After vacating Miss Lovato's classroom, Dinah, Ally and Lauren had followed the school nurse back to her office where she'd provided them all with what was possibly the most sugary drink they'd ever had.
In fact, it was so sweet, that Lauren had convinced herself that if she had any more of it then necessary, she'd start hallucinating rainbows and unicorns. The school nurse, who, Lauren had been fortunate enough to avoid meeting throughout the duration of her high school experience so far, had informed them it was for the 'shock' and had told them to sit down for a few minutes to regain their composure.
Lauren had almost snorted with derision at the comment, the thought of recovering her poise almost laughable when Camila was in hospital, her condition unknown.
Once they'd finished their diabetic inducing drinks the nurse had given them each a hall pass and note to explain their tardiness to their respective teachers. The three of them had taken them hastily; eager to escape the confines of the nurses' office and discuss the situation and their plans without prying eyes or ears.
Finally alone in the abandoned and somewhat eerily quiet hallway, the girls had made their way to one of the nearby bathrooms. Dinah checked beneath the stall doors, confirming it was empty whilst Lauren stood in front of the door to prevent anyone from entering and disturbing their discussion.
"I'm going to the hospital," Lauren stated simply. "I don't care if it's the first time I've ever bunked off school. I need to check that Camila is alright."
"What if we get caught?" Ally asked nervously.
"Who cares if we get caught?" Lauren countered. "I don't know about you Ally but seeing Camila like that scared the crap out of me. I'm never going to be able to concentrate this afternoon after seeing her like that."
"Me neither," Dinah agreed, her eyes still swollen and red from the tears she'd cried at the distress of seeing her best friend in the midst of a seizure. "They can't expect us to stay here and pretend that nothing's happened?"
"Exactly," Lauren continued. "So, I'm going." She paused to look at Dinah,
"Dinah, I assume that means you're coming too?"
"Of course," Dinah informed her. "If I could have gone with her I would have. There's nothing on this earth that will keep me at here whilst she's there."
"Ally?" Lauren asked the shorter girl. Ally seemed to weigh up the decision in her head before finally answering.
"Screw it," she said, nodding in Lauren's direction. "Let's get out of here."
"I'll drive," Lauren told her as they carefully made their way out of the bathroom and back into the hallway.
Carefully, the three of them navigated their way through the deserted space, each one of them on the alert for sign of a teacher or adult who might stop them in their tracks. Lauren felt her heart racing in her chest, partly in nervousness at her new found rebelliousness but mostly out of concern for what they'd find when they got to the hospital.
Eventually, the girls managed to make their way outside and into the fresh October weather. They traipsed across the car park, the sound of leaves crunching beneath their feet and a gentle breeze rustling the trees around them.
"What are we going to do about Normani?" Ally asked as they arrived at Lauren's car and she unlocked it.
„She's in class at the moment," Lauren said reasonably as she lowered herself into the driver's seat and closed car door behind her. "There's not a lot we can do."
Lauren put the key into the ignition as Dinah and Ally fastened their seat belts.
"I'll text her and let her know what happened," Ally offered. "We can call her over lunch once we know more."
Lauren started up the car as Ally pulled her phone out of her pocket. She backed out of the parking space and moments later the three of them were on their way to the hospital they'd overheard Miss Lovato say in the message she'd left for Camila's mom.
"Your quiet back there," Lauren commented, glancing in her rear view mirror at Dinah who was watching the world go by out of the car window. "Want to talk about it?"
Dinah met Lauren's eyes in the mirror and smiled gratefully.
"Not really," Dinah replied honestly.
Lauren smiled sadly in response to Dinah's words and turned her attention back to the road.
"No you know what?" Dinah said her voice rising angrily. "This sucks. It's just one thing after another and it isn't fair."
Ally turned around in her chair and placed a comforting hand on Dinah's knee.
"She'll be alright," Ally said optimistically. "You'll see."
"Yeah but for how long?" Dinah asked, not really expecting nor wanting an answer. "This week it's the seizure, last week it was the low mood. She takes one step forward just to take two steps back again."
She paused for a moment and pounded the window beside her with her fist in frustration.
"It's just not fair."
Lauren glanced at Dinah again in the mirror as the other girl continued.
"Somewhere out there, probably living in the same neighbourhood as Camila, as us, is the asshole that hit her," Dinah vented furiously. "They're probably going on with their life right now like nothing happened, not even caring about the fact that they left someone alone on the road to die."
Dinah glanced out of the window again, crossing her arms in front of her.
"In an instant they changed Camila's whole life," she said her voice low and dejected, the anger dissipating almost as soon as it had come. "They don't know what they put her through, what they put her family and her friends through because, for them, nothing has changed. Nothing."
