that's why our ribs are cages ➸ camren

chapter 6 ➸ breaking routine

Another week passed without hearing anything from Lauren. Camila wasn’t sure what she had done to suddenly scare Lauren away. The time that they had spent together seemed to go by smoothly. She couldn’t pinpoint something she’d said or done that could’ve possibly been taken the wrong way. Maybe Lauren just never actually had liked her.

Camila sighed, hugging her arms around her torso to keep warm. It was the dead of winter in New York; Camila’s least favorite time of year. Everything turned gray. The sky, the buildings… even the grass was covered in a fresh coat of snow, which was coated in soot due to the pollution in the city.

She missed color. Camila longed to go back to when she was a child, to when the world was bursting at the seams and everything was new and exciting. She’d grown too comfortable. She’d settled into a routine. Maybe that’s why when Lauren came around and broke her routine, she didn’t want her to leave.

The streets were particularly crowded today. Camila had just finished a photoshoot, and opted to walk home. She’d changed into a hoodie and a pair of long sunglasses to remain anonymous. Dealing with the public was on the bottom of her list of things to do. She just wanted to get home and sleep, but the growing amount of people rushing around her was making it hard to do so.

Someone bumped into her and quickly apologized. Camila just nodded softly.

“I’m in such a rush… this storm’s driving the city mad,” the woman laughed after apologizing. Before Camila could reply, she was gone, disappearing within the crowds of people that surrounded them.

A storm? Camila grew confused. She walked over to a group of people who’d gathered around an electronic store, watching the TV in the front window. Even though no audio could be heard, Camila could read the small print at the bottom of the screen.

‘Could this be the next major blizzard to hit New York City?’

Camila let out an audible groan. She loved snow. But a blizzard wasn’t ideal. A man next to her heard her sound of frustration and chuckled softly.

“Just be lucky you’re not in my part of the city. We still have no power from the storm a few days ago. It’s fixing to be a cold night, if you ask me.”

Camila raised an eyebrow. “Where do you live?” She asked out of general curiosity, trying to keep a polite conversation.

The man pointed north and motioned in a circle. “Almost that entire section of the city is without power.”

Camila bit her lip. Lauren was in that direction. The green eyed girl had already mentioned how cold the shelter was at night. But with no power? They’d freeze themselves to death. Thanking the man and saying a polite goodbye, before turning to leave.

“Hey, do I know you?”

She paused and swallowed hard when the man called after her.

“Aren’t you that singer chick?”

Camila took a deep breath and turned back around, sending him a pleading glance. He didn’t listen, and soon a crowd of people had gathered around her. She tapped her foot impatiently as she was forced to take pictures and sign autographs. After a few minutes of brushing off personal questions, a snowflake caught her attention, and soon the sky was full of the small white flurries.

The crowd soon dispersed, intent on getting home before the snow got too bad. Camila was thankful for the distraction. She pulled her hood back over her head and continued walking, cursing herself for walking home in her heels. Once she reached her building, she went straight to her car and sped off down the street.