Meg was lying face down on the sofa outside of Lauren's office with Kim laying on her back, the assistant's face pressed between her shoulder blades. Both women scrunched their brows as the distant sound of footsteps could be heard approaching from the elevator. As they grew closer and the sound grew louder, the wrinkled foreheads were accompanied by groans and moans in time with the steps.
"It's your own fault so don't even." Camila mumbled in a rough voice as she came to a stop next to the couch and took her sunglasses off, squinting at the bright light coming in the windows. "What did you want?"
Kim just turned away, facing the other direction and leaving Meg to find the strength to answer. "If you don't do something about the obnoxious brunette in the dressing room... I will kill her and dispose of her body in the dumpster."
"I've been dealing with her all morning. She took three showers from 2am until she left." Camila argued. "She came to work and is therefore your problem now."
"You made her this way." Kim mumbled.
"Yeah." Meg agreed, not yet even opening her eyes to look at Camila. "You made her propose and now she's all nervous and shit. It's fucking annoying. And we had to deal with her and hangovers on top of a photo shoot this morning so we've done our time."
"She won't even sit down for more than two minutes."
"Make her stop."
"Yeah. Make her stop."
Camila looked over the pair and shifted her weight onto one leg. "You know... if I wasn't so crabby from the lack of sleep, extreme hangover, and Lauren's nervous antics... I would say you two look cute. But right now, your adorableness is annoying the hell out of me."
"Then go to the dressing room." Kim responded. "You can't see us from there."
The diva slipped her sunglasses back on and pouted. "You two suck. And don't you dare make a joke about being better at licking." With that, Camila walked away, slapping her feet to the concrete as she went. "Lauren Jauregui." She called out as she threw the dressing room door open.
"What?" The brunette was sitting on the small couch staring at herself in the mirror as she clutched a small pillow to her chest.
"You look pathetic."
Lauren looked up to the diva standing next to her. "And you look like shit. Love you too."
"That's not what I meant and you know it."
"Then don't say it so gruffly. I tried to get you to drink some Gatorade before you went to sleep but you wouldn't. How you feel is one hundred percent your fault."
Camila sighed and dropped her hands from her hips. "I know. I'm sorry. But what has you so on edge?"
"There are five days before our wedding."
"Yeah. I know. It's coming soon." Camila said as she sat down on the couch.
Lauren stood up as Camila sat down and started lightly pacing the floor in front of her. "That's not soon. That's so frickin far away. It's taking too long to get here and it is driving me nuts." Camila took her sunglasses off and covered her eyes with her hands. Lauren's pacing was starting to make her dizzy. "I mean, I want this to happen so badly that each day it gets closer, it seems further away. I almost want to just throw you in the car, drive to Connecticut, go to a courthouse and sign the damn marriage certificate so it's final. Then I can relax until the wedding."
"Okay, you really need to stop pacing. The drifting of your voice from side to side is enough to make me feel nauseous."
"Sorry." The brunette pouted and crossed her arms over her chest, only to drop them dramatically a few seconds after and plop back down onto the couch. "Camila, I feel like my body is running and I can't keep up and I just want the world to stop for a few seconds so I can figure out where I am."
Camila sighed at the gentle desperation in the brunette's voice and lost her attitude. She stood up and pointed her finger to the couch. "Lay down."
"What?"
"I said, lay down."
Lauren hesitantly did as she was asked and then calmed as the diva laid next to her, resting her head on her shoulder. The diva grabbed the brunette's hand of the arm she was laying on and wrapped it around her body and took the other one in hers, resting it on Lauren's chest. "This is where you are. You're with me. Close your eyes and just be here."
"Are you trying to get me to go to sleep."
"I'm trying to help you. Now, close your eyes."
Lauren looked at the ceiling for a few seconds and then closed her eyes. Camila let go over her hand and moved hers up so that her fingers rested on the exposed skin of the brunette's neck and collar bone. "This is that touch you like. Focus on it."
"Are you going all zen on me?"
"Lauren Jauregui!"
"Sorry. Okay."