"They'll find the driver eventually," Ally offered. "They always do."
"Yeah," Dinah said with disdain. "Probably after he's run down and killed some other unsuspecting victim."
Dinah uncrossed her arms long enough to run her fingers through her hair before returning them to their previous position.
"I hope that when the police finally do catch them, that they throw the driver in jail for the rest of their life," Dinah voiced after a moment's pause. "Then maybe they'll finally understand what it's like to have your life stolen away from you, to take everything you knew and flip it upside down so that you have to start all over again."
"That makes two of us," Lauren agreed, meeting Dinah's gaze once more in the rear view mirror as she turned right at a junction.
"Three of us," Ally concurred as Lauren turned left into the hospital car park and pulled up into an empty space.
They exited the car and Lauren locked it, turning to look up at the tall white building across the large expanse of tarmac. Together the three of them made their way to the hospital entrance, passing people being escorted from one place to another in wheelchairs, an assortment of bandages and dressing covering various parts of their bodies.
"I don't think I can do this," Dinah said, stopping in her tracks, her eyes studying a man who was sat in his wheelchair just outside the electronic doors.
One side of his head was obscured with large white, soiled dressings, his right leg elevated on a footrest, the entirety of it covered in plaster, from his thigh to his knee. Lauren turned to take Dinah's hand in her own and squeezed it reassuringly.
"Dinah its fine," Lauren tried to sooth her, exuding a confidence that she herself did not possess.
"No I can't," Dinah said with a sense of finality. "I can't go back in there."
Dinah pulled her hand out of Lauren's and rested both her palms on the back of her head, crouching down slightly to take a deep breath.
"Just breathe, ok?" Ally comforted, patting Dinah gently on the shoulder. "You can do this."
"No I really can't," Dinah said, standing back up and turning around, one hand on the back of her head and looking at the entrance to the hospital once again. She lowered her head again, crouching back down.
"Are you going to be sick?" Lauren asked concerned, crouching down beside her and brushing a strand of hair out of her eyes.
"I'm just a little nauseous." Dinah admitted.
"Perhaps you should wait out here?" Lauren suggested.
"Ally and me can go and check on Camila then come back out and let you know how she's doing."
Dinah made her way over to a bench nearby and sat down, hanging her head between her knees and sucking in large gulps of air in an attempt to abate the panic she felt.
"Ok," Dinah replied nodding slightly and feeling a little more settled at the prospect of not having to venture inside the building. "Yeah, I think that'd be best."
"Alright," Lauren said patting her on the shoulder again and looking expectantly at Ally who had sat beside Dinah on the chair, both hands draped around the other girls shoulders in a supportive hug.
"Ally?" she prompted.
"You go," she told Lauren, meeting her questioning gaze briefly before studying Dinah closely. "I'll stay here with Dinah."
"Are you sure?" Lauren asked her.
"Yes," Ally confirmed and she picked up one of Dinah's hands, entwining their fingers together in a gesture of unity.
"Ok," Lauren said, "I won't be long, alright?" Lauren turned on her heels quickly and made her way through the sliding doors at the entrance.
She made her way uncertainly to the reception desk and asked the kind looking older woman sat behind it if she could direct her to Camila Cabello.
The receptionist studied the computer screen in front of her before explaining to Lauren where she needed to go. Lauren followed her directions resolutely, only coming to a stop when she spied Camila's mom standing a few feet ahead of her, talking to, what she assumed to be a doctor. Lauren waited for their conversation to end and the doctor to leave before approaching Camila's mom, the older woman spotting her just as she was about to go back into a private room.
"Lauren?" Sinu asked the youngster as she finally caught up to her.
"Hi," Lauren greeted nervously.
"What are you doing here?" Sinu asked, "Shouldn't you be at school?"
"We were with Camila when it happened," Lauren began in an attempt to explain her presence at the hospital. "We were worried about her so we....kind of left."
"We?" Sinu asked confused.
"Ally, Dinah and I," Lauren clarified. "Dinah couldn't face coming inside after....well, last time she was here, so the others are waiting downstairs."
"You girls should have called," Sinu told her, not unkindly. "You could get in trouble for being out of school."
"We don't care," Lauren told her. "We just wanted to know that Camila was alright."
"She's ok," Sinu told her offering a small smile and rubbing Lauren's arm encouragingly. "A little bit out of it still but she'll be fine. They're hoping to send her home soon."
"Could we have done anything to stop it happening?" Lauren asked.
"No," Sinu replied truthfully. "Unfortunately it's just one of those things. Did you see that man I was just talking with?"
Lauren nodded her head in response.
"Well," Sinu went on. "That's Camila's neurologist. They did another scan of her head after she was brought in, just to check that there was no further bleeding or swelling from the accident. He said everything was clear. That it's exactly the same as her last scan." Lauren smiled at this news.
