NOTE: Don't forget, this chapter and the next few ones are part of a series of flashbacks of what happened during those 3 months that passed. Be patient :)
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*Flashback still On*
POV Lauren Jauregui
Heavy rain fell outside, splashing against the windows, washing the whole Island. I decided to dedicate all my time to my sister Taylor, I owed that to her, just like she owed me some explanations.
"Taylor." I called her. She was focused on a movie, not paying any attention to me. I rolled my eyes for being ignored. "Taylor!"
"Hmm." She grunted without looking away from the TV.
Taylor grew up too much, she grew up without a mother by her side, to help her and advise her in the 'tough' times of her life. And I failed her as well in that regard... I left her alone with that man, and didn't help her go through the tough times she had.
I closed my eyes and shook my head, scolding myself for being a lousy sister.
"Taylor." I called her again, and this time her eyes met mine. With her eyebrows arched, Taylor probably wondered why I had interrupted her.
"I know that my name is beautiful, but if you keep calling it, sooner or later it will tire my ears." She grumbled in a mocking tone before throwing a pillow at me. I dodged the object and stared at her seriously.
"You're so gonna pay for that!" I got up from the couch, and without letting her react, I attacked her with the several pillows that were on the other couch.
"LAUREEEENNN! STOP!" Taylor shrieked, writhing, as I attacked her. Our laughter flooded the whole house, bringing the joy that it hadn't witnessed for a long time. "F-for th-the love of God..."
I stopped instantly, still laughing, and ran my hand through my hair, tossing it to the side, away from my face, to then sit down beside her. She was still laughing, trying to take deep breaths to catch her breath.
Little by little, my breath, just like Taylor's, went back to normal. We remained sitting, staring at each other, a broad and very happy smile gracing our faces.
"You've grown up so much, Taylor." I whispered without taking my eyes off her. "I know I was never a good sister to you... I... I'm sorry." I lowered my gaze to my hands, which played with the rings I had on my fingers.
"Lauren, don't say that..."
"Shhh." I interrupted her, looking back at her. "You know it's true, Taylor, you've already grown up without your mother, and to make things worse, without your big sister as well! The only female figure in your life. I'm so sorry, even though I'm completely fucked up, I'd do anything for you, I still do! Maybe you wouldn't even be with Rob, and much less doing drugs." Taylor's countenance closed as soon as I mentioned Rob's name, and I shook my head to make it clear that I hadn't finished yet. I brought both of my hands to hers, holding them. "Taylor, if I were by your side, I'd have done everything for you to be everything I couldn't be... A normal teenager, like those whose only concern is school grades and the most popular boy in school." I lowered my head, letting out a nasal chuckle. "Well, I think I'll skip that part of the most popular boy in school."
"Laur, I know that." The girl said. My eyes were fixed on our hands, where I was doing a light caress with my fingers on the back of her hand.
"What I mean is that I just wished you did all those things in their own time." Using my free hand, I caressed her face lightly. "You grew up so fast, little one, you don't know how much it hurts me to see you involved with drugs and with a man who doesn't even deserve to step on the ground you walk on."
I finally blinked, wiping away the sea of tears that obstructed my vision, and a few of them fell silently down my face. Taylor was looking at me so intensely, her face was already red due to the tears, she didn't say anything, just stared at me. I didn't know if that had hurt her, but I had to let out what I thought, I had to take over my role of big sister. Suddenly, she released my hand, and hugged me so tightly that my eyes closed, enjoying every second of that hug.
"Lauren..." Taylor whispered, breaking the silence and our hug. "I'm sorry for soaking your clothes." She said laughing, wiping away her tears. I laughed too at the sight of our clothes' deplorable state.
"It's okay... Taylor, I'll always be by your side."
Taylor smiled as she ran her hand through her hair. "I know, and you can relax." The girl got up. "That was the first and last time I used drugs. And about Rob... I don't think we're together anymore." Taylor turned around and disappeared up the stairs. I thought about going after her, but she needed space, and now she knew she could count on me.
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After my relaxing bath, I put a pepperoni pizza in the oven, I was starving, and then I lay down on the couch. My mother's journal was in my hand, and I read every word attentively, enjoying every moment she spent beside my father.
"Reading mom's journal, Lauren?" Taylor asked, sitting down next to me. I closed the journal and looked at her, accommodating myself better on the couch.
"Yes..." I answered, taking a deep breath.
"Could you read to me?" She asked, and I just nodded.
Dear journal, my angel Taylor took her first step, I thought Lauren would get jealous over the excessive attention I gave the little girl, but no, she stood by our side smiling, happy for her sister's achievement. With every passing day, I see how much Lauren looks like Ronald. Speaking of him, we keep seeing each other, I feel bad for all I feel for him, I thought it had disappeared, but it's all blooming again. And you must be wondering why I feel so bad? Because of Michael, because even though he's more and more absent from my life and my daughters' lives with every passing day, I still love him, and he's still my husband.
