"Napkin, I'm home." Lauren said as she walked into their house. She returned home from a long day of work and can't wait to meet Camila.
"You're home, Lolo?" Camila was sitting in the living room with her legs crossed. She smiled as Lauren walked towards her.
"Honey, I missed you." Lauren said before planting a kiss on her girlfriend's lips.
Camila held her hands and she sat down next to her on the couch.
"I'm tired.." Lauren whined for attention.
Camila chuckled and pulled her girlfriend's head on her shoulder. "PillowCamzi..so good and comfy."
Camila laughed and intertwined her hands with Lauren. They stay that way in silence for a few seconds.
"Lolo, honey.."
"Hmm."
Camila hesitated for a second but then she continued. "Where were you 2 days ago? The day you didn't sleep at home."
Camila gulped.
"Er..I was at my parents' house. I already told you this."
Camila took a deep breath as she's trying to stay calm to avoid any arguments between them.
"Today, I took your clothes to the dry cleaners and I saw something on your white coat."
Lauren froze.
"A long strand of black hair.."
Camila paused. Lauren tensed up.
"and a red stain that kinda looks like lipstick mark.."
Silence falls between them.
"Maybe you can tell me how they ended up on your coat." Camila said carefully.
Lauren lifted her head from Camila's shoulder and sits up straight.
"I mean it Lolo. Please tell me, because I have weird thoughts in my head about this.." Camila stared at her girlfriend.
Suddenly, Lauren laughed. "Oh come on? Weird thoughts? You think I..."
Camila creased her eyebrows, confused.
"Honey, that was..Naya's hair probably."
"Naya's?"
"Yeah! Of course, because..I slept at home remember? Heather and Naya was there they hugged me that night, so probably the hair fell on my coat."
"Oh.."
Lauren continued to laugh nervously.
"Okay, so how about the lipstick stain?"
"That was..Heather's. Because..she and Naya were..testing some new makeup..you know normal teenagers sleepover thing.."
Camila stared at Lauren. "Oh."
"Oh god, honey, you thought I was.." Camila let out a relieved sigh and laughed.
"I thought you were..I don't know..cheated on me?"
"Oh, shut up honey."
"I thought you were like..slept with another woman in a hotel and lied to me about it."
Lauren paused and gulped. Camila stood up and laughed.
"I watched too many dramas, I guess. I should never doubt you..sorry."
Lauren nodded weakly.
"But if you ever did that to me, Lauren..I will never forgive you." Camila added, serious.
Lauren avoided her gaze and bit her lip. "That will never happen." she said.
At least not on purpose..
"Don't break my heart." Camila said as she caresses Lauren's face lovingly.
Lauren smiled and nodded. "Never."
**
"I'm so excited for the party!" Vanessa shrieked.
Ally shook her head as she smiled at Vanessa's excitement. Vanessa, Ally, Lauren and Ashley were all at Normani's cafe. Lauren decided to treat them to lunch.
"It's a beach party! 2 days and one night! The food! And also expect a lot of shirtless hot guys on the beach! Oh my god!" Vanessa continues to shout.
Ashley rolled her eyes at the sight. "Pathetic. Denial." she said.
Vanessa stopped shouting and stared at Ashley.
"We're not there to have fun Vanessa, our team will have to work, remember?" Lauren said.
"Party pooper."
Lauren chuckled. "Is that you, honey?" a voice called.
"Camila?" Lauren said as she turns to look at the source of the voice.
Camila smiled cheerfully and ran towards Lauren before hugging her tightly as if she never seen the girl in years.
"Lolo.." she mumbled as they hugged.
Lauren gently caresses her girlfriend's hair and kissed her cheeks. "I missed you.."
Vanessa rolled her eyes.
"Geez..didn't you girls meet each other everyday? And even live in a same house.."
"It's been 4 hours since I met her, Nessa." Camila said, blushing.
"Cheesy." Vanessa said.
"I think it's sweet." Ally said causing the loving couple to blush even more.
Lauren fixes Camila's bangs gently. "Join us for lunch." she said.
"Can I join too?" Nicole was standing behind Camila, smiling.
Lauren stared at her, shocked and worried. Nicole gave a meaningful smile at her friend.
"Uh..Nicole and I were from the studio.." Camila said, worried of Lauren's reaction.
Nicole sat next to Camila even when the whole table was staring at her weirdly.
"Nicky!" Ashley said, excited.
"Ah, Ashley! It's been a while, how are you?"
"Mom forced me to work..but it's been fun so far." Ashley replied and Nicole chuckled.
Camila could feel Lauren tensed up and held tight to her hands as they sit. As Camila sat in between Lauren and Nicole, she could feel the tension between the two. It's horrible.
"You and Ashley know each other?" Vanessa suddenly asked.
Nicole looked at Vanessa.