"I'm serious. I remember when you first told me about your need to touch, to feel. I didn't get it. I thought your constant need to have skin contact was just an insecurity or something, but it wasn't. I remember what you said when you met Alex too. It's about security, that it makes something real when you feel it." She ran her fingers in soft patterns as she felt the brunette's breathing slow. "A touch pulls you from the racing world around you which passes so quickly that it leaves you in a blur, and ties you down to a single sensation. It can pull you out of a depression and back into reality. It can make all your worries seem distant in the past. It can make you feel alive. It can make you feel like you aren't being left behind and that time will move at your pace. But most importantly, touching something means it's real. We're real. You and me and no matter when it happens, we are going to get married. And until then, I'm still going to be right here, so there's no need to feel so rushed." Camila lifted her head up and was met by Lauren's green eyes. "You were supposed to have your eyes closed, but clearly you weren't listening to me."
"And you were already supposed to have all of my heart, but you just took a little bit more."
The diva beamed. "My Casanova."
~/~/~/~
"I hear more footsteps." Meg mumbled and Kim lifted her head up towards the entrance. There was a man in jeans a plaid shirt and a trucker hat slowly making his way towards them, casting his eyes around the large room.
The assistant stood up and straightened herself for a more professional look. "May I help you?"
"Uh, yeah. I was actually looking for Lauren or Camila."
Kim opened her mouth and pointed towards the dressing room but she was cut off.
"I don't want to disturb them. I'm sure they've got a million things going on. I just wanted to know if they were here. Can you just give them this letter?"
"Um, sure." Kim responded accepting the envelope as Meg sat up to get a better look at the man. "May I ask your name so I know who to tell them it's from."
"Oh, it's not mine." He answered tucking his hands in his pocket. "It was just better that I dropped it off. I'll be seeing them at the wedding so, I'll talk to them then. But, uh, you ladies have a nice day." He raised his hand and turned to leave, looking the studio over again in awe.
"No name and a blank envelope..." Meg stated, pushing herself off the sofa. "Let's go deliver it and see if they'll indulge us."
Kim nodded as she tapped the edge of the letter on her hand, still watching as the man disappeared from sight. He was going to be at the wedding, so she wanted to know who he was. "You had a personal delivery." She stated as they both entered the dressing room to find Camila and Lauren still cuddled up on the couch.
"Personal?" Lauren asked, lifting her hand to accept the letter. "Who from?"
Meg shrugged and guided Kim over to the cushioned chair against the far wall. "He didn't give his name but said it was better if he dropped it off and that he would see you at the wedding." She sat down crooked and pulled Kim into her lap before kicking her feet up on the end of the sofa.
"What did he look like?" Camila asked as Lauren opened the envelope.
"Older guy. Jeans. Plaid shirt. Trucker hat."
"Bill." Both girls answered in unison.
Kim arched an eyebrow. "Who?"
Lauren dropped her brow as she looked at the letter. "Keaton's dad and Brad's step-dad. And the letter is from Brad which is why it was best that Bill brought it."
"Do you two know any guys with more than four letters in their name? Keaton, Bill, Brad, Harry, Liam, Louis..."
The couple paused at Meg's question. "Scott." Camila announced and Lauren nodded while Meg rolled her eyes. She didn't mean for them to actually take her seriously.
"What's it say?"
Lauren cleared her throat and began reading in a lethargic voice and Camila nestled herself closer against her. "Dear Lauren and Camila, I am ashamed of my actions and more importantly my words. I have hurt you both in ways that I never intended and am more ashamed to say, I never even considered. Seven years have passed since the last time that the three of us had shared the same space and judging by the last few days, I am the only one who has been unable to move on from that time. You both have put the past behind you and created a life together that is void of animosity, hurt, and fear. My interference has only managed to return us all to that distant time when we were smothered by those emotions. I know that I can never take back what I have said or done, but I can only hope that this apology will be seen as sincere and true. Camila, while I cannot deny how I feel, I also cannot deny the proof of how happy she seems to have made you. Lauren, I feel the need to direct this letter mostly towards you. In these few days, I feel the majority of the pain I have caused has been felt by you, and for this, I am truly sorry. I only hope you'll treat her better than I did. I congratulate you on your engagement and your wedding, and I wish you the very best in the future. Sincerely, Brad Simpson."
The dressing room remained silent for several seconds before Meg spoke. "Well, crap. There goes any chance I had at beating the crap out of him."
