On Friday evening after a two hour drive, Lauren and Camila finally arrived to their weekend getaway destination. The plan was to spend the night together and Ally and Dinah would join them later the next day.
The rental was set up on the hill overlooking Parson's beach. A spiral staircase from the basement garage took them straight to a spacious living room, which spread out to a terrace with a swimming pool. Camila led Lauren straight up a staircase which took them to the master bedroom where she opened a wall of curtains, revealing a view that instantly evoked the sense of being on top of the world. The younger one slid the glass doors apart, smiled and ushered Lauren to the balcony, staying behind her, her arms encircling Lauren's waist.
Lauren went to the railing, lightly gripping it and looking over the side. The water looked as peaceful as she felt. "This view is gorgeous," Lauren whispered, a huge welling of emotion sighing through her voice.
It was a beautiful cloudless night, stars twinkling above the far horizon, a crescent moon shining brightly, a light breeze wafting the salty scent of the sea, the rhythmic roar of waves rushing onto the beach and withdrawing. But what made it incredibly special was the presence of the girl who was holding her.
Lauren leaned back against her girlfriend, nestling her head into the curve of Camila's neck and shoulder, loving the feeling of being safe in her embrace, safer than she had ever felt in her life.
They stared up at the sky, where the mottled white band of the Milky Way glowed against the plenitude of stars.
"See the dark lane running along the center?" Lauren asked.
Camila shook her head.
Lauren moved closer and pointed with her free hand. "There, where it looks like someone scribbled through it with a Sharpie."
Following the line of her arm, Camila focused on the ragged stripe. "Yeah. What is that?"
Lauren smiled. "It's the Great Rift, a big cloud of molecular dust... a place where new stars are forming."
Camila stared in wonder. "Why haven't I seen it before?"
"You have to be in the right place at the right time." Lauren murmured as she nuzzled her nose against Camila's neck.
Lauren turned her head and pressed her cheek against Camila's shoulder, her arms going around the small of her back to return the embrace. A couple of minutes passed as they stood there enjoying the view. The silence hung between them for a moment. Then Lauren reached for Camila's hands, cradling them in hers. She stared down at their fingers, threaded together. Lauren's thumb caressed the younger one's palm gently. "Babe, I'm starving. We should order out before it gets too late."
Camila smirked. "What do you want to eat?" Her gaze darkened as it dropped to Lauren's mouth. The suggestion trailed off as her eyebrows lifted a fraction and the edge of Camila's mouth kicked up in one of those sensual, secret smiles that had been making Lauren's breathing quicken all day.
No matter how long she'd been with Camila, the raw passion in her dark eyes was something she'd never grow tired of experiencing. Lauren shook her head to dissuade Camila from the direction her thoughts had taken. "Camz... we'll do plenty of that later but I really am hungry... for some real food!" Lauren started pulling her back towards the house.
Camila boxed her against the sliding glass door, her arms framing Lauren in. Camila kissed her, and warmth flooded Lauren as the younger one's mouth moved over hers. This, she craved. Her lips parted beneath Camila's, her fingers curled around the younger one's waist. Camila tasted exactly the way Lauren wanted her to taste, of some kind of sweetness that had no name. Within seconds, Lauren lost herself in the texture of Camila's mouth. Lauren deepened the kiss with a hunger she didn't bother to hide. It was like lighting a match to a pool of kerosene.
Lauren's hands found the shape of her, and Camila realized with a thrum of excitement that Lauren was exploring the quickest way to get her out of her clothes. Camila abruptly broke away. A gleam of humor lit her brown eyes."Is pizza okay? Westshore can delivery in fifteen minutes," Camila said with a half grin.
Those heavy-lidded green eyes stared back at Camila. A tiny smile worked its way over her lips. "You're such a fucking tease," Lauren said in a husky tone. She cupped Camila's chin with her slim fingers and eased her tongue inside the younger one's mouth—slowly, achingly perfect. Lauren fingered a nipple through the thin cotton of her girlfriend's T-shirt, circling the peak until Camila bit back a moan. She shut her eyes as her nipples responded to the blatant arousal.
Lauren led her back to the master bedroom as she yanked at the smaller one's shirt. Lauren tugged impatiently, freeing her from the shirt, and she wasted no time going for Camila's shorts. With one hand, she fumbled with her shorts while with the other she unclasped Camila's bra.