"Do you think mom cheated on my dad?" Taylor asked me seriously.
I shook my head, but maybe she should've had cheated on him, dumped his sorry ass, and maybe she'd still be alive, here with us.
"Well, then proceed, Laur." Taylor asked smiling.
I continued the reading, which started to become more and more intense, sometimes I had to read quickly and silently to then only repeat out loud some parts, cutting others. With every word of my mother, it was like I felt how sick she was getting due to Michael's attitudes. I had to stop my reading, there were many things there that not even I knew, and I didn't know if I'd have the courage to know... Mom was getting more and more mentally ill with every passing day, and all because of that monster.
I closed the journal, leaving it on my lap. My eyes were fixed on the golden letters that formed my mother's name.
"Why did you stop, Laur?" Taylor asked.
I looked at the girl, she was looking at me with a rebuke-like look. I shook my head, running my hand through my hair, removing the strands of hair that insisted on obstructing my vision.
"I'm tired of reading, and I'm hungry." I made a quick excuse.
"Great, why don't you go see if the pizza is ready while I continue reading?" Taylor asked, getting up. The girl approached me and tried to pick up the journal from my lap, but I grabbed it first.
"No, Tay..."
"Why not? Huh? I have as much right as you." She complained in a rampant tone.
I huffed, staring at her. Why did Taylor have to be so pushy?
"Taylor, please understand... If even I decided to stop reading, it's because things are no longer very good."
And they really weren't, the dark side of my mother's fairytale was starting. Michael becoming aggressive, threatening her for her to cut all ties with Ronald, only made her worse with every passing day.
"You are you, and I'm me, Lauren! I want to continue reading!"
"Mom was going mad! Is that what you want to read? Huh? Of course you want to read... You were too little to remember how much she sank deep!" I spit out the words angrily.
"Laur..."
"You know what, Taylor?" I extended the journal towards her. "Fuck it! Read all you want." I left the journal in her hands and got up, stomping off to the kitchen, tired of protecting Taylor from the drastic family reality. There, I opened the oven, removing the hot pizza from inside, and put it on the table, serving myself a good piece.
"Laur..." Taylor appeared in the kitchen, drawing my attention. "I'm sorry." The girl approached me and hugged me. I let out a heavy breath, relaxing my body, and reciprocated her hug, wrapping her in my arms, hugging her tight. "You're right... I don't want to see how mad mom was getting."
Relief ran through my body, I didn't know how Taylor would react by reading all the evil her father had done to our mother, she wouldn't bear such cruelty.
"You have no idea how happy I am with your decision." I whispered in her ear, still hugging her. "Everything in its own time, Taylor, everything in its own time..."
POV Camila Cabello
Everything in me was shaking, I felt an absurd need to disappear in that moment, but with the bit of courage I had, I grabbed the phone and dialed the familiar number I didn't want to dial ever again.
"Hello." I heard the thick voice after the third ring.
"Rob?"
"Camila, what do you want?" The man's gruff voice made my stomach turn.
God, what was I getting myself into?
"I want to see you, that's what I want." I said firmly, and then I took a deep breath.
"Why that now?"
"Because I have many things to talk to you about and I want to look into your eyes while I do it, that's why."
"I don't know..." I felt that Rob was about to falter.
"Rob, please!" I insisted. The call was silent for long seconds.
"Alright then, I can come by your house at 7PM, what do you think?"
"Perfect, I'll be waiting for you." I hung up the phone, feeling my hands shaking. I've never had to control my emotions so much before as to not screw everything up. Well, it was done, at 7PM I'd meet Robert Simpson.
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I was about to put the last piece of cutlery on the table when the intercom rang.
"Yes?" I said seriously.
"Ms. Camila?"
"Yes?"
"Mr. Robert is here at the gate, you had forbidden his access to the building, and that's why I'm calling you." My building's doorman said.
"It's okay, I called him to come here, you can let him come up today, thank you."
"Okay."
I hung up and turned towards the mirror that was there at the entrance, and checked myself one last time. I looked particularly gorgeous, with a red dress that reached my knees, and with light make up and wavy hair. I needed to look perfect to initiate this new phase of my life, and I indeed looked very perfect.
It didn't take long for me to hear two knocks on the door, and my heart raced. I held the doorknob, took a deep breath, and opened the door, coming across a very elegant Rob with red roses in his hands.
"Rob..." I whispered.
"Camila, you look beautiful." The man said with his typical charming smile.
"You look very handsome too, Rob." I said, smiling so naturally that I almost believed it. "Please, come in." I stepped to the side so that the man could enter.
"I brought these for you." He extended the flowers towards me.
"They're beautiful." I smiled forcefully, and pointed to the vase on the table. "And let's just say that I was already expecting flowers." I said laughing, and walked over to the table, putting the flowers inside the vase that I had placed there.
