Camila practically jumps from the car before it's even come to a complete stop in the driveway, running ahead to the door and ringing the bell twice. The girls come up behind her not even a few seconds after she's rung the bell, the four of them waiting impatiently for the door to open.
Camila collapses into Clara's outstretched arms when the door opens, hugging the mother of the girl she loves in mutual relief before they're all lead inside, to the living room. Camila almost cried tears of joy when she saw the back of Lauren's head where she was sat on the couch, watching an old episode of American Horror Story.
Hearing their entrance, Lauren sits up and turns around. Camila lets out an audible gasp when she sees Lauren's face — she has a black eye paired with a cut on her forehead, which was hidden behind a bandaid, and Camila sees that her arm is in a cast as she comes around the couch.
"Jesus, Lo..." Camila mumbles as she sits down beside her, wrapping her arms around her girlfriend carefully and kissing her forehead softly. "How do you feel, baby?"
"Fine, I guess." Lauren shrugs, failing to mention the slight throbbing in her head.
"Rate your pain." Dinah says as the other three take seats around Lauren as well. "So I can double what she'll feel."
"You don't need to do that." Lauren shakes her head disapprovingly at Dinah. "I don't even like that this happened... Just, don't make it worse."
Dinah huffs, "Fine, but only 'cause you don't want me to."
"Did she just..." Normani motions to Lauren, indicating her injuries.
Lauren sits up straighter, a frown on her face. "Actually, I threw the first punch." Dinah lets out a 'yeah, girl' before high-fiving Lauren. "Originally I just wanted to talk.. but she just.. she makes me so fucking angry, and I couldn't- I just couldn't.." Camila grabs onto Lauren's free hand, squeezing gently.
"So... what did you have to tell us, babe?"
Lauren nods seemingly to herself before beginning. "I figured you all would wanna jump right in when you got here.. I guess we should start with what you know? Or what she told you, I guess..."
"She said that she was one of your best friends." Dinah answers, "Which I should've taken as a hint she was a lying, pure evil bitch, because obviously we're your best friends."
Lauren chuckles, looking down at her and Camila's hands in her lap. "Lucy isn't pure evil.. I don't think she ever even intends to hurt people, it's just in her nature..." Lauren pauses, "But she did lie. We weren't friends, we actually, uh.. dated for awhile. At first it was nice, ya know? She took me on dates and came over to watch movies a lot, and things were going pretty well. But then she got distant, and moody, and our entire relationship turned to shit. She hit me a few times, nothing too bad though, just like.. slaps, and stuff.." Lauren's voice got quieter as she went on, mixed with embarrassment and shame. It broke Camila's heart. "And then I found out she'd been cheating on me, and.. I dunno, at the time I was still trapped under her hold so I forgave her. But, uh, the last straw was when she tried to 'make it up to me'..." Lauren discreetly reaches up to wipe a tear away. "I got her off me before anything could happen, and I just completely had a meltdown. I think there had always been this part of me the whole time I'd been with her that knew how toxic our relationship was, but it didn't bother to say anything until it was too late..." Lauren could feel the tears building up, and she couldn't force them back anymore. Camila uses Lauren's pause to reach up and wipe away any spilled tears, Lauren offering a weak smile in response. "Anyway, it'd been quiet for awhile until she recently came to my house to try and talk to me, and I guess that was when she took my phone.. when I found out she'd been talking to Camila after I told her to stay away from you guys I totally lost my shit... I was just.. the fact that she was stringing you along, Camz, and bringing you into something I wanted to protect you from... I just couldn't sit there and let her have her way anymore. I'm done with her shit, and I'm gonna stand up to her from now on.
"The thing is, though... I know there was something that made her this way. She needs help, whether I think she deserves it or not. I don't know exactly what happened to her before, but I know it wasn't good. She never talked about any of her family when we were together, like, ever." Lauren shakes away her thoughts, deciding to wrap it up, "Just.. yeah. That's Lucy for you."
Nobody says anything, Camila resting her head on Lauren's shoulder and wrapping a protective arm around her backside. She kisses Lauren's cheek, comforting her.
"I'm sorry you went through that, Laur." Ally breaks the silence.
