After that very night with the kiss in Camila's bunk, things seemed to finally get amended between them.
Lauren stopped going out to parties with all the fake friends she had met in the states and would instead stay in every night just spending time with the other girls and keeping to herself. Although they would be in the same room, she didn't talk to the smaller girl. Simply because it just felt different in front of everyone else.
But every day, at midnight, when she could hear the faint sound of her band mates soft snoring and breathing, Lauren would take that as a cue and sneak into Camila's bunk to lay down with her.
Camila would always be awake and waiting for her with a smile on her face by the time she opened the curtain.
This had become their new routine for weeks.
They had surprisingly grown closer. All those late nights when all they had to spare was time, they would have deep talks on all those years they missed from each other. They would rarely get sleep, and although it was bad for them, they both felt the happiest staying up with each other's company.
Sometimes Lauren would fall asleep in Camila's bunk, but she would always be gone by the time Camila tried to catch her in the morning. Camila always tried waking up earlier to catch her in the act, but she was always too late.
They hadn't kissed again since the first night, although Camila wished for the green eyed girl to kiss her again. But at the same time, she didn't want to try to do anything to jeopardize what they were having right now, even though it was just a friendship.
Camila watched as Lauren yawned mid sentence as she fixated herself beneath the covers. It was now 3:27 in the morning and the bus was dead silent, the only sounds overheard were their whispering.
"That was pretty much all I wanted to be," Lauren explained with her sleepy eyes. "Successful. I never really thought about happiness, or what would make me wake up in the mornings and think that it was exactly what I dreamed for."
"What about now?" Camila asked leaning against her own elbow as she gave the green eyed girl her full attention. "Are you happy about your career as a singer or just see it as something you have to do?"
"Honestly?" Lauren said with a smile. "I'm so happy. Being able to sing and influence others, I'm living a dream. I never thought I'd be where I am now. Traveling the world, hearing us the radio. It's unbelievable... And with the fame, I just want to do something good for the world."
"I know you will," Camila said with extremely certainty, earning a smile from Lauren.
"What about you?" Lauren asked as she relaxed her head on the pillow they shared. The two girls had begun a conversation about their dreams growing up. "Are you happy to be where you are now?"
Camila nodded looking into the green eyes. The key word she mentioned: now. As she laid besides the incredibly talented girl who made her heart jump, she realized wouldn't trade anything to be anywhere else.
"I'm the happiest," Camila answered truthfully. She cleared her throat as to give Lauren a signal of what she was about to say went with meaning. "But sometimes, I wish I had someone to share it with."
Lauren smiled softly unaware that by that, she meant her.
"I totally feel you. Although my mom visits often, I took it for granted when I could see my family every day. Or have my dad drive me to school, kiss my mom goodbye. See my grandma again. Watch my siblings grow up. See Taylor go to prom. It's the little things that I miss mostly," she said sadly.
Camila smiled feeling a pang of sorrow thinking about her little sister and her parents.
"I feel the same way with Sofi... She was my best friend. I remember every morning when she could wake up before me and she'd barge into my room asking me to play with her or watch a movie." Camila felt a quick tear run down her cheek before she quickly wiped it off. "I wonder how long it took her to realize I wouldn't be there to play anymore."
"Although we're living our dreams... Why does it feel like we're missing big parts of our lives? Is this what we're supposed to do? Leave big parts of us behind?" Lauren asked, but stopped when she saw Camila in tears.
"Camz, what's wrong?"
"It's just..." Camila sobbed. " I hadn't thought about it a lot, but I just miss Sofi so much... She was always so shy around other kids and would cling to me. Now when I visit she has so many friends. I just hate that I missed that transition. I also hate that I always forget the names of her friends because I'm never around."
Without thinking, Lauren sprung forward and caught a crying Camila in a tight embrace. Feeling comfort in not being held in ages, Camila let herself fall into Lauren's arms as she sobbed into her chest quietly. Lauren just held her in silence, providing nothing, but someone who understood what she was going through. She was struggling not to cry herself, but she had to stay strong for Camila as she held her.
With her free hand, she rubbed small circles in Camila's back until her crying began to settle down. She could hear Camila's trembling breaths deepen as she struggled not to fall asleep in her arms.
"I'm right here. Just close your eyes and go to sleep," Lauren whispered as she felt Camila cling to her tighter. She placed a soft kiss on her hair.
Lauren waited in silence for a few minutes until she heard Camila fall asleep. She had a barely audible breathing that Lauren could identify when she was knocked out.
Taking Camila's hand off her waist and moving her face away from her chest as gentle as she could to not wake her, she placed the younger girl comfortably on her bed while she silently rose up to leave. Just as she was about to close the curtain and go back to her bunk, she heard an unmistakeable sleepy voice call for her back.
"Stay."
Lauren looked back and saw a sleepy faced Camila with begging look in her eyes. Her eyes were still puffy and red from her earlier crying and she looked like she really didn't want to be alone tonight.
Wanting to do as she wished, Lauren returned back to the bunk and cuddled up closely besides Camila. She placed an arm over Camila's body and embraced her tightly, to which the brown eyed girl sunk into her body comfortably.
