Love is breathing, getting lost in your eyes then forgetting how to breathe.
- Perry Poetry
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Chapter 12
Camila's POV
I showered my phone a hundred thousand kisses cause fudging finally! I woke up right on time -6:30 am. I look over my bed next to mine and Lauren is still sleeping with the whole blanket covered on her.
I hop out from my bed and started to walk towards the bathroom to take bath. Today is pretty special because other than me waking up on time, there will a famous musician that will come to our campus today to teach us different style of playing guitar. It's like a guitar session for free that's why I'm so hyped for today. Also, I think it's very romantic to write someone a song to appreciate their whole being and that's what I want to do aside from the path I'm taking right now.
After taking a bath for almost 20 minutes, I wrapped the towel around my body and walk towards my closet. I pulled out my ripped jeans and my Nirvana shirt before I glance at Lauren's. She's not moving from her bed so after I put on my clothes, I walk towards her direction to wake her up since I'm a good wifey unlike her.
"Lauren," I shake her body gently, "wake up. You'll be late if you continue sleeping." I said but I got no response coming from her so I speak again. This time, I insert more effort of pushing her body to wake up her senses.
"Lauren!!!"
"Hmm?" I heard a weak hummed coming from her.
"Wake up! You have class today, remember? 7:00 am."
"5 more minutes." Lauren mumbled but enough for me to hear it.
"I'm leaving. Do you want me to set your alarm?"
"No, it's fine."
I furrowed my eyebrows at the sound of her voice. It sounds different and weak unlike the usual tone of her voice. I don't know what's going on since I can't see her face because of the blanket but I hope that she's fine. Maybe a little sleepy, I guess? After all, yesterday is such a long day for the both of us. So instead of bothering her even more, I turn around and grab my stuff as well as my guitar before I exit our room. I pulled out my phone and texted Shawn that I'm on my way since he's also attending the same seminar.
"Going early, Mila?" I heard Clara's voice coming from the kitchen. A few moments ago, she comes out while holding a tray of milk and sandwich.
"Yes. I'm going to attend the seminar."
"Where's Lauren?"
"Still sleeping. I tried to wake her up but I think she's very tired. Do you mind? Lauren have a class around 7:00 am."
"Alright, don't worry, I got her." Clara smiled, "Mind if you spare a few minutes for breakfast? I really prepare this for you."
I smiled at how sweet and thoughtful Clara is. Ever since the four of us lived under the same roof-I mean, five because there's Brie whom I never get a chance to meet yet, Clara's been taking care of me really well like I'm her own daughter which makes me love this family even more.
I walk towards the dining table and take a seat beside Clara while eating the breakfast that she made. We talk for a few minutes about life and school. After that, I said my goodbye to her as I head straight to Carolton.
***
I pulled out my phone to check where's the room assigned for today's seminar but before I could even press the Notes on my phone, someone suddenly hit my hand, causing my phone to fly in the mid air, "Shit!" I immediately lift up my hands so I can catch my phone but before my finger tips could even touch the side of it, someone suddenly push me, causing me to land straight on the floor along with my phone. What's worst is, I landed on my guitar pretty badly as I heard a loud crack sound behind me.
"Going somewhere, bitch?" It was Camila Althea, giving me a devilish smirk with her foot stomping over the screen of my phone, causing it to break even more.
"Hey!" I tried to stand up to push her away but Chloe and Allison are quick to push me back on the floor.
"You ruined my relationship with Shawn, steal my man away from me, and now, even Lauren rejected me because of you!" Camila Althea yelled angrily while glaring sharply at me, "So I might as well ruin your important stuff so at least it's a fair square between us, don't you think?"
"I didn't ruin your relationship with Shawn! Besides, is it even my fault why Lauren rejected you?" I scoff, "Look at yourself! You're a trash!"
"How dare you speak to me like that?!" Althea started to freak out, lifting her hand in the mid air but I quickly kick her straight in the stomach, causing her to fell on the floor as well.
"Oh my god, Camila!" Her three puppies quickly come to her aid while I quickly gather all of my stuff when someone suddenly pulled my hair, "You're such a whore! You're fucking ugly yet you flirt like you're a fucking gorgous woman! Let me tell you this, you're no match between us! Between Althea!" Allison.
Camila Althea finally regain her strength as she's now walking towards my direction, "Shawn is a cheater. If you think he's loyal to you then I feel pity for you. Cause once he found a better woman, he'll dump like you're nothing!"
"Wake up, princess!" Then suddenly, Chloe splash the bucket of cold water straight to my face.
The four of them started to laugh wickedly before they walk away, kicking my stuff that was now scattered all around the floor.
