[Lauren's POV]
I ran towards Dinah's room and stormed in, "Lauren, we knock before we just barge in, here." She laughed.
She noticed the distress on my face and immediately stopped laughing, "Lauren, are you okay?"
"No! Brady took Camila to, 'punish' her. Where did he take her? I can't let this happen! What is he going to do to her?" I asked anxiously.
Dinah was frozen where she stood, she then looked at me with the most serious face a person could ever throw at you, "the basement. He took her to the basement. You have to go get her, Lauren. If I try, I'll get it next."
"Get what next? Dinah, what is he doing to you, here?" I asked walking closer to her.
She put her arms out and exclaimed, "go get her now. Before its too late."
I took Dinah's word and turned on my heels and bolted down stairs, I was now standing in the entry way to the living room. I was looking around until I saw a white door near the back of the kitchen. I walked towards the door and put my hand on the glass knob.
"What do you think you're doing, sweetie?" Wanda asked me.
"Your whack job husband or whatever the fuck he is to you just took Camila down to the basement to do something to her, you have to help me!" I pleaded.
She laughed and moved her hands down her blouse smoothing it out, "Lauren, Lauren correct?" She asked.
"Yes ma'am." I said.
"We don't use language like that around here. Your friend probably deserves the punishment. Go back upstairs, now." She said firmly.
"Fuck you." I said as I quickly turned the knob and opened the door. I rushed down the stairs and yelled, "Brady! Whatever you're about to do is wrong, please don't do it."
I made my way deeper into the basement and saw Camila sitting in an old lawn chair while Brady stood in front of her.
He had his hands on his hips, his back was to me and he was tapping his foot on the cement floor. He slowly turned around and looked me into my eyes, "countless times I tell you what you need to call me, but do you listen? You don't!" He yelled furiously.
He looked like a completely different man in that basement than who I met earlier at the door. The man I met at the door was a harmless creepy, the man that is in my vicinity now was, scary. Like he could hurt me, or even worse, hurt Camila.
I had to put my pride aside to ensure Camila's safety, "I'm sorry, Daddy Brady." I pushed out. Saying those words degraded me, I felt like less of a person because of that. But Camila was entirely more important than my pride.
He put his hands up and I flinched quickly, "see, now was that so hard?" He laughed. He pointed his index finger at me and signaled me to come to him. I did as I was told, but I was very cautious. I was now standing in front of him, I felt the beads of sweat building up in my hairline and waiting to be released.
"Yes, Daddy Brady?" I asked timidly.
"Honey, you seem tense. You have nothing to be afraid of. I'm glad you're learning to become more obedient like your friend, Camila here." He put his finger to Camila's right cheek and flicked his finger.
Her cheek bounced and my anger was growing stronger, but to protect the both of us I had to use reverse psychology on him. I wanted him to think he was empowered, when in reality, he's a coward.
"I'm learning, slowly." I said breathing heavily.
"Give me your hand, Camila." Brady said holding out his hand.
My hands were balled up and we're waiting to be used to collied with his face at any moment. But for now, they were resuming their position.
She held out her hand and joined hers with his, "go ahead and go upstairs. This was a warning, next time learn to obey me and keep the sass to yourself. Got it?" He said looking at the both of us.
"Yes, Daddy Brady." We both said in sync.
"Ah, music to my ears." He said smiling and chuckling to himself.
I was absolutely sickened at his behavior, but I wouldn't be in this situation again. So I would continue to do as I was told as long as I was staying there, which wouldn't be long.
[Camila's POV]
I couldn't speak, I was scared. Lauren was right, something was wrong with Brady, he was sick in the head. I couldn't believe after everything I've put Lauren through, she sacrificed herself to try to save me.
What did I do to deserve her?
We headed up the stairs, through the kitchen, up the next flight of stairs, and back into our room.
I sat on my bed, with my bag clutched to my chest like earlier. "Thank you, Lauren." I said with a tear falling down my cheek.
Lauren walked towards me and sat next to me, "no problem, Camz. I'm always going to protect you."
She was now rubbing my knee, that always comforted me for some reason. My heart warmed up at the thought of Lauren actually caring for me, even when I didn't deserve it.
"I never doubted you, Lauren." I smiled.
We looked each other in the eye and just sat in admiration of one another. I felt myself leaning in closer to her by the second, I noticed her to the same. Our breathing became heavy, so heavy that it was almost embarrassingly noisy.
