weak ➸ camren

chapter 4 ➸ this isn't something i'm used to

Camila took three sips of tea before setting it down on the chair next to her. All the girls were staring at her, with the exception of Lauren. She felt like an animal in a zoo.

“Need something?” she snapped. All three girls quickly looked down at their phones and Camila turned back around.

The nurse came into the room moments later, scolding Camila once more for taking out her IV. Camila just remained silent until she was gone, until she felt Lauren’s hand on her shoulder.

“Do you want them gone?” she whispered, leaning down so the other girls couldn’t hear her. Camila shrugged, biting her lip.

“If they wanna keep staring at me like I’m some sort of circus act, yeah,” she mumbled. A few moments later she realized that she’d actually spoken and bit her lip. Lauren just nodded at her and sat back down.

“So are what’re you guys doing now that the tour’s off?” Lauren asked, trying to create some sort of conversation.

“Going home,” Normani and Ally replied at the same time, causing them to laugh.

“Same here,” Dinah added, looking up at Lauren. “You?”

“Same,” Lauren nodded.

“Oh, Laur, bring back some Florida sun for me, okay?” Ally laughed and Camila reached over for the cup on the chair. As long as she continued bouncing her leg up and down while she drank, she’d speed up her metabolism and hopefully keep the calories from causing her any harm.

“I would if I was going to Florida,” Lauren shrugged. All three girls raised an eyebrow at her.

“I thought you said you were going home?”

“I am.”

“So you’re going to Florida…”

Lauren shook her head. “Nope.”

“Well then where are you g—“

“Her house in LA,” Camila snapped, turning around so she was facing the girls. She hated when they took it upon themselves to interrogate her. And now it bothered her when they did the same to Lauren, apparently.

“You don’t have a house in LA….?” Normani spoke up. Camila grew confused.

“I do now,” Lauren said, not looking at Camila.

“Since when?” Ally asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Yesterday.”

All three girls looked at Camila, expecting some sort of explanation. But she was just as confused as they were. She’d just assumed Lauren had a house in LA, and she’d never heard about it, considering she hadn’t talked to her in what felt like forever. But now it seemed like she wasn’t the only one that didn’t know about it.

“Yesterday?” Dinah asked, astonished.

“Wait, you’re telling me you bought a house in LA just so you could take care of Camil—“

Lauren glared at Ally who quickly cupped her hands over her mouth.

Camila was confused. Lauren wouldn’t do something like that.

“That’s ridiculous, Ally,” Camila spoke up, setting her cup down and crinkling her nose when the IV at her arm prevented her from reaching out too far. It was like a leash. An annoying, detrimental leash.

She saw Lauren sigh and slump back in her chair. “Wait, Lauren… did you—?”

“I just felt like buying a house, okay?” Lauren snapped, and Camila quickly shut up. She bit her lip, turning back around and laying down facing the window. She heard Lauren sigh and squeezed her eyes shut.