ashes to ashes ➵ camren

12. hide and seek

Listen while you read -- 'Hide and Seek' by Imogen Heap

Lauren's never been good in high pressure situations. She can't think fast enough, and she usually ends up causing things to take a turn for the worse. So now, as she stands frozen in the kitchen, she can't help but be relieved when Camila steps in to take charge.

"Can you... give us a moment?" Camila asks, not even waiting for a response before she grabs Lauren by the wrist and tugs them both into the hallway. The green eyed girl simply looks at her in confusion.

"What are we supposed to do?" Camila whisper-yells, throwing her hands down at her sides. She hadn't planned for this situation. And to be honest, she'd forgotten about the real Ariana after being so caught up with Lauren.

This time, she sees the change in the girl across from her. Lauren's face drops slightly — only for a few moments before she adopts a colder expression. Her eyes darken somewhat, and suddenly she's making a move to brush past Camila towards the bedroom.

"If I head out tonight, I can make it to—," Lauren begins, but she's cut off almost immediately by Camila, who practically pins Lauren against the wall with both hands and shakes her head. The green eyed girl inhales sharply at the sudden closeness between them.

"You are not leaving," Camila grits her teeth, struggling to keep her voice down. She doesn't even realize how drastically she's reacting. The only thing she knows is that Lauren's the only thing that's made her feel something in a long time, and she's not about to let that walk out of her life. Not without a fight, she isn't.

It takes Lauren a few seconds to bounce back from the initial shock. But once she does, she's gently placing her hands on Camila's shoulders and moving the girl a step backwards.

"This was our agreement, Camila," her voice doesn't waver, and her face remains expressionless. Camila is beginning to wonder if Lauren even cares. The green eyed girl is acting as if she could leave in that very moment and not feel any regret. It worries her.

"You said it yourself," Lauren continues. "I could stay until the real Ariana got here, and then I would leave. That's been the plan all along."

"Yeah, well things change," Camila snaps back, and Lauren's beginning to wonder why her friend is becoming so mad at her.

"Camila, I—,"

"No, Lauren," Camila cuts her off, taking a step forwards and pointing to the girl daringly. "The only way you're leaving this place is if I go with you. You have no idea what's out there, Lauren."

Camila calms down slightly when she sees a look of defeat cross the older girl's face. It's not the end of their problems, though. In fact, it's far from it.

"Well then what are we supposed to do?" Lauren whispers, shaking her head and running a hand through her tousled hair. "How are we supposed to explain this?"

Camila pauses, glances back in the kitchen, and then shakes her head. "Like this."

Before Lauren can react, Camila's already storming back into the room and moving in front of Ariana to split up the conversation she'd been having with her father. No one else gets a chance to speak, because Camila beats them to it.

"This is my fault," Camila blurts out, taking both Lauren and Ariana by surprise. They exchange glances, and Lauren gives Ariana a sympathetic look, knowing the girl has to be incredibly confused.

"I'm the one that brought Lauren here in the first place," Camila turns to her father, motioning to the green eyed girl across the room. "This was my idea. It's not her fault, please don't hurt her or send her anywhere because I couldn't live with—,"