The last thing Lauren felt before closing her eyes and falling into a deep sleep, was Camila intertwining their fingers together.
********************************
"You do it."
"No you do it!"
"Why me? You do it!"
Ally shook her head in annoyance at her Dinah and Normani bickering over who was to wake the other two girls, as they all stood over Camila's bunk watching her and Lauren sleep. They were wrapped in a tight embrace with Camila's leg wrapped over Lauren's body and Lauren's head in Camila's chest.
"Rock, paper, scissors?" Dinah requested. "Loser wakes them."
"Oh for goodness sakes," Ally sighed. "I always have to do things myself."
With her hand, she shook Lauren's shoulder softly. After a few seconds, Lauren opened her dazed eyes to find three girls staring at her expectingly with wide curious eyes. She was about to ask what their problem was when she realized where she was and who was holding her.
"Camila," she whispered. No response from the other girl. "Camila!" She said a little louder. Finally the brown eyed girl opened her eyes and quickly let go of her when she saw the company towering over them.
"Hey guys!" She greeted a little too loudly. "What gives?"
"What is possibly going on here?" Dinah asked with a smirk.
Before they could answer, Dinah quickly pulled the blanket off their bodies, only to disappointingly realize they were both still fully dressed in pajamas shorts and shirts. Dinah blushed as everyone stared at her as she held the blanket she ripped off in her hand.
"I really didn't expect that to backfire," Dinah said embarrassed.
"Pervert!" Normani laughed as she nudged Dinah. "You wanted to see them naked!"
Dinah dropped the blanket to the floor and tackled Normani towards the ground. As they wrestled with screams and laughter, Ally ignored them and resumed back to the other girls in bed.
"So everything is okay now?" She asked.
Lauren nodded, looking at Camila who have her a small encouraging smile. She turned back towards the older blonde and smiled.
"We're fine."
"Are you guys.." Ally coughed, not really sure what word to use. Was it friends with benefits? Girlfriends? "Well.. You know."
Lauren shook her head no, meanwhile behind her Camila mouthed "not yet anyways." Causing Ally to giggle.
"She's lying Ally!" Dinah interfered, yelled from the floor. "She a lesbian. They lesbianing together."
They all rolled their eyes laughing as 2/5 continued wrestling meanwhile they continued talking.
"Alright well, I'm glad to see you guys fix things. Just wanted to wake you guys up and let you know that we have to be out and ready by 1."
Ally excused herself, casually stepping over Dinah and Normani's body. She was used of this behavior by now. Normani had now made her way on top of Dinah and was pinning her arms behind her head on the floor.
"Tap out!" She yelled at Dinah.
"Neverrrrr!"
Lauren giggled watching them, but turned her attention back to Camila.
"I'll let you get ready, I'm glad we're fine again," Camila said with a relaxed smile. She winked at Lauren before stepping out.
As she rose from her own bunk, Lauren saw as the corner of her t-shirt lifted up from her body and exposed a part of her tan skin.
She gulped as she watched Camila from a distance search into her suitcase for clothes, not bothering to pull down her shirt to cover herself up. The little bit of skin was enough to keep Lauren's eyes glued on her.
Feeling paralyzed and unable to look away, Lauren continued watching as Camila removed her shorts and quickly continued bending down and fumbling through her clothes for something to wear. She was wearing black lace underwear which shaped her curves really nicely. Her butt was faced towards Lauren's direction and she couldn't do anything to look away.
Dinah and Normani were still grunting on the floor, but had rolled away to the other side of the bus. It was just Lauren and Camila by the bunks.
Lauren bit her lip as Camila tossed her hair behind her shoulder and removed her t-shirt. Standing now in only her black lace bra and underwear.
Lauren's breathing started to quicken at the view of Camila back muscles and cleavage. Lauren quickly looked around and realized nobody was going to walk in any time soon. At least she hoped nobody would.
Right when she turned back to look at half naked girl, she was surprised to see Camila staring right at her. She knew she had been watching her all along.
Camila didn't look mad, but she wasn't smiling either. She simply stared back, with a daring look in her eye. Daring her to continue watching her, to not look away.
Granting her wishes, Lauren watched as Camila unbuckled her bra, staring right into her eyes, not breaking the eye contact. Lauren gasped as she took in Camila's breasts from across the room.
It had been a while since she last saw them and they still looked as great as they always did. Lauren was almost moaning watching Camila, trying the hardest she could to refrain from sneaking her hand under her shorts and touching herself. She knew she was wet already.
Smirking a cocky grin, knowing what she was causing the green eye'd girl to feel, Camila dropped her panties on the floor and turned her back towards Lauren. Giving her a glance of her butt.
She wished she could see Lauren's face, but she knew she was watching her. Bending down and grabbing her clothes, she walked a little distance towards the bathroom door to shower.
Right before closing the door, she turned back to look at Lauren who was red faced blushing and breathing hard as she stared at her naked body. She gave her a seductive smile before biting her lip and closing the door. She made sure to leave the door unlocked.
She knew Lauren would join her.