I breathed out cause now, I'm all soaking wet. Worst, my guitar is broken which really makes my heart heavy. I feel angry and disappointed at the same time. Angry because I didn't do anything wrong and yet here they are, constantly torturing me to the point where they broke not only my guitar but even my phone. And disappointed because I couldn't fight back that well and ended up looking like a loser in their eyes which I hate the most.
"I didn't know you can take a shower in the hallway." I heard her annoying raspy voice along with her chuckle.
I turn around and look at Lauren with a furrowed eyebrows. I can feel the tears started to form in my eyes because of anger.
And so, I snap.
"YOU KNOW WHAT? THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!" I yelled angrily at her as a huge wave of frustration and madness takes over me completely. I can see Lauren taken aback but quickly picks up her composure.
If it weren't for this silly deal, I will never experience this. Maybe, if I never get involve with her, my life is still a peace and not like this!
"Me?" Lauren let out another teasingly chuckle, "I didn't do anything to you."
"Don't you know that you're the very reason why all of these happened to me?! Those girls who's so obsessed with you are totally out of the line for doing such horrible things like this and that is because of our fucking deal!"
I breathed out for a moment before I continue to let out everything I have in my chest, "My guitar is broken and because of that, I can't attend the music seminar anymore! What for, right?!" The tears falls down on my cheeks so I quickly wipe it using my arm, "And look at my goddamn phone!" I furiously pointed at my broken phone laying around the corner, "THIS IS ALL YOUR FUCKING FAULT!" Then I started to run away without waiting for her response.
I run as fast as I can to get away from her and her drama and the trouble she brings. Call me a cry baby or whatever but I really treasure my guitar more than anything else since music is the only one that's been there for me throughout my darker and bluer days. That was the guitar my father bought me on my 15th birthday and this is what makes me feel like close to him. And now, it's gone. It's broken.
I don't know where will I go. I just want to get away from everything. My feet brought me to the garden where no one is around.
I think this is the perfect place to have a peace of mind. To be alone and away from people.
I take a seat in the grass and rest my back against the tree as I felt the air blowing against my whole body, causing me to shiver. I'm cold. Like, super cold since I'm all wet from head to toe. I close my eyes while humming my favorite song in my head to stop myself from thinking about what happened few minutes ago. My body is still shivering so I rub the palm of my hands rapidly before I hold my arms to make myself warm at least.
"Cold?"
I open my eyes, only to see the green eyed girl who's already sitting next to me. She's wearing an oversized grey hoodie and grey sweatpants which I didn't notice a while ago, "Yeah, I am."
And without any word, Lauren took off her hoodie leaving her only wearing a sports bra and sweatpants. I'm just looking at her with my mouth slightly agape as Lauren put on her oversize hoodie on me and then meet my gaze with a small smile plastered on her lips.
"It will help you feel warm..." Lauren pause for a moment to sneeze before she continue to speak, "Come here," The green eyed girl open her arms.
"What?"
"Body heat."
"There's no need-" I didn't finish what I'm saying when Lauren suddenly pulled me in for a hug, causing my heart to skip a beat.
What the hell did I just feel?
I'm so close to her to the point where I can smell her vanilla scent. Also, I notice that her body is way too hot compared to normal body temperature so I pulled away and cupped her forehead. And I'm right, she had a fever.
"Put this on, hurry!" I took off her hoodie and hand over her to her but Lauren refuse to wear it again.
"I'm fine. Wear it Camz, you need it the most."
"You have a fever so you need this the most more than I do."
"No, I'm fine." Lauren cough, "See?" Lauren pointed at her face and she's giving me her warm smile before she sneeze again and put a piece of paper towel right on her left nostril, "Bless me." The green eyed girl jokingly chuckled.
I shook my head in disbelief while looking at her, "You're such an idiot. Please, put this on now." I hand over her hoodie back, hoping this time Lauren will do what I say. "You're making me feel worried."
Lauren smiled warmly while looking straight in my eyes pretty intensely. And there it is again, the feeling of my heart hammering inside my chest. What's wrong with you, Camila? I asked myself as I broke our eye contact by avoiding her gaze and focus my eyes to something else instead.
"I-I mean, after everything that we've been through, the forced marriage and stuff, somehow you became...my friend, you know?"
"Right, friend." Lauren mumbled but enough for me to hear it. She took her hoodie and wear it again, putting the hood up to her head as she slid her hands through the pocket with her body shaking uncontrollably.
She's cold.
"Why did you even go here when you're not feeling well?"
"I want to see you."
"We can see each other when I got home."
"I will miss you if I stay at home."
I look at Lauren with a furrowed eyebrows, diverting the topic before it goes somewhere else.
"I'll take you home so you can get some rest." I get back on my feet and I offer my hands to her but Lauren just shrugged it.
"I don't want to go home. I'll stay here with you."
"You're sick!"
"I don't care if I'm sick!"