"Yeah." Dinah agrees. "But it's over now, right? And if Lucy ever gives you anymore problems, I'll give her the worst poly-beat down anyone has ever seen.
"It really frightens me how serious you are about that." Normani joins in.
Lauren, giving up on holding Dinah back, sighs and gives her a small smile. "As long as you don't kill anyone, D, I'm fine with it."
Camila was the only one who hadn't spoken, still trying to wrap her head around everything. The Lucy she'd talked to over message had been funny, nice, and polite... Camila figured it was the same front she'd put on before her abusive side took over in her and Lauren's relationship. Camila couldn't help but wonder what would've happened to her if she'd been strung along for any longer unsuspecting of what Lucy's true intentions were.
And what even were her intentions? She'd been the one to message Camila first — she'd had no interest in befriending Lucy in the beginning, even though she was a friend of Lauren's. It wasn't even because she was jealous, it was just because she didn't trust people she didn't know, and with everything that'd happened, she'd been right to do so.
It isn't until Lauren is asking for a moment alone with Camila and the room is clearing out that she realizes she hasn't spoken a word, Lauren carefully pulling her out of her daze. "You okay, babe?"
Camila hadn't even realized she'd started crying. She lets out a dry laugh, "Are you kidding? I should be asking you that, after everything you've been through."
"You went through some of it with me. She pulled you into her little trap. I'm not the only one that got sucked in by the Vives charm." Lauren notes.
Camila doesn't respond verbally, instead opting to lift a hand and run her fingers through Lauren's hair, brushing a few strands behind her ear. "I'm so fucking glad you're okay. I was so worried, you have no idea... Not knowing where you were, or if you were alright... It was torture."
Lauren looks away, "I'm sorry."
Camila shakes her head quickly, cupping Lauren's face in her hands. "No, no, no, baby... Don't apologize. You have absolutely nothing to be sorry for." Lauren nods, letting Camila kiss her softly. When Camila pulls away, she begins to feel her heart beat faster. Lauren tended to have that affect on her. "I, uh, I actually wanted to talk to you about something... it's nothing bad, I promise."
"You can tell me anything." Lauren reassures her, running her thumb over Camila's knuckles gently.
"So, you know that thing you told me over text and then again over the phone that I didn't respond to?"
Lauren knew exactly what 'thing' Camila was talking about, and once again she started to apologize. "Oh, yeah.. I'm sorry if you didn't want to hear that. If it makes you that uncomfortable I won't say it to you until you're ready—"
"No! No, I don't want you to stop saying it." Camila cuts her off quickly, the panic that Lauren might stop telling her those three words hitting her harder than she'd thought it could. "But.. I want to start saying it back." When Lauren doesn't say anything, Camila continues. "I was waiting until I could sit right beside you and look into those beautiful eyes to tell you.. I wanted the first time I ever said it to be super cute and stupid and romantic, even if this isn't exactly how I planned on telling you... And I know you didn't intend for it to slip out when it did, but I can pretend you never said it until now if you want." Lauren giggles at Camila's adorable ramble, wanting nothing more than to kiss the words right off her lips. But she had to hear her say them. "So, basically, what I've been building up to.. is that I.. well, I love you, Lauren Jauregui. Like, a lot. Like, so much more than I ever thought was possible in the amount of time we've known each other. I mean, we've known each other awhile and all, but I dunno if it's too soon, or—"
Lauren cuts off her ramble with a passionate yet brief kiss, resting her good hand on the back of Camila's neck and placing her forehead against Camila's. "I love you too, but you talk way too much."
"Maybe you should shut me up." Camila smirks, though it turns into a giggle. "That sounded way less cheesy in my head."
"I love cheesy." Lauren smiles, beginning to lean in for another kiss before a booming voice cuts through the room.
"Ay yo, lovebirds! As much as I love Camren, I think it's time we all finally relax and watch a movie. Mani's makin' popcorn."
Camila pouts and burrows her face in Lauren's neck. "Lolo, you pick the movie." Her voice comes across muffled as she cuddles farther into Lauren's side.
"Nah, ya'll can pick... it's not like I'll be paying much attention to the movie anyway."
Camila smiles into her neck, happy to finally be back with her Lolo.
***