that's why our ribs are cages ➸ camren

chapter 9 ➸ unanswered questions

Lauren hadn't been able to fall asleep. There were too many unanswered questions in her head. Just as she sat up to grab her phone, she heard a door slam from across the hall. Confused, but curious, she peered her head out of her room.

"Camila?" she said softly, crossing the hallway and knocking on the younger girl's door. There was no answer and Lauren furrowed her eyebrows.

"Camila, I'm coming in unless you say something," she wrapped her fingers around the doorknob, and when there was no response, she slowly cracked the door open. She quietly slipped into the room.

The smaller girl was curled up under her covers, trying to ignore Lauren's presence in the room. She cursed herself for slamming the door. There was a dip in the side of her bed and she felt a hand on her back. Her heart sped up and she bit down on her bottom lip.

"What's wrong?" Lauren asked, slowly peeling the covers off of the smaller girl. Camila lifted her head, studying the green eyed girl intently.

"Like you don't know," she mumbled, rolling onto her back and staring up at the ceiling.

Lauren grew even more confused, and she sat cross legged on the bed next to Camila. "I don't know, Camila," she said. Memories from that morning came back to her. Memories of the cuts that had appeared on her legs. Lauren knew there was more to Camila than met the eye. She just didn't know how to bring the topic up without sounding like a crazed stalker.

Camila sighed and sat up, shaking her head. "It's stupid," she ran a hand through her hair and studied Lauren's face.

"It's not stupid if it matters to you," Lauren shrugged. "You can tell me, I don't judge."

Camila furrowed her eyebrows, surprised by the older girl's response. She sighed. "I saw what you did while I was gone."

Lauren raised an eyebrow. "You did? I-I didn't... I just, Austin called me mystery girl and then Chris... and I—,"

"It's fine," Camila sighed, dismissing Lauren's concerns. "It's out there for anyone to see, I don't blame you."

"If it bothers you I won't do it again," Lauren nodded once. "I just... I was curious."

"You can always ask me if you want to know something," Camila bit her lip and scooted back on the bed, motioning for Lauren to sit next to her. "I'm basically an open book. You sortof have to be in Hollywood."

Lauren pursed her lips in thought for a moment, knowing she had a few questions of her own. "Can I... There's something that's been bothering me, and it's going to sound crazy, but can you hear me out?"

Camila nodded slowly and Lauren slid off the bed. The younger girl grew confused when Lauren grabbed the waistband of her pants and tugged them down. Camila's jaw dropped when she saw the cuts on Lauren's thighs.

"W-what?" Camila asked, growing increasingly confused.

"These are yours, aren't they?" Lauren asked, motioning to the cuts. Camila tilted her head to the side, biting her lip.

"They're on your body, aren't they?"

Lauren shook her head. "No, you don't get it, you did these this morning," she said, motioning to the cuts. She pulled her sweatpants back up and crawled onto the bed, slipping off her socks to reveal her bruised ankle. "And you did this when you fell the other night, remember?"

Camila bit her lip, reaching out and running her fingers over the dark bruises that circled Lauren's ankle. "I don't..." she shook her head. "This is weird."

Lauren sighed. "Check your shoulder," she motioned to Camila's shirt. "I ran into the doorway of the bathroom this morning, and I swore it would've left a bruise."