Camila's POV
We stopped at the fair's parking lot. I was actually surprised that Dinah was able to get it back here. Because after all, Fairs were always a temporary thing. But you know, Dinah was able to work her magic and get them back here anyway.
Dinah briefly explained the "break up" and what Lauren's plan consisted of. We then made our way to the counter where I was rudely stopped by Dinah's hand.
"Your stop is here Chancho. Meet us at the Ferris wheel in five minutes. Mani and I need to make sure everything's reserved."
I nodded and gave Lauren a smile.
She returned it then headed off with them.
Lauren's POV
After the girls made sure that the ride was reserved, I felt a sudden need to go the restroom. I excused myself and walked towards it. Throughout the walk, I noticed that there was so many people here. It was a bit over whelming but I got over it.
When I finished my business, I made my way back to the Ferris wheel cautiously. I was a bit prone to getting lost to be honest. So it wasn't a surprise that my mind wasn't able to remember where we had just came from. I walked around mindlessly, until the worry began to sink in. I looked around and only saw strange faces. It was as if I was a small child lost in a grocery store looking for their mom. I was terrified that I wouldn't be able to find my way back. But it was until I bumped into someone when my fear grew stronger.
As I laid on the ground, I looked at him wide eyed. Suddenly remembering his face, his pain, what he did to me, everything. He shook his head before he looked at me with the same expression that I wore on my face. I suddenly felt a headache rushing over me. It was extremely painful. I held onto it as my body began to tremble in his presence. In response to my behavior, he smirked. He stood up and dusted himself off offering me his hand. I looked up at him in terror. I shook my head and managed to get on my own two feet. He put his hands in his pocket in response to my rejection.
"Well. Well. Nice to see you here." He evilly smirked.
I opened my mouth to say something but I couldn't. I was idle and so was my brain.
"What's wrong? Cat caught your tongue?" He asked taking a step towards me, making me back away.
"Or is it that you're afraid?"He questioned narrowing his eyes at the thought.
I gulped and said nothing.
He then stomped his foot in front of me hand threw out his hands, "Boo!"
I flinched in absolute fear. My body trembling ferociously.
"Aahh. So you are scared. Hmmph, well look at that." He shrugged. I turned to look away from him and shook my head lightly, trying to get the images of that day out of my head. "You know... I'm kind of mad that they didn't let me kill you that day. It's really such a shame. To keep you alive like this." He said throwing his hand up at me. "You would of been better off dead."
I felt tears begin to stain my eyes as the memory came flowing back again.
"God... that was so much fun." He smiled reminiscing. "Hitting you over. And over. And over again...watching you bleed out my pain...practically pleading for me to stop." He smiled to himself. Then met my eyes. "I should've finished you off. You were so pitiful." He shook his head lightly.
I felt tears streaming down my face. But again I couldn't react, my body was still and unresponsive.
"Even now...." He said brushing the pad of his thumb over a scar above my forehead. I flinched at his touch."Your still pitiful. Look at you. You're an unfinished result. I left you battered up, retarted, and now even mute..." He said running his index finger around my check and to my chin. "But...this is better." He nodded. "Yes. You suffering internally.... I love it."
I clenched my teeth, holding back the pain. My head was full of the memories of that day and flooded with the pain of it. I felt it all over again. My body flinched and jumped with each hit, feeling it over and over again. I put my hands over my head, clenching my head and closing my eyes tightly. Hoping that it would somehow stop it. But, it didn't. I heard myself mutter under his voice playing in my head like a broken record. "Stop it. Stop. Stop." I muttered as the sound of his laughter filled my vulnerability.
"Lauren?!" I heard someone yell from afar. I looked up, searching for the voice. It belonged to the brunette I was in love with. She was followed along by the girls.
I looked back to see Austin smirk and wave at them. At the realization of his presence, Camila sprinted to us like a cheetah. Her shoes made a sharp screech before her fist collided with his face.
After she had removed her hand she panted and shook out the pain.When she regained composure she looked at her hand wide eyed. Truly mortified and surprised by her action.
"Shit." She cursed. Then ran to my side, "Lauren are you okay?" She said grabbing my hands then tucking a strand of hair from my face behind my ear.
I tried to open my mouth but nothing came out. "..." I tried again until I realized that it was no use.
Her face was now full of worry. "Oh my god, babe." She said shaking her head lightly. "Fuck." She said closing her eyes tightly and turning to face the grinning boy who rubbed his soon to be bruised cheek.
"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO TO HER?" Camila asked him, full rage evident in her voice.
He shrugged his shoulders, "Dunno. We were just...catching up." He smiled evilly. "Then all of a sudden you show up and I get a right hook to the face." He said trying to play the innocent one.
Camila's fists clenched. "Your a flipping murderer! You almost kill her and you're complaining because you took a hit to the face?" She questioned angrily. "Really?"
Dinah and Mani both showed up and bended over to catch their breaths.
"I don't know what you're talking about." He played along. "At least not here out in public." He whispered, cupping the side of his mouth with his left hand.
"You're such a lucky little..." Camila said clenching her teeth. "I'd kill you here and now if it wasn't because of her." She said referring to me.
"Her?" Austin said stifling a laugh."What will she do? Yell at you? She can't even talk." He said breaking into a fit of laughter. "Or is it because you loove her." He mocked after catching his breath.
Camila stayed quiet, her jaw clenching so hard that I swore she would shatter her teeth.
"That's it isn't it? Love? God I swear you gays are stupid. You guys don't know the first thing about love. Love is only between a man and a women. Not any other way around. What you two do is disgusting and wrong. It's not natural. And I tried to help ya out..." He shrugged putting up his hands. "But you didn't listen did you? Now look where we are." He said nodding towards Lauren.
