f.m. ~camren

chapter 8

Camila hesitates about whether or not to open the door. Ariana definitely would have already heard her footsteps, so there's no point in pretending she isn't home. She never considered before what she would do if they encountered each other again, and she always imagined it would be at a label event or somewhere equally as public where they could ignore each other like they had to before while in a secret relationship. Lauren makes no effort to influence Camila's decision, unprepared to meet the famous popstar under such unusual circumstances. A second series of knocks warns Camila that she can only delay the inevitable so long. So she takes a deep breath, reaches for the handle, and faces the music.

"H-Hi Ari," Camila stutters as the other woman invites herself inside and pushes the door closed behind her, allowing her to remove the hood and glasses she was wearing to disguise herself.

She hands Camila the flowers she had been carrying in her arms and remains oblivious to the fact that they're not alone as she attempts to start a conversation.

"I was hoping we could talk," she explains with a pleading expression.

Lauren, who worked passed being starstruck much more quickly than she expected, clears her throat in the background. Ariana's eyes go wide at the realization that she has been exposed to a stranger.

"It didn't occur to me that you might have company," Ariana admits awkwardly.

"Um yeah, this is Lauren...my girlfriend?" Camila introduces, making it sound more like a question than she intended. "And Lauren, this is...well, I suppose you already know."

Lauren leaves the comfort of the couch to shake hands with the celebrity. She doesn't trust the smile on Ariana's face when they withdraw the contact and the attention returns to Camila.

"How long have you been seeing each other?"

It seems like an innocent question, but Camila can see right through it. She's testing whether the two relationships overlapped or trying to get an idea of how quickly she moved on.

"Two weeks," Camila replies honestly.

"Camila is so modest about her job and the people she knows from it. She mentioned meeting you before but I didn't expect to run into you myself like this," Lauren cuts in, attempting to bring herself back into the conversation.

Ariana looks over at Lauren, genuinely curious.

"She never told you about us?"

Camila blinks a few extra times, not trusting that she heard Ariana correctly. Upon observing Lauren's confused expression she realizes it wasn't her imagination. Suddenly, she is angry.

"Ohhh, so NOW it's okay to tell people?" Camila asks bitterly.

Ariana shakes her head.

"I brought you flowers. Lauren looks like an intelligent woman. She probably put two and two together herself," Ariana assumes, looking to Lauren for confirmation.

Lauren nods before beginning to pack up her laptop.

"It sounds like you have a lot to talk about. I think it would be best if I head home," Lauren offers, not wanting to worry about blurring the line between upholding their deal to be a fake couple and allowing Camila the opportunity to salvage her real relationship again if she chooses.

"No, Lauren, please stay," Camila begs while sending her a glare that implies she really means 'don't you dare think about leaving'.

"Yeah Lauren, stay. I wouldn't want you to lose any sleep tonight thinking about Camila preferring my company," Ariana insists, a fake tone of sweetness to her voice.

"Ari, don't start. You don't get to play the role of jealous girlfriend anymore. We broke up," Camila reminds Ariana, irritated that she is so blatantly attempting to make Lauren feel threatened by her.

"I thought you would be ready to admit that was a mistake," she suggests with a pout.

"No Ariana, you coming here tonight was a mistake," Lauren declares, catching them both off guard.

Ariana scoffs and turns toward Camila.

"Are you going to let her talk to me like that?"

"I always knew you were intimidated by people who aren't afraid to speak their minds. That happens to be something I really like about Lauren. At least with her, I don't have to lie all the time," Camila rants, letting the last part roll off her tongue before thinking it through.

Lauren feels a pang of guilt upon hearing Camila's mistake. She finds herself questioning how the two relationships are even different apart from the authenticity of romantic feelings behind one of them compared to the other. However, she cannot get lost too deep into thought before Ariana calls attention back to her.

"I came here tonight to ask you to take our relationship public," Ariana announces, dropping a bomb on her ex-girlfriend, and said ex-girlfriend's current girlfriend.

"What?" Camila and Lauren ask at the same time, not expecting this particular proposal at all.

"You were right, Camila. The distance was a hassle for both of us, but it wasn't as big of an obstacle as the secrecy and all that sneaking around. I really missed you, so I cleared it with my manager. She thinks we can make our love story work."

Camila is livid at this point, pacing the floor enough that Lauren almost gets dizzy letting her gaze follow her moving figure.

"I cannot believe this is happening. The fucking nerve..." Camila mumbles almost inaudibly.

"MiMi, please," Ariana starts, standing in Camila's path so it forces her to halt.

"I hate it when you call me that," Camila warns her for the first time since Ariana started using the nickname, not caring about offending her anymore.

Lauren works up the nerve to interfere, walking up to Camila and putting an arm around her waist both for comfort and to show possession. She can tell it is having the intended effect by the uneasy expression on Ariana's face.

"Camila has had a long day. She doesn't need this right now. I think you should leave," Lauren requests without a hint of hesitance in her voice.

Ariana refuses to make eye contact with Lauren, staring directly at Camila instead, waiting for her to say something, anything to suggest she disagrees. The silence lingers for a while and Ariana becomes uncomfortable watching Lauren's arm remain around Camila, her hand traveling as it strokes up and down Camila's side as well. It has visibly calmed her down, and Ariana is crushed at the realization that Lauren knows how to do this after only being with Camila for two weeks when she couldn't figure it out even after several months.

"You're right, I'm sorry. I'll just go," she decides before retrieving her disguise and putting it back in place. "You can keep the flowers," she adds before turning around and making an exit.

Lauren is surprised when Camila turns around to embrace her in a hug, and it isn't until the slightly younger woman pulls back to whisper a sincere "thank you" that she notices tears have begun falling down her face.