A month went by, and Camila was overwhelmed with the positive results pouring in. Yes, there was some resistent, but most of the kids were happy to have the opportunities given to them.
Since the day the center opened, Camila got calls daily from around the city, citing improvment in behavior and participation. The kids that ranged from fourteen to almost eighteen, had started work training the day after the opening of the center, and two weeks later when the kids were given their first paycheck there were mixes of tears and smiles all around. This wasn't money that was given to them as a allowance, this was money they earned. Worked hard for. It made them feel as if they had some control over their life, and they loved it.
The center even had a store inside, where the latest things were sold at the cheapest cost around. Camila had a contract through multiple manufacturers and their items were sold at less then whole sale, and the rest was used as a tax write off.
Kids got new shoes for less than twenty dollars, when others went to the mall and spent eighty. Holes, and worn out clothes, were becoming a thing of the past, and as Camila suspected, the older kids generosity ranged to their younger foster siblings, assuring her that as hard as these kids were, they were still good kids at heart.
The bond between her, Ericka and the Jaureguis, along with the other officers families was also growing. They trusted her, in more ways than one, and respected her above all else. She had more than proven her self to them, and there wasn't a place in the city where she wasn't known for her good deeds.
But as the good deeds were pouring out, there was also evil ones pouring in.
Threats started coming to the Mansion directed towards Camila daily, especially when she offered a reward for information that led to the people responsible for the many killings in the police force.
It seemed that instead of trying to threatened the people volunteering, the gangs directed their efforts in scaring her off. She was not amused.
She took to wearing a bullet proof vest, and kept herself armed at all times. She made sure she was never directly next to Ericka in public, not wanting anything to happen to the teen, and made her sister promise to keep the center going at all costs in case anything ever did happen to her.
Sofie was not amused either.
Every week, Normani took Ericka to see Lauren multiple times, and on the days she couldn't Camila took the teen.
Today, Camila was overseeing the centers first monthly sports scrimmage, while Ericka made her visit to see Lauren with Normani.
The day was bright, and the kids were filled with smiles as they used their weekly lessons, to play sports like any other kid would. She smiled at all the happy kids around her, and was happy she decided to add multiple fields, ensuring no sport was left out.
She sat in the stands and watched kids with talent they didn't even know they had, and smiled to herself knowing these kids would remember the feeling of achievement, for something as small as hitting a ball, or making a play.
Camila's phone rang, and seeing Normani's name come across her screen, made her stomach drop. Worried, Camila answered immediately asking,"Whats wrong?"
"Laurens awake. You should get down here."
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Camila rushed into the hospital, patting herself on the back for the jeans and sneakers she was sporting, making her full out sprint easier to manage.
She flew to Lauren's room and felt her stomach drop when she heard shouts of rage come from Lauren's room.
Once at the threshold of the door, she watched in horror as Lauren ripped the IV's from her arms, and threw herself off the bed only to fall from the weakness of not using her legs for so long.
Normani and a nurse tried to help her up, only to be shoved aside by a raging Lauren.
"Your lying to me! Where the hell is Ariana!? I want her here now!" shouted Lauren angrily as tears streamed her face.
Camila stepped into the room slowly, and suddenly Lauren's eyes snapped to hers. Lauren stared at her as if she was trying to remember who she was, until recognition slowly steeped into Lauren's green eyes.
"No. It was a dream. Pizza and shots..." Lauren gasped breathing hard as her body started to shake.
Lauren dragged herself up, and looked around the room for her niece.
"Where's Ericka?" Lauren gasped out in panic.
"The body guards took her to the cafeteria once you started to freak out. We didn't know if you would be violent." Normani whispered gently.
"I want Ericka, bring me Ericka. She wont lie to me. She wouldn't lie about her mom." Lauren muttered to herself.
Normani looked at Camila nervously, as if to ask 'what now.'
Camila raised her cellphone, calling her security guard, ordering him to return with Ericka to Lauren's room.
They waited, watching Lauren slowly lose her mind, when Ericka rushed into Lauren's room, stopping in her tracks at seeing her distraught aunt.
Lauren's eyes met her nieces, and everything she didn't want to believe was shown on the teens face, as her eyes shined with tears.
"No...No. She can't be gone. Ari can't be gone." Lauren gasped clutching her chest as painful sobs shook her weak body.
