Crossing these Crooked Lines (caminah/ laurmani)

III

"Wow, asshole." Lauren scoffed as she helped pick Ally off the floor. "You okay Al?"

"Yea, I just hope that person is okay. I think they were crying." The little woman glanced at the metal staircase doors as she brushed herself off, and then turned her attention back to Lauren. "I would go after them if we didn't have our own problems to deal with."

Lauren ducked her head sheepishly and stared at the ground. "Was what I said really that bad?"

"Yes." Ally frowned "especially since they weren't true. Lauren we talked about this. You love her. Like a lot. Like a helluva lot-"

"Yea right okay got it, I fucked up." She cut her off quickly, gripping the strap of the guitar that rested on her back. Ally smirked at her and rolled her eyes.

"Yea, lemme just say you suck at being Romeo."

"Ugh, I don't want to be Romeo, they die at the end. Surely you can do better than that."

Ally thought about it for a second.

"Hazel and Gus?"

"Painful. One of them died."

"Gatsby and Daisy?"

"Not a real love story"

"Cleopatra and Mark Antony?"

Lauren shot her a look. "Cleo committed suicide, why the hell are you choosing tragic love stories?"

Ally suppressed a smile and shrugged before continuing.

"Bonnie and Clyde?"

"Criminals"

"Adam and Eve?"

"Kinda betrayed God."

"Ellen and Portia?"

Lauren was about to protest until the names actually sunk in. She did a little squeal and nodded frantically. "God that's perfect. I call dibs on Ellen."

Ally shook her head as she finally stopped in front of the room door. "Nope, Mani's Ellen. You're Portia."

"What why? I can totally be Ellen."

"Eh, Mani's funnier." She smiled at the girls pout. "But at least your face is pretty."

Lauren took a moment to decide whether or not that should offend her. After a second, she settled on taking it as a compliment and was about to tell Ally her decision until the older woman had opened the door, revealing chaos.

"Oh my God what happened?" Lauren asked, immediately sprinting to Dinah's side and helping her sit up. Anger bubbled inside her when she saw the deep gash on the girls swelling lip. "Who the fuck hurt you?"

"Lo it's- it's my fault. I'm sorry." Her eyes widened when Dinah's voice waivered. "I'm sorry for- all those times. Don't hate Mani, I'm sorry I didn't know." Tears came down her face before the girl could stop them, overcome with remorse and guilt. Lauren furrowed her brow and looked at Camila, hoping she would explain what was happening, but the Cuban was too focused on consoling her to notice.

"Camila? Dinah? Where's Mani?" All three of them snapped to Ally's voice, the usual sweet tone switching into an authorities one as she asked the most important question.

Camila glanced at Dinah and swallowed. "Normani was upset... When Lauren left." She started slowly, trying to choose her words carefully.

" I said some stupid things. I provoked her but I didn't mean to." Dinah added, shakily. "She started yelling at me, like she was just saying everything that's been on her mind for awhile and then... she... she stopped."