Lauren wasn’t sure what she hated about Christmas.Maybe it was because it didn’t snow in Miami. Or that her mom was never home to make Gingerbread cookies. Or that she always knew that Santa wasn’t real. She had went to the mall to ask him for the barbie beach theme. When she got to the mall Santa was a little too tan. She cried the whole ride home.But the thing she hate the most was the Skype’s with her parents. She didn’t hear the miss you’s like she would like. She heard the “When are you going to settle down and get married, you aren’t getting any younger” by her very annoying mother.So she had lied and told her mom that she had actually proposed to a girl. There was one little problem.She hasn’t proposed to a girl, she was very single and she would like to keep it like that. She had a few girls that came and go. Lauren was never the one to settle down.
"You um have to go" Lauren said clicking on the Skype app on her laptop. The girl on the bed was putting on her shoe before putting her fingers through her hair,Lauren looked at the girl’s finger and sighed. She just found married woman attractive. The one’s who were sobbing at the bar about a big fight with their husband who expects dinner at the table when he gets home. She logged on and the girl; she didn’t know her name and she really could careless. The girl knew hers. She was screaming it all night.The girl looked in the bedroom mirror before she ran out without saying a word. Maybe embarrassed or ashamed.Her phone call finally came and she answered sighing heavily.Clara Jauregui’s face popped on the screen.Her smile practically covered the screen.
Lauren couldn’t help but smile back.
"Is your Fiancee there?" she asked making Lauren roll her eyes. She was expecting a hello or a have you lost weight? But no.
"She went to pick up some coffee"Lauren fibbed. She still hadn’t come up with a name for her "fiancee" but her mom believed every lie.It was easy when her mom was miles away.She sometimes missed Miami but she loved New York, the smell of the venders and hearing the train come by in the morning.Giving homeless guys loose change was her favorite.New York was her home now and she couldn’t see herself nowhere but in New York.
"I have a surprise, I can’t hold it in anymore" Clara said showing Michael Jauregui’s back in the kitchen stirring something in the pot. Lauren frowned, she missed her father and his delicious cooking.
"Hi papi" Lauren said waving fast. "Okay ma, what is the surprise?" she asked praying it was that Chris; her little brother, finally got the College scholarship for University of Miami or Miami Dade College. He always wanted that but who knew with her mother and the meaning of surprises.
"We’re coming tomorrow and staying till after the holidays!" her mom said screaming making Lauren’s face drop. She didn’t know how to react to the news. "I can’t wait to meet my future daughter-in-law" Clara said making Michael turn around.
"I can’t wait to see you, baby girl" he said highering the flames before finally facing Lauren. "Sorry for such late notice but Zayn volunteered to pick us up" he said smiling. Zayn was Lauren’s ex boyfriend and current best friend. He was the only guy she actually loved and trusted with everything in her.
"That was nice of him" Lauren said smiling at her dad. She really didn’t want them to be here and catch her in all her lies, where would she really find a fiancee in a day or at all. She just needed to drink and fast, she always got her best ideas when intoxicated.
"I can’t wait to see you" her mom said smiling big. "I want to bake cookies for Santa" her mom winked. Lauren closed her eyes giggling. Her mom was trying to make up Lauren’s lost childhood, she sometimes felt like her mom forget Lauren was already 23.
"I can’t wait" Lauren said. Thinking about it she needed to put up a tree and fast. She would probably like getting into the Christmas spirit, just for one year maybe.She grabbed her phone unlocking it. She had a text from Normani; also her best friend who she couldn’t live without.
"We need to go and finish packing, see you tomorrow" her mom said "I love you" her mom said putting the phone down. "Okay how do I hang this up" she said and then her mom’s face was gone.Lauren closed her laptop starting to bite her nails. At that exact moment she hated herself for lying. But when she heard her mom gasp at the idea of planning a wedding she couldn’t break her mom’s fragile desperate heart.She had to walk and think, she needed to find a girl who would make her mother’s approval.She felt 16 all over again. She grabbed her coat and shoved her I Phone into her coat pocket. She put on her beanie and her house keys before walking out her apartment,She made sure it was locked before running downstairs to walk to Normani’s house who was just around the corner. She thought about buying her and Normani starbucks but her roommate was upstairs, and who knew what her roommate liked.Lauren didn’t even know her name, she just knew she really liked her face.And she was always in the kitchen. She went inside the elevator of Normani’s apartment before leaning against the wall humming to herself. Maybe she could use Normani, her mom loved Normani.She laughed at the thought and Normani’s reaction. She shook her head still thinking, maybe she could pay someone for the holiday’s.The elevator stopped and she walked out. She didn’t have that type of money to pay a actress. She needed this to be real and make it seem that she was madly in love with someone.She knocked on Normani’s door taking off her beanie and unzipping her coat.When the door finally did open it wasn’t Normani; it was her very pretty roommate that had flour on the tip of her nose.
"Hello Lauren" the woman said wiping her hands on her jeans; leaving flour all over her pants, "Normani is in the kitchen trying to bake cookies" she laughed shaking her head. "Come in" Lauren licked her bottom lip and put her thumb on the lady’s nose.