Lauren's hand slowly shot up and made its way to my cheek, her thumb was near my lips while the other fingers were near my neck.
Her eyes were slowly closing, mine did the same. The tension was completely obvious, but we were both waiting for each other to make the first move.
I honestly would've kissed her without all of the tension build up, but that was before I hurt her. I had to take things slowly if I wanted them to become normal once again.
"Camila.." Lauren whispered.
"Yes, Lauren..." I shakily whispered back.
She gulped and licked her lips, "please kiss me."
I took a deep breath and went in for the kiss, our lips touched, and it felt like falling in love all over again.
I savored her lips, they were full and moist. Our kiss was soft and delicate, I felt the pain vanish out of my body, and it was quickly replaced with numerous amounts of butterflies. The feeling was familiar, but I've been deprived of it. Deprived of love.
These past couple of days have been filled with torture, agony, pain, sadness and heartbreak. But Lauren made it all go away. She made me feel as if I had no cares in the world, I loved the feelings she left on me.
Lauren would forever have an important impact on me. Whether we were together or not, she left something on me. Something that nobody else, no matter how hard they tried could ever be able to give me.
I was in love once, but being with Lauren made that so called love look pitiful. I was in love with someone who was more in love with hurting me than anything else. Lauren had genuine love and feelings for me, they weren't forced, nor fake, they meant something to her.
They also meant something to me.
We slowly parted from our kiss and looked back into each other's eyes, "thank you, Lauren. I love you so much."
"Why are you thanking me?" She asked.
"I'm now realizing how stupid I was to treat you like I did. You mean so much to me, I know I mean the same to you, but you don't deserve this."
"Camila, I know I'm young, I get this. But for some reason, you're everything I've been searching for. Nobody has this control over me like you do. I've never had feelings for anyone, like real lovey dovey feelings." She laughed and continued, "I'm glad you make me feel this way. You make me feel like a human who actually has the ability to love."
I smiled, I felt my cheeks being rushed with blood, and I felt my heart pounding in my chest.
"I really make you feel that way? Everything you're saying is true? Even after I said all of those-"
She put her finger to my lips and said, "-Camz, I don't want to dwell on the past. I've learned to forgive and forget."
She took her finger off of my lips and set it on my knee, "Camila..?" She asked worriedly.
I looked at her concerned green eyes and asked, "yes, Lauren?"
"What was he going to do to you?"
She saw me tense up and look down at my fingers intertwining nervously in my lap.
"He didn't say anything. He just made me feel very uncomfortable."
"Camz, what did he do?" She asked grabbing my face.
I mumbled, "It doesn't matter now, Lauren."
"Camila, it matters to me." She said sternly, gritting her teeth.
"He just-," I began, then stopped. I felt tears slowly building in my eyes.
Lauren shook my head that rested in her cold, pale, hands, "Camila, tell me!" She exclaimed.
My eyes began to fill up with familiar tears that Lauren dreaded to see building in my eyes, "he kept rubbing my shoulders," I took in a deep breath, "he asked me if-if-if I was pure.."
[Lauren's POV]
The anger rushed through my veins, I wanted to murder him for making Camila feel this uncomfortable.
"What did you say to him, Camila?"
She shook her head, "I told him I was pure, that I'm a virgin."
I was confused, because Camila wasn't a virgin. We had sex back at camp while everyone was touring LA that one night. So why did she lie to him? I furrowed my eyebrows and shot her a confused look, "but you aren't, Camz..we had sex, remember?" I felt a little insensitive just blurting it out like that, but I needed to remind her about a night I thought was special.
I'm guessing it was only special to me.
"But, I've never had sex with a boy."
"Oh..is that so?" I scoffed.
"Why do you look angry?" She asked wiping the tears off of her cheeks.
"Does that night we shared not mean anything to you?" I was furious. I think the angry emotions were just due to Brady's disgusting actions towards Camila.
"Of course it meant something to me, I shared something special with you..don't think otherwise," She kept ruffling her hair, "do you think me telling Brady you and I had sex would end up well for the both of us? You're all I have left Lauren. I can't have him separate us. Don't be so ignorant, Lauren. You know you mean a lot more to me than you think." She said shaking her head in disappointment.
"Then why did you treat me like shit back at camp? In the restroom? If you cared so much you wouldn't have said all of those things, now would you?"
She didn't answer, instead she was staring at her shoes.