Camila's fingers curled against her girlfriend's shoulders, nails pressing into the dark material of her shirt as Lauren gripped Camila's rear with both hands, lifted her, and pushed one hard thigh between hers.
Camila's breath caught.
Lauren's voice dropped, her hands slid back up to Camila's shoulders, and then in to her collarbones, and slowly up her neck to frame her beautiful face. "I love that little sound you make as your breath catches, but let's see if I can do something to warrant a moan," Lauren muttered.
With her shorts still snagged at her knees, Lauren tumbled her onto the bed. She tugged at Camila's shorts until they came away, and the denim went sailing across the room to hit the door with a thud.
Then Lauren set to work on her own clothing while Camila looked at her with a passion not even her hooded eyes could conceal. Lauren had done that to Camila. Made this girl look at her with eyes that devoured her, that branded her. Lauren should've been scared by that level of intensity but, God help her, she wanted more.
Lauren walked towards Camila and pressed her full lips to the sensitive spot behind the younger one's ear. Lauren knew that spot was her weakness. Camila bit back a moan and trembled slightly. Her skin was hot beneath Lauren's mouth and she traced an invisible line with the tip of her tongue before sliding a little lower down Camila's body. Touching her was like finally understanding a puzzle, seeing for the first time the beauty and complexity of it. The angles of her face, the curves of her body, now for Lauren to explore.
The sound Camila made deep in her throat sent pleasure spiking through Lauren's veins. "Laur," her voice was a gasp, thick and guttural. Lauren climbed on top of her and kissed the soft line beneath her navel before shifting her hazy green eyes back to Camila. She wickedly paused.
Camila groaned. "You little shit. Don't make me beg," she said, her voice weak and little shaky. She twisted her hand into Lauren's thick hair as Lauren moved ever lower until she reached the apex of her girlfriend's thighs, giving a gentle press of her lips to the sensitive spot between Camila's legs. She arched gently beneath Lauren's mouth, her hips hesitantly rocking as she slid her tongue through the smaller one's soft sex. The green eyed one went absolutely still except for the movement of her mouth over Camila's body as she savored the taste and feel of Camila beneath her tongue.
A hot, possessive pleasure swept over Camila as Lauren slipped one finger inside her, teasing her with the lightest friction while her tongue drove the younger one wild. Camila fisted her hand in Lauren's hair, rocking against her red lips, her release there, just there. Camila closed her eyes, dropping her head back, and let the pleasure come, hard and fast through everything that she was until she thought she'd come apart in her arms.
Lauren brought her right to the brink of pleasure. She arched mindlessly against Lauren's fingers, begging with her body what she could not speak. "Shit," Camila moaned. Her entire world shook as Lauren stroked her, drawing out her pleasure until her body hummed and she felt boneless.
Camila lay there silently. She traced her hands over Lauren's skin. Her arms. Her collarbone. The pulse in her throat. Feeling mischievous, Camila crawled unto Lauren's lap. Lauren smiled up at Camila in the dim light, her eyes dark and serious in the shadows. Camila arched against Lauren, the apex of her heat brushing against Lauren's upper thighs. The sharp scrape of pleasure at her core made her body melt with new arousal.
"Now it's your turn," Camila slowly whispered against Lauren's ear. Her lips curved wistfully.
Lauren's throat moved as she swallowed, her body tense and oh so ready. But her stomach gurgled loudly, interrupting their sensual moment. "Damn," Lauren muttered as she slid off the bed. "Hold that thought. I need to make myself a sandwich."
"Laur..." Camila whined. "Really?"
Lauren laughed. "Yes, really. I told you I was starving." Lauren opened the bedroom door and waited for Camila to follow. She knew her girlfriend wouldn't pass up on the opportunity to have a snack.
Camila's lips came out in a pretty pout. She dragged her feet doing her best to fake a tantrum. Lauren paused, held the younger one's chin and lightly kissed her girlfriend's full lips. "Don't pout, baby girl."
Camila's lips quirked at the edges. Then they walked down the hallway together. Lauren had gotten used to Camila walking a little too close, close enough that their hands bumped. Casual and intimate, the way a person did when they simply needed to touch what they loved. It had taken a long time for her to realize it was just something Camila only did with her.
After a quick dinner, they resumed their love-making session into the early hours of the morning, until sheer exhaustion took over. Lauren loved how they'd grown together, learning to pleasure each other's bodies.
