Coffee Shop

Nine

Chapter Nine| Camil
🥀

"I-" I look to Angel and then the packet on the floor. "Angel, I...."

"Are you still using, Camil? It's okay, I'm not mad just please be honest with me." She whispers gently, cupping my face with her hands and I look at her with wide, shocked eyes.

She's not leaving.

She's not shouting at me.

"Don't be mad at me." I whisper, pleading with her. I don't want her to hate me for the stupid decisions I've made in my life. She's the only good thing that's happened to me for ages. "I-I've tried to stop, Angel. I promise, it's just so hard." I reach up and grab hold of her hands.

"You didn't get professional help after your visit to the hospital that time?" She tilts her head and I gulp shaking mine.

"I-I can stop for you." I frown when she shakes her head.

"You need to stop for yourself first, Camil." I pause at her words.

She then stands up from the bed, so I sit on the edge, looking up at her as she begins to stroke my face smiling.

"Why do you use those harmful drugs, baby?" She whispers and my stomach twists. "You have a loving family, you're an amazing person, so why do you feel the need to slowly kill yourself?"

"I-" I bite my lip and look away from her.

"It's okay, you can talk to me."

"I'm so lonely, Angel." I tell her from my seated position, looking up at her.

She strokes my cheek and smiles gently.

"No you're not, I'm here now."

"You're too good for me." I mumble and I hear her tut.

"Don't say things like that." My eyes widen when she takes a seat on my lap and wraps her arms around my shoulders. "Let me help you, okay." I nod my head instantly and bury my head into the crook of her neck.

"Thank you." I whisper and her arms tighten around me. I pull away and look at her eyes and then to her plump lips.

She leans down first and places her soft lips on my own. She pushes me back onto the bed, straddling my lap before leaning back down to kiss me again, interlacing her fingers with mine.

My hand trails up and down her back as she dives her tongue into my mouth. I moan into her mouth and then thread my fingers through her hair.

She pulls away, making me pout and smiles, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Promise me one thing, Camil."

I bite my lip and nod my head.

"If you ever think you need drugs, call me. If you ever feel down just call me." I nod my head at her words. "Promise me, Camil."

"I promise." I whisper.

•••

"Lauren, please." I walk into Angel's coffee shop to see her crouched down in front of a pouting Lauren. "Stop this attitude, I don't have time for it." Angel tells her sternly before getting up.

She turns around jumps when she sees me.

"Cam? I wasn't expecting you." She smiles, walking behind the counter. "What did you need?"

"I just wanted to see you." I shrug and then take a glance at Lauren. "What's wrong with little Lauren?"

"She's annoyed with me because I had to sell the last chocolate cupcake to a customer." She rolls her eyes and I chuckle. "She's driving me insane, Camil." She whispers.

"I can take her back to mine, I don't have anything to do for the rest of the afternoon. You could stay the night. Only if that's okay with you." I offer, giving her a small smile.

"Are you sure? She really is hard work when she's in a mood." Angel whispers.

"We'll be fine. I'll get her a chocolate cupcake on the way back." I say and Lauren is by my side in an instant. She's obviously been ease-dropping on our conversation as she looks up at me with wide eyes.

"Come on then, Mr Camil." She beams, grabbing hold of my hand and Angel begins to laugh.

"Say bye to your mummy first." I tell her and she giggles waving at Angel.

"Bye, mummy." She beams and then reaches her arms up for me to pick her up.

I chuckle, lifting her up and she begins to play with my earring.

"I'll see you later, okay." I tell my girl and she nods her head.

"See you later." She whispers and I turn to walk out with Lauren in my arms.

We get to my car and I place her in the backseat, helping her with her seatbelt before getting into the car myself.

On the way home we stop off at the shop to buy her some chocolate cupcakes and then we make it back to my apartment.

"Wow." Lauren whispers in shock as we walk into my empty home.

"You like?" I smirk and she grins, nodding her head.

She shrugs her coat off, handing it to me and takes her shoes off, placing them neatly by the door.

"May I have a glass of water, Mr Camil?" She whispers, playing with her fingers nervously.

She's so polite.

Just like her mother.

"You can just call me Camil, Lauren and of course you can." She follows me to the kitchen and I pour her a glass of water.

I lift her up onto the kitchen island chair and hand her a glass of water, helping her from time to time when she begins to spill it down her.

"Are you and my mummy boyfriend and girlfriend?" Lauren tilts her head at me and my eyes widen at her question.

"Not yet." I smile and Lauren squeals in excitement.

"Can we watch a film on that big tv?" She points behind her to the large flat screen on the wall.

"Come on then."

•••

Lauren has fallen asleep on my lap. I smile stroking her hair before lifting her up and walking to one of the spare bedrooms.

I place her in the bed, covering her with the duvet before placing pillows on the floor and around her just in case she falls.

A frantic knock on the front door makes me jump and I furrow my eyebrows.

I take one last glance at Lauren and then make my way out and towards the front door.

I open it and I'm shocked when Angel throws her arms around me crying.

"Hey, hey, baby. What's wrong?" I whisper, clutching her head against my chest, closing the door behind us. "Baby." I cup her face and look into her bloodshot eyes.

"He's alive, Camil."

"Who baby?"

"My ex."

A/N
Hope you all had a good Christmas! ❤️