The Onstage Phenomenon (The Backstage Pass Sequel)

Chapter 6

Camila's POV

Maybe inviting Addison into the apartment wasn't the greatest of ideas.

For one thing, she was shivering a bit when she stepped foot inside the house, and not because of the crisp fall breeze that came in behind her either. Another is that I think Lauren sent some weird telepathic signal to Koda to tell him not to like Addison. He's been snarling, barking and yapping at the girl's shoes since she satin the chair, and rather viciously might I add. And I could've sworn that I heard Lauren whisper 'good boy' as she was trying to "calm" the canine down, but hopefully that was just me.

Normani and Dinah even had to help chastise Koda when he sporadically jumped into Addison's lap from off of the other couch with us. To say she looked terrified was an understatement. Her eyes has widened as if Koda was Cujo himself after her precious flesh. It was only slightly entertaining until Koda lifted his leg to signal that he might pee on her, and that's when Lauren must have sent another mind message to the loony pup and he stopped the attack on Addison, making a comfy home in Lauren's lap.

"So Addison, this is Lauren, my girlfriend..." I say slowly, cautiously looking between the two young woman. "And Lauren this is Addison, our neighbor...and friend." I finish, the last word making the singer beside me tense slightly.

"Addison...nice to finally meet you formally." Lauren smiles sarcastically, petting a now sleepy Koda in her lap. This only made Addison more uncomfortable, it's as if Lauren was the Godfather at this point.

"It's a pleasure." Addison mumbles, averting her green eyes towards her fingers where she fiddles with her thumbs in her lap.

"So guys," Dinah pipes up after a beat of silence,the deafening quiet making us all uncomfortable. "Aren't you excited for tonight? Wine tasting at Marisol's and then a little dinner in their vineyard? You should come too Addison." She suggests.

And now I wish that she hadn't said anything at all.

 "You're really not helping..." I whisper harshly to her, still managing to keep a comforting smile on for the brunette sitting adjacent to us on the couch.

"You're the one who wants Lauren to see how much of a threat she isn't, just having her sit here sending laser beams through the girl's head is not going to help bud." She almost spits back through gritted teeth. "So let me work my magic and I can have you and Lo kill me later." She pats me on the knee before turning back to a still debating Addison.

"I don't really know if that's a good-"

"Of course it is!" Dinah butts in. "You, Camila and I have been out together several times already, we have fun, why not add these two into it as well?"

At this new information I just barely catch Lauren blinking rapidly before shooting me an eye dagger from her peripheral view. I gave her a quick glance that had an apologetic smile written all over it. I placed my hand on her thigh and gave her a comforting squeeze, only making her roll her eyes and return her attention back to her prey of the moment; Addison.

 Dinah is clearly trying to get me killed. This has to be payback for the time last week where I had Seth totally run into her room and crash her sexy Skype party with Normani. She almost had Normani on the other end of that call naked and just before the panties came off, I purposefully sent Seth to sabotage his older sister. She has to have some type of personal vendetta out for me for that, I just know it.

"Um, if it's okay with you two...?" Addison struggles to get out. The look on her face was actual pretty hopeful that they'd decline the offer, but her somewhat nervous smile dropped altogether when Lauren piped up.