"It's a bit dark here, don't you think?" He asked behind me, and I laughed.
"It's ambient lighting, and well, I thought it would give a cozy atmosphere to our dinner."
"You made dinner?" He asked, and I turned to him, looking into his eyes.
It was hard to decipher Rob's eyes, but something told me that he was giving in into my perfect atmosphere.
"Yes, we almost never had romantic dinners, and since I'm trying to redeem myself with you, I thought it would be the perfect moment for it, do you like it?" I asked, approaching Rob. His hands rested on my waist, and our eyes were connected.
"Yes, very much, and it smells wonderfully." He said smiling.
"I made shrimp curry, it smells deliciously, doesn't it?"
"Oh yes, the food smells good too, but I was referring to your perfume." The man then leaned forward and inhaled the scent that exuded from my neck. I tilted my head to the side so that he could smell the perfume better, and then, an unexpected act from Rob made my whole body shudder. He had lightly touched his lips on my neck, giving me a tender kiss. I felt my stomach turn, I wasn't feeling very well that night, but I'd remain firm.
"Hey, take it easy, dessert only comes after dinner." I said laughing, and he did the same. I broke the contact between our bodies and circled the table, asking him to sit. When he did so, I did the same, facing him.
"I confess I was surprised by your invitation, but I'm even more surprised by all this." He said as I removed the napkin from the ring, and then the man did the same.
"Rob, I was going to wait for dinner to be over to have this conversation."
"But I prefer to have it now, Camila."
I sighed deeply, gathering all my strength to start that conversation.
"Then I'm going to be pretty straightforward with you." I started.
"Straightforward and honest, please." The man said seriously.
I poured some wine in my glass and then drank all the liquid, feeling my throat burning. I needed all the boost I could get so I could continue. I poured more wine in my glass again, and Rob stared at me, already impatient.
"Rob, I cheated on you while we were together." Rob balled his hands into fists, but didn't say anything, so I proceeded. "I cheated on you with Lauren." The man clearly started breathing heavily, and I saw his eyes darken. "Many, many times." I smiled a little at the memory of the countless times I was possessed by Lauren. "She made me cum on the kitchen counter, on my bed, in the office of her club, in the precinct's interrogation room, against a rock on the beach, inside the car, under a waterfall... She made me cum even when she wasn't present, and all that happened while I was still with you." An ironic laugh escaped my lips, but I immediately tried to contain it.
Roughly, Rob slapped his hands on the table and stood up.
"Camila, if you called me here to humiliate me, you-"
"Sit back down!" I interrupted him and stood up as well. "I haven't finished yet."
"No, I think you're done." He glared at me with his eyes.
"Now it's your turn to tell where you made Lauren's little sister cum." I let out a nasal chuckle. Rob stared at me, trying to understand everything. "I think we're on the same boat, don't you think? The pot calling the kettle black? Don't be hypocritical, Robert, be a man and sit back down again." I said, sitting down and placing the napkin on my lap. I drank some more of the wine and poured myself some more, pouring some for him as well. The man stared at me for a few seconds, but then sat back down and drank his wine. "Now can we dine in peace?" I asked smiling.
"Yes."
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Dinner was pretty quiet, we both had our heads buzzing with thoughts and possibilities. I had already gone so far, I couldn't fail, not now.
"Dinner was delicious, Camila."
"Thank you, I made it thinking of you." I said, leaning a little closer to the man who was sitting on the couch.
"I missed this so much, you know that?"
"You did?"
"Yes, of you being so attentive, romantic, thinking of me." He said, caressing my face. "But I still don't understand what you want with this."
"It's simple, Rob, I want you back, I want to try this again, being with you." I felt a lump in my throat, I was holding myself to not fall apart. "I want to be your woman, your friend, your partner, and especially, your lover."
"I like that idea." Rob smiled, inching closer to me. "You know, that girl was just a pastime to me, it only happened because you were too absent."
"I know, I understand that, but please, forget all that, I'll forget about Lauren too..." I took a deep breath to then proceed. "Rob, stay with me tonight?"
I didn't have to say anything else, the man kissed me with so much want. I felt his furious tongue inside my mouth, seeking space. His hands wandered on my waist, and I started becoming nervous and breathless. I rested one of my hands on his leg, and Rob sighed at my touch, and then, without me being able to protest, the man grabbed my hand and placed it on top of his hard shaft. I felt like screaming and puking.
"Rob..." I interrupted, pulling my hand away, breaking all the contact. "We better go to the bedroom."
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NOTE: DON'T WORRY, MY CHILDREN XD I mean it, don't worry, just remember this fic is full of mysteries that y'all don't know about yet, but everything's happening for a reason. Okay? Okay. I know it sucks, but this is needed, and y'all will soon understand why :) I'll update again tomorrow.