A/N: So I think this is the longest chapter yet. Hope you enjoy...this is my warning for anyone at work or school...read at your own risk.
As always, you are awesome with your reviews. Love, love, love you all.
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Camila was lost in the day. It was like she couldn't focus on anything. It was just hazy as she let it pass, oblivious to everyone around her. Scott had to keep poking her between interviews to announce when someone was approaching so she could snap into 'Camila Cabello' mode with wide eyes, a big grin, and an exuberant amount of energy.
"Are you okay?" He asked leaning over in his chair as the brunette sat in her dressing room looking into the corner of her vanity at nothing in particular. She turned her head up to his worried gaze, smiled her smile and nodded. "Liar. I know you better than that. What's wrong? You seem distracted."
Scott had known Camila for a few years. They met just before she landed her first big role and he had supported her ever since. While the two never formed as close of a friendship as she had hoped because of her busy schedule, he was someone she had always felt comfortable around. He had never seemed to want anything from her and just fed off of her excitement for life and the business. He had once told her that he was getting bored with the drama and the divas of it all but she had been a breath of fresh air that kept him in it. It also didn't hurt that he was faithfully married and Camila was friends with his wife. There was no pressure around him for anything.
"I'm...fine. I'm fine, just...I don't know. It's hard to explain." He sat back in his chair and waited for her to continue, knowing full and well she wasn't wanting to. She rolled her eyes. "I just feel...different. Work use to be my life. I woke up wanting to come in and make things better, to perfect things that were already perfect until the curtain came up. Then I would want to stay after to figure out what else I could be doing. But now..."
"You'd rather be somewhere else." He finished for her. "You know she wont let you do that though, right? I may not know her or have really had time to talk with her, but she is absolutely smitten with you. She's not going to let you slack off on your dream."
Camila smiled in pride. "I know she's not. And oddly, knowing that makes me want to come back to work everyday. When I think of being at work I want to be with her, but then when I think of how she would react to that, or what she would say, I want to make her happy by being here." The diva shook her head quickly, dismissing the thoughts. "It's all very strange."
"Love is strange." He remarked as his eyes drifted behind her and he straightened his posture. "Last one is here."
Camila put on her smile and greeted the interviewer, a young man in his early twenties, fashionably dressed, hair a complete mess, and oversized glasses on his face. After shaking hands and going throw all the formalities he sat down across from her and began.
"So, I'm sure that you have already been asked a million times already today, and that it is the last thing you want to talk about, but my boss would fire me if I didn't, so... Your relationship with Lauren Jauregui. What can you tell me about it?"
Camila had her elbow propped on the armrest of her chair and was playing with her ear lobe as she studied the man in front of her. He was nervous. She figured this may have even been his first interview, especially with how he worded the question. She had been asked about this in every interview she had had this morning. She had darted around the question with each of them hoping it would all just fade away if she didn't answer, but that was clearly not the case. "I could tell you quite a bit." She answered coolly. "Is there anything in particular you are looking for."
"Uh..." He fumbled with his papers in front of him, clearly stalling for time. He must have either expected to be shot down or for her to just spill all the details. Scott watched Camila out of the corner of his eye. She was taking a different approach with the question this time. The last four interviews she had left it with the simple statement of 'I can tell you that I'm happy'. "I...uh...well, how long have you two been together?" He finally managed to ask, not even looking at his papers which signaled he was expecting to be shot down. This endeared him to Camila. The other interviewers had been waiting on the edge of their seats for the juicy details.
"We have just recently started dating." She kept her answers short, curious as to how eager he was to push.
He fumbled with his papers some more before clearing his throat and adjusting himself in his seat to appear more confident. She knew he wasn't going to push. "She was the photographer at your most recent photoshoot." He stated and she nodded, allowing him to realize he hadn't actually asked a question. She fought back her smile. "So, you two hit it off right away then? Love at first sight kind of thing?"
Camila chuckled lightly and held up her index finger for a break. She pulled out her phone and text Lauren.
-There is no avoiding the topic of us. How much can I say? x Camila.
