Playing the Court (Lauren/You/Camila)

Chapter 44

(Y/n)'s pov

Ally and I sat at lunch eating, while she attempted to start up a conversation. My head was pounding as I chugged another bottle of water to rehydrate from last night.

"So, what did you do last night?" Ally asked as she saw me rub my temples.

"Nothing, you?"

"Nothing." She bluntly responded, but I knew something happened, and I wasn't in the right condition to ask.

"Actually, I kind of made out with Camila." I confessed.

"What?" Her eyebrows raised in shock.

"While I was drunk." I nodded.

She started laughing, "oh. Wow, slow night for you. What happened?"

"Well, we went out as friends, and things just kind of escalated."

"Yeah, sounds like it." She giggled. "You and Camila Cabello, please." She mocked.

"What?" I asked a little angrily. "Is that so strange?"

She laughed and looked at me as if I was crazy, "yeah, it is."

"You know, she's different than people see." I defended. "You of all people should understand that." I referred to her and Demi. I looked away and drank more water.

She sighed, "I've been kissing Demi."

"If I told you not to do that anymore, would you listen?" I asked.

"Would you?"

"Maybe." I answered, but then laughed.

"Probably not." We said at the same time as we laughed.

"So, what about Lauren?" She asked when our laughter died down.

"Yeah, you can kiss her if you want." I joked.

"I'm being serious." She laughed slightly before displaying a serious disposition.

"Look, I-" I started. "I told her how I felt, all right? She doesn't feel the same way."

"Maybe she's just not ready." Ally offered, but I shook my head, dispelling any thoughts that would get my hopes up.

"No. She just wants to be friends." Ally nodded at my words.

"So, are you and Camila Cabello, like, a thing now?" She asked.

"No. We went out. We had fun."

"All right." Ally shook her head. "If that's what you want, I mean, you deserve to be happy."

"Yeah. You too."

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Lauren's pov

I sat on a concrete bench as I sketched in my journal.

"Hi, friend." I heard that familiar voice of my best friend. "Guess who i went out with last night?"

I shrugged my shoulders, not having a clue of who Camz could have gone out with.

"(Y/n)." She spoke excitedly as my heart tugged a little.

"Define 'went out'." I faked enthusiasm. She leaned close as if telling me a secret.

"We met at a bar, shot some pool, and had a few drinks." My eyebrows raised at her description.

"(Y/n) Lovato?" I asked, considering it didn't sound like (Y/n) would participate or even like what they did.

Camila's mouth formed a smile as she bit her lip. "You didn't tell me she was such a good kisser." My fake smile immediately dropped at her words, along with the pencil I was holding. She squeeled and playfully hit my arms. "I gotta go."

I watched as the smaller Cuban walked, more like skipped, away. I was lost in my thoughts as the bell rang, leaving only one question circling my head.

What the hell is wrong with me for me to let her go?

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I sat in the tutoring center next to Ally, hoping to solve my problems.

"Um, Ally, do you think second chances are a lie?"

"It depends on who you're dealing with." She answered seriously.

"Yeah..." I sighed and cleared my throat as I played with my pencil. "How are things going with you and Demi?"

Ally let out a fake laugh before running her fingers through her hair. "Um... not so great. I don't know what she wants us to be. Are we a couple? Are we just... hanging out? Is it for sex? Because if it is-" The small girl cut herself off.

"If it is what?" I asked her.

"That's not enough for me." She sighed out.

"Bad experience?" I asked, but she shook her head as a small smile crept onto her face. "What are you, a virgin?"

"Yeah." Ally said proud. "So what if I am?"

"Good for you." I nodded. "So, what are you gonna do?"

"Try and get some answers, I guess." I nodded and fiddled with the pencil again.

"Um, did (Y/n) tell you what happened between us?" I asked.

She took a second to respond, "Yeah, she just said," she paused, trying to carefully pick and choose her words. "That you weren't ready for a relationship."

"Yeah, did she tell you about Camila?"

"That they went out?"

"Yeah." I confirmed.

"Yeah, are you okay with that?" She asked.

I shook my head slowly, but my words betrayed my thoughts. "She is fair game, plus Camila's really not the dating kind, if you know what I mean."

Ally nodded, but I asked her another question, "is connecting with someone really this complicated, or is it simple and we just make it worse?"

"For me it's complicated." She admitted. "You just make it worse." I raised one eyebrow as we both started laughing to ease the serious conversation and to lighten the mood.

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(Y/n)'s pov

I packed up my uniform and shoes for the game tonight. Keith walked into the doorway carrying something.

"Hey." He got my attention. "I, uh, got you some tape...for the tattoo."

"Thanks." He threw me the tape and i caught it.

"You gotta cover it for the game, right?"

I nodded, "I appreciate it."

"Let me see it." He nodded to the tattoo on my upper right arm. I lifted up the sleeve of my shirt and groaned due to the pain when I bumped it.

"Jesus, (Y/n)." He gasped as he looked at the bleeding, puffy, bruised tattoo. "Where did you get this thing, some back alley in the Philippines? You can get hepatitis, HIV from -" he stopped and sighed. "Does it hurt?"

I nodded, "a little."

"Well, we'll get it checked out before the game." He planned and walked to exit the room.

"Keith, dude, you worry too much."

"I gotta worry once for myself and once for your mother." He explained and left as I stared at the tape in my hands.

A/N hello

It's me

I was wondering after all these years if you'd like to meet