"Remind me again why we have to do this now when we really need to be at the hospital?" Lauren hisses impatiently at Dinah. Annoyingly, Will and the record label want them to appear in a radio interview while they are in Miami to address the scheduling issues of their world tour due to them staying in Miami for almost a week now. And of course, the interview has to be on the exact same day Camila is going to wake up.
It has been approximately two hours since the doctors had administered the drug in Camila's bloodstream and Lauren has been itching to go back to the hospital and be there for Camz when she wakes up. Sure, she is still unconscious for now but what if she wakes up and Lauren isn't there?
"I know," Dinah sighs, and Lauren can tell that the radio station is also the last place the tall blonde wants to be right now. "But you gotta take the chill pill, Lauser. The interview is gon' be livestreamed and we can't have you be all sulky and shit," she adds as they're being ushered to their seats and handed each of them headphones.
The four women greet the radio deejays and settle on their chairs. Lauren tries her best to keep her composure and not glare at Will who is standing behind the glass panel separating the booth from the control room he is in. The interview hasn't started yet but Lauren already wants to get up and rush to the hospital as soon as possible.
"Keep your cool," the green-eyed girl can make out Will mouthing to her as he catches her glance. She resists the urge to roll her eyes at their manager as the camera for streaming purposes is directly at her right side.
The theme tune of the radio segment plays through their headphones and Lauren exhales.
Here we go...
-
So far, the interview is going well. Lauren is in her best behavior and despite their recent distress earlier, there isn't any trace of it on her and the girl's faces. It's ironic how they're artists in the music industry but it feels like their lives are one big tv show that they have to put on an act 24/7 and practically become great actors.
Lauren keeps glancing at the clock. Funny how she hates clocks today. Seconds seem to get longer and longer and she feels like this interview is dragging on and getting boring due to the fact that their manager had already talked to the radio hosts prior to the interview and advised them against mentioning Camila and the recent shooting.
Lauren's phone chimes in her pocket and she gives the radio hosts an apologetic smile for not turning it off. "Sorry," she says meekly and pulls her phone out to put it on silent, but the text message she receives from Sinu stops her from doing anything with it:
"Camila is awake."
Lauren's eyes widen, almost bulging out of their sockets as she gasps, "Holy sh--"
Dinah clears her throat and places a hand on Lauren's thigh, squeezing it lightly as if reminding Lauren that they're still on air.
But Lauren is beyond caring. She shows her phone to her bandmates with a shaky hand, ignoring the curious looks of the interviewers and the glare Will sends them from the sidelines.
"I'm sorry, I just--I need to go," Before the girls--or anybody for that matter--could even react, Lauren springs to her feet and takes off the headphones, a determined look on her face as she excuses herself before bolting out of the booth, running as fast as she can out of this place.
Contract be damned. Epic's management can sue her all they want for not doing her duties right, she doesn't care anymore. They can all suck it.
She needs to be there for Camila right this very moment. And nothing and no one can stop her.
No. Not this time around.
------------
Second chances.
It is something Lauren knows a woman like her--especially living in this fucked up life under the spotlight--rarely gets to have. It's a luxury a celebrity hardly gets; either you're good or your bad, successful or flop. There are no in between, no grey area; yet at the same time, the ugly truth about fame is hidden in a grey area, hiding behind its glamour and away from the knowledge of everyone like a sweet delicious poison starting to gnaw at your insides and waiting to strike fatally and consuming you until it is too late to do anything about it.
Lauren knows she and the girls are on the brink of being consumed by all of this. They have been manipulated enough to the point where the green-eyed girl doesn't know who she is anymore. She stares into the mirror and sees a stranger in front of her; a broken stranger with bags under her eyes. As their fame grows, she feels further and further away from her true self and she resents herself for it.
That's why her world turned upside down the moment she heard that Camila was leaving the group to chase her own dreams and pursue her solo career. Sure, Lauren took jabs at the record label whenever she could to express her resentment towards them but only Camila had the guts to do something about it; to put her foot down like "enough is enough" and break free from all the restraints holding them all back.
Lauren may not show it--and she may have resented Camila for leaving them, but deep down, the green-eyed girl's respect for the brunette increased tenfold, as well as the guilt of letting the music industry ruin what they had before.
But they can't ruin them anymore. Not again.
Fuck the record label. Fuck the music industry. Fuck fame in general. A second chance is presented to Lauren on a silver platter. And she sure as hell aren't going to take that for granted.
She's going to get her girl back.
"Lauren!"
"Lauren, wait up!"
Lauren ignores the indistinct voices calling out her name as she rushes to the parking lot, cussing as she realizes she can't exactly tell their van driver to take her to the hospital seeing as she just walked out of the building like a maniac when they're supposed to be in an interview still.
"Lauren!"
"Ugh, fuck!" Lauren groans and cusses out loud, raking her fingers through her hair in frustration. She really needs to get to Camila. And fast.
Something catches Lauren's eye and a small smile spreads across her lips. This is perfect.
She rushes towards a sports bicycle leaning up against a wall, thanking the heavens as she sees there's no chain to secure it from thieves. Lauren's no cyclist but she knows how to ride a bike. And right now, she's desperate enough to steal one.
The things she'd do for love, man.
Mumbling a small apology to nobody in particular, she swings her legs across the bike and starts pedaling as soon as she's seated. "Crap!" She cusses as she almost fell down at first try.
It's been a long time since she's ridden a bike, okay? Don't judge.
