Going Nowhere ➳ C.C/L.J

eighteen

YOUR POV

I hadn't got back into the room for long when I heard a loud banging on the door. I looked through the peep hole to see Lauren glaring at the door with her hands on her hips.

I didn't hesitate to open it.

I left them with no word. I knew I should explain.

I grabbed the handle and pulled down on it to open it.

Lauren pushed through and backed me against the wall with a slap to my face.

I couldn't defend myself. My arms wouldn't shoot up like I wanted them to. They were stuck at my sides.

"How dare you leave us!" Is all she said before grabbing my arm and pulling me to throw me on the bed angrily.

It was all happining so quickly. Yet the memories of the past were piling up.

The glare in her eyes was bringing the worst thoughts back to me.

"Lauren, please. I can explain." I told her softly.

"You can explain leaving us while we're out with our families? Do you know how selfish you sound right now?!" She growled balling her hands up into fists.

"I'm trying to protect all of
you. My fa-"

"We're protecting you. We're trying to keep you safe while making sure you go to rehab for this retarded shit you got yourself into. You're almost dumber than Camila."

"Why do you gotta do that?" I asked sadly, "Why do you always have to put us down? We love you but you're so mean."

Smack. Another hit on the face. This time it throbbed.

"Never ever undermine me again. I say what I mean. I do what I can for both of you, but I never get anything out of it." She retorted.

"Love should be enough, Lo. And if you don't like it, why don't you just break up with us?!"

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Lauren glared at the door to stomp over and open it, "Get in." She snarled.

Camila walked in with her head held down but when he saw the red marks on my face, her eyes widened.

"Lauren, please tell me you didn't hit her."

"Sit down. I can't think with you whining, Mila." Lauren was absolutely berserk. She had reached her breaking point.

Camila sat beside me and wrapped me in her arms. Her warmth was the only safety I had at this point.

"Jeez, Camila. Stop babying her."

Camila yelled back, "You do realize she can't defend herself even if she wanted to. You hurt a handicapped person, Laur. How low can you get?"

"Wow, that means I have two handicapped girlfriends. One physically. And one mentally." She rasped.

Camila broke. She didn't say it but you could tell she was utterly hurt.

Lauren noticed it too, "Camz, I'm-Im sorry. I didn't mean it."

"Lauren, you're taking us home. Then you're sleeping on your own for the rest of this week and then forever." Camila softly spoke. "We can't go on like this. We've both warned you. It's either we break up or we're leaving from this place together completely. I'd be fine with a solo career and one girlfriend."

"Cammie." Lauren sadly said trying to fix her mistakes.

Camila ignored her and helped me up, "Come on, babe. Let's go get a cab. You can explain this to me while we go home."

"Girls please." Lauren begged in the back as we exited the room.

--

We were outside waiting for the uber car that Camila sent for.

An escalade swerved up to us and the window went down. It was Lauren.

"Camila, Y/N. Please just come with me." Lauren asked with a broken voice. Her eyes were red and puffy.

"Go home, Lauren." Camila huffed turning her attention to me.

"Not without you two."

Camila was so upset but she kept it under wraps, "We'll be home soon. Leave."

Lauren sighed out knowing that Camila wouldn't change her mind any time soon.

The uber car drove up and the escalade sped away.

She helped me in on one side before running to the other to get in.

"You two ready?" The driver said with a thick Bay Area accent. Definitely thicker than Dinah's.

"Yes sir." Camila said softly.

Her hand was placed on my knee while the car was in motion.

We were swept over with silence until Camila spoke up, "Can you tell me why you left us? We came home and I saw you weren't there and I started getting really scared. I just wanna know."

"I don't know about this, Mila."

"Please." She was close to tears and I didn't feel like making her cry any more than I have within the past month or so.

"I was trying to protect you guys. I found out some stuff that I really shouldn't know about. It just scared me so much that I just needed to leave."

"Tell me what you found out. Was it about Lauren?"

I shook my head, "No, but I can't tell you just because ignorance is bliss. Just please trust me on this."

Camila grabbed my hand and leaned her head on my shoulder, "Fine. But when you're ready, I'll be here."

The ride was a little quiet until she tried to speak up, "I'm sorry I let Lauren do that. Her anger has got worse since the last tour we were on." I just stayed quiet. Listening to the car as it drove on the highway. "You know she's gonna do whatever it takes to get us back, right?"

I nodded, "I expected as much. But don't crumble. She's gotta learn her lesson."

"You're right." Mila rasped, not moving her body away from mine.

"Camila, I'm gonna ask you something and you have to be one hundred percent honest with me."

"Go ahead, goon."

I cleared my throat trying to stay positive about this, "Did she hurt you when I was in the hospital?"

Camila's eyes brimmed and her head hung low, "Y-yeah. But it was only once. You weren't awake then. She was upset because her parents were telling her that if she didn't leave LA to see her brother on his birthday, she wouldn't be allowed over at the next holiday gathering. She tried to explain that you were in the hospital but they didn't care and told her to stay away until they came to us. It really wasn't her fault. They caused it."

I leaned in deeper next to her, "Never ever make excuses for this again. She needs help and until she gets it, we won't be with her."