Camila's scream broke me out of my trance of watching Maia and Tori. Sadly, Maia and Tori didn't hear Camila's scream and continued what they were doing. I quickly wiped the tears from my face and ran down the hall into the living room. Camila stood in a corner, clutching the stuffed animal to her chest with her eyes shut tightly. A male was walking slowly towards her and was speaking Spanish. I was about to tackle him, but I was pushed out of the way by Dinah and then I saw something being shot at the guy by Natasha. The man yelled in pain and fell to his knees.
"Come here Camila" Ally said and Camila opened her eyes and ran to Ally.
The man was spasm on the floor as Natasha continued to shock him with the taser. Eventually, the man stopped making noises and lay still on the floor.
"Alright, who let him out?" Natasha asked, looking around the room.
The only people that occupied the room were me, Camila, Dinah, Ally, Elise, Natasha, Normani, and Taylor. Dinah helped me back up to my feet.
"I don't know who it was, but don't any of you try to blame it on the only black girl here" Normani said.
"I can vouch for Mani because I was with her" Dinah said as she started to blush.
I looked over at Mani and a smile graced her lips, but quickly disappeared when Ally looked at Dinah and then Normani.
"Why was Dinah with you? You told me that you were tired" Ally said.
"I was," Normani argued.
Elise groaned. "No one cares about your weird love triangle that you morons are too dumb to figure out. Just help me lock him back in the room" Elise said.
Normani nodded and grabbed one of the man's legs while Elise grabbed the other. They both began pulling him out of the room and into the hallway. Elise and Normani weren't paying much attention because the man's head hit the corner of the wall and I was able to see his face.
"Alejandro," I said about to walk towards him but Dinah stopped me.
"No Lauren" Dinah said.
I looked at Camila who only closed her eyes and shook her head.
"So, who was the one who let him out?" Natasha asked.
"He came in through the window" Camila said.
"He couldn't have come through the window if he was locked in the attic" Natasha said.
"Maybe he's smarter than we thought. He is married to Sinu" Taylor said.
Natasha groaned. "We are going to have to move now. She might know where we are" Natasha said.
"We aren't going anywhere...at least not tonight. I think you might be a little paranoid" Dinah said.
"I'm not paranoid, I just know you have to think a step ahead of your enemy" Natasha said.
"Alright crazy, I'm going to bed" Dinah said and then walked out of the room.
"I'll go check on Alejandro and make sure Natasha didn't kill him" Taylor said.
"I didn't even taser him on max" Natasha said as Taylor walked out of the room.
"Come on Camila let's get you to bed" Ally said rubbing Camila's shoulders.
Camila opened her eyes and looked at me.
"I want to stay with Lolo" Camila said.
Ally looked at me and I shrugged.
"If that's what you want" Ally said.
"It is" Camila said and then walked away from Ally and wrapped her arms around me.
"Actually, could you take Camila? Lauren and I need to talk" Natasha said.
"Um...sure" Ally said.
Camila looked up at me and I looked at Camila. "What's going on?" Camila asked.
"I'm not sure but when it's over then I will come to you" I said.
"Promise?" Camila asked.
"I promise" I said.
Camila let go of me and held onto her stuffed animal and took Ally's hand. Ally and Camila left the room.
"I would say that was cute, but that would be a lie because I think I just puked a little in my mouth" Natasha said.
"She is different now" I said.
"That may or may not be true but her mother is still a psycho" Natasha said walking into the kitchen with the taser in her hand and I followed behind her.
Natasha put the taser down on the counter and walked over to the fridge and grabbed a beer from the fridge.
"We can't control the people we become" I said as Natasha popped the top off her beer.
"Have you been crying?" Natasha asked.
"No," I said.
"Liar," Natasha said taking a drink from her beer.
"I am not," I said.
Natasha set down her beer and looked at me. "It was only a matter of time Lauren. Girls like Maia are always caught up on their first love. I'm a victim of the same thing and we like to settle for something that we truly don't want until there's an opening to take what we truly wanted back" Natasha said.
"I don't understand" I said.
"Sure you do. I've stood back and watched you fall in love with Camila. Well it wasn't like I had a choice really since Camila sent me away. But what made matters worse was when she was out of the picture that I was forced to watch you fall for Maia out of all people" Natasha said.
"It doesn't matter anymore" I said looking away from Natasha.
"It only doesn't matter because she's broken your heart" Natasha said.
"I guess," I said.
"Let me show you something" Natasha said picking up her beer from the counter and then downing the rest of it.
I looked at the taser on the table, as Natasha wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. I reached out for the taser, but Natasha stopped me.
"It's not a toy Lauren" Natasha said grabbing the taser.
"I know" I said.
"It's not something you use to get back at someone either" Natasha said tossing her beer into the trash and walked out of the kitchen.
I followed her into the hallway and down a flight of stairs until we ended up at a door. Natasha took out a key and unlocked the door. Natasha entered the room and I followed behind her and she turned on the light. The room was very dusty, but there were a lot of computer monitors. Each of the monitors showed every room in the house.
"What is this?" I asked.