"Well, I care! So please, let me take you home."
Lauren look at me for a moment before she speak, "Then what? You're going to leave me again?"
"No, I'll take care of you until you feel better. So come on."
Lauren simply nodd her head with a small smile plastered on her lips before she hold my hand. I help her get back on her feet as we started to walk and head straight home.
***
I wrapped the blanket around Lauren, making sure that she will feel warm before I headed straight to the nearest pharmacy to buy some medicine for colds and flu. I don't know why she catch a fever when it's literally summer. Clara and Mike will be out of town for almost one week since they have an important business meeting to attend at Buffalo, New York which is 6 hours and 17 mins away from Manhattan. Even so, I think I can handle it well even though her parents are out of town. Besides, I'm getting used at Lauren's presence around me. After I gather everything at the pharmacy, I headed straight to the supermarket so I can cook the soup that my mom used to make when I'm sick. After that, I headed straight home.
Before everything, I slip my hand inside the pocket of my jeans to get my phone so I can call my mom. Since cooking is not my expertise, I need the help of my beautiful mom, Sinuhe Cabello. Luckily, she wasn't that busy and guided me throughout the whole process of cooking the black bean soup. I said my thank you and my I love you to my mom before I grab some water and headed straight to our room.
Lauren is still sleeping. I take a seat at the side of her bed and put down the glass of water on the side table. I don't know what kind of devil whispered in my ear cause I found myself staring at her. I tuck some few strands of her hair on the back of her ear that covers half of her face, giving me a full view. She's beautiful, I'm not gonna lie about that. And I can't help myself not to analyze every details of her face as if my eyes are memorizing them. Her thick eyebrows, her long lashes, pointed nose, and even her hair looks perfectly fine. I hate to admit it but the longer I stare at her, the more I find her attractive. And for me, out of all features that she have, her fierce green eyes is my favorite one among the rest.
Until my eyes landed on her soft lips that was slightly parted. They look pale but still kissable-the hell, Camila?! I shook my head to clear out the malicious thoughts in my head. I should take care of her not imagine things about her. But even so, no matter how much I clear my head, my brain always takes me back to what happened last night-The kiss. What I felt in that very moment, the way she kissed me as if my lips is the air she needs to breathe in, how I kissed her back, how perfect and magical that night was for us, everything about it still haunts me. I'm...confused-or not. I mean, I don't know. I don't know where can I find a concrete explanation as to why I've think that her lips is kissable, as to why I kissed her back last night, and as to why my heart beats erratically, so fast, inside my chest everytime she'll lay her green eyes on me.
My mind drift away from my deep twisted thoughts when I notice the devilish smirk that was now plastered on her lips. I shift my eyes to her green orbs and by the looks of it, she's already assuming things that's so impossible to happen.
"Go on, I know you want to kiss me."
I look at her with a furrowed eyebrows, she's such an airhead. "Does your imagination tell you that?"
"No, your eyes does." Lauren forced herself to sit up straight even though she's weak because of the fever. She lean in closer to me, leaving only a few inches of distance between us and our lips, "Am I right, Camila?"
I gulped hard when her eyes go down to my lips as she slowly closing the gap between us yet again just like what she did last night. I'm just looking at her, dumbfounded. It's as if I'm under with some kind of spell that I can't even move my body no matter what I do. And I don't know what the hell is happening to me. I feel like my brain and my body is currently sleeping at the moment.
As soon as our lips are so close from touching, Lauren crack a weak laugh before she speak. "A girl who almost let me kiss her for the nth time and instead of pushing me away, all she did is to look at me while blushing. Such a great definition for straight woman."
Did I...really blush in front of her?!
"You're burning up. Let me get your temperature." I started to freak out and so I start to blabbering words and harshly push Lauren down as I quickly grab the thermometer from the side table and put it in between her lips. Few minutes later, a 'beep' sound echoed so I look at it -38.8
Lauren crack a very annoying laugh once again after I pulled out the thermometer, "You love me."
I almost got choke after I heard what she just said. Where the hell did she get the courage to say this to my face?
"Excuse me?"
"Oh, so you're shy to admit now? Don't worry Camila, I already know that you love me. No need to cover it up."
"I love...you?! Come on-" I didn't finish what I'm saying when Lauren suddenly put her finger against my lips to shush me.
"It's pretty obvious, Camila."
I slap her hand away from me before I speak, "That I don't like you!"
"You're in denial."
"You're insane!"
"You woudn't stare at me lovingly for that long if you don't love me, right? It's pretty obvious that you're admiring me while I'm asleep."
Did I stare at her for a long time? And how the fuck does she know about that when she's sleeping the entire time?!