In the hazy aftermath, they lay together, wrapped in the comforter on their bed. Lauren shifted to study Camila in the dusky light. She leaned toward the younger one and traced her index finger over the pale scar that lined Camila's jaw. Her finger feathering across Camila's mouth. "Thank you," Lauren whispered.
"What are you thanking me for?" Camila's head tilted to the side, her dark eyes watching Lauren for another silent moment. She had a tendency of watching Lauren as though she were some puzzle she needed to put together.
Lauren found the words, but they barely slid past her lips. "This could've been the worst week ever but you found a way to make it the happiest." Lauren leaned closer, and their mouths were just a hint apart. Her breath brushed against Camila's lips. "My life feels so good with you in it," the green eyed one whispered softly. Lauren traced Camila's lips with her finger.
"And what am I to you?" Camila asked, her voice light, filled with emotion.
"That's easy." She planted a soft kiss on her girlfriend's mouth, met her gaze and let her see the truth. "You're the love of my life."
Camila grinned. She couldn't help it. "I love this . . . us."
"Me, too." Lauren slid an arm around her and pulled her closer. She kissed Camila, deeply, making her head spin.
Camila lowered her hand to Lauren's belly, laying it on the small rounded place, so that when she inhaled, her belly pushed up against Camila's palm. Lauren's instinct was to suck in her stomach so it would seem flatter, but she didn't have the energy. Love had worn her out.
Camila rubbed small circles onto Lauren's back and made up little bits of a song for her. Something about a little bulb growing underground in winter. She sang softly until finally her raspy voice drifted off to slight whisper.
Camila made a sleepy sound and shifted until her body was nestled against Lauren. She buried her face against Lauren's neck and breathed the scent of her in. She sighed and snuggled closer. "I love you," she murmured before falling asleep.
Lauren laid there for a few minutes, lost in a place of bliss...meaningful bliss. She lay there thinking about life, her life. She knew on a base level what she needed and wanted in her life— ambition, enthusiasm, desire. Passion. She wanted to go on a safari in Botswana and sleep beneath the sky. She wanted to get lost in Thailand and eat foods she couldn't identify in Budapest. She wanted to drive the Great Ocean Road in Australia. She wanted to spend a Christmas in Prague.
She thought about the opportunity to study in South Africa. Lauren thought of all the lives she could have saved if she had made it into the residency. She thought about Christopher. She wondered if she let him down. I wanted to save the world, she thought. And suddenly, the hollow feeling of inadequacy opened up in her stomach, and the weary ache in her chest pinched her heart but Lauren quickly stifled those feelings. Everything happens for a reason, she told herself, even if I don't understand why.
After a few moments, Lauren pulled the sheets and tucked Camila and then herself into the huge king-sized bed. Camila, already asleep, turned away from the warmth of Lauren's body, then shimmied back to rub the length of her back and derriere against Lauren's stomach and pelvis in a slinky, selfish, catlike gesture.
Lauren smiled. If God is good to me, Lauren thought, I will be sharing a bed with Camila when I am eighty.
-------
Lauren woke up to the sound of Ally and Dinah's hushed whispers in the hallway. They had driven out from Boston that morning, shattering the quiet as soon as Dinah's SUV pulled into the driveway.
"Dinah, I''m not just going barge in!"
"Girl, please. I didn't drive all the way out here to watch them sleep."
"No but they could be.... naked." Ally whispered.
Dinah paused. "I wonder if Mila is a top or bottom? I bet she's a bottom."
Lauren stifled a laugh. She turned to look over her shoulder and saw Camila asleep in a position of sheer abandon: one arm thrown over her head, the other flung across her hip; her hair a tousled, sexy mess of honey-brown strands falling across one eye; her lips, almost smiling even in sleep, full and slightly parted.
"Top or bottom? What's that supposed to mean?" Ally asked.
"Let's have some breakfast. Then I'll explain."
Lauren heard their footsteps shuffle downstairs towards the kitchen. She let out a yawn. Above her head, the bedroom skylight revealed a square of perfect blue. She could think of so many things she'd love to do today: go on hike, lay out on the beach, spend all afternoon on the deck with a book. But her bed felt so comfortable, the thought of getting up seemed impossible.