"Would you?" I exclaimed.
Camila brought her hands up to her head and locked her fingers in her hair, "Lauren, everything is just falling apart. I just lost my family for Christ sake," she was breathing heavily, "stop being so selfish! Just believe that I love you, stop doubting me!"
I realized that I was being selfish, I was being a total asshole. We did both just lose our families, we would never be able to speak to them again, or touch them, or be around them. I felt tears building in my eyes as I was thinking about all of the things my family would never witness me do.
"I'm not doubting you, Camz," I sniffled trying to keep myself from trying to gasp for air, "I'm sorry for being an asshole, I'm sorry for being so selfish." Everything just began to pile on top of me, all of my emotions I've been dreading to deal with.
The feeling of pain and heartbreak just stacked on top of my heart outweighing my fragile organ. I'm alone in this world, all I have is Camila. I'm completely alone. Well, I will be if I keep pushing Camila away.
There would be no more memories being made with my dad at the auto shop. The friendly giggles that would be exchanged with Taylor and I whenever we would take funny pictures or videos, the pointless arguments I would have with Chris that I regret now, but then hug it out afterwards. Not being able to see the bright smile on my mom's face when I announce to her that she's going to be a grandma, I would never see that.
Ever.
I found myself mimicking the position Camila was in and I just let out all of my tears that have been captivated inside me for the longest and just let them free.
Camila sniffled, "Lauren.." Her voice was nasally due to all of the crying.
"I-I-I can't...t-talk, Ca-Camz.." My chest was bouncing up and down and my hands were soaked from all of my tears.
I felt Camila's hand rubbing my back, "I-I'm going to be h-here for yo-you, Lauren," she was too gasping for air, and I saw her other hand resting on my lap, she flicked up her pinky and whispered, "this is a pro-promise I swear I won't bre-break."
I was skeptical whether I should believe Camila or not, she wasn't the best with promises. She was all I had left, I had to believe her.
I wrapped my pinky around her tan, dainty pinky and we shook it.
"Wanna explore?..." Camila sounded like she hesitated to ask.
I picked my head up and looked into her eyes, she seemed sincere, like she wanted me to feel better.
"We can't sit in our tears for the rest of our lives," she put her fingers on my cheeks and wiped my tears, "we're all destined to do something, right?" She put her fingers down, "if we sit in here, we'll never know what we're meant to do." She sniffled and smiled.
I felt the warmth of her smile, I couldn't help but smile back.
She held out her hand as she stood up from the twin sized bed, "I wonder what's around here."
I placed my hand into hers and we made our way downstairs, "what if we get in trouble?" I asked Camila.
"Well then, let's try not to get caught." She stuck her tongue between her teeth and scrunched her nose.
What an edgy little one Camila is.
Camila poked her head around this white wall that separates the living room from the main door out and made sure the coast was clear.
She squeezed my hand and said in a phony police officer voice, "coast is clear, ready Jauregui? Over." She said clicking her mouth like a walkie talkie.
"Yeah, I'm ready." I said giggling.
Camila let out a long sigh. "What's your problem, officer?" I laughed looking at her pouty face.
"You're supposed to say over and then do the little noise." She said rolling her eyes.
"Well, what if I don't wanna?" I said sticking my tongue out.
"Lauren, you have to! We're playing a game, you have to go along with it!" She said forming an adorable puppy dog face.
Camila reminded me of her little sister Sofi whenever her cute, childlike side would come out. I wanted to tell her, but I felt as if now wasn't the best time.
I huffed, "fine!" I came closer to her face and said, "ready when you are, Cabello. Over." Then finished off with my much needed walkie talkie noise.
"See, now was that so hard?" She said lifting up her eyebrows.
She put her head back to its original position and tugged on my hand, we both ran out of the front door. We were outside where it was peaceful and beautiful. Unlike the inside of our temporary homes. I felt like we could be ourselves out in nature, just like we were at camp at the pond.
"Where do you wanna look for first?" I asked my adventurous gal.
"Wanna see what's around here? Maybe we can find a new hangout, just like the pond at camp." Camila smiled at me.
I nodded and shot her a smile back, "well, like I've said before, you're the adventurous one, bab-I mean," I began to get embarrassed at my slip up, "Camila is what I meant.."
She laughed at me and tapped the tip of my nose with her finger, "of course you did, babe." She turned on her heels and put her arms out as if she were a bird flying freely and ran across the lawn.