"So, there's no new damage or anything?" she asked.
"None," Sinu informed her. "He said that epilepsy can sometimes develop in people who've had head injuries. Unfortunately there's no way to know who could get it or when it will happen. Sometimes it can take a while to develop. Now that they know Camila has it, they can start her on some medication to help try and prevent her having any more seizures in the future."
"It won't stop them completely?" Lauren asked.
"Not entirely," Sinu said, "but, it should stop them from happening frequently." Lauren sighed in relief.
"So she'll be ok?" Lauren asked needing clarification.
"In a day or so," Sinu explained. "She'll probably be off school the next couple of days whilst she recovers."
"Can I see her?" Lauren asked hopefully.
"Sure," Sinu answered, laughing lightly. "It's the least I can do seeing as you risked detention to come all the way down here. Just, don't take anything she says to heart. She's still postictal, so she's confused and disorientated at the moment."
Sinu pushed the door to Camila's room opened and gestured Lauren inside. She felt Camila's mom place a staying hand on her shoulder as she passed and Lauren turned to face her.
"Dinah's waiting outside?" Sinu asked.
"Yeah," Lauren informed her.
"I think she's a bit freaked out being back here."
Sinu nodded sadly before telling Lauren, "I'm going to go and get her, I won't be a minute ok?"
"Ok," Lauren acknowledged.
"Whatever you do," Sinu said laughing a little, "don't let her leave. She's been trying to climb out of bed since she came around."
"I won't," Lauren promised.
"If there are any problems, just, call the nurse." Sinu told her playfully. "You might need back up."
Lauren smiled at Camila's mom who gave her a small wave before disappearing down the hallway to find Dinah outside.
Lauren turned around and stepped into the room, allowing the solid white door to close shut behind her. She noticed Camila's bed, positioned in the middle of the room immediately, a visitors chair by its side. There was a large window overlooking the hospital car park and Lauren thought she could see the sun reflecting off the top of her own vehicle from where she stood.
Lauren saw Camila lying on her side in the bed, her eyes were open, her face covered with an oxygen mask. She was playing carelessly with the corner of her pillow, seemingly oblivious to Lauren's appearance.
"Hi," she greeted, making her way over to the bed and lowering herself into the visitors' chair beside it.
Camila propped herself up on her elbow slightly to look at Lauren.
"How are you feeling?" Lauren asked, reaching for her hand and taking it in her own.
"Tired," Camila admitted.
"I'm not surprised." Lauren noted squeezing Camila's hand slightly in her own.
The fear that she'd felt earlier had almost completely gone now that she was able to see Camila was alright for herself. She studied her closely, noting the hospital gown which didn't quite cover her back, exposing the smooth skin beneath it and her black bra strap.
Camila had a slightly confused expression on her face, her eyes still a little dazed and Lauren had to fight the urge to lean down and kiss her gently on the forehead. The bed engulfed Camila's body so much that it made her seem small in comparison.
"Why?" Camila asked resting her head back down on the pillow.
"Because," Lauren said. "You had a seizure."
"Oh right," Camila said staring at Lauren intently, causing the other girl to blush.
"Where am I?" she asked after a moment.
"You're at the hospital," Lauren responded and despite thinking better of it, she reached over with her free hand and stroked the top of Camila's brow soothingly.
"Oh," Camila said surprised. "Why what happened?"
Lauren smiled at how adorable Camila was when she was confused.
"You had a seizure." Lauren reiterated leaning her elbows onto the bed.
"I did?" Camila asked.
"I'm afraid so," Lauren told her.
"I know you." Camila stated.
"I sure hope so," Lauren laughed before introducing herself. "I'm Lauren."
"Lauren," Camila said as though she was hearing the name out of her own mouth for the first time. "Lau...ren...."
"Your mom said they're going to let you go home soon," Lauren continued on in an attempt to make conversation.
"Who?" Camila asked.
"The doctors," Lauren said.
"Doctors?" Camila asked. "I'm at the hospital?"
"Yes," Lauren said. Her head was starting to spin from the ever circling conversation.
"Why what happened?" Camila asked worriedly.
"You had a seizure," Lauren said calmly.
"Oh," Camila replied simply. "Rubbish."
"You're telling me." Lauren noted.
"You're Lauren." Camila stated rather then asked.
"That's right," Lauren confirmed.
"Are you a doctor?" Camila asked her.
"No," Lauren said struggling to contain her grin. "I'm a friend."
"Oh, ok." Camila said.
She went to scratch her nose, but became confused when her finger collided with the plastic oxygen mask rather than her flesh. She scrunched her nose up in confusion before reaching her hand up and pulling the mask down so it was away from her face and hanging loosely by her neck instead.
