Right after Lauren turns eighteen, the girls go on tour, opening for Austin Mahone, and it doesn't take long before rumors start to fly about him and Camila. The girls actually laugh when the first post hits the internet because they had been taking bets on which one of them was going to end up linked to him.
The interesting part is that Austin seems to be hoping that the rumors aren't necessarily wrong. He hangs out with the girls whenever he can, trying to befriend all of them, but everyone can see his focus is on Camila. He gets her number and starts talking to her, and Camila think's he's funny, but she isn't so sure that she has anything more than platonic feelings for him.
Well, maybe she is sure, but she doesn't necessarily think that's anyone's' business but her own. She can talk to whoever she wants to. She can have friends who are boys.
All of the girls seem to like hanging out with Austin just as much as Camila does, at least all of the girls except Lauren.
Lauren thinks he's a punk and is just out to hook up with her friend, but she doesn't say anything because, why would she?
Camila gets a late dinner with him after one of their shows, and when she comes back on the bus she runs into Lauren when she heads for the bathroom.
"Get your first kiss tonight?" the older girl asks, and Camila could swear she hears a hint of bitterness in her tone.
"No. We're just friends."
She really doesn't understand why Lauren has to act like this sometimes. She really, really doesn't.
"Well you don't want to be a prude for too long, Camz, otherwise he will get bored."
The younger girl doesn't even know how to respond to that, so she doesn't. Instead she goes into the now vacant bathroom and shuts the door.