behind the lights | camren

Chapter Three

"Chin up, Lauren," Clarissa warned for the hundredth time that night, practically seething as Lauren lifted her chin up, still sending texts to some of the celebrity acquaintances she hoped to run into at the gala.

Lauren had been in hair and makeup for twenty minutes now, and Clarissa had only put on her foundation. Of course, Lauren hadn't heard a peep from neither Camila or Normani, and she tried to strain her mind away from it as much as possible, because the only thing she allowed herself to think about was what Ally said a few days prior. Every time Lauren recalled Ally's proposition, she laughed to herself, and Clarissa made her usual frustrated face, but Lauren didn't care. What Ally suggested was pretty hilarious, and Lauren couldn't believe Ally would ever come up with the idea that Lauren liked Camila in her wildest dreams. But in the back of Lauren's mind, she caught herself asking what if?

What if she had come to admire Camila's high pitched giggle or her goofy attitude about the most serious things, or the way she blushed on set when Lauren said something mildly flirtatious? Of course, it was all acting, and Camila was a damn good actor for being able to flush red on command, but Lauren was left to linger on the what if.

"Sorry I'm late!" A sweet voice called out, "My dress had to get tailored," Camila said, and Lauren watched her stumble into the room, a backpack slung around her shoulder, masking the long sleeve, lace embroidered white dress that fit tightly around Camila's small curves.

Lauren bit the inside of her cheek, partly because Clarissa had moved on to adding blush to cheekbones, and also because she was afraid she might scream because that dress looked so good on Camila.

"Have a seat, you're next after I finish torturing Lauren," Clarissa commented, reaching for the eyeshadow palette.

Camila nodded, taking her cell phone out of her small backpack. Lauren was eternally glad, because she wanted nothing to do with Camila until it was deemed necessary. It seemed a bit harsh, but what Ally had mentioned really struck Lauren at her core, and she wasn't sure she could handle Camila with that dwelling over her.

After Clarissa put the finishing touches on Lauren's now flawless face, she moved onto Camila, ordering Lauren to style her own hair. Lauren didn't think much of it, because for almost every event she went to, she ended up straightening her hair to perfection all by herself.

An hour later, there was a sharp rap on the door, and Ally let herself in. "It's almost show time, girls, I hope you're ready," Ally said, clutching a small black clipboard tightly to her chest.

"Lauren's ready, but I have a few more curls to do with Camila," Clarissa commented, untangling the iron from Camila's sleek hair.

Ally rolled her eyes, "If it's not done within the next thirty seconds, I'll fire you."

Clarissa's eyes widened, "Yes, ma'am," She replied, swiftly putting the last few pieces of already wavy hair into the rod of the iron, letting the sharp curls spring loose. Clarissa finished at the twenty seven second mark, ordering Camila to get up with a pat on the back.

"Show time, ladies, the red carpet is ready for you," Normani said, piling up behind Ally at the door.

Ally and Normani ushered the girls through the back entrance, almost shoving them out into the garden like exterior of the building. Like clockwork, paparazzi and reporters turned to the girls, and while Lauren immediately put on her best diva face, Camila resembled a deer in headlights. Lauren grabbed her hand in a spur of the moment decision, and leaned suggestively close to her ear and whispered, "Stop looking so fucking scared and act like I just said something really sexual to you."