Treat You Better;
Camila watched as Lucas typed something into his phone for the umpteenth time in the past fifteen minutes. It was obvious he was texting someone and the burning question never left Camila's mind, or left her mouth.
She tries to ignore the awful feeling in her stomach and closes her eyes.
She's almost positive Lucas isn't cheating on her, but then again the boy has been acting different lately. However, whenever Camila would ask him about it, his answer would be the same; the whole graduation and college thing is stressing me out, don't worry about it babe.
The bell rings and Camila drags herself to her next class, trying to think about something else.
"Excuse me? It this seat taken?"
"Nope." Camila replies without looking up
"Mind if I sit down then?"
"Sure."
"You're not much of a talker, are you?"
"I'm sorry, I am just thinking about something."
"That guy you were staring at during lunch?"
Camila turns around to face the unknown girl.
"Kind of yeah. It's a long story."
"Well, I'm Lauren and if you ever want to share a long story I am willing to listen."
"I might take you up on that offer Lauren. Are you new around?"
"Moved to Miami last week."
"Where are you from?"
"Around." Lauren winks and opens her notebook
Lauren's a mystery and Camila loves mysteries. Maybe that's why Camila spends her free time talking to Lauren almost every day after that.
Lauren's funny and Lauren's smart and she makes Camila laugh when Lucas makes her sad.
And sure, maybe Camila doesn't notice how Lauren smiles whenever she sees her or how Lauren's smile disappears as soon Lucas comes near them, but it doesn't mean she didn't notice how Lauren only put down the walls for her, how she's the only one who gets to know what Lauren is feeling or the only one who is special enough to find out things from Lauren's past, although truth be told, those moments are rare.
Or how she's the only one who actually went to Lauren's apartment that she shares with her mom which Camila actually never met.
And maybe that's why Camila finds herself telling all her relationship problems to Lauren, because everyone else is sick of it and Lauren is always here.
"I promise I won't let you down." Lauren says one night after Camila cries her eyes out because she had yet another fight with Lucas.
Camila only nods and nuzzles her head in the crook of Lauren's neck.
"Camz? I have to tell you something. We are friends so I'm not gonna lie to you, but he's not right for you. You can tell me if I'm wrong but I can see it on your face when you say he's the one for you. Any girl like you deserves a gentleman. You shouldn't be crying all those tears for him." Lauren says after what feels like forever.
"Maybe." is the only word Camila can say back, partly because her voice is gone and her throat hurts and partly because Lauren might be wrong.
And another forever of silence when Camila is already in a place between a dream and a reality she hears Lauren's voice yet again. "I know I could treat you better than he can."
But when the morning comes Camila isn't so sure if it really was just a dream or if Lauren actually said it.
She decides it was a dream. It's easier that way.
Ruin;
Lauren took a deep breath before looking at her notebook.
"Will you like calm down?"
"I can't."
Camila only rolled her eyes and continued doing her homework.
The two of them were currently doing homework in Camila's living room and Lauren found herself getting distracted by the younger girl sitting next to her.
For the past two months Lauren found herself falling more in more with Camila and no matter how hard she tried to push it away, she couldn't.
There was something about Camila that made Lauren feel at peace. It made her feel loved and accepted, appreciated.
They were interrupted by the knock on the door. It was Dinah.
"She's probably just a friend." Camila said after Dinah had told her about seeing Lucas with another girl in the park
"I don't know Walz. They seemed pretty close."
Camila only shrugs and cuddles herself into Lauren's warm body.
"Camila I don't want to ruin this happiness you have with him but maybe Dinah is right. I've known you for only a short period of time but I do know that he makes you as sad as he makes you happy. If not even more."
"It's not that easy."
Dinah let out a sigh and looked at Lauren.
"Maybe not, but I'm just saying... Let him go and you'll find another definition of a happiness."
If Camila's eyes weren't closed she'd notice how Dinah glances at Lauren which made Lauren's heart skip a beat.
Lauren never told Dinah but then again, she wasn't trying to hide it, not really.
Dinah offers her a sad smile, full of compassion.
When they are left alone Lauren tries her best not to tell Camila how she feels. She tries but she fails.
They start the same conversation just before they go to sleep.
"I think Dinah is right. There might be someone else who will show you the real happiness. If you feel the same way that is, otherwise it's pointless."
"Who?"
It takes a few moment until Lauren mumbles a simple "Me."
Camila puts her phone down and looks at her friend.
"Lauren?"
And Lauren knows she's caught and it's a blessing and a curse because god it feels nice to let it go off her chest, but at the same time it might ruin everything.
"Yes Camz?"
"Thank you for everything. You're the one who's always here for me and I appreciate it a lot."
Maybe because I am the one, Lauren thought to herself but bit her tongue to stop the words from leaving.
Before she finally drifted of to sleep she wondered if she ever crossed Camila's mind in the same way Camila crossed hers. She wondered if Camila would ever feel the same.
She was proven right just a day later.
Lauren is woken up when she feels soft lips on her forehead.
It's Camila and she's looking extremely cuddly and cute.
Lauren blinks a few times to make sure this is not a dream.
"I have to go out and run some errands. Anything you want me to bring when I get back? You will probably be up by then."
"I'm good."
"See you in a bit beautiful."
With another kiss on the forehead Camila leaves the room and Lauren goes to sleep.
When Camila gets back Lauren is sitting in front of the TV watching Doctor House.
"Do you think true happiness is real?" is the first thing Camila asks since she walked in.
It takes a long moment for Lauren to answer, partly because she's eating her blueberry muffin and partly because she is thinking about her answer.
"Yes."
"Have you ever felt it?"
"Yes."
It takes a few moments for Camila to speak again.
"Will you help me then?"
"How?"
Camila closes her eyes for a moment and when she opens them again she's met with Lauren's questioning green ones.
And then she's looking at Lauren's lips and her heart is going crazy and her hands are sweating and shaking but she knows this is it. Without giving herself too much time to think about it she leans over and suddenly her lips are pressed against Lauren's.
It's shorter than Camila wants it to be, Lauren is the one who broke it. Camila closes her eyes once again and she wants to cry because she was convinced Lauren feels the same.
But then Lauren's thumbs are caressing her cheeks and touching her lips and Camila feels goosebumps all over her body.
"My goosebumps have goosebumps." She whispers with her eyes still closed
And she can hear Lauren's sweet laughter and it's heaven, it's a paradise. And when she feels Lauren's soft lips gently pressing onto her own she is sure that she can feel heaven too.
They don't say anything for a while and Camila joins Lauren in watching the show.
It's when Camila sees the way Clarke looks at Finn with Raven that she is certain for sure.
"I broke up with Lucas."
"Oh."
"I'm sorry it took me so long."
Lauren has to bite her cheeks to stop the smile that is slowly but surely creeping on her face.