"Babe, Dinah and Ally are here," Lauren said, kissing Camila's fore head, at the same time running her free hand down her girlfriend's face. Lauren studied her face, marveling at her uncluttered beauty.
Camila groaned and rolled onto her side. Scratchy, drowsy with sleep, Camila's voice rumbled through the blankets. "Who the fuck cares?" Her grumpy face was crisscrossed with tiny pink sleep lines.
Lauren smiled as she sat up. Her girlfriend was not a morning person. At all. "Well, I guess I'll be the polite one and welcome our best friends who drove all the way out here to spend some quality time with us." Lauren leaned back against the headboard. The blankets slid down her bare chest and pooled across her lap.
They locked gazes and Lauren could see a kind of stubbornness she recognized well because she had it too. Camila stuck her middle finger up and wiggled her head underneath the covers.
"I love you too," Lauren responded. The sound of hushed voices in the kitchen reached her, and Lauren knew she couldn't hold off the day much longer. She was already out of bed, pulling on a red velour dressing gown. Drawing in a deep breath, she left the comforting silence of the bedroom and headed downstairs to the kitchen instead.
"So a bottom is someone who doesn't mind being more submissive in sexual situations," Dinah explained to Ally. Steaming cups of coffee sat in front of them, plates of doughnuts and croissants beside their coffee cups. The sliding glass doors to the deck were open, a yellow butterfly fluttering above the bushes.
Lauren cleared her throat. "Hey guys," she greeted. Her lips wrinkled, as she found some small measure of humor in their conversation. She walked to the cupboard and pulled out two mugs.
Ally sat up straight and blinked back at her as though in surprise, her hands flying up to cover her mouth while she tried to stifle a laugh. "Lauren! How long were you standing there?"
"Does it matter?" Lauren replied as lifted the kettle from the stove and poured water into twin red mugs in two even streams.
"Uh.. um no." Ally shifted her eyes toward Dinah and quickly changed the subject. "How did you sleep last night?"
Lauren padded sleepily across the kitchen. "I don't know. I barely slept." She paused and gave them a sly grin.
"Spare me the details.... for later, of course." Dinah's brows lifted, the rueful grin taking on a mischievous tilt. "Listen. I thought this was supposed to be girl's weekend not a couples. Can we do something fun?" With her elbow on the table, Dinah propped her chin on her hand and stuck out her bottom lip.
Girl's weekend was a favorite event. It often involved the beach, alcohol, and DVDs, popcorn, gossip, and always just the ease and comfort of friends in a tradition that went back to being first year medical students.
"Don't worry, hun. We'll have fun." Lauren plopped a peppermint tea bag and honey into one cup, and the regular old Lipton with milk and sugar in the other for herself.
"So what should we do today? Bike ride? Shopping?" Ally asked.
Dinah's eyes lit up. "We should go hang gliding over at Jockey's Ridge? I saw a brochure for the school where they actually teach you to hang glide. Remember that time we all went bungee jumping at Myrtle Beach?"
"You, Camila and Lauren went bungee jumping," Ally corrected. "I couldn't even watch. I was petrified you'd both be killed, and I'd have to explain to your mothers what happened."
"Nah, you were just scared if we got killed you'd have to go home alone and drive over the Talmadge bridge all by yourself," Lauren taunted. She took a muffin from the package and began trying to split it with her finger.
"Lauren, don't be savage," Ally said with a horrified look on her face. "Use a knife."
But it was too late: the muffin top ripped off unevenly. Lauren dropped the uneven sides into the toaster and pressed down the lever.
"No offense but right now the only thing I want you guys to show me is the ice, the bourbon, and the beach. In that exact order," Dinah said dramatically, throwing a garment bag over her shoulder.
Lauren laughed. "Okay, Dinah. Calm your tits."
"At least I have tits," Dinah replied with a smirk.
Lauren crumbled up a paper towel and threw it at her Polynesian friend, catching her squarely between her eyes. "Let me just take this tea to Camz and I'll meet you guys down by the water." Lauren fished the bigger half of her muffin out of the toaster. "Camila is being a grouch. So she probably won't join us until later."
Dinah rolled her eyes. "It's because you baby her. I'm giving the princess two hours. If she's not up by then, I'm pouring ice cold water down her back." She jumped to her feet. "I'm gonna go put on my suit."
