Do You Trust Me?

Chapter Thirty-Three

NOT PROOFREAD

Camila

There's nothing that can be done about the past.

"I'll be there soon," Lauren sighed tiredly through the video call as Roger drove us through New York's streets, "I'm sorry I couldn't be there waiting for you."

I smiled feeling my love swell for her, "It's okay. You had to do your work-congrats on being nominated by the way."

Roger pumped his free hand up while whooping, "So proud of you!"

"It's literally just the MTV Movie Awards guys."

I blinked at her dumbfounded, "Babe you got nominated for best breakthrough performance!" I tried to get Lauren to be excited because this was how an acting career blossoms before it completely takes off.

"And kiss. And best song," Roger added with a proud nod as I tried to not think about the first one.

The industry has come to realize that Catalina and Lauren are a packaged deal that worked abundantly well together. The movie was still number one on HBO, fans went nuts with the sequel confirmation, and then when Lauren's song came out that really sealed the deal. It had this big release in Times Square and Lauren performed it on a late show. If We Never Met shot up the charts while the music video is still number one on trending. All pop culture outlets blew up about Laurlina. How there's no way those two couldn't have been together after pulling off such great acting. How there's no way they haven't hooked up. That Catalina definitely dumped Dawn for Lauren. Then apparently some gossip blog leaked how Catalina and Lauren are being looked at for possibly getting casted in a whole variety of movies. Romcoms. Superhero. Drama. Horror. Thriller. Action. Just about everything.

"Congrats on your good readers choice award," Lauren said as she was sat down on a set chair having her makeup and hair looked over. She had to do some song association game for a video, all part of the song press. Then after that she was suppose to appear on a fun fact segment with Musics Choice. Through the makeup I could see she was exhausted, but she kept up her performative smile for everyone around her.

"Congrats, Mila," Katie waved from the side view of the camera and I laughed lightly seeing her blue eyes peeking over.

"Thank you," I nodded pulling off the black nylon mask from my ears. I wanted to rip off this damn silver wig, but it cost too much to just throw off.

With the movie booming my books was also swooped up into the public eye. It'd done well before, but now with a new movie based cover featuring Lauren and Catalina and sticker saying 'now on HBOMax!' it hit a whole new wave with their fandoms. The page for my series on Instagram was getting nonstop mentions and tags in fan edits and fan arts. Hitting a million followers in less than a few months. It also got me in the eyes of some literary accolades. I'd won best Young Adult Novel with Good Readers Choice. Once again up with a bunch of others for New York Times number one best seller. Roger suggested I do a book signing while everything is still hyped up at the same Strand bookstore Lauren took me to. Sitting there as I spoke to fans and signed books with whatever message people wanted all I could think about was Lauren.

I'd see her face every second with every new book placed in front of me. Looking over her smoldering expression that was directed towards her co-star. The inside of the sleeve just held more pictures of them being intimate together. Along with a still from their very insinuated sex scene together.

Right now I was heading to Lauren's New York townhouse in Greenwich. We'd talk about being in New York together since Roger mentioned the signing. I'd be staying a week while Lauren would be doing more press here throughout those days. She'd asked if I would like to tag along, but I knew I wouldn't be able to handle the fast pace her career entails. I tried to put up a front that I would be more than happy to go support her, but Lauren saw right through me. Waving away her offer she just asked me if she could text or call me when she found time to breathe.  She was obviously disappointed by it, so I had to make it up to her by really turning up the notch with our one week of living together set up. Full out domestic living is what I'll be striving for.