Lauren ignores the incessant buzzing of her phone in her pocket. By now, she knows that the world has already been made aware of Camila's recovery, and that Will already has put two and two together as to why Lauren left in the middle of the interview and that he must be fuming right now. Lauren likes their manager because he's a cool dude, but she doesn't want to hear anything he has to say right now. The last thing she needs right now is a good ole scolding from him.
"Yes!" Lauren grins as the bike soon steadies. She starts pedaling like crazy towards the exit of the parking lot and ignores the screeching of tires behind her. Her hands are shaking because of the intense emotions overwhelming her senses and she knows she has to control herself otherwise she might get into an accident herself.
She starts to try steady her breathing and soon, she begins to ride her way into the streets of Miami with ease, her pale skin now sunkissed under the sweltering Florida heat. Adrenaline pumps in her veins, and her heart is hammering inside her ribcage as she passes cars one by one, leaving a hot trail behind her as she slowly gains speed. She knows riding in a bike like this is risky, as people can see her and can easily recognize her but she doesn't care. They can take their fucking pictures all they want but nothing is going to stop her from going to the damn hospital.
But maybe she spoke too soon..
A car drives past her and blocks her way, causing Lauren's bike to skid and swerve to the side. She grips the handle hard and turns her body to the other side, preventing her from falling. Her body almost slams into the side of the car and her can hear her heart pounding as she realizes she did almost get into an accident.
She breathes heavily, panting and trying to slow her heart rate. She almost fucking died because of that!
She is about to pedal away once more when the driver's side window rolls down, revealing a very pale and very guilty Ally Brooks.
"Ally?" Lauren asks incredulously, realizing that the person who almost ran her over is one of her friends. "What the hell?!" She bursts out. Ally could've gotten her hurt, or worse, killed!
"Oh my god I'm really so so sorry, Lauren. Are you alright?" Ally rambles, worry and guilt etched in her features as she looks over at Lauren. The green-eyed girl sighs and waves her off. She's is unhurt, so she really doesn't have time for this. "I'm fine. I need to go."
Normani peeks into the window from the passenger side where she is sitting, "Will is furious, Laur--"
"No, Mani," Lauren interrupts, shaking her head firmly. "I'm going to the hospital and none of you can stop me," she says and grips the handle of the bike again, ready to bolt at anytime should they try anything to stop her.
The backseat window rolls down and out comes Dinah Jane's head, her thick mane of hair sticking out the window. "Who says we will?"
Lauren furrows her brows in surprise and looks at the three of them. "You won't?"
Normani shakes her head in response, "Will still doesn't know that Camila is now awake." Oh. Well shit. "But they just went out looking for you."
Great. Expect a lawsuit soon, Lauren says to herself.
"Luckily, we have Vin-fucking-Diesel amongst us," Dinah chuckles amusedly and pats Ally's shoulder. "Ally will try and lose them. Meanwhile, you go there and yo girl, Lauser," the Polynesian adds, a smirk on her face. She may be teasing her, but Lauren knows Dinah is happy for her.
"I will."
"That's my girl," Dinah's smirk turns into a smile, along with Ally's and Normani's. The support they're giving Lauren makes the green-eyed girl tear up, and she has to swallow down the lump in her throat as her chest tightens with gratitude for these three girls who have become such a huge part of her life over the years.
"Don't go all soft on us now, Laur," Ally says, although she's fighting her tears off herself. "Go."
Lauren exhales and nods, sending them one last smile before pedaling around the car to get to the main road. A wave of newfound determination rushes through her, thanks to her friends, and she starts to pedal faster. She hears the screeching of the tires behind her and she looks back briefly enough to see the car turn around and drive the other way. Lauren smiles. Who knew the charming Allysus can drive like she's in a fucking Fast and the Furious movie?
Lauren drives the bike along the Miami traffic with ease. She almost beat two red lights had she not been skilled enough to make certain turns and find certain shortcuts. She knows the ins and outs of Miami as it had been her home her whole life. She knew her knowledge of the streets of Miami from all the sneaking out she'd been doing during her teenage years would come in handy one day
Soon enough, the bike's tires screeched across the pavement as Lauren stops at the hospital's parking lot. She is out of breath as she stumbles her way into the building. She knows she's really getting out of shape lately no matter how much workout she does, and now thick layers of sweat cling onto her skin and making her feel sticky and gross. She must look a fright as well, with her hair sticking up all over the place and her makeup probably running down her face. But no time to check her appearance right now, she needs to be with Camila as soon as possible. She doesn't know why, but Lauren wants to see those beautiful brown eyes immediately, to have them stare into her green ones again and to see Camila's beautiful face. Lauren had been terrified to lose her these past few days and she'd be damned if she wastes another minute without her in her life again.
The hallways leading to Camila's hospital room seem crowded as Lauren rounds up the corner, and she sees some familiar faces along with ones she doesn't know and Lauren gives them a timid smile as they train their gaze up towards her. Now more than ever, the green-eyed Latina feels self-conscious and a little bit insecure about her disheveled appearance. But she can't turn back around now and chicken out.
Lauren walks past them and tentatively walks into the room, only to stop in her tracks as she sees a weak yet smiling Camila, her pale skin holding a little glow now that she's alive and on her road to recovery..
Only, standing next to Camila's bed holding her hand, is her special friend, Matthew.
AN: Alright, this was a bit long but oh well.. :D
Don't forget to vote and comment! Peace ✌🏼️ --Marlou