"It's okay to stare at me but please, take it easy. I don't want you to get tired doing it especially you'll see this face for the rest of your life." Lauren gave me a flirty wink. And even though she's sick and had a high fever that doesn't really stop her from being such an airhead.
I rolled my eyes on her, "Did you know that only stupid people gets sick in summer?"
"I think it's a love fever. After we kissed last night, remember? After YOU kissed me BACK." There it is, the devilish smirk formed on her lips once again after she completely shoved the words you and back down to my throat that I can't even breathe because of it.
If she's not really sick right now, I will really choke her to death. I ignore her teasing and instead in taking care of her, "Let's go see a doctor, okay?"
"It's okay, I don't get flu that often. I just need to drink more water." Lauren replied as she scoot more closer to her blanket with her hands shaking a little bit.
"But you've got a high fever." I told her with a sense of panic and worriedness but Lauren just gave me a small smile.
"I'm fine."
I reach the glass of water and hand it over to her, "Here, drink some water." I felt something electric static when her warm hand touches mine, "You want to get up and eat something?"
Lauren nodded so I help her stand up from the bed as we headed straight to kitchen. I pulled a chair for her and help Lauren take a seat. Once she's settled, I grab an empty bowl and scoop some black bean soup and handed it over to her, "No matter what you must drink some of this. Your fever will come down once you start to sweat."
Lauren smiled timidly before she take a sip and make a bitter kind of face that made me chuckle, "It really stings your throat, right?"
Lauren nodded, "What soup is this?"
"Black bean soup. I remember my mom force me to drink that whenever I had a fever. I know it might taste super weird but it really works."
"I'll finish this. Thank you for taking care of me, Camz. And sorry that I've gotten you worried."
"Why are you apologizing? Drink up."
After 15 minutes, Lauren finished the soup which is good because it will help her feel better. I assisted her back to the room, help her lay down to bed, and wrap the blanket around her body to make her feel warm.
"I'll be here if you need something, okay?"
Lauren nodded so I stand up and about to walk towards my domain when Lauren suddenly speak, "Actually,"
"Hmm?"
"I need something."
"What is it?"
"Your kiss."
I playfully rolled my eyes on her and about to say something when my phone suddenly buzzed in against my pocket. I slip my hand inside to get my phone and it was Shawn.
"Hey," I answered as I step outside of our room.
"Baby, where are you? We've been waiting for you for 15 mins now."
Shit! I forgot that our picnic is today and it totally slipped out from my mind, "Sorry that I didn't call earlier. I'm afraid I can't go with you guys."
"Huh? Why? Did something happened? Are you okay?"
"Lauren had a flu and she won't go and see a doctor so I can't leave right now. Her parents are out of town too so..."
Shawn fell completely silent on the other line. He must be upset since he's looking forward to it. Actually, Normani, Dinah, and Ally too.
"I'm so sorry. I can't just leave Lauren at home all by herself while she's so sick."
Still, no response coming from him.
"Can you tell the girls I'm sorry? I'll treat you guys lunch-"
I didn't finish what I'm saying when Shawn suddenly speak, "Alright." Then the line cut off.
Great, he's mad at me. For sure he is.
I walk back to our room and check Lauren's temperature. I need to see if her fever goes down and the doctor is not necessary at all. I seat beside her bed and put the thermometer in between her lips again but her temperature is still the same.
Lauren was coughing with her eyes close so I reach for her hand and give it a light squeeze, "Lauren, please let me take you to the doctor. If your fever doesn't come down-"
"Don't worry about me, Camz. As long as you're here with me, I'll be alright." Lauren squeeze back my hand, resting her head against my lap.
"Please? You're just making me even more worried. What if your fever became even more worst? Or what if-"
Lauren cut me off by holding my hand tightly. "Okay, let's go and see a doctor now. But that's because I don't want you to worry about me." I smiled before I grab my coat and assist Lauren as we headed to the nearest hospital.
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A/N:
Hello!!! So I've been offline to wattpad the whole day yesterday cause yo girl is being productive it really makes me cry. I've clean the whole house, arrange some stuff, do the laundry and everything since I'm living alone in our house at the moment (not exactly cause I'm with my 2 dogs and 1 cat). Lots of things happened these couple of weeks. I don't remember if I already mention that my grandpa is sick, but he is. He's in a hospital right now and my mom is the one who's taking care of him that's why I'm all alone. (Update: my mom texted me this morning and she said that maybe one of these days, they will be discharge and my grandpa can go home (thank god 🙏🏼). Anyway, I don't think I can update SCC until Monday because I'm busy and I don't have enough time to write. Also, this coming June 22 is my birthday so I'll probably update Tuesday morning or evening. As for this story, I can still update everyday since I've already finished some of the chapters in advance. Anyway, take care of yourselves and always be safe ❤️❤️ sending lots of loves and virtual hug 🤗
-Kath