Playing the Court (Lauren/You/Camila)

Chapter 17

Ally's pov

I washed my hands in the sink before exiting the bathroom to find Lauren waiting.

"Sorry." I said as I went to walk away, but what she said stopped me.

"How's the tutoring going?"

"What?"

"You're tutoring Demi, right?" She continued when I couldn't speak. "It's okay. She tells me everything."

"Yeah, um, you know, she said she needed some help." I said.

"Maybe you could teach her to stop being such a jackass." Lauren said.

"I will put that on the lesson plan."

"Just be careful, okay?"

"Yeah, sure." I said and went to walk away again.

"Does (Y/n) know you're helping Demi?" I didn't answer, but I scoffed at her question.  She stepped towards the bathroom before turning towards me again.

"You know, you say a lot when you keep your mouth shut. It's okay. I'll keep mine shut, too." She said before entering the bathroom.  I walked away to find (Y/n).  I walked over to her as she took a picture of Dan and Demi off the table and layed it flat, so that the picture was facing the table.

"What happened?" I asked her.  She turned to face me with her jaw clenched and I knew she was angry.

"Same old shit. She thinks if she keeps hammering me, I'll quit the team."

"What did she do this time?" I sighed as I crossed my arms over my chest.

"Made some feeble comments." She said and took a pause before continuing. "I'm not going to let her get to me."

"Obviously that's working out for you." I laughed. "(Y/n), have y'all ever actually talked?"

"Oh yeah, we trade e-mails, too. You should see some of her snapchats." She said sarcastically.

"I'm just saying you're so hypersensitive around each other and...I get it. I just think that...maybe everything she says you take the wrong way and vice versa."

"There is no misunderstanding what she's saying. Why are you defending her?" She asked as got close to me.

"I'm just- I'm just trying to bring some perspective. I mean, it's a really screwy situation, and I'm sure that having you around isn't any easier for her than it is for you, and I think maybe if y'all could just talk-"

"Tell me I'm not hearing this."

"Then what are you doing here, (Y/n)? Obviously you are looking for something, right?"

"I'm not going to let her win." She said, looking determined.

"Fine, don't let her win. I'm gonna go home." I told her before making my way to the exit.

"Ally!" She tried to get me to go back, but I'm done.

"Nope!" I called back.  I rounded a corner as Demi came out of nowhere.

"Are you leaving?" She asked.

"Demi, we had a deal. You promised you were going to be nice." I glared at her.

"I- I am nice. I invited her to the damn party, didn't I?" Demi tried to defend herself.

"What for? So you can humiliate her in public? God, what did you say, anyway?" I asked.

"Oh, man, is that what- I made a lame joke. Look, the girls and I, sometimes we get kinda raw with each other and I was just trying to include her. She took it the wrong way."

"Maybe you should rethink your approach."

"Well, you're her friend, how do I handle this?" She asked.

"It's easy. Stop being such a...jerk." I said and walked out.

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(Y/n)'s pov

I walked outside in the back once Ally left.  I needed some fresh air, and I figured looking out at the beach would be nice.  I walked out and saw Lauren sitting on the porch swing, but I stood against the porch railing facing the ocean.

"She really slammed you." Lauren said.

"I don't care what she thinks." I replied, not looking at her.

"Neither do I." I turned around at her statement.

"Oh yeah?" I asked as I took in her apparel.  She wore a dark crop top with black ripped jeans.  She looked beautiful, but I noticed a cup in her hands.  "Then why are you drinking?"

She took a gulp from her drink after my question.  I walked in front of her an knelt down.  I was eye level with her lips, which I really wanted to kiss, but I wouldn't take advantage of her like that.

"So, I'm confused. You want to be anonymous, and you let the world watch you on a web cam." I said.

"The world isn't watching me...but I guess you are."

"Okay, the point is that you want to express yourself, but you don't want people to know it's you."

"I guess I'm just a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside a bitch."

"Or maybe just a tortured artist."

"Look, I don't need you defending me or my work. I don't need you analyzing me or interpreting me, either. And in fact, I'm pretty sure I don't need you at all."

"Pretty sure?" I asked as she took another sip.  I heard the T.V. from outside,not paying it any mind, until I heard their names.

"King and queen- Daniel Lovato and Karen Roe. Karen, what's the secret to your success?" I walked inside and saw Demi smirking at me as she leaned against the wall next to the T.V.

"The secret to our success...I don't know. Good question. Dan?" I heard the young version of my mother ask.

"Good sex." The young Dan replied as he and the whole student body laughed.  So, good to know, he was always such a dick.

"Karen, do you think you guys will get married?"

"I'm thinking yes. Come visit us in ten years and I think you could meet the kids and get a tour of our big house and see how happy we are." The young version of my mom said.

"Who's the girl?" Ariana asked.  Lauren was on my right side and Camila was on my left by now.

"That's my mom." I said barely above a whisper.  Lauren and Camila both looked at me, neither of them finding it funny like the rest of the party goers.  They only looked concered for me.

"At least her dreams came true for one of them." Demi smirked again.

"Except for the happy part, right?" I spat.  Tears had filled my eyes, but I refused to let them fall.  I walked towards Demi and slammed her against the wall before leaving.

A/N Can I just, like ughhhhhhhhhhh. I don't even know. I just... I don't know. They frustrate me so much that I just can't even explain.