She waited a few seconds and offered the nervous man a drink of water and some of her fruit that she was famous for always having in her dressing room while she waited, hoping he would calm down a bit. She really was struggling not to laugh at him. Her phone beeped.
-Doesn't really matter any more. Whatever you are comfortable with. x Lauren.
"No," She finally answered him, breaking the long silence. "It was not love at first sight. I've actually known her for a very long time."
He nodded his head and diverted his eyes in thought. "How long is that exactly?"
"We met about nineteen years ago." He lifted his eyes to hers in surprise. "Like I said, we have known each other for a very long time."
"So you were childhood friends?"
She smirked but decided to play nice. "We were more acquaintances than friends, but in the basic sense of the word, yes." Scott just shook his head at her and hid his smile behind his hand. He didn't know much of her and Lauren's history but he knew enough. He was also more amused by Camila's sudden and sporadic openness.
"So, you two didn't date or anything in high school or after?"
"No. After high school we lost contact until recently."
He nodded his head. "Okay, when did you first realize you were gay? When did you first come out?" That was beginning to push a little. Her father had made her feel like her sudden realization of her feelings was not the norm and didn't want the papers ripping her relationship with Lauren apart as just a phase or an experiment, so she dropped her eyes quickly and then met his again. He understood the silence as her answer. "Well, maybe we can talk about the show now, and the rumors going around about you dabbling in TV and movies?"
"That sounds like a wonderful idea."
"I agree." Scott echoed as he sat up in his chair. He didn't want Camila to talk about it too much, mostly because it was like stringing along the predator. He didn't mind it being out there, but he was concerned for her and Lauren. Her simply saying that they had known each other in school now meant everyone was going to be researching Miami. Camila had just opened up their pasts, but she knew that. That's why Lauren dealt with everything while she was back home. They were prepared for this.
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"Where is she?"
Camila laughed as she sipped her drink. "She's coming. Relax."
"I know that, but where is she? I'm excited." Camila only shook her head, her smile deepening as she and her friends sat at a booth in the back of their favorite hole in the wall place to eat at after a show. They loved it there because it was a casual environment and they were normally the only ones there that late. They had the place to themselves and could be as loud as they wanted.
"You need to calm down. Oh!" Camila jumped as her phone began to ring. "It's her." She informed the pair before she stood up and left the table. "Hi, Baby. Where are you at?"
"I'm just pulling up."
"Good. I'll meet you outside." The diva hung up and nearly skipped out of the restaurant to Lauren emerging from the car. "Baby!"
Lauren beamed as the brunette tackled her in her excitement, throwing her arms and legs around her in a tight hug. She had missed her so much. "Hi. I am taking it that you had a good show?" Camila answered with a smile and a light kiss. "Or...that you are already drunk by the taste of your lips."
The diva scoffed as Lauren lowered her down to the ground and took her hand in hers. "I am not drunk, I've only had two sips of my drink. I just missed you. Come on." Camila pulled the raven haired woman like a little child pulling their parent to show them something they had done. Lauren followed, beaming in her amusement and adoration as she stumbled her way past empty wooden tables in the dim lighting. "Time for you to meet-"
"Ally?" The photographer's eyes went wide and her jaw dropped as she approached the table where her fellow classmate was sitting with Scott. Ally looked the exact same, almost as if she hadn't aged at all from high school. She even dressed the same. Then again, Ally had always known who she was, even back then. There was no reason for her to change.
"Hi!" The girl jumped up from the booth and wrapped her arms around Lauren in a hug of familiarity that Lauren wasn't expecting but actually enjoyed. This was a friend, even if they hadn't spoken in years. It was the same with Normani. Their history spoke volumes more than the years of silence. "Never in a million years did I think I would see you again."
Lauren shook her head in response. "Me either but I'm glad I did. So, you two are..."
"Cast mates." Ally explained as the took her seat next to Scott and Camila slid over to give Lauren a seat. "Camila is the lead and I sway in the background. Just like old times, but I can't complain. It's a dream that I never thought could actually happen. But...ugh..." She let out a sigh in her excitement. "I don't even know where to begin...with the famous photographer part...or the fact that you're dating Camila Cabello."
