The Girl Nextdoor

Chapter 34

But chasing Lauren was not as easy as you may think. Apart from her outstanding athletic skills, she knew how to maneuver around people. While I instead, struggled moving past the huge glob of drunk college students. Through my struggle, I had gotten beer spilled on me and a few bad words thrown at me. But it was worth it, because I caught up to her. Not because I suddenly got super powers or something but because she lost her balance and fell on her bum.

She rubbed her head as I approached her. She was unaware of how close I was getting to her, but I didn't care. With one swift move I had been at her side and found myself checking every part of her body for any wounds.

"Are you okay?" I asked as I cupped her cheeks and looked for any imperfections.

She instantly twitched when she heard my voice and felt my touch.

"Camz?"She said in utter confusion and fear.

"Hey yeah it's me, are you okay?" I repeated the unanswered question.

She was about to open her mouth to answer but before she could her eyes wandered to the fresh drop of blood that had just stained her shirt. She quickly rubbed her nose as if it was the answer to get rid of her nose bleed. But when she realized that it wasn't working, she freaked out. I tried to calm her physically, but out of nowhere her fear was replaced by laughter. By now I surely thought she was wasted or on something because this type of behavior isn't like Lauren.

"Holy shit..." She continued to giggle. "I'm bleeding."She said rubbing her bloody nose and letting the liquid stain the back of her hand.

"Oh my god Lo..." I said in a scolding tone, I quickly searched in my bag for a napkin and to my luck I found one. "Tilt your head down." I instructed her before I dabbed her nose with it.

"Stop that tickles..." She giggled.

"Lauren you're bleeding just...hold still."

"Holy shit I'm bleeding?" She asked wide eyed.

"Yes you're bleeding. Are you drunk or something?"

She laughed, "No..."

"Tired?"

"Nope." She said popping the p.

At first I didn't understand why she was acting so strange. But then it occurred to me. The sudden idea or even thought that she was on something never threatened to cross my mind up until this point. And the fact that it was the only possible reason I could find for her behavior, worried me.

"LAUREN WHAT DID TOU TAKE?"

"I don't know... it was this little pill that was crushed into tiny little pieces." She said and showed me by squeezing her fingers together.

Okay now I was worried.

"I think it started with a c... Ugh I don't remember."

"Crack?"

She shook her head.

"Coke?" I tried again.

Her smile grew wide.

"Bingo." She pointed at me, "Coke. That's what it's called." She said as her index finger shook in my direction.

"Oh my god Lauren, why did you do coke? You'd never do that."

"I don't know...one second I was fine but then I saw you walk in...with her." Lauren said recalling the painful memory. "And next thing I knew, I couldn't breath. And I was just so angry and sad. Then Vero came up to me and offered me some. At first I said no, but then I remembered that when Vero is sad, she takes things like that to make her forget and after that she's happy again. She would always say that it made the pain go away. And that's all I wanted." She paused as tears began to form in her eyes. "All I wanted was to forget and be happy again. That's why I did it. To be happy." She half smiled before she frowned, " it took the pain away for a while but now that you're here, the pain is back again..." Her voice almost cracked at the end.