An hour later, Ally, Dinah and Lauren had pitched camp on a stretch of sand directly below the beach-house. They had a jaunty striped pink-and-yellow umbrella, four lounge chairs, and a large cooler. Ally and Dinah were off by the shore playing volleyball with a couple of sexy college guys. They inexpertly slapped the rubber ball around, dashing back and forth in the sand, laughing hysterically and flirting without shame. Ally wore a vintage one- piece while Dinah wore a bright orange bikini that left little to the imagination.
It was a gorgeous summer morning, sunny, not too humid, with banks of high, puffy white clouds overhead. The early morning sun shot dazzling sparks off of the water of the bay, seagulls screamed as they swooped in circles. The dunes, covered with sea oats, beach plums, and shrubs whose names she didn't know, sloped down to meet a wide, white beach. The tide was out, and the Atlantic Ocean sparkled gray-blue below. Here and there, people walked along the shore, stooping to pick up shells.
Lauren, completely protected from the sun by a floppy black hat and a diaphanous, three-quarter-sleeved cover-up, stretched out in her chair with a pair of sunglasses perched on her nose, reading the latest edition to The Game of Thrones. Her pale skin was already turning pink, and it wasn't yet noon.
She was engrossed in the ninth chapter of her book when she heard the slap of a wooden screen door. Camila faced the water, yawned and stretched before heading towards the beach. She'd knotted her long hair in a goofy ponytail on top of her head, emphasizing the graceful curve of her long neck. Her modest, black one-piece bathing suit should not have been alluring, but somehow it was—the high cut legs showed off her great butt, the scoop neckline revealed a small amount of cleavage. And when she ran, as she was doing now, looking like a total klutz, the suit rode up in the back and down in the front, giving Lauren a rewarding view.
When Camila finally reached Lauren, she knelt down on the sand beside her chair and wrapped her arms around her girlfriend's waist and laid her head on Lauren's lap. "I'm sorry for being a brat this morning," she said in a little tiny mouse voice.
Lauren suppressed a smile. "You are a brat." She patted Camila's head. "But you're my brat," she said as she bent down to kiss Camila's forehead.
Camila stood up and wiggled her way onto Lauren's lap. "I'm so lucky. I don't know many people that would put up with me," she said with a grin, and leaned over and gave Lauren a smacking kiss on the lips.
Lauren sighed happily. "It's such a gorgeous day. We should stay a few more days." She reached out to catch Camila's hand, her fingers lacing with the brunette.
"Uh... I can't stay," Camila muttered. "I have a couple of speaking engagements booked this week."
Lauren's brows lifted in confusion. "Why have you committed yourself to all of theses extra events? I thought you've already met your obligations to raise grant money for Harvard?" she asked.
Camila looked away. "It's not an obligation, Lauren." She nervously picked at her fingernails. "I..like raising money for the college." Camila stiffened, shoulders drawing back as she pressed her fingers against her thigh. "I've actually committed myself to doing it for the next year."
Lauren raised her brows. "For the next year? Camz, you'll be starting your residency soon. Where will you find the time to balance both? Why would you volunteer for something that's so time consuming?"
Camila pushed her hair back and kept her hands there, on top of her head, making her face seem starker, somehow. The bones of it more delicate. For a moment she looked almost haunted, and Lauren was struck by that. "I'll find the time. It's just important to me," she muttered as she looked away, her face becoming even more evasive. A frown darted across her face. Nervously she tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.
Camila looked uncomfortable and Lauren didn't understand why. Something didn't add up. Before she could question Camila further, a volleyball flew past her head and landed by Camila's foot. Dinah ran towards them and quickly grabbed the ball.
"I want to play!" Camila exclaimed as she stood up, almost elated for a distraction.
Dinah playfully shoved Camila back unto Lauren's lap. "Nah. You better sit your ass down," she whispered beneath her breath. "These guys are fine as hell. I don't need your big booty up in my game trying to distract them."
Camila huffed and looked slightly offended.
At this Dinah took off her sunglasses and looked directly at Camila "What? You think you're the only one allowed to get any ass around here?" She touched Camila's cheek in a gesture of affection and seductively walked back towards the game.
Camila's look of evasiveness ended with a nervous laugh as she shifted her eyes to the water. "Let's swim!" She quickly stood up and pulled on Lauren's arm. "The water looks so warm and inviting." Camila started to run towards the waves.