Camila leaned into the table, turned slightly towards Lauren and played with the photographer's hand as she caught up with her old friend. She traced light fingers over her wrist, lining the tattoo, and then up the edge of her thumb.
Lauren looked over to her girlfriend and smiled before she turned her attention back to Ally. "I don't actually know which would be easier to explain. The photography thing just kind of happened. But...Camila..." Her green eyes drifted back over to the brunette who smiled and pulled her face to the shelter of Lauren's arms as she blushed.
"Since when? Tell me that much." Ally urged. She was much more lively than she used to be. She always had that energy that she released every now and then, but it seemed to be permanently uncorked now. It was refreshing. The woman just seemed to be genuinely happy all the time, despite being dressed in all black.
"Since-"
"Senior year?" Ally cut her off and Lauren furrowed her brow as she huffed a laugh.
"How did you know?" Ally rolled her eyes as if it had been completely obvious.
"Normani was making fun of you one day when you almost passed out because you forgot to breath. I couldn't help but notice things after that. I figured you were either plotting something against her or that you were struggling with something else. Seeing as you never tried to humiliate her, I figured your stares were out of...something else."
"Like love." Scott answered. Lauren had almost forgotten he was there. Apparently so did Camila and Ally who both shot him quick looks.
"Baby," Camila began as she sat up. "I know I have already introduced you to Scott as my manager, but he is also a good friend of mine." Lauren nodded her head in greeting. She still wasn't sure about him. "And he is also Ally's husband." Bam. She totally did not see that one coming, and the shock was on her face.
"Newly weds." He clarified as he leaned over and kissed his wife adoringly. Lauren had to fight herself from shaking her head. She would have never ever, in a million years, put those two together. Then again, she had always pictured Ally with Liam or Louis. Scott seemed so much older than she would have expected Ally's husband, or boyfriend, to be, but maybe he just looked older. Maybe Scott could be a possibility. He was just as energetic, a little cocky to keep things interesting, but the over styled hair still put her off. But it was possible.
"Uh...congratulations." She finally managed to stumble in reply and Camila laughed at her, apparently knowing what she was thinking.
"I was so glad when Camila called Scott to take her over." Ally gushed, resting her hand on the man's leg under the table. "I know Margaret was good for her career but she was too...ambitious with her clients sometimes. Scott has a much more personal approach."
"Yeah." The diva laughed as she picked up her drink again. "You can attest to that." Ally rolled her eyes at the other brunette who winked at her before turning her attention to Lauren. "So, how was your day, Baby?"
Lauren nodded her head slowly. "It was...okay." Camila arched an eyebrow. "I'll fill you in on it later."
"It doesn't have anything to do with Adrianne, does it?" Ally asked shifting her eyes nervously between her friends. Lauren was left speechless that she even knew about Adrianne, but then again, she shouldn't have been. These were Camila's friends. She confided in them.
"No. Nothing with her. She was very professional. I would just prefer not to dampen the mood or anything." Lauren explained, turning to the brunette who pouted at the thought of something bad happening in Lauren's day. The raven haired woman leaned over and kissed her forehead. "I'll tell you later. I promise."
When she turned her attention back across the table, she was met with a beaming grin from Ally. "That is just so adorable. I still can't believe it. I mean, I always thought it, but I never actually believed it would happen."
"You and me both." The answer came in unified harmony from the couple. "How was the show? First night back...huh?"
"It was good. Maybe one day you'll get to come and see it. When your schedule allows it."
"Yeah. Definitely."
Lauren was thankful for the normal evening out to distract her from the canceled photo shoot, but Camila could see something playing on her mind. She knew it was something the raven haired wasn't wanting to tell her, but at least she knew it didn't have to do with Adrianne.
"Now, I know this is all very new to you both, but...I am invited to the wedding, right?" Ally was absolutely serious and Lauren sat back against the booth and sighed.
"At least I don't have to worry about getting approval from your friends." Camila only rolled her eyes and rested her head back on Lauren's shoulder.
