

15 - Sometimes You Feel It In Your Bones

a/n: what up, cute stuff? the song rec for this fic is Risk It All by The Vamps. happy reading!!! 

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Camila has no idea what she just did when she sort of  flirted with Lauren. In her defense, she considers it as part of her personal progress, seeing how Lauren doesn't look at her like she's a lowlife without the success of her writing career.

"Well, maybe you feel that way because Lauren doesn't know about your whole other writing persona yet." A small voice in Camila's head tells her and she feels her anxiety spike up.

"What if she uses you for her own personal gain once she finds out? What if she's just like everyone else?" The voice continues, making Camila absent-mindedly bite her lip as she begins to get lost in her own thoughts.

The writer takes a deep breath to calm herself down, suddenly becoming aware of how fast her heart is beating.

"Breathe. You've only known her for less than a day, Plus, who says that something romantic is actually gonna come off from this retreat? Camila mentally tells herself in an attempt to calm herself down.

"Camz, you alright?" Lauren says as she nudges Camila back to reality. The smaller brunette takes a look around them and realize that she's beginning to hold up a line at the buffet from her overthinking.

"Shit. Y-Yeah, sorry." The writer says as she quickly beings to go through the food stations.

"You sure?"

"Yeah! I'm just gonna g-go and reserve seats for us, yeah?"

"If you say so. I'm just gonna grab us some fruit punch and I'll be right over."

The two girls part and Camila makes a beeline for the table at the corner of the cafeteria -- it's always been where Camila feels the most comfortable whenever she has to eat out in public (except when she's eating in Serendipity because that place is basically her second home away from home).

The writer is busy taking deep breaths to clear her head when a guy walks up to the table that she's saved for her and Lauren.

"This seat taken, señorita?" The guy asks, effectively catching the writer's attention by making Camila look up to him.

"Oh, uh, y-yeah. Sorry. My friend sits there. She's just getting some fruit p-punch." Camila bites her tongue to prevent herself from word vomiting any more.

"Well, if she's getting the two of you some fruit punch, what do you say I take you out for some drinks once you're out of here?" The guy smiles, probably trying to make Camila swoon but the smaller brunette just internally cringes as she gets flashbacks from how very similar the guy's opening lines are to some of her exes'.

"Sorry, I-I, uh..."

"Something bothering you, babe?" Lauren's voice suddenly interjects, saving Camila from having to stutter a half-coherent response to the guy.

"It's fine, babe. He was just, um, asking if your seat was taken." Camila manages to blurt out.

"Did I just call Lauren 'babe'??" The writer internally screams.

"Whoa there, sorry. Didn't know the two of you were getting it on." The guy said, the hint of a pervert smile ghosting over his features.

"Hey, pardon my rudeness but fuck off, will you? Who even are you?" Lauren's says, her brows suddenly knitting together.

"Oh crap she's mad... and hot... at the same time. How is she doing that??!" Camila thinks.

"I'm Shawn and I'm gonna be around 'til about next month. But hey, until then, don't hesitate to tell me when the two of you won't mind giving me a little... show." The guy says, making Lauren physically flare up and start to walk closer to him before the guy literally runs away.

After a few moments, the taller brunette finally takes a seat.

"Sorry for... uh..." Lauren starts.

"Wait, should I be, um, sorry for anything?"

"Well, for all I know, you saved me from having to blurt out a somehow coherent response to the guy when I wasn't interested in talking to him at all. So thank you." Camila says after swallowing down a good portion of her chicken salad.

Lauren is caught off guard.

She hasn't been thanked for anything she's done for so long.

It feels weird. It feels different.

New.

It takes the taller girl some time to respond, downing half of her fruit punch as an excuse.

"Ooooh, s-so I take it that you're not into pervy guys?" Lauren tries to tease Camila but ends up getting disgusted by the thought of guys as a whole, making herself cringe externally. The smaller brunette, in turn, watches as flashes of different emotions take over Lauren's features, making the smaller girl laugh.

The two continued to eat in comfortable silence before Lauren speaks up.

"So... do you wanna play a game?"

"Hmm? What game?"

"Um... 20 questions?" Lauren suggests before clearing her throat.

A small part of Lauren actually wants to put effort into getting to know the smaller brunette. And on one hand, she's all for it because what could possibly go wrong, right?

But on the other hand?

Well, Lauren can't help but admit to herself that the weight of just how much Camila already has an effect on her is scaring her.

She felt it in her bones when she first walked next to the girl.

She feels it as they are speaking in the cafeteria, looking like casual strangers who are getting to know each other.

She feels how there could be something deeper -- she feels the possibilities. 

And hell, it terrifies her.

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a/n: thank you soooo much for reading the parts of this story that i have already put out there, sunshine!! may we meet again on the next chapters after this one!! hearts!