I saw Camila's fist turn white and beginning to rise. I reached for her wrist and shook my head. I didn't want our day to be ruined like this.
Nor risk the chances of her getting hurt.
"Listen here. You ignorant asshole." Dinah pointed at him. "Love is love. You don't fucking fall for a person because of their gender. You fall in love with who they are."
Austin cocked his brow and stifled a laugh.
"You think that's funny? How could you possibly reject any form of love?" Normani said shaking her head disapprovingly at him.
"Because...its not love. It's an atrocity.... a sin even." He spit.
Dinah shook her head lightly. "I need Ally to slap you senseless in the face with a bible." She said holding the bridge of her nose. "No where in the bible does it say homosexuality is a sin. You sound dumb."
Austin clenched his fists. "You know what." He said pointing at us. "I need to leave before..." he said thoughtfully with a scowl.
"Before you loose it and kill us all?Mani said.
"Or before I call the cops on your ass and get you arrested." Dinah threatened.
"Exactly...that." He spit before turning on his heel and began to walk away. He stopped in his tracks and turned to look back at me. "And Lauren. It was nice talking to you. See you around." He smirked before turning and leaving.
His words brought back everything. "See you around." Would I be seeing him around? Would he kill me next time? Ugh.
I thought holding my head as the memories began to rush back.
"Lauren? Babe..." I heard Camila say as she wrapped her arms around me. At her touch I began to break down. The tears rolled off my cheeks effortlessly. I had imagined being back there again. With her gone. I was looking blankly at the sunset, crying because of the sudden void that formed inside me. I knew what was coming next.. my beating. But her touch. Our contact. It blurred out the memory because I suddenly felt whole again.
"Shhh. Babe, you safe now. I'm here." She said stroking my hair. "I'm never leaving again, okay?"
I nodded my head and smiled against her shoulder. I got myself together quickly after I noticed the sun beginning to set. We were behind. I lifted my head from her shoulder and gently smiled. She returned it and kissed my forehead.
"Are you okay?" Camila said caressing my cheek.
I nodded.
"Can you say that you're okay? I just need to hear you say it." She almost pleaded.
I bit my lip and shrugged.
"Try." She encouraged.
I opened my mouth, but again no words came out. I gave her a sad look and mouthed, I'm sorry.
She looked disappointed, but none the less she managed to suppress a smile. "It's okay. We just have to..." She thought, "Sing another song." She half joked.
I shook my head and giggled.
"Okay... maybe we can try something else." She said turning to look towards the direction of the Ferris wheel in the far distance.
I cocked my brow in confusion.
"Come on." She smiled, intwining our fingers and leading me towards it.
--
Narrator's POV
The girls managed to make their way back to the Ferris wheel without any further interruptions. Camila helped Lauren in and pulled the lever over them. She gave the conductor a thumbs up and with that he started the ride. Lauren was a little afraid. Not because of the ride, but mostly of him. She felt as if he was watching them, plotting his next move.
Camila noted Lauren's odd behavior and put her hand over hers. Lauren turned to look at her with a weary expression.
"What's wrong Lo?"
Lauren opened her mouth and tried to talk but her voice was not present.
"Is it Austin?" Camila asked her.
She nodded and avoided her eye contact.
"Hey." Camila said caressing her cheek. "You don't have to worry anymore. He's never going to hurt you again. Not as long as I'm alive. I hated leaving you Lauren. And..." Camila said furrowing her brows. "I'm never going to do that again. I don't care if it's the right thing, I'll stay with you wherever you are, no matter what happens. I'll never leave you again." She repeated.
Lauren smiled at her words and waved her hand dismissively. She understood that it was Camila's absence that saved her. It was because of this brown eyed girl, that she was alive today. The reason why they both were. She wished she could tell her. Make her understand that she understood. Even if the memory was fuzzy still, and even if she never really knew why she left, deep down she just knew.... she knew it was the right thing.
It's okay. She mouthed holding up and okay sign with her fingers.
Camila shook her head as tears began to stain her eyes. "What kills me the most Lauren is the fact that I never got to tell you..." Her voice almost cracked at the end. "And I hate myself so much for it." Camila said remembering the memory before the incident.
Lauren had no idea of what she was talking about. The only thing she remembered were the two rings and the incident itself. There was no in between. Lauren squeezed her hand meaningfully over her cheek. Camila's mouth quivered, as she forced back her cries.
Lauren wanted to say something, anything that would calm her down, but she knew she couldn't. However, that still didn't stop her from trying.
"N-" She forced out. "N-n-no m-m-mmm"
Camila listened to her attentively, happy to hear that she got out a word.
"Mmm" Lauren tried then grunted.
"It's okay baby, keep trying." Camila encouraged.
Lauren took a deep breath and tried again, "m-mmmore."
No more what? Camila thought.
"C-cr-crrrrying." Lauren forced out, practically prying it from the depths of her throat. "Y-yyou d-" Lauren paused to take a breath. "d-ddid t-the r-rrright t-th-thhhing."
Camila was about to open her mouth to protest but was stopped by Lauren's lips. The older girl pressed them forcefully over Camila's without a thought. It was almost like second nature. She wasn't sure why she had done it though. But she somehow knew... that it would shut her up.⚡️
A/n: Excuse any mistakes. Sorry again I've been busy with ap work 😭. But I found time today to write this. I love all of you guys, thank you so much for reading. There's only 2 more left until... the big finale. And the revelation of the names of my new fics and the updates for it. 😄 I can't wait for you guys to see them. Thanks again for reading and your support,
hoplessromantic143