"What about mine?" Scott asked playfully. "Not only am I a friend, but I'm her manager too. You should be trying twice as hard to impress me."
Lauren smirked and pursed her lips as she locked eyes with him, trying to get a read on him. "I have a feeling that the more I try and impress you, the less impressed you will be."
The blonde man raised his glass in the air. "I approve."
"Good. Now we can get married." Lauren teased as she wiggled the arm that the diva was resting on.
"You have to propose first."
"Why do I have to propose? Why can't you be the one to ask?"
Camila sat up and met her girlfriend's eyes in a playful glare. "Because...you are the man of the relationship."
Ally chocked on her drink at the idea of Lauren Jauregui, the black dress clad, cardigan wearing pretty girl as the man of the relationship. Then again, Camila always wore short skirts and everything that was girly. She was also more high maintenance. "I honestly don't see there being a 'man' in your relationship. You're both rather girly. It will probably come down to who caves first."
"Well, when Lauren does cave, I want sappy music, roses, a roaring fire, and the perfect ring." The brunette admitted, ignoring Lauren's raised eyebrow. "I want a princess cut diamond set in a white gold band with pink diamond inlays." Lauren's eyebrow arched even further. "It's always been a dream of mine."
"Obviously."
Scott furrowed his brow and narrowed his eyes at the two, but still held a playful smile on his lips behind his raised glass. "You two just started dating and you are already discussing marriage? Isn't that a bit...fast?"
Camila expected as much from him. He had been told that they went to school together, but didn't always get along. He didn't, however, understand how well their personalities actually fit, instantly snapping together. They had known each other in the past which eliminated the months, if not years, of slowly learning your partner. Granted, Lauren was a seemingly different individual, but she wasn't completely. She had just matured and abandoned her parents' influences. And when they learned about each other more and more every day, it only pushed them closer together.
"Under normal circumstances, yes. But it's not like we are going to get engaged next week, or next month, maybe not even next year." The diva didn't catch the the subtle deepening of Lauren's breath at the last part. "It's a discussion that needs to be had so we are both fully aware of the other's life goals and desires. Did you and Ally not discuss getting married before you actually asked her?"
Scott hesitated, looking to his wife and then setting his drink down. "Lightly..."
"I think it's a guy thing." Ally offered as an explanation. "Women are much more open and comfortable discussing possibilities. If a man does it, it's like he believes he is cementing the decision so it has to happen."
"That's because women expect it to happen." He retorted with certainty. "If I say I'm thinking of going out for a jog, you ask me every five minutes when I am going. I never said I was going, just that I was thinking about going."
The three women stared at him in silence and he remembered he was out numbered and reclined back in the booth, allowing the women to continue their talk.
"Camila and I know each other. I know her weaknesses and she knows mine. I knew her when she was struggling to find herself, just as she knew me as I struggled in high school. I think that the struggle you take when finding yourself is just as much, if not more of a representation of the person you are suppose to be when you succeed. Seeing someone searching for themselves, faltering, second guessing, debating, it's just as important as the final result." Lauren explained as Camila fell in love all over again. "You can meet someone brand new and know who they are, but you are missing how they got to be that way. The struggles that they endured to get there. Those are the things that they are proud of overcoming, but they are rarely appreciated by anyone else because they were in the past, and therefore irrelevant to them. With us, we are working backwards. We know the struggles, now we are just seeing the results. It doesn't take nearly as long to learn those."
Both Ally and Scott sat silently, impressed by her answer. Camila beamed her Camila Cabello smile at them. "See, she's perfect. Gorgeous, talented, successful, expressive, intelligent...perfect." The brunette studied Lauren as she blushed and diverted her eyes. She was going to marry this woman. They may have only been dating for a week and a half, hell, she may have only realized that she was gay a week and a half ago, but she knew she was going to be with Lauren. They were bonded in some way. Part of her was with the raven haired woman and she only felt whole when she was there with her.
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"So, when are you going to tell me?" Camila asked, muffled through a kiss as she straddled Lauren's lap on her bed, their fingers locked together, Lauren's hands held to the mattress above her head.
