The Girl Nextdoor

Chapter 46

Camila's POV

Lauren furrowed her brows in confusion as her pain struck face stabbed me in the heart. She looked at me as if she didn't know me. As if I had destroyed the little bit of trust that she had managed to build with me. She no longer stared at me with the same tenderness that I was used too, she stared at me blankly, almost as if I was merely just a stranger now. And in all honestly, I didn't blame her.

Her sad eyes penetrated through mine as we stared at each other for what seemed like hours in only minutes. She was searching for a reasonable explanation. A simple explanation that she could cope with, but she couldn't find one. There was nothing simple about this, nothing self explanatory. I had taken something that appeared to be very dear to her. And I tried to talk, whisper, mutter...anything. But all there was, was silence. My voice was no longer in tact and my mouth had became dry, unable to pronounce the simplest syllable. I wanted to explain everything. Tell her that it had all just been one big misunderstanding, but I would only be lying if I did. And I wasn't that person anymore. I wasn't going to lie to her or sugar coat the truth, I wanted to tell her. But I just could't find the words too.

Lauren looked back down at the photo and connected the pieces. She stared at it for a few seconds. Deeply analyzing it as if she was making sure that I had not tainted it. It seemed as if it concerned her. The photo I mean. Her eyes searched for any impurities as her hands carefully handled the pieces. When she finished doing so, her hurt gaze meet mine. And in that moment, all I wanted to do was hug her. She looked like the same lost girl I found earlier. She was hurting again. And it was all because of me.

A wave of ambivalence struck her. I couldn't tell if she was more miserable or angry. One second, she looked furious but the other, I could almost swear that there were tears threatening to roll down her quivering lips. It was a mix of emotions splattered on her face. I couldn't tell what she was feeling but if looks could kill, I'd already be dead.

"Why..." Her voice finally trembled, "Why do you have this?" She asked holding up the photo.

"Lo I-" I tried to explain before she interrupted me.

"Why did you take this?" She asked with the most hurt expression I've ever seen a human wear.

"Look..." I said turning my body to completely face her, "it's not what you think. Just let me explain."

"What is there to explain? You took this from me. Why would you do that?"

"I didn't mean to take it Lauren. I wasn't even thinking when I slipped it into my pocket. I just..." I said trying to formulate my words. "It was the only clue I had, okay."

"Clue? For what?"

"To this whole story." I simply replied. "To find out why you left. Where you were and why Cara had so much power over you. I just didn't get it and this was all I had to help me piece everything together."

Lauren shook her head lightly, trying to wrap head around my explanation.

"I'm sorry." I quickly apologized. " I shouldn't of have taken it without your permission, that was wrong of me." I admitted.

Lauren averted my gaze and ran her hand through her hair. She then looked down at the photo. Her eyes deeply fixated on the photograph. She wasn't just looking at the photograph though. She was seeing something else. But what?

She stared at it until her eyes began to fill with tears. She didn't say anything as drops of salt ran down her cheeks. The droplets sliding over her full lips and onto the photograph in her hands.

"Lauren..." I said placing my hand on her knee, "Please say something."

She shook her head and threw the photo aside before she head onto her head.