"I did spend a few holidays with the Jaureguis before. Lauren invites me all the time."
"You and Lauren are close friends huh? Like sisters it seems.." Vanessa asked intentionally.
Lauren stared at Vanessa asking her to stop, but she ignored her boss's gaze. Nicole smiled awkwardly.
"Yeah, we're close like..sisters."
"Bestfriends huh?" Vanessa asked.
Nicole nodded, uncomfortable.
"I think that kind of strong friendship is admirable. Loyal and stick together through anything and never back stab each other.."
Nicole rolled her eyes and looked away.
"What are you trying to say here?" she asked.
Vanessa shrugged. "Nothing, I'm just admiring your sweet friendship with Lauren. Why? Did I said something wrong?"
Nicole scoffed. Suddenly, Ally's eyes lit up as she saw someone sitting alone in the cafe.
"Hey, isn't that Marley?!" she said to Vanessa.
Lauren could feel her heart stopped beating.
Marley??
"Hey, Marley Ora!" Vanessa called.
Marley turned around and saw the full table. She stood up and walked towards them.
"Hi everyone!" she greeted, excited.
But her excitement was immediately disappears as she finally noticed that Lauren was there too, with Camila.
She exchanged an awkward glance with Lauren before looking away. Nicole stared at Marley, surprised. But this is a great surprise. She glared at Lauren and smiled. Lauren keeps looking down, nervous and unsure of how to react.
Camila was completely oblivious of Lauren's inner battle as she has her own personal feeling of dislike towards Marley. The girl dumped her cousin for fame. She turned her head and stared coldly at Marley.
"Oh Marley, how's work? I hope you're happy with the never ending modelling offers after breaking my cousin's heart."
Marley gulped.
"That's not what it's about..Mila.."
"Save it. I don't want to hear anything from you." Camila said, seriously as she turned her back on the girl.
Marley bit her lip as the situation is just too messy. Way too messy.
"Would you like to join us?" Nicole asked, smiling.
"It's okay, I was about to leave anyway." Marley replied.
Marley soon shook her head and bowed before leaving the table. The atmosphere was filled with tension. Vanessa wished she didn't call Marley to their table. That was unexpected. But there's one person is enjoying it.
Nicole leaned her back to her chair and smiled.
"This is interesting"
"Very interesting."
**
Lauren drove Camila back to their house before heading back to the office.
"Have you been..spending a lot of time with Nicole lately?" Lauren asked as she drives.
Camila sighed before slowly turned her head to Lauren. "She's..been helping Dinah in the studio so..we kinda bumps into each other often.."
Lauren remains silent as she keeps her eyes on the road.
"She also helped me with vocals training and stuffs.." Camila added carefully.
Camila was surprised at Lauren's calm reaction since normally she'll start to shout when she mentions something like this.
"I hope you're okay about this. Actually, she apologized."
The last line caught Lauren's attention.
"She apologized?"
Camila nodded. "I decided to give her a chance, and you should too."
Lauren continued to remain silent in front of Camila but the situation in her head is the opposite. She's cursing Nicole as she knew exactly where she's going with this. But there isn't much she could do, Nicole threatened to tell Camila about the incident if she tried to get in the way. The conversation they had at the storage room 2 days ago runs through her mind.
**
"You can't do this! She's my girlfriend!"
"For now, but soon she won't."
"Why are you doing this to me? I thought we were friends!"
Nicole sighed and looked at Lauren.
"I just..had enough."
"What do you mean?"
"It's always about you, even back then until now. It's Lauren, Lauren, Lauren."
"I don't understand.."
Nicole let out a small laugh.
"It happened so many times before..and I kept it inside."
Lauren stared at her friend, confused.
"Remember my ex-girlfriend, Samantha?"
Lauren nodded.
"I think you also remembered..Rachel, Tina and Melinda."
"Then there's also that guy..Darren, Matt and so many others.."
"They were your girlfriends..and boyfriends.."
Nicole laughed.
"That's bullshit."
Lauren stared at her, shocked.
"They were all in love with you."
Lauren was speechless.
"They all used me to get closer to you, because I am your friend. Lauren's friend."
"That's..not true!"
"Whatever, that's all in the past anyway.."
Nicole bit her lip as she stared at Lauren.
"But now, Lauren..I fell in love with Camila."
"I fell hard like never before, it's ridiculous."
"And I'm not gonna kept it inside this time. I'm not letting go."
"Sorry, princess."
**
Camila stared at Lauren as she kept her eyes on the road. Her expression was a mixture of serious, worried and jealous. Camila herself was not sure what's on her mind.
"Camila, please don't get too close to her." Lauren said, her voice sounded desperate.
Camila stared at her girlfriend, surprised.
"Please.." Lauren pleads again.
Camila quickly held Lauren's free hand tightly.
"Okay honey. I won't."