A Light in the Dark

Chapter 45

"Camz? You know how much you mean to me, but... please... for the love of God..." Lauren pinched the bridge of her nose. "Please  put your homework away when you're done."

Camila bit her lip and looked to the couch that was buried under stacks and stacks of paper. Right... she knew she had forgotten something... "Sorry? I guess I forgot..."

"Dude, that's the fourth time this week," Lauren told her exasperated. "How can you forget things like that? Just... put it away right after you're finished!"

"I got distracted..." Camila trailed off, not knowing what else to say. Did Lauren have a bad day or had it just been one time too many? Sure, it had been only a matter of time since they clashed, but... over a little mess like this?

Camila glanced to the couch and furrowed her brows. What was the big deal anyway? It were just some papers and folders and books...

When she heard a heavy sigh, Camila turned her attention back to the green-eyed girl. Lauren looked exhausted as she ran her fingers through her hair and Camila started to feel bad. They had barely seen each other since Lauren came back from her meeting with Normani yesterday.

"I'm sorry, I'll pick it up," she promised.

"You better," Lauren muttered darkly and Camila raised her eyebrows. "It's not that difficult to keep a room clean."

"I already said that I got distracted... I would have picked it up eventually."

"But you always get distracted," Lauren sighed. "Can't you just..."

Camila folded her arms across her chest and looked down to the floor. She was so confused. Since Lauren came back from Normani's, she was acting differently. Lauren was a little bit more distant and definitely more on edge. Which was weird because she thought that everything was fine between them and that they would become closer... but instead Lauren chose to spend an entire day away from her. Was it just the stress or was there something else going on?

It was silent for a moment and Camila shuffled with her feet as she stared at her fuzzy socks. Should she apologize again?

"Lauren..." She hesitantly looked up and noticed once more how tired the girl in front of her looked. "Are you okay? You've been... so busy lately that we barely get to talk and... well, yesterday evening you seemed so... out of it..."

Lauren frowned and Camila noticed the slight twitch of her fingers as if she wanted to raise her hand... maybe to rub her neck? Lauren always did this when she was nervous or anxious. Camila narrowed her eyes at Lauren who stared right back, her face completely blank. "My classes are a little stressful at the moment. I already told you."

"It's more than that," she quickly shot back and Lauren crossed her arms as well. "You've been like this since you talked to Mani yesterday..." Suddenly her throat tightened and she swallowed dryly as a horrible thought came to her mind. "A-are you second-guessing? Is that why you... oh my God..."

Camila brought her hand up to her forehead as a wave of dizziness swept over her. This was surely just a coincidence, right? Everything seemed fine when Lauren had left! Lauren had called her babe... she thought that... that they were fine... they had been fine, hadn't they? Lauren seemed so happy... had Normani said anything?

"I called Luis," Lauren suddenly blurted out and Camila took a step back, feeling as if someone had just slapped her. Surely Lauren hadn't said what she thought she had.

"I'm sorry, what?"

But Lauren reached up and rubbed her neck, tearing her eyes away from her. "I called Luis yesterday. After I left Mani's apartment, I... I called him."