"Tell you what?" Lauren managed to ask before lifting her chin eagerly into another heated kiss.
"Whatever it was that went wrong today?"
The photographer smiled and released a little laugh before she captured the diva's bottom lip between hers and held it as Camila moaned. "I don't think this is the ideal time to get you upset, Baby. We're kind of in the middle of something."
"We can stop." Camila explained, removing her mouth and sitting up, only to have herself be pulled back down by Lauren's refusal to release her hands. "Or not." Camila added with a giggle before she found Lauren's lips again. "But you are going to tell me, right?"
"Yeah. Sure." Lauren lifted her hips to try and roll over so she was on top of Camila but the diva held her in place, grunting into their kiss in protest.
"Nope. Tonight is my night for you." She reminded her with extra force on her hands, pinning her raven haired woman to the bottom even more to express her seriousness before she released her hands to remove her shirt. Lauren brought her hands down to the diva's hips as the brunette lifted her shirt only to drop it and pull the hands away, pinning them back down to the mattress. "No." Their eyes locked in a heated stare as Camila fought to get her point across and Lauren fought to get her desperation across. "Am I going to have to tie you down?"
Lauren struggled with a growing smile and Camila arched an eyebrow.
"Well...maybe I should make use of this four post bed?" The diva watched as Lauren's gaze turned less playful and more intense. "I'll have to improvise." Camila informed her as she left the bed to her wardrobe and returned to her spot on top of Lauren with two silk scarves wrapped between her fingers. She set them down long enough to entice the raven haired beauty into another round of passionate kisses as she worked her shirt and bra off before she moved to secure her hands to the bed. Camila grinned down at Lauren, fascinated by the combination of a woman who loved to touch and feel, but also liked to be restrained from doing so. It only managed to turn her on, knowing just how much she was going to be driving the raven haired crazy tonight.
When one hand was secure the diva kissed a trail of light kisses down that arm to Lauren's chest, allowing her last minute touches with her still free hand before she moved her kisses up that arm and tied the strong knot around it. Once it was done, the diva stepped back off the bed and examined her work.
"There's something wrong with this picture..." She lifted her index finger to her chin as she pondered it, watching as Lauren tested her restraints. "Oh, I know." The diva knelt on the bed and gently glided her hands up the photographer's legs to her belt, tracing her thumb over the clasp, but never undoing it. Lauren swallowed hard, almost audible. Instead, the diva lowered her mouth to the soft skin of her stomach, grazing her lips over the flexing muscles but never touching with any real pressure. She was going to slowly torture the woman. She moved her grazes and hot breaths up to Lauren's breasts, teasing each one with a swirl of her tongue and a wet kiss before moving back down, finally hooking her fingers into Lauren's belt.
She pressed open-mouthed kisses down the valley of Lauren's toned muscles as she pulled the belt loose and then sat up, running her fingers around the button of her dress pants before moving her hands back down the photographer's legs.
"You're killing me already." Lauren warned her as she pulled at the scarves when Camila's hand moved back up over her thighs.
"Oh, I don't want to do that." The diva teased as she unfastened the button and lowered the zipper. She teasingly hooked her fingers in the waist band and slid them back and forth from the clasp on her pants to her hip bones and back before wiggling them off Lauren, her panties included.
Now the diva stood off the bed again and raked her eyes over her naked girlfriend before her. It kind of surprised her how much she was torturing herself. She wanted nothing more than to have her right then but had to find the strength to resist.
"That looks better." She commented, diverting her eyes down to her own shirt. "But I do believe I am now overdressed." She raised her eyes without moving her lowered head and watched as Lauren nodded then licked her lips as the diva undid the top button of her shirt. She slowly dropped her fingers to the next button and unhooked it, then the next, slower with each one until the shirt hung open and she let it fall from her shoulders to the floor.
Lauren was squirming on the bed now. She saw skin and she wanted to touch it.