Lauren made a mental note to question Camila further on her recent commitments. But today wasn't the day. She wanted to enjoy her time on the beach and not get consumed by something that could end up being insignificant.
Lauren waded out behind Camila in the waves. When it got deep enough, Lauren swept the younger one up in her arms. Camila was light, the water holding most of her weight, so that she drifted in her arms. They laughed and jumped with oncoming waves, unsuccessful in keeping all water out of their faces. They reached the part of the sea where the waves stopped cresting and became gentle rolls that rose and fell, taking them along. Lauren looked down to see Camila quietly watching her, wide eyes dark and reflecting the sky overhead.
"What are you thinking of?" Lauren asked.
Camila breathed in and out, her eyes closed briefly, her expression contemplative. "I'm just imagining what our relationship would look like if we were starring in some romantic movie."
The older one angled her head. "Sounds interesting." Lauren paddled across the water and wrapped her legs around Camila's small waist as they sank down in the water. "Tell me more."
"It would start off with us as young girls," Camila said, dark eyes sparkling up at Lauren. Why did those dark eyes sparkle so brightly? "We come into each other's lives via a serendipitous meet up. You were broken, I was smitten. And one day I decided to confess my true feelings for you. You resisted out of fear and pushed me away. And then you realize, through a series of flashbacks of the happy times we've spent together, that I've been here all along, that the circumstances seem to have shoved us together, that you couldn't resist fate anymore. You realized that you too are in love with me. We kiss, and everything spins into a blur." The sea breeze blew Camila's hair back and carried with it the sweet and funky scent-cocktail of sea wrack and salt water. "At that moment, we are the only two people in the world."
Lauren laughed. "That's such a cheesy plot line. I would like to think that our love story would be a little more complex and intriguing. A little bit more angst."
Camila shook her head. "No angst. No complexity. Just cheesy, corny, Full House-type of love."
"You've always loved fairytales." Lauren lifted a hand to Camila's face, touched her cheek, traced the pink outline of her upper lip.
A slow, lopsided grin pulled at the corners of her mouth. "I used to dream about romance. The way I hoped it would be one day. This is better, Lauren." Camila pressed gentle kiss on Lauren's lips. "Real turned out to be better than the dream.''
******
It had been a good day. After Dinah and Ally finished their game, they joined Lauren and Camila for a quick swim. That afternoon they had done all of their favorite things: sailing in the bay, took a quick stop in the North Bay area to hit up a few of the wineries there and then watched the sun set on Jones Beach, letting the still-warm waves of the Atlantic foam over their bare feet.
They had decided to end their day on Beale Street. Beale Street was flashy and packed with people. Loud bars played competing and complimentary types of music, from blues to country to Elvis, and they all hummed along as they went by. Electric signs cut across the hazy night sky. They passed street performers with guitars and drums. One of the men had a set of spoons that he used to create a beat against his knee. And there were men doing back flips and handsprings down the middle of the closed-off street.
"Guys, let's go to Jay's," Dinah exclaimed while she pushed through the crowd.
Jay's was a ramshackled bar at the end of a rutted beach road. It was a popular local hangout that served the best drink in town. Mean Greens were Jay's specialty – a powerful margarita made of top-shelf tequila, Grand Marnier, fresh lime juice, a splash of homemade lemonade for sweetness, and two secret ingredients that would go to the grave with the owner.
Dinah led them through the dance floor, past a few wooden tables, and secured a table in the corner of the room, where a girl with magenta hair cut into spidery spikes took their orders.
When the bartender returned, Lauren gave her a healthy tip and immediately lifted her margarita for a toast. "To love, friends, happiness and..."
"Surviving medical school, bishes!" Dinah loudly interrupted.
"Here, here." They clinked glasses and drank.
Lauren smiled and reminisced of the time where they had first met during orientation week; all four of them wannabes who'd stood, knees knocking, waiting for their turns to prove themselves worthy. The medical program was incredibly competitive but early on they had all vowed to build each other up. How often had the four of them sought each other out at the hospital for comfort, support and encouragement. They carved out their own ground, pooling their strengths and resources, vowing that all four of them would beat the odds. And they did.
----------
"Rummy!" Camila shouted jubilantly, slapping the cards faceup on the table.
"Oh no, not again," Lauren said. She fanned her own cards for the others to see. "You caught me holding a handful of aces and kings. Again." She ticked her fingertips across the cards.