Grabbing her head as if to erase the reality of what she had woken up to, Lauren wept like a child who missed her mother. She cried and begged for it to not be true, but when she felt her nieces small arms wrap around her, she knew it was.
Ericka cried the tears she had held in for almost a month. Everyday trying to be braver than the last, but seeing her fearless aunt weep for her mother, broke the walls she had erected to protect herself from her grief, and she clutched her aunt tightly as they wept for the mother and sister they both missed.
Normani cried helplessly as she sat near Lauren's bed, too overcome with her best friends grief, and the grief herself she had buried upon hearing the news.
Camila stood watching the scene as someone half in and half out of a daze. She watched Ariana die, so she shared grief for the woman she met and liked, along with the woman she would never get a chance to deeply know. But her grief could not measure the deep sorrow that the three woman felt, and it made her ache for them.
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Lauren laid numbly against her bed frame as Ericka snuggled into her chest, savoring the closeness of her aunts presence.
"What happened?" asked Lauren hoarsely with puffy eyes that landed on Camila.
Camila looked into her eyes and said,"After I sent Ericka into the bathroom with the panic button, the gang members open fired with automatic weapons, killing almost everyone in the restaurant who didn't reach cover in time. But they mostly were aimed at you and Ariana. You covered me with your body, and received two shots, one to the side and another in your back."
"And Ariana and Sean?" croaked Lauren.
Clearing her throat, Camila whispered,"They were shot in the head by the spray bullets. They were gone before they even knew what was happening."
Lauren nodded her head, and whispered,"Small miracles. What happened next?"
"Mila kicked ass and killed the two of them that wanted to kill me." Ericka whispered almost proudly.
Camila looked at the teen and blushed at the surprised look Lauren gave her.
"What?" asked Lauren in disbelief.
"Um.. You had your gun in your hand, but were shot before you could use it, so I took it, and flipped our table. Two of the guys at the counter saw Ericka head to the bathroom, and knew she was a cops kid, so they were going to kill her. I had to get them before they got to her. So I shot the two headed for the restroom, and by the time they were firing on me, my security team and police officers were already trying to enter the restaurant. So once they stopped firing, and had taken cover, I shot at the three using your gun and Ariana's until there was back up in the restaurant. They were out numbered, so they surrendered." Camila explained nervously.
There was a knock on the door, and Bea Miller entered, no doubt having been called by the hospital receptionist upon Lauren's consciousness.
"She forgot the part where she made sure you didn't bleed out, and demanded they take you first." Bea said smiling softly.
Lauren looked into the blushing social workers eyes, and whispered,"Thank you."
Camila shrugged and said,"You took two bullets for me. Were kind of even."
Lauren's eyes quickly met Ericka's and she gasped and said,"You didn't see..."
Ericka was quick to interrupt her aunt as she shook her head, wiping the tears from her eyes.
"Mila told me to close my eyes. I wanted to see, but she said mom wouldn't want me to see her like that. That I should see her smiling at me as my last image of her. She guided me out, and we came here to make sure you were okay." Ericka explained, breathing shakily.
Lauren's eyes met Camila's again, and she said,"I guess there's no way we can be even now."
Camila smiled lightly, and was about to answer, when her pager beeped in alarm mode, snapping her into business mode.
Ripping her pager off her jeans, Camila started dialing Zayn's number.
"My pagers going off for Stacy's panic button. I want people at her foster house now, I'm on my way." Camila rushed out gathering her bag, hanging up.
Looking at Normani, she said,"When you take Ericka home, make sure you take the armored cars and body guards. Take no chances."
Without another word, Camila was sprinting out of the hosptital, her own security detail was running along side her.
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Camila's security detail used sirens to speed through traffic, and they reached a run down neighbor hood, where foster homes were popular among the unemployed majority.
Her hummer pulled up in front of a house where old toys and lawn chairs littered the Lawn, and police cruisers were positioned in the drive way. There were shouts, and from the empty cruiser, Camila knew there were officers inside.
"Spread out and enter in quietly, do what you have to." Camila said throwing herself out of the car, and jogging to the front door, grateful for the bullet proof vest she was wearing.
She walked through the front door, and stopping when she saw Stacy with a knife to her throat, and her half naked foster father pressed behind her, wielding the knife as his wild eyes searched the living room for a way out.
