Narrator's POV
Lauren's ears made a little movement when she heard a sound from Camila's mother's bedroom. Her werewolf ears could hear the sound that was inaudible to human ears. She opened her eyes and looked at Camila who was sleeping on her stomach. Camila did not hug Lauren, but she slept close, facing Lauren. Lauren lightly caressed Camila's hair and a bit lower to her back. She took her time watching Camila sleep.
Getting out of bed, Lauren saw her clothes on the couch. She knew instantly it was Camila who put them there as she did not do it last night. She took her clothes and went to the bathroom to refresh herself and put on her clothes before leaving. Lauren kissed Camila on the head before she left through the balcony. She ensured Sinu would not see her leave. She was quite sure that Sinu heard nothing last night.
Lauren took her car from Normani's place. She drove back to her main home instead of her apartment on the other side of the city. Driving home, Lauren was happier on her birthday this year because she had found her Luna and could spend the night with her, even though they were not together. It made her even happier since it happened when she least expected it. Lauren did not know how it worked, but it worked that she could hold herself from having casual sex with others, even Alexa since she marked Camila. She laughed at herself for having less sex now. It was only once in a season. She took it as a motivation to solve her problems faster so that she could be with her Luna soon, forever.
Lauren was a bit upset when she knew Camila had slept with Nicholas. She did not hear it from anyone. She could feel it last night. She knew when her Luna had been touched by someone else. She could not blame Camila for it as they were not in any exclusive relationship. She wanted it, but Camila rejected it. On the other hand, Lauren tried to think from another point of view. Probably, it might be good that Camila dated others. Camila might finally realize she would not find what she had found in Lauren in others. Therefore, Camila would realize Lauren was the one for her.
.
Camila woke up a bit late. She found a bouquet next to her on the bed. She touched it, knowing it was from Lauren. It was the same size of bouquet as Lauren left last time. She knew she woke up late but she did not get up immediately. She was feeling low. She was not lazy, but she felt no energy. She took her phone and texted Sasha, telling her that she could not go to work because she was feeling under the weather. She then sent a message to her direct manager, Dakota, telling her that, she needed to take a day off today.
Camila went downstairs before her mother came up. She told her mother, who was having her breakfast that she would stay home today. She told her mother not to worry about her. She was not super ill. She was just exhausted after her first long week in the office. She also drank a bit too much last night as she rarely drank. Her mother left after preparing Camila breakfast. She asked Camila to have a good rest. Camila could order something for lunch or even dinner because her mother would be in the cafe until evening as usual.
Sleeping the whole day and only waking up for a quick lunch in the afternoon, Camila felt better when she woke up in the late afternoon. She sat in her backyard garden to enjoy the sunset. She thought of what happened last night. She had made the stupid mistake of offering Lauren a kiss. It ended up unexpected, even though she enjoyed it. She sighed thinking she must be addicted to Lauren's kisses and touches in bed. She surrendered to Lauren again and again. She concluded it was unhealthy since it had made her end things with Nicholas.
Camila always believed sex was important but not the most important one in a relationship. However, she did not think this way when she was seeing Nicholas. They had sex three times. The first was fine as it was their first time. The second time she was not satisfied, feeling not good enough. The last time was the dealbreaker. She did not feel the passion. She did not enjoy it even though Nicholas did not see the same problem. They decently ended things without a fight or heated argument as they both were mature enough to act decently.
Although her relationship with Nicholas did not last long, it did not discourage Camila from having another date. It was common if a relationship did not work out. Some people found the one in the first person they met, but for some others, they had to meet many to finally find the one. Camila was not worried about her relationship with Nicholas did not work. She did not have to worry because she knew that more people were interested in her since she started her real life. What Camila was worried about was the reason why she ended things with Nicholas.
The main reason was sex. Camila did not tell Nicholas the exact reason, but she did mention to Nicholas that she did not feel the connection when they had it. Nicholas was disappointed for sure as he liked Camila, even more than Camila liked him. Camila did not find any red flags on Nicholas, but she just did not feel it. It scared Camila that she might be addicted to Lauren to the point she did not feel good enough with Nicholas. She thought she had to overcome this unhealthy addiction to Lauren.