"A surveillance room, it's supposed to only be to watch these dimwits" Natasha said pointing to the screen where Noah, Brad, Tori, Maia, and Alejandro were on. "But sometimes Ally comes up here to spy on Normani and Dinah. Don't tell her that I told you that."
"What about Camz?" I asked looking at the screens trying to find her.
Natasha rolled her eyes. "I'm not going to just have Camila on the screens, what if Sinu came in here? She would be able to find her easily" Natasha said and then typed something on the keyboard and then Camila popped up on the screen.
She was sitting on the floor, rocking back and forth with the stuffed animal clutched to her chest. Ally stood by the dresser with clothes in her hands.
"She is scared" I said.
"She's not the only one. It's only a matter of time before Sinu finds us. I'm sure Camila's dad has found some sort of way to get in contact with her. Either way we are going to have to leave him behind" Natasha said.
"Why?" I asked.
"He gave where we are away Lauren and plus I don't need him as leverage anymore. He's told me everything that he knew. I was able to track Sinu easily but that's not why I brought you here" Natasha said typing on the keyboard again and then Camila disappeared from the screen and was now replaced with footage of Tori and Maia.
"I do not want to see this" I said backing away from the monitors.
"In all honesty, no one wanted to see it but you did. The real question is why didn't you stop it?" Natasha said.
"I couldn't" I said.
"You could've but chose not to. So I had to take care of it. She won't hurt you again Lauren" Natasha said.
"I do not want to hurt her" I said.
"Well good thing you aren't the one that's hurting her" Natasha said and then typed on the keyboard yet again. A beaten and sobbing Maia appeared on the screen.
"She is hurt" I said.
"Yeah just like she hurt you, she made you cry" Natasha said.
"She still doesn't deserve that" I said.
"Just like she doesn't deserve you, but yet she still got you" Natasha said.
"It is not the same" I said.
"Lauren, you can't protect and be kind to everyone. That's your weakness and they will use that against you" Natasha said.
"I am not bad" I said.
"No one means to be bad, but we have to do whatever we have to in order to not seem weak" Natasha said.
"You are not the same" I said shaking my head at Natasha before running out of the room and up the stairs and to the room Camila was in.
"Please stop crying Camila" Ally said holding Camila in her arms on the bed.
"I'm here now Camz" I said sitting on the bed next to Ally.
Camila looked up and sniffled and then pulled away from Ally. Ally stood up and I wrapped Camila in my arms.
"I do not like it here Lolo" Camila mumbled into my shirt.
"Neither do I" I said.
"Well the good news is that we are leaving in the morning, but the bad news is that we all have to walk" Ally said.
I sighed. "That is not good" I said.
"That's the only plan we have so far, but it should be rather interesting. I'll see you both in the morning and I've already packed all of Camila's stuff" Ally said and then gave me a look before leaving the room.
After some time, Camila fell asleep in my arms. I was staring up at the ceiling when it finally dawned on me why Ally gave me that look. I looked down at a peaceful sleeping Camila and kissed the top of her head, before managing to get from underneath her without waking her up. I snuck out of the room and into the room I was staying in. I immediately started packing my things and when I was finished I was about to go back into the room Camila was in until I bumped into someone.
"You're just going to let them torture Maia and not do anything about it" Tori said angrily and I pushed past her to get to Camila's room.
"She is not my problem anymore" I said.
"She was your problem before and now what? You got tired of playing hero?" Tori asked.
I clenched my jaw and my fists and turned around to face the blonde curly haired fuming girl.
"It is your job now. She chose you" I said and then walked into the room that Camila was in.
Luckily, Camila was still sleeping in the bed but I was going to have to wake her up.
"Camila," I said gently shaking the younger girl.
Camila grumbled and then pulled the covers up more and clutched tighter to the stuffed animal.
"Camz," I whispered into Camila's ear and she opened her eyes.
"What is wrong Lolo?" Camila asked sitting up.
"We are leaving" I said.
"We are?" Camila asked.
"Yes," I said.
"Right now?" Camila asked letting out a yawn.
"Yes, so you have to get dressed" I said slipping a grey hoodie over Camila's head.
"But we will get in trouble" Camila said as I walked to the corner of the room and grabbed Camila's shoes.
"I do not care" I said putting the shoes on Camila's feet.
"Wait, what about Maia?" Camila asked her brown eyes staring into my green ones.
I sighed and grabbed Camila's bag where all her clothes and essentials were in. "She's not coming" I said.
"I'm sorry" Camila said getting off the bed and following me over to the window.
"It is okay" I said lifting up the window. I was prepared for the alarm to go off but it didn't.
I looked over to the bed Camila was sleeping in and walked over to it and stacked the pillows on top of one another before covering them with the blanket. Camila looked at me confused.
"Come on," I said taking Camila's hand.
"I am scared" Camila said when I stuck my leg out of the window.
"I know but you can do it" I said keeping a firm grip on Camila's hand as I helped her out of the window after I got out.
We both managed to get out undetected and were now walking through the woods. Camila was holding onto my arm tightly.
"Where are we going?" Camila asked.
"I am not sure" I said.