Camila entered the house slowly, talking to the man in a soothing voice.
"What are you doing Mr. Jones? Why would you take her as a hostage, when I'm worth more to you. I'm worth billions, I bet if these police officers put down their weapons, they would let you trade her for me. Let Stacy go, and I can and will get you out of here, without the police restraining you." Camila cooed quietly.
"No. Miss Cabello, don't do that." Stacy cried worried.
"Quiet Stacy!" snapped Camila, who was growing nervous with every passing second.
The teen quietly listened as Camila pleaded her case.
"How do I know your not a lying bitch?" spat the Jones angrily.
Camila turned to the cops and said,"Lower your weapons. Slowly so he knows your not pulling a fast one."
The Officers looked at her worried, but followed her instructions, having learned to trust her this past month.
The foster father seemed to like this, and started to run his eyes over Camila hungrily, seeing her as more of a prize, which is exactly what she wanted.
"You want to trade places with this slut?" he asked, his voice slurring enough to show he was a little past drunk.
"Yes I do. If you let her go, and let these officers take her to her room without a problem, then you can take me where ever you want to go, and you can have whatever you want." Camila reasoned huskily, making the man smirk.
"Yeah okay, come closer and I'll let the brat go." he slurred greedily.
Camila held her hands up to the officers, making sure they stayed as they were, and walked slowly towards the drunk armed man. Once she was close enough, he released Stacy, and quickly grabbed Camila, holding the knife to her throat.
Camila felt so much relief at seeing Stacy in the safe arms of the officers, she completely ignored the sharp metal against her throat, and the disgusting erection pressing into her back thigh.
"Get her to her room, and stay there until its safe." Camila ordered giving the officers a pointed look.
The Officers bent slowly, picking up their weapons and securing them in their holsters, before taking Stacy to the back of the house. Once they were out of View, Jesse (his first name) ran his left hand along Camila's skin hungrily, as he forced them out of his house.
He was so excited to have Camila, he didn't notice the many body guards, watching him as they hid around the yard, training their weapons on him.
"So by Stacy's ripped clothes, I gathered you were trying to rape her." stated Camila angrily, moving forward as Jesse directed.
He smelled Camila's hair and grunted,"Whats it to you? What I do with the brat is my business. Feed her don't I? Keep a roof over her head?"
"Yeah your a real Samaritan." Dead panned Camila angrily.
Once they reached his old truck, Camila used the reflection in the window to see her guards Zeroing in on him.
"Do you know what your mistake in taking me as a hostage was?" asked Camila sweetly.
"Whats that bitch?" slurred Jesse drunkingly.
"I'm not some defenseless sixteen year old." Camila said, before slamming her heel down on his bare feet, and jerking his flailing arm away from her throat, and letting it slice her arm as she head butted his face with the back of her head.
He screamed as his nose gushed with blood, the knife slipped from his hand as he tried to protect his face, from her pounding fists. Within seconds, her guards had him pinned to the ground, cuffing him as he screamed in anger.
Camila looked at her bleeding arm, and his broken nose as he screamed in anger. Bending over, she looked into his angry brown eyes and said,"Whose the Bitch now asshole?"
Ignoring his screams of profanities against her, she walked into the house, giving the all clear to the officers.
Once Stacy saw Camila, she ran into her arms shaking, and crying.
"I thought he actually got you." Cried Stacy.
Camila winced at the pain in her arms and said,"He only knicked me. You did good pushing that button. He's never going to hurt anyone again."
"I can't believe you came.." mumbled Stacy in disbelief.
Camila smiled and said,"I said I would didn't I? I always keep my word, and unless someone is physically stopping me from doing it, I will always come."
Stacy pulled away, smiling at Camila tearfully. Camila's heart clutched as she noticed the bruises on Stacy's face.
"How about me and you go to the hospital huh?" Camila suggested feeling a little dizzy.
"Yeah." Whispered Stacy quietly.
Zayn approached her as the officers shoved Jones into their cruiser, giving her nods of approvals.
"You need to go to the hospital Mila, there's a ambulance on the way." Zayn said looking at his boss through narrowed eyes.
Camila went to open her mouth when her eyes rolled back, and she fainted as the shock and blood loss finally caught up to her. Zayn caught her before she fell, and calmed Stacy as she started to panic.