.
"Camila, Did I make you drink too much?" Sasha asked Camila on Monday morning when they just arrived at the office.
Camila laughed, "No, Sasha! Drinking with you is fun. It's not your fault I was not feeling well. I wanted to drink and forgot when to stop."
"Dakota asked me if I made you drink too much." Sasha was known as one of those who knew how to make people have fun and relax by drinking.
"She did?" Camila was surprised. "She did not blame you, did she?"
"Nah..." Sasha said, "but she's suspicious."
"I'll tell her. I got home and drank again in a tub." Camila said.
"You did?" Sasha was a bit surprised.
"Yeah, It's just a glass of wine." Camila chuckled. "But I hardly drink alcoholic stuff so yeah..."
"Noted. I will stop you next time." Sasha kept in mind that Camila was not good at drinking at all.
"Thanks!" Camila smiled.
"Did I miss anything on Friday?" Camila asked.
"Oh, yes!" Sasha was excited. "You are doomed."
"What?" Camila looked at Sasha, not knowing what it was. "Did I make a mistake?"
"No... but..." Sasha smiled sneakily.
"Sasha?" Camila got nervous.
"You..." Sasha stopped when Dakota walked into their office.
"Good morning, girls!" Dakota arrived in their office. She greeted Camila and Sasha as she walked past them, heading to her office.
"Morning, Mam!" Camila and Sasha greeted back. They always went by first name, but they would refer to Dakota as Mam when they greeted her in the morning when she arrived or in the afternoon when she left.
"Camila!" Dakota turned back.
"Yes, Dakota?" Camila stood up.
"I did not manage to get my regular coffee. Can you get me the coffee downstair? The one that you got me last time?" Dakota asked.
"Yes, sure!" Camila took the card Sasha instantly handed her. It was the company card. "Anything else?"
"No. If you two want something, just go ahead." Dakota said.
"No, I am good." Camila looked at Sasha, "Sasha?"
"No, I've got my coffee." She lifted her coffee cup.
"Okay, just got five croissants for us." Dakota told Camila, "See me in the office when you got the coffee."
"Alright!" Camila looked at Sasha after Dakota went inside her office. "Sasha?"
"Go get the coffee and five croissants." Sasha laughed, "You will find it out soon."
Camila pouted and went out to get the coffee. Camila texted Sasha on the way to the coffee shop. She asked Sasha what happened on Friday that she missed that she was doomed. Sasha did not want to tell her through the messages. She asked Camila to get back to the office soon once she got the coffee. She would eventually find out soon. Camila could not think of anything. She did not think she had made a horrible mistake. It must be Sasha was fooling around with her. After getting the coffee and croissants, Camila got back to the office. She took her company tablet and went to Dakota's office.
"Dakota, here's your coffee." Camila passed the cup of coffee to Dakota.
"Thank you, Camila! I have to ask you because Sasha, Emily, or no one knows what coffee I want," Dakota sipped her coffee. "Have a seat, please!"
"It's an iced coffee from the less popular one downstairs." Camila sat across from Dakota.
"Which one?" Dakota asked.
"The one with blue chairs?" Camila wondered if Dakota knew.
"That small one by the left end?" Dakota was not sure.
"Yes." Camila frowned why her boss was talking about coffee with her on Monday morning? It was strange and not strange at the same time. It was not strange because Dakota always randomly mentioned and talked about something.
"I don't know if they have a good coffee?!" Dakota took another sip. She didn't manage to get her regular coffee one time, so she asked Camila to get one. She liked it and had it as an alternative if she could not get one at her regular one.
"Yes. I go there because it's less expensive and less crowded. I am not sure about other stuff, but they have the best-iced coffee and banana cake." Camila informed.
"Hmm, good!" Dakota smiled. "Please, tell Emily about it! So, I can ask her to get it next time." Emily was Dakota's secretary.
"Alright, I will tell her." Camila got her tablet ready.