"I'm at forty," Dinah reported, laying down her own cards. "Where's that put us, Mila?"
"Hmmm. I'm at 485. Lauren, you're at 410. And Ally, honey, you're at 220."
"I'm hopeless," Ally said, slurring her words a bit. "Guys... I feel like I need to text Troy."
"No Ally," Dinah said firmly. "You guys broke it off for a reason. Just because you have a little bit of liquid courage doesn't mean you need to revisit that ish."
"But... maybe I made a mistake..." Ally protested.
Lauren pushed her hair back from her face. "I agree with Dinah. Leave him alone."
Ally sighed and held up her empty glass. "All gone," she cried and summoned the bartender. "Gena, get me another. And Camila's is empty, too. Poor thing, she's dying of thirst, aren't you, luv?"
"No babe. I'm good. And you're good too." Camila swept all the cards on the table into a pile, and busied herself rebuilding the deck. "Gena, can you get Ally some water?"
The bartender nodded and walked towards the bar.
While Camila shuffled the deck of cards, Lauren's eyes caught a familiar man standing by the bar. He was tall, in a pressed chambray workshirt and baggy chinos. He looked to be somewhere in his early forties, with thick gray hair brushed straight back from a strong face.
"Hey," Lauren said, running a hand through her hair. "Who's that guy?" She discreetly pointed towards the bar. "I saw him at the beach and at the winery this afternoon."
"What guy?" Dinah said, not bothering to look around. She twisted the cap from her beer and took a long drink.
"Where is this guy?" Camila asked, as she dealt out the next hand.
"Right there." Lauren pointed towards the bar. "He's totally been staring at me for the past ten minutes." A tiny headache had flared behind her left eye; she stuck a hand in her purse and found an Excedrin.
Camila laughed. "Babe, you always get paranoid when you drink." Her long legs were crossed at the knee and a mocking smile on her lips. "We should've ordered water for you too."
Lauren rolled her eyes. "I'm tipsy not drunk." She stretched as she stood up. "I'm going to bathroom." She eyed the silver-haired man once before walking towards the restroom. Maybe it was just a strange coincidence that she saw this man three times in one day, she thought to herself. She started to head for the bathroom, then remembered the aspirin in her fist. She went to the bar instead and asked for a glass of tap water. When the water came, Lauren swallowed the single pill, then turned away from the bar.
As Lauren started to walk away, she saw the silver-haired man strut towards her. Lauren's heartbeat accelerated.
"Ms. Jauregui." Directly in front of her he stopped. She fought the urge to look behind her, to see if he was actually looking at someone else.
"How do you know my name?" Lauren questioned.
"My name is Robert Cullins." He held his hand out but Lauren refused to shake it. "I'm a reporter from the New York Times. I've been working on a story for the past six years and I'd like a statement from you."
Lauren's heart was beating so fast she felt dizzy. "What do you mean?"
He closed the distance between them, small as it had been. He was so near she could see that he trimmed his hair himself; the ends were uneven and sloppy. Lauren took a tiny step backward; just far enough so that she could breathe her own air.
The reporter smiled in a smug sort of way that irritated Lauren. "For the past decade or perhaps even longer, high-ranking admission officials at Harvard were found to have given preferential treatment to applicants with connections to foundations who supported the school financially. The student's admission were not based on merit but solely on how much money could be placed into certain funds at the institution. The Avery Foundation is one of the biggest culprits."
Lauren's eyes narrowed. "And what does this have to do with me?"
A smile hitched one side of his mouth, but it was strangely sad. "You were on one of the many students who profited from this scandal." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a printed email. "I've obtained this email from an anonymous source. It's correspondence between Paul Gardner and his assistant."
The statement had her heart nearly stopping before it began racing in her chest with a speed that made it difficult to breathe properly. "I don't believe you. You're lying," she growled.
The reporter gave Lauren one of his "Why do I have to show you fire is hot for you to believe it" looks and said, "I'd hoped it wouldn't come to this." He handed her the email.
Her hands were shaking as she read the correspondence.
Leanne,
We are going to add one more applicant on this year's admission list. Her name is Lauren Jauregui. She was initially rejected but her friend Camila Cabello refused to accept admission unless Lauren was admitted as well. And we can't afford to refuse admission to an Avery Foundation member. You know how much I love my bonus! Just add her on and take off Rachel Templeton.