I chuckled to myself, she was so adorable when she was happy. This is how I always want to see her. Giggly, bubbly Camila is what I live for.
"Come on slowpoke, fly with me!" Camila said holding out her arms or imaginary wings, sticking her tongue out.
"But, what if I just want to sit here and bird watch?" I said laughing.
"Oh, come on..fly with me, Lauren!" She was smiling from ear to ear waiting for me to give into her game.
She was too cute to ignore, I eventually gave in. She flew into my arms and wrapped her arms around my neck, looking into my eyes.
"Say I'm a bird." Camila whispered.
"What?" I asked staring at her lips.
"Come on, say I'm a bird." She pouted.
Her pouty face was the cutest thing I've ever seen, her pink bottom lip sticking out waiting for me to bite, her big brown eyes that have captivated me since the first day I met her on the plane just melting my heart, and her cute little button nose that scrunched up here and there.
"Fine," I giggled and kissed her nose, "you're a bird."
"Now you say it," Camila was smiling so brightly, she could've blinded me with the radiance, "say you're a bird."
I laughed, "are you trying to reenact The Notebook or something?"
She smacked her lips, "you know I'm a helpless romantic, don't act like you're surprised."
"Oh, I'm sorry," I cleared my throat, "If you're a bird, I'm a bird." I said in a deeper voice.
Camila was a hopeless romantic, she would always talk about love. She would always send me love quotes, and begged me to watch romantic movies with her whenever we got back home from camp.
We never got the chance to, but I would do my best to create our own little love story.
"You know I've always had a thing for Ryan Gosling. You played him pretty well, and I said if I ever met Ryan, I would kiss him without a doubt." She laughed.
"You're the closest thing to him, Laur-I mean, Ryan."
I half smiled, "so what does that mean, Camz?"
"I'm going to kiss you, that's what it means."
Even though we just shared a kiss a while ago, the sparks would always continue to come about every time we even mentioned a kiss. I probably would never get over the nervousness of being able to kiss Camila for as long as I live.
"I mean, only if I'm allowed.." Camila said timidly.
I nodded my head and brought my hands towards her face, my thumbs were on her jawline and the rest of my fingers were towards the back of her neck. I leaned in slowly and planted my lips against hers.
I felt the curve of Camila's smile against my lips, my eyes were shut but, I envisioned Camila's beautiful smile and couldn't help but smile myself.
Our lips just were resting against each other's and we let out laughs through our noses. Camila was smiling so hard that I felt her teeth on my upper lip. I separated from her and continued to hold her head in my hands.
"Why so smiley, weirdo?" I laughed.
"I just kissed Ryan Gosling, why wouldn't I be smiley?" She laughed while ruffling my hair.
"What a dork." I teased, playfully punching her shoulder.
She grabbed my hand and pulled me to another destination. We noticed a park, and a fifties themed burger joint, but I saw something that caught my eye, it was a junkyard.
"Camila, look!" I pointed at the junkyard.
She shrugged, "Yeah, what about it? It's just a place with a bunch of old cars and shitty pieces of trash and scrap metal, what's the big deal?"
I raised my eyebrows and made a pouty face similar to Camila's, "can we go check it out?" I asked.
"Sure, why not?" She smiled.
We walked for about five minutes before reaching the gate of the junkyard, "ugh, there's a lock on it." Camila said pulling on the lock.
I laughed, "alright, pull it again and hold it there. I'm going to break it."
She let go of the lock and laughed, "Lauren, I think you're strong and all, but not that strong."
"Camila, just hold the lock. I'm going to kick it."
She gasped, "with your boots?! What if you stomp of my finger and break it?!"
"Trust me."
Camila hesitated, but grabbed ahold of the lock, "go ahead." She said squinting and leaning back.
I picked up my large, black, Doc. Martens and kicked the chain with full force. I proved Camila wrong, because I broke the lock with very little effort. I grabbed Camila's hands and kissed her fingers, "see? They're fine."
She just gave me the hugest smile and we walked inside. I looked around, I was looking for one thing in particular, a dead engine car.
My dad's voice was in the back of my mind, I remember our conversation before I headed to camp about flipping a car just for him.
"You know what I'll do when I get back from camp? Just for you?"
"And what's that?"
"I'm going to end up flipping a car, all by myself."
"Alright little missy, if you think you got what it takes to take a dead engine and make it into something great, then I have faith in you."