Lauren folded up the letter in silence and tucked it back in the envelope before she handed it to Camila. The diva took the letter and tossed it in the air behind her. "It was nice but I'm not falling back into that trap."
"You don't think it was genuine?" Kim asked as she shifted her glasses on her face.
Camila shrugged. "I have heard so many different apologies from him over the years, each sounding genuine only to turn out false, that I can't believe any of them anymore. I don't know if he meant it and is on his way home, or if he's waiting in his hotel room for a phone call saying he's invited to the wedding again so he can try once more."
"He's not coming." Lauren stated. "Genuine apology or not. He crossed a very big line."
"Several of them." Meg responded. "But as long as he isn't going to be at the wedding or have the guts to show up here or your apartment, I'm going to scratch him off of my radar and forget that he even exists."
Camila sighed and locked her fingers in Lauren's "Sounds great. I plan on doing the same."
"I agree." The brunette added, closing her eyes. "And I talked to Harry too. You can leave him alone now as well."
Meg dropped her brow. "You talked to him? And just because you talked to him doesn't mean I have to like him."
"No, but you can stop trying to cause problems just so you have a reason to yell at him. He apologized and we spent the entire evening talking about everything. We are fine now."
The apprentice grumbled a little and sank further in the chair.
"Hey." Kim nudged her lightly. "Let it go. What's done is done."
Meg looked into her eyes and fixed her glasses for her. "We need to get you some contacts or at least some glasses that stay on right."
The assistant smiled. "Is that your way of saying that you're letting it go?"
"Maybe." Kim narrowed her eyes. "Yes."
"That's better."
"God, you are so frickin whipped." Lauren laughed lightly as Kim turned to face her with a smile and Meg scoffed.
"Looks who's talking. You're whipped and chained, remember?"
"Give it time." The brunette taunted. "Give it time and you'll be right there with me. And you know what? It's not that bad."
Meg smiled and looked at the side of Kim's face as the younger woman blushed. "All in its own time." Honestly, Meg couldn't wait, but there was no denying that she and Kim were not in the type of relationship to propose marriage after only a few months of dating. Living together would be a good indicator for her if this was really something that could work out in the long run. Besides, Kim was only twenty-two now. She may be mature for her age, but that was still a little young. "So... how are the next few days going to play out?"
"Well, the studio is closed starting tomorrow." Lauren answered.
"Your bachelorette party is tomorrow night." Camila added next, poking the brunette's stomach.
"Then we have a free day to get everything organized. Oh, your dads are coming that day."
"Yes. Then we have our set up at the reception hall."
"Then we have that horrible day where I can't see you."
"Yeah, how are you doing that." Meg asked, getting to the point she was wondering about.
"Well, Lauren gets you, Ally, Normani, Harry, and Clara at the apartment."
"I get Kim, Scott, Dinah, and Ceaton at the hotel. I'm getting a suite where my dads are staying."
"You're splitting us up again?" The apprentice pouted and Kim pushed her bottom lip back in.
"We are the communication line, remember? They can't talk but we can."
"Fine." She relented playfully.
"Then we will be arriving the next day in separate cars and at separate times so we can make it to our separate rooms to get dressed. Then the wedding. Small, simple, outdoors, hundred people-"
"Jewish or Christian?"
"Neither." Lauren answered. "It's not really a religious wedding because of the negative views on homosexuality. It's hard to find those rare churches who will allow and support it. So, it is more of a spiritual wedding about love, not God. It won't be proceeded over by a priest or a rabbi, but a justice of the peace."
"You just like saying that last part." The diva teased.
"Iron Maiden." Kim beamed.
"Yeah." Lauren exclaimed with a smile. "Then on to the party."
"Lots of music. I know Cece is singing our first dance song choice." Camila commented as she drew designs on the back of Lauren's hand. "But Mr. Malik also said he wanted to sing us a song."
"That would be the upside of having your old harmonizer club here." Meg teased. "But it sounds like fun."
The brunette let out a little laugh. "What's going to be more fun is when it's over and we go to this little private bungalow that we rented, away from all the guests and noise."
"Especially when they get the wedding gift still in your closet." Kim mumbled against Meg's ear. "When will we give them that?"
"After the wedding but before they leave the reception."
"In private." The assistant reminded her.
"Yes. In private. Because Lauren would die otherwise."