"You had flour on your nose" Lauren said licking her thumb. Normani’s roommate giggled walking inside.
"Lauren’s here!" she said when Lauren walked in putting her coat on the hanger. Normani’s house was spotless, Lauren took off her shoes and walked to the kitchen to see Normani swaying her hips to Beyonce and putting the cookies in the oven.
"Hey whore" Normani said turning around and turning the radio off. "How was your Skype meeting?" she asked and her roommate walked in checking the cookies. Lauren squinted at her and pulled her bottom lip in her mouth. What was her name again.
Ask her stupid.
"They’re coming tomorrow" Lauren said walking up to the counter and leaning against it to face Normani.
"Why aren’t you happier?" Normani asked licking her fingers. "You haven’t seen them since Chris’s graduation" Normani said making Lauren laugh.
"And we fought about me not finding my soulmate yet, so I might have told her I was engaged" Lauren whispered looking down at her hands. She knew her best friend’s jaw was dropped.
"And we all know you aren’t" Normani said making Lauren look up slowly. Her face said it all, they all knew she was fucked Even her roommate who finally moved away from the oven and sat next to Normani just as shocked.
"I need to find a girl, who will be my Fiancee for a few weeks" she whispered looking around.
"Camila, this girl is cray cray" Normani said looking at her roommate who just shook her head.
Camila. Lauren smiled, “What can I do? They’re going to be in my house tomorrow expecting to meet my future wifey” Lauren hissed taking a deep breath. She wanted to pull her hair out, she needed a cigarette, times likes this she wished she could just go into her bag and just smoke half a pack and drink a whole bottle of wine all in a hour. She used to do it when her mom was in town and she wished she didn’t quit smoking. Zayn had made her quit and now she didn’t need them like before. Maybe because she was in New York away from everything. When she graduated at CUNY for journalism she had no idea what to do and started working at a bartender but quit right after a drunk guy said he wanted to taste her. She felt violated and just all around sick. She had side jobs, waitress when her uncle’s restaurant was busy and cleaned up after. She worked at a cashier at a local supermarket on Sunday’s. But other then that she was at the bar. Normani was a model for Victoria Secret and Seventeen magazine and other small things But all around she only wanted to live in New York.
"You need a wifey" Normani said tapping her nails on the counter. "And as soon as possible" she hummed softly. "Camila, sweetie can you take out the wine" she said smiling at Camila who just nodded.
"You just read my mind,Kordei" Lauren said fixing her shirt. Wine was her lifesaver, it made her think straight and made her relax. She looked at Camila who was had three wine glasses on the counter and poured the bottle of white wine. She put the bottle down and handed the cups to the eager girl. Lauren drank it like she was dying of thirst. She put the cup down and wiped her mouth. "A glass of wine a day, makes the stress go away" she said winking at Camila who was taking little sips of her wine.
"So can we get back to the whole ‘my parent’s think I have a fiancee’ problem" Normani said putting her finger on the rim of the wine glass looking at Lauren."We need to find you a fiancee" she said pouring Lauren her second cup.
"Do you enjoy cooking?" Lauren asked looking at Camila who was near the oven again checking the cookies. Camila turned around slowly nodding."Favorite basketball team?" Lauren asked slowly drinking her second cup.
"Miami Heat" Camila answered. Lauren drank the rest of the second cup before swallowing hard.
"You’re Cuban, correct?" Lauren asked licking her bottom lip.
"And Mexican, but I don’t see how that is relevant" Camila asked drinking a little more of her drink,
"I know I barely know your name and that I know zero about you, and this is in such short notice but-" Lauren dropped on one knee "-I like your face and I think you would make a great fake fiancee-" she grabbed Camila’s left hand. She looked up at Camila who face was as red as a tomato.
"Lauren…this is so weird" Camila breathed out. She met Lauren’s eye who screamed desperate. She looked away "I don’t know" she whispered.
"We don’t have to kiss, I’ll have to be on top of you and stuff and we’ll have to sleep on the same bed but no kissing or like other things, three weeks" Lauren begged. "I’ll pay you" Lauren sighed getting up and squeezing Camila’s left hand."Okay maybe pecks, my mom will be expecting that" she whispered smiling.
"We don’t have a ring" Camila whispered looking down. She didn’t know what to say. She would have to act like a thropy wife for three weeks. It would be practice but with a girl? Was that even normal?
"I have a billion rings" Normani said butting in "I’m a model they give me free stuff" she winked running into her room.
"3 weeks" Lauren whispered looking into Camila’s big brown eyes. She knew the look she was giving Camila was a killer.
"3 weeks?" Camila said not breaking the stare down.Lauren just nodded smirking."I should start packing" she whispered finally breaking the staring contest and walking out of the kitchen. Normani shook her head walking in.
"All the rings have weird designs, and your mom isn’t that dumb" she whispered pouting "Just tell her you don’t have one yet, you are good with making up stories" Normani whispered. "Now go home and make your house look more like a two person home" she said smacking Lauren’s butt before Lauren grabbed her coat.