"Are you doing okay up there?" The diva teased and Lauren only responded by pulling at her restraints and licking her lips again. Camila smirked before releasing her button and zipper on her pants in the same slow manner as her shirt, playfully wiggling out of the material and kicking it across the room. "I think that is a bit better. So, now..." She began as she wrapped her fingers lightly around Lauren's ankles, slowly guiding her hands up the lengthy legs as she climbed onto the bed, the raven haired woman bending them up around her body as she settled between them, touching as much skin as she could. "Time for some fun."
Lauren pulled at her restraints again as Camila dove into a firm, passionate kiss and kneaded the photographer's breasts in her hands. She pulled again as the diva moved her mouth to her neck, nipping and licking her way down to where her hands were tweaking the erect rosy buds. Lauren had never run out of self-control this quickly before. She wanted Camila more than anyone else she had found herself in this position with. She was whimpering now.
The diva looked up as she twirled her tongue around her nipple and saw the desperation in her eyes, the biting of her lip, and the panting when she allowed herself to breath. She loved having this control. She moved her hands down to Lauren's hips, massaging the skin beneath them as she moved her teasing mouth down towards its final goal. As she worked lower, her hands dropped from Lauren's hips to her thighs, pushing them apart in preparation for her mouth's arrival. As she spread them, Camila could feel the heat radiating from her. She wasn't going to last much longer, but neither was the diva.
She paused when her head made it between her legs and looked back up to Lauren whose hands were turning red from all of her pulling and she released her tongue for a tentative lick. Lauren's head fell backwards and then shot back up along with her hips when the brief contact ended. The raven haired woman grunted in her need and Camila finally caved, attaching her mouth to her girlfriend and sucking the sensitive nub between her lips. An animalistic moan ripped from Lauren's throat as she arched into the touch, wanting it, needing it.
"God, yes, Baby."
Camila smiled as she flicked her tongue back and forth and then swirled it around before sucking it back between her lips. Camila found herself moaning as much as her girlfriend. She needed this too. She needed to know that she could satisfy Lauren as much as the raven haired woman did her. As she worked her tongue over her clit, Camila found her center and slowly entered her index finger, deep to the last knuckle. She moaned again as the muscular walls clamped down around the digit, desperate for more, so Camila obliged. She removed her finger and replaced it with two, stretching her girlfriend who was frantically pulling at her restraints now.
The diva removed her mouth and smiled wickedly at Lauren as she pulsed her fingers in and out, curling them upward to hit that magic spot.
"Fuck, Camila..." Lauren bit her bottom lip and moaned in time with each thrust of the diva's fingers, nearing her edge. Hearing the effect she was having on the woman only made Camila more eager to see her release and she began to thrust faster and harder. Lauren threw her head back into the mattress and screamed in pleasure. She was getting close.
Camila moved up on the bed, never faltering in her rhythm and peppered Lauren's neck and jaw line with kisses as she gasped for ragged breaths. "I want you to come for me." Lauren nodded her head. "Come for me and scream my name."
Lauren nodded again and licked her lips as she rocked her hips in time with Camila's thrusts, snapping her eyes tightly shut as she reached the edge. "Oh my god...oh my god...I'm gonna...oh, fuck. Camila!"
The diva gasped as the strong walls contracted around her fingers and the raven haired beauty shook violently beneath her. It was the strongest orgasm she had given her yet. Camila could only watch in amazement as Lauren continued to shake and pull at the scarves. She quickly reached up and released the one that she could reach and allowed Lauren to pull her close, in need of that touch as she slowed her fingers and brought her girlfriend down from her high.
"Holy shit...Baby, that was...oh, God..." Camila beamed as the raven haired peppered her with kisses of appreciation.
"I'm glad you enjoyed that." Camila commented as she worked to release the other hand. "But now that you have had some fun, it's time to talk about what happened today."
"Later." Lauren begged as she wrapped her arms around the diva's bare torso and rolled her over, diving into her neck.
Camila pushed back until the photographer braced herself on her elbows to meet the dark chocolate eyes. "No. Now. You're making me worry." Lauren grunted in her frustration and sat up, removing herself from her lover. She knew this had to happen, she just didn't want to upset the diva. "Lauren, tell me."