Regards,
Paul G.
Her jaw tensed as she felt overcome by a rush of pure, blinding anger. She stormed towards Camila, knocking the table over just to get to her.
"Lauren!" Dinah cried out. "What the fuck!"
"Tell me that is isn't true!" Lauren yelled as she held the crumpled paper on front of Camila's face. "Tell me that this man is lying to me!"
The color drained from Camila's face as she quickly read the offending note. "I can.. I can explain..." she muttered beneath her breath. Her eyes shifted down and her hands began to shake. "I can explain." She opened her mouth to speak the truth after years of silence but the words wouldn't come. There was too much fear, too much shame to admit it.
Ally looked wide eyed. "Lauren, what's wrong?" She stared at the fallen remnants of food, cards, and drinks before meeting Lauren's enraged gaze.
"Camila.. Camila..." Lauren couldn't finish her sentence and shoved the email towards Ally.
Ally's face fell while she read. Dinah looked stunned while she read over the shorter one's shoulder. "Mila, you didn't."
Camila swiped her hands across her face. "I had to do it. Harvard was my dream and I couldn't do it without you Lauren. I needed you with me." Camila's eyes turned darker, rimmed with tears. Her hands fell to her sides, white fragile palms up. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
Heat ripped through Lauren's skull, pounding against each temple. "What are you sorry for?" Lauren stepped closer to her. "That you lied? Or that I found out?" Her voice was tight with anger.
"That's not fair!"
"That's not fair?" Lauren repeated. "You have no right to play victim here! You knew how much I wanted to do this on my own. You knew how much this meant to me! I can't believed you fucking did this to me!" Lauren grabbed Camila's shoulder and she stiffened, a whimper escaping her lips as she tucked her face into her chest, making herself small, smaller still.
Dinah forced her way between them and pulled Lauren away. "We are not doing this here. Not in front of a reporter."
With that Lauren shoved away from Dinah's grip and ran out of the bar. She could hear Camila's footsteps behind her.
"Lauren, wait!" She reached for Lauren's arm but she flinched away from Camila's touch. They both stood alone in the parking lot. An eery silence between them.
Camila's shoulders slumped. There were circles beneath her eyes that hadn't been there before, and the lines running from her nose to her mouth suddenly seemed more pronounced. She appeared utterly defeated. "How can I make this better?" she stammered.
"You can't just make this better! Camila, do you realize what you've done?" Lauren hissed at her through gritted teeth. "Everything I busted my ass for is gone! My career.. it's done. You took it away from! My face is going to spread across every major newspaper on Monday! You can't just make this better!" Lauren realized she had stopped breathing. She made the requisite effort to get oxygen into and out of her malfunctioning lungs, overly conscious of the basic act of inhaling.
"I'm sorry..." she sobbed. "I'm sorry for it all. The admission, the internshi-" Camila stopped.
Lauren's dark eyes narrowed. "What about the internship?" she asked in a chilled, eerily calm voice.
Camila's hands covered her face.
"Answer me. What about the internship?" she shouted.
"I asked Dr. Gardner to reject your application," she whispered brokenly. "I couldn't lose you. I just couldn't lose you."
The sound of dead air was the most terrifying sound of all, Lauren discovered. Her eyes locked with Camila's. Her chest was so tight she could hardly breathe. She felt dizzy, sick. She slowly stepped back. Time seemed to stretch out into an eternity between one heartbeat and the next. She stared at the feet while her stunned mind did its best to reject what Camila had just confessed.
Lauren pushed her knuckles to her mouth, desperately trying to maintain control and hold back her anger before it exploded out of her. Her pulse seemed to stop long enough to make her head swim before it began to race. The color drained from her face until it was like porcelain against the glowing green of her eyes.
"You bitch," she hissed. "You fucking bitch!" Anger was a black, bitter taste in her mouth, and Lauren wanted to hurl curse words at her, wanted to make Camila feel as betrayed and hurt as she felt right now.
Lauren was glad when she flinched. A soft noise, almost a sob escaped from her lips. Angry tears slid down her cheeks, wiping impatiently at the tears that kept trickling down her face. "I will never fucking forgive you for this," she whispered in a strained voice, as if every moment she remained was painful to her. "I've lost the ability to protect myself against you."
And she did it. Lauren walked away. For good this time.