"Tell Camila I’ll be home ready for her" Lauren said kissing Normani’s cheek.She shoved her beanie in her coat pocket and rushed home. She wasn’t happy that she dragged Camila into this mess but at least she would have a normal Christmas where her mom wouldn’t mention the whole being single for the of your life speech. She loved her mother with everything in her and hated lying to her but now her mother would be happy. That means she would be happy. When she was finally home she started picking up dirty clothes from the living room floor and her doorbell rang making her drop all the clothes and walked to the door. Zayn stood there taking off his gloves.
"Hello" he said kissing Lauren’s cheek and squeezing her, he was shivering as he held Lauren in his arms. Lauren relaxed in his arms and he pulled away looking at her. "I still hate New York" he said blowing his hands rubbing them.
"Come in, I’ll make some hot chocolate" Lauren said walking into her little kitchen. "Oh and thank you for telling me my fucking parents were coming" she said boiling milk..
"It was supposed to be a surprise" Zayn said taking off his pea coat and hat. He sat on a stool before Lauren glared at him.
"Oh you know Normani’s roommate?" she asked adding chocolate.
"Yeah, Camilla" he said smiling. She rolled her eyes.
"Camila" she corrected Zayn stirring the chocolate powder and grabbed two mugs. She poured the hot chocolate in the cups and she gave one to Zayn. He took a sip closing his eyes "I’m marrying her" she said making Zayn start coughing and spitting up.
"What the fuck" he said catching his breath, he grabbed a napkin wiping his mouth. "I didn’t even know you guys dated" he said "I didn’t know you even dated anymore."
"Oh let me explain, she’s my fake fiancee, all she has to do is be a perfect girlfriend so my mom could fall madly in love with her and get off my back" Lauren explained drinking a little more hot chocolate. Zayn was still trying to put this together. He knew Lauren was a weirdo but he felt like he didn’t understand correctly.
"Wait? You are still lying about that" he asked finally understanding. Lauren slowly nodded.
"And I finally have a girl, so it looks more real" she said winking at him.
"Is she pretty?" he asked smiling. "Because we all know Lauren only focuses on the looks, isn’t that why you dated me" Zayn said grinning.
"Shut up, that’s not all I worry about" she whispered rolling her eyes. "I just think it’s an important factor. But yes she is beautiful actually" Lauren said right before there was a knock on the door. Her eyes opened wide and she clapped her hands "There goes my love now" she said skipping away. She opened the door to face a very nervous Camila whatever her last name was. "Welcome to your new casa" Lauren said as Camila slowly walked in.Camila looked at her surroundings before dropping her black plastic bag. "I should bring this to your-our room" she whispered walking to past the room. She looked around the living room and stopped at the frames. It was mostly Normani,Zayn, Lauren’s family and her on the wall. Camila quickly went into her bag, she was holding a frame.
I bought this” she whispered “To make it look more real” she whispered holding a picture of herself sitting in the snow with a sweater on and a beanie. “It was in my room, so maybe you could put it here” she whispered slowly putting it down next to Normani’s frame. Zayn walked into the living room and stopped short when he seen Camila.
"Damn" he whispered licking his bottom lip and looking at her up and down. "I’m Zayn and you are beautiful" he whispered grabbing her hand and kissing it winking at her
"Okay, don’t flirt with her. She is mine" Lauren said poking her finger at his chest "Now sho, you need rest to pick up my annoying family" she said smirking. "Oh Camila, this is my best friend Zayn" she said introducing them and smiling.
"Nice to meet you" she said smiling.
"You guys should practice kissing and being couply" he warned slowly walking out as he buttoned up his pea coat. "I can’t wait to see this tomorrow" he laughed shaking his head. He knew it was going to fail and he couldn’t wait to see it. When the door slammed Camila put her bag down, Lauren was starting to get nervous and finally started noticing how beautiful Camila was.
"Zayn is right" Lauren whispered grabbing Camila’s bag and putting it over her shoulder "I can sleep on the couch tonight, but I hope you don’t mind kissing me and stuff" Lauren said softly smiling. Camila’s face was burning and she was avoiding eye contact with the girl. Lauren grabbed the nervous girl’s hand. "You need to know this house inside and out by tomorrow, so this is the living room-" she pulled Camila to the kitchen "Where we come to eat our grub" Lauren said smiling. She pulled Camila out the kitchen and pass the hallway into the girl’s room. "Mind the mess-" Lauren kicked her dirty shirts in the corner "This is our room" she put Camila’s bag on the bed and opened it up."Unpack and put them where ever. I’m going to start on dinner." Lauren awkwardly bent down and pecked Camila on the cheek. She smiled when the girl’s face changed color again and she dropped Camila’s hand walking out.
Camila looked around the room and started taking out her clothes, now she was extremely nervous and had no idea what to do. She didn’t want to touch Lauren’s stuff or make more of a mess. She looked at Lauren’s floor and seen clothes all over. Maybe if she cleaned? No she’ll leave everything where it was at. She sat on the corner of the bed. She was someone’s fiancee. She was honored that Lauren had asked her but she didn’t like the idea of lying to strangers. It was only for three weeks anyway, right?