"Do they have a cheeseburger, too?" Dakota asked.
Camila was a bit taken aback. Her boss still wanted to talk. "Unfortunately, no..."
Camila got nervous when Dakota stopped talking and looked at her while sipping her coffee. What Sasha told her earlier immediately crossed her mind. Was it related to her absence on Friday? Did she really make a mistake? Camila bit her lip and looked away to her tablet on her lap.
"Camila, do you want to change roommate?" Dakota asked.
Camila frowned, "roommate?"
"Yes," Dakota said.
"Sorry! I don't understand." Camila said.
"Oh, Sasha has not told you?" Dakota took a croissant out of the bag and gave the rest to Camila.
"No..." Camila answered, feeling confused.
"It's about the company trip..." Dakota told Camila what she meant.
.
Camila came out of Dakota's office with a tablet and a bag of croissants. Camila spent fifteen minutes in Dakota's office talking about anything but her job. Camila looked at Sasha, who was looking at her, chuckling.
"Why did not you tell me?" Camila handed the bag of croissants.
"I was about to," Sasha took one croissant out of the bag.
"You can text me on Friday," Camila added.
"I don't want to ruin your weekend." Sasha defended herself.
Camila slumped back in her chair. She sighed. They were going to have a company summer trip next week. The team organizer came up with the idea that for this year's trip, the participants could not choose their roommates. They would manually draw the names. Dakota agreed to join the draw even though she usually had her own room. She decided to join because she had created a new position for Camila, which made the number of participants not even. It had been pros and cons to this rule, but they finally accepted it.
They had the draw last Friday. Everyone hoped they got someone they were close to. Utmost, they did not want to be the boss's roommate, especially the big boss. It was not that they hated or disliked Dakota. Dakota was a good boss to them. They just did not want the awkwardness of sharing a room with the boss. Dakota might be easygoing. However, they would still feel hesitant in many ways. Their worries were gone when Dakota's name came out, followed by Camila's name. Some said it had to be that way because Camila was the last employee who joined the company, her position was newly created, and she was the executive assistant who was always with Dakota at work. So, she was the right person for it.
"What did she say?" Sasha was curious.
"She asked me if I wanted to change my roommate." Camila pouted.
"Do you want to change?" Sasha was sure Dakota had no problem with Camila. She also could change her roomate since she was the big boss. Dakota could do that if she wanted. "What did you say?"
"Of course, I say no...." Camila sighed again. "She would think I secretly dislike her if I reject her as my roommate."
"You're right!" Sasha made a thinking face, "Or is she the one who wanted to change?"
"I asked her, but she said she was fine with me. She even said she asked because she knows no one wants to be the boss' roommate." Camila sighed again. "How can I reject her, right?"
"Yeah... but you will have the best room and service for sure," Sasha said cheerfully.
"Yeah..." Camila smiled weakly. "I'm doomed like you said."
Sasha burst out laughing, followed by Camila.
Camila was one of the few employees, who were in close contact with Dakota daily. She spent most of her days at work with Sasha and Dakota. She had worked for the company for six months now. It was the same amount of time she knew Dakota. Dakota was a perfectionist and idealist when came to work, but she was easygoing and could not care less about petty issues. The only thing about Dakota that sometimes could be trouble for her employees was her unpredictable side.
As someone more reserved, Camila definitely disagreed with the room arrangement. She thought everyone had the right to choose with whom they wanted to share the room because sharing a room for sleeping was a very private thing. Although their roommates were assigned randomly, they had to option to change by swapping with others for acceptable reasons, such as a married heterosexual man avoiding sharing a room with a woman. They could also book a separate room themselves at their expense.
Although Camila knew it would be awkward and hesitant to share a room with Dakota, she did not ask for a chance. She accepted it, especially knowing that no one would want to share a room with their big boss. They would also stay at the best four-star resort on the island, and hence she couldn't afford to book a room for herself for three nights there during the peak season. Despite what others said and how awkward it could be, Camila might prefer having Dakota as her roomate to others whom she did not know.