reasons to go, reasons to stay ➸ camren

chapter thirteen ➸ keeping karla a secret

"I need to tell you something," Lauren said shyly. Her and Camila now lay on the bed in Camila's room, watching TV in comfortable silence.

"Hm?" Camila hummed, turning her attention away from the television.

"You know how I got kicked out?"

Camila nodded.

"I told my parents I was bisexual."

Camila bit her lip. "That's why they kicked you out?"

Lauren nodded softly, studying Camila's face. Camila saw that Lauren was trying to gauge her reaction and laughed softly. "You seem scared of what I think."

"I am," Lauren answered truthfully.

"We literally just kissed an hour ago and you're afraid I'm going to judge you for liking girls?" Camila raised an eyebrow playfully, and Lauren's mouth formed an 'O' shape.

"If anything I'm glad," Camila shrugged, but quickly corrected herself. "Not that you got kicked out, I'm not glad about that, but that you like girls... cause', well, I'm a girl."

Lauren giggled and shook her head. "I don't care that I got kicked out."

Camila tilted her head to the side. "You don't?"

"If I didn't get kicked out I wouldn't be in this room, with the girl I love, talking about how I got kicked out."

"You're a dork," Camila giggled.

"You're crazy."

"I know."

There was a buzz from the nightstand and Camila turned to grab her phone, sighing when she read the message.

"Hazel just texted me. Rowan fell asleep at Wyatt's house and I need to go pick her up," Camila said, rolling over so she could face Lauren, who had her eyes focused on the television.

Lauren pulled Camila closer to her and whined.

"I have to go get her, Laur," Camila giggled, prying herself out of Lauren's grip, much to the girl's disappointment. "I'll be back as soon as I can, promise," she blushed, kissing Lauren on the cheek. "We can all go out to dinner after?"

Lauren hummed in response, waiting until she heard the front door shut to roll out of bed, lazily making her way into the bathroom after grabbing a change of clothes from her suitcase. Before she had a chance to change, she felt her phone buzz in her pocket.

Incoming Facetime Call - Keith

She sighed, knowing she'd have to face him at one time or another. Positioning her phone down on the counter, she plastered a fake smile on her face and answered the call. His face appeared on the screen moments later.

"Hey," she said softly, grabbing Camila's makeup bag from underneath the counter to borrow for tonight.

"All I get is a hey?" his voice rasped from the other line, and Lauren walked out of view of the camera to roll her eyes and grab a hair tie.

"I don't know what you expect," she mumbled, pulling her hair up and leaning in closer to the mirror so she could proceed to do her makeup.

"You could take off your shirt."

Lauren snorted. "Nice try."

"I'm serious," he huffed from the other line.

--

"I am not taking off my shirt, Keith."

Camila bit her lip, hearing Lauren's voice echo through the apartment as she quietly closed the door behind her. She was thankful Rowan was still asleep, and carried her small daughter over to the couch, tucking her in under a blanket.