"You should probably keep that on." Lauren informed her, releasing Camila's hand to try and help put the mask back on.
Camila moved her head out of the way, grabbing Lauren's hand with her own.
"No I feel like I'm suffocating with it on," Camila said seriously.
"I think it's supposed to do the opposite." Lauren said raising her eyebrow teasingly.
"I don't need it." Camila responded.
"I think the doctors might disagree with you," Lauren argued.
"Doctors?" Camila asked.
"Yes," Lauren reiterated again. "You're in the hospital Camila."
"The hospital?" she said and just as Lauren thought it, continued. "Why what happened?"
Lauren chuckled placing her forehead against Camila's for a moment as she laughed before sitting back slightly again.
"You had a seizure." Lauren told her. "You don't remember?"
"No," Camila answered truthfully.
Camila moved her head on her pillow slightly and mete Lauren's gaze, her eyes burning into Lauren and causing her to blush.
She could feel the heat rise in her cheeks as Camila said,
"You have really nice eyes."
Knowing that Camila would unlikely remember any of this later and still regretting her decision not to share her feelings with her when the opportunity had arisen last week Lauren thought, what the hell and answered,
"Yeah well, you have an amazing smile."
Camila's features broke out into a face eating grin at that and Lauren felt her own face match it.
"Yeah," Lauren said, "that's the one. You should do it more often."
"You're really pretty," Camila said lifting one of her hands and prodding the end of Lauren's nose with her fingertip lightly.
"You're strongest person I've ever met," Lauren told her seriously.
"Why?" Camila asked confusion on her face once more. "What happened?"
Lauren didn't want to bring up the accident, not knowing how much Camila remembered about it at this point and not knowing the details of it herself except for what Dinah and Camila had shared with her, so she returned back to her, by now, wellrehearsed response.
"You had a seizure," Lauren informed her. "You're in the hospital."
"Oh," Camila said. "Ok."
Lauren frowned at Camila for a moment, wondering how long this endless loop of questioning would go on for and growing concerned that it might not resolve. Laurens thoughts were interrupted when Camila reached her hand forward and cupped Lauren's chin, holding it still so that their eyes met once more.
"You have really nice eyes" Camila said again and Lauren felt her body react to the way Camila bit her bottom lip and the prolonged contact of her eyes with her own.
Lauren felt her face grow even hotter as Camila leaned closer to her.
"They're really green," Camila noted, examining them closely.
Lauren put her hand on top of Camila's and guided it back down to the bed, away from her face.
"You're really pretty," Camila went on, her thoughts taking the same path from moments ago. "Who are you?"
Lauren sighed, a small smile playing on her lips.
"I'm Lauren," she informed her once again.
Camila reached out to touch Lauren's face again, a curious expression on her own like she was trying to figure something out. Lauren stopped her hand in its track, her body craving the contact once again, but, her brain telling her that this wasn't right, that Camila was vulnerable and confused. That she shouldn't take advantage.
"Lauren," Camila said, enjoying the sound of the name on her lips. "Lauren... Lauren....Lau...ren"
Camila moved her hand in Lauren's grasp and she released it obligingly allowing the other girl to move it towards her face where her fingertips brushed lightly against her lips.
"You have really nice eyes." Camila said seemingly mesmerised by Lauren's emerald coloured orbs.
"So do you," Lauren replied, causing Camila to smile at the compliment.
Every nerve in Lauren's body felt like it was on fire and her breath hitched in her throat. She averted her gaze, clearing her throat as she did so in an attempt to clear her head and distract Camila again. She returned her attention back to the other girl, who had once again propped herself up on her elbow in the bed and was looking at Lauren intently.
"Camila...." Lauren started but her words were soon cut short when Camila's lips came crashing against her own in a chaste kiss.
What little breath Lauren had had left in her lungs escaped her lips in a low moan and her skin, which had felt like it was on fire only moments ago, raged in flame like the inferno she would probably find when she went to hell for kissing someone, who, had very little volitional control of what they were doing.
Camila's lips felt warm and soft against her own and Lauren closed her eyes reflexively, her hands making no move to separate the two of them.
In her defence, the kiss had taken Lauren by surprise but, still, she did not push Camila away, didn't even attempt to part them, her heart winning over her head in the never ending battle between them.
After what seemed like an eternity but, in reality was probably only seconds, Camila pulled back, a big grin on her face and Lauren raised her hand to touch her lips, the burn of Camila's presence still lingering on them.
"Wow," Lauren said feeling slightly disorientated herself.
Camila frowned as she looked at Lauren.
"Who are you?" Camila asked resting her head back down on the pillow.
"I'm yours." Lauren said without thought, every part of her knowing the words to be true even as she acknowledged them.