"That's for damn sure since you're going in the wrong direction" a voice said blinding Camila and I with a flashlight.
"You're scaring them Mani" Taylor said appearing from behind a tree.
"Well they were going the wrong way" Normani said lowering the flashlight in her hand.
"I'm glad you got the message Lauren" Taylor said.
"Yeah, but you're leaving out the part where your older sister was going to leave you behind" Normani said chuckling.
"It wasn't on purpose" Ally said appearing with Dinah right behind her.
"Where's Nat?" I asked.
"Oh trust me her and Elise got out. We had to leave because Sinu found us" Normani said.
"Yeah thanks to Mila's dad" Dinah said.
"Tori, Noah, Brad, and Maia stayed behind" Ally said.
"Fucking idiots" Normani said.
"I don't think they stayed there to wait for her. I think they actually left" Taylor said.
"I thought for sure that Maia was going to tag along with Lauren" Ally said.
"No," I said quickly.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Normani asked.
"Not now" I said.
"Okay, you don't have to say more. So, where are we off to?" Normani said.
"We keep walking until we reach a road and then we will figure it out from there" Ally said.
"That's a shitty plan" Dinah said.
"Do you have a better one?" Ally snapped.
"No, not really" Dinah said.
"Well then shut it" Ally said and then started walking.
Taylor groaned. "This is going to be a long walk" Taylor said adjusting her bag on her shoulder.
It was a long walk and I'm not sure how far we walked until we all started smelling something burning.
Camila tugged on my arm. "Barbecue Lolo" Camila said and then we all became startled by something being shot in the sky.
"Are those fireworks?" Normani asked.
"I'm guessing it's the 4th of July" Ally said.
"Or there could be some morons shooting off fireworks. My family and I did it illegally all the time" Dinah said.
Everyone was focused on the fireworks, but I was still thinking about what Camila said.
"Something is burning" I said.
"What?" Normani asked.
"Camz said that there's a barbecue" I said.
Dinah sniffed the air. "Yeah that's definitely not a barbecue" Dinah said.
"This better not be some hunger games shit" Normani said.
"You told me that you hated that book" Ally said.
"I watched the movie instead" Normani said.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Ally asked.
"Shut up you two, we need to figure out where the smoke is coming from" Taylor said.
Dinah gasped. "I don't think we need to find out where the smoke is coming from" Dinah said pointing behind all of us.
We all turned around and saw that the smoke was coming from the direction where the cabin was.
"Do you think it was my mom?" Camila whispered to me.
"I do not know" I said.
"We should keep moving, just in case she's following us" Ally said.
"Sinu isn't one who likes to go wandering through the woods" Dinah said.
Ally rolled her eyes. "Just keep moving" Ally said.
We followed Ally until we reached the road and someone was nice enough to give us a ride back to Ally's place. I glanced out the window with Camila asleep on my shoulder and watched the firetrucks pass by us. I know that Maia should be the furthest thing from my mind, but I couldn't help but hope that she got out safely.
****
Maia's POV
My eyes fluttered open and noticed the ground beneath me was moving. I heard Tori's voice.
"Don't tell me that you got us lost Noah" Tori said.
"No, we aren't lost. I got this" Noah said.
"You've been saying that for the past hour little dude" the person said carrying me.
"I'm taller than you, so I'm definitely not little" Noah said.
"We should just find the road and we should be in the clear" Tori said.
I placed my hand on my throbbing head and groaned when I felt a sharp pain shoot through my entire body.
"I think she's awake" the person said that was carrying me.
I heard movement and then I saw Tori's hazel eyes staring into my brown ones.
"Hey sleepyhead, how are you feeling?" Tori asked.
"I feel like shit" I said.
"That's what happens when you get beaten up and tasered right after" Tori said.
My eyes went wide. "Where's Lauren?" I asked starting to panic and trying to get out of the grasp of the person holding me.
"Maia, calm down" Tori said but it was too late because I bit the person holding me. He dropped me on the ground and I scrambled to my feet.
"What the hell Maia," Brad said rubbing the area where I bit him.
"Where the hell is my girlfriend?" I shouted at Tori.
"I don't know, she was gone by the time we left" Tori said.
"Liar, she would never leave without me" I said.
"Are you forgetting what we did?" Tori asked trying to grab my hand but I pulled away from her.
"I was vulnerable and it was a mistake. It shouldn't have happened" I said and a pained expression flashed across Tori's face.
"You don't mean that" Tori said.
"We have to go back for her" I said.
"She isn't there" Noah said.
I was about to start walking in the direction that I thought the cabin was located, but there was a loud explosion and Tori pulled me down covering me with her body. The rest was all a blur when there was loud screaming coming from a guy. I shut my eyes tightly and placed my hands over my ears. Hoping this was just a dream and none of this was real.
A/N: I was actually supposed to have this updated yesterday but I got sick for the remaining part of 4th of July so I was forced to update today. Who do you think was screaming? Is Laia really over? (If it is you should thank Sacha because she's in denial, haha). What is next for Camren? Will Normani choose Dinah or Ally? So many questions that I only have answers to. Thanks for reading. –Shanice