I looked up to the sky and pointed up, "this ones for you, dad." I whispered.
"What'd you say, Lo?" Camila asked.
I shook my head quickly and told her it was nothing. I looked towards the back of the junkyard and spotted a dusty, maroon, Jeep Cherokee. I sprinted towards the car and set my hand on the hood, I rubbed it and noticed a the dust on my hands afterwards.
"Whatcha thinkin' bout, Lauren?" She asked.
I was just laughing to myself, to Camila I probably looked like I was going insane, but to me, I had a plan.
Camila walked towards the Jeep too, and started doodling, "C+L" on the windows of the car, "why are you doing that?" I laughed.
"Why not?" She smirked.
I lifted up the hood of the Jeep to examine the engine, "seems pretty fucked. This might take me a while." I started fidgeting with the engine, coating my fingers with slippery oil. "Yeah, this is gonna be a challenge, the engine is completely fucked."
Camila was playing with her bottom lip, "what are you doing now?" I asked lifting my brows.
She licked her lips and said, "you just look super hot trying to fix up a car, that's all."
"Are you kidding me?" I asked laughing.
She nodded her head and used the tip of her tongue to run across her top lip, "nope, not at all. But, continue with whatever you're doing. I'll just sit here and look pretty."
"You do that."
A couple of hours passed by and I could tell Camila was getting bored, maybe we should rest up. What a coincidence how I found a junkyard near our house, I was going to be coming here pretty often.
"You tired?" I asked Camila, who was scrunched up in a ball in the front seat, with her eyes slowly closing.
"Mhm.." She mumbled.
I couldn't have her walk back home, she was tired, I wanted her to sleep. Plus, she looked so damn cute sleeping. So I opened the door and grabbed her arms and put my back to her, "Camz, get on my back." I whispered.
She did so and I carried her home, I just wondered how I was going to get inside without getting caught. I soon managed to get the both of us on the porch, and I wanted to put Camila down so we could go inside, but I couldn't. I opened the door slowly and noticed nobody was to be found. I think everyone went to sleep, well, hopefully.
I shut the door and tiptoed up the stairs, I'm glad Camila was light, or else I would've passed out going upstairs. Who am I kidding? I'm pretty tough and strong, I could've carried an elephant up those stairs.
All of the doors in our hallway were closed, except the one that Dinah was in. It was cracked and you could see the light peeking through it. "Camz, babe..wake up, we're home." I then saw Dinah pop her head out of the door, "finally you guys are here! Now get in your rooms before you get caught!"
"Thanks, Dinah. I really appreciate you looking out for us." I thanked her.
"Yeah, yeah, you're welcome. Now get your crazy asses in your room." She whispered loudly.
I gave Dinah a thumbs up and brought Camila and I inside our room. I then laid her on her bed and made my way to mine. I was sitting on my bed taking off my boots when Camila whimpered, "Lauren..are you going to lay with me?" My back was killing me because of how long I had to carry her, so I kind of wanted to lay in my own bed, but I couldn't decline her offer.
"Yeah, one second." I said. Camila put her legs underneath the blanket and over the bottom half of her face, leaving only her nose and eyes to be seen. I turned off the light and crawled over Camila, I always laid behind her, I felt as if I could protect her more that way.
I didn't really know where Camila and I stood at this point, we were so fucking dysfunctional that it's confusing to know whether we're back to being girlfriends or just good friends. My hands were so used to trailing her legs and my arms wrapping around her waist, but where do I put them now without pushing the boundaries?
"Are you not going to hold me?" Camila said rolling around to face me.
I was instantly nervous, she always made me feel this way, I hated how nervous I got in front of her. "Umm, am I allowed to?" I asked seriously.
"Well, if you're too scared to, I'll do it myself." She grabbed my hands and placed one underneath her, which in fact was going to leave me with a uncomfortably numb arm in the morning, and one on the small of her back.
My hands were beginning to feel comfortable and so was she. Camila rested her head on my chest along with one of her hands, she planted a small kiss on my collarbone, "goodnight, Lauren."
"Goodnight my little bird."
Camila didn't deserve this life, she doesn't deserve to live here in this hellhole, I was going to get us out of here. I couldn't live here with the two of us suffering, I heard Camila's faint snores against my chest.
I kissed the top of her head and whispered, "I'm getting us out of here, baby girl. I promise you that."