Broken, Honest, Beautiful

Connections

"Let's get a pizza, she'll always eat pizza even in the worst of her moods." Ally suggested. Dinah and Lauren looked at each other. "This isn't just a bad mood Ally, something's going on with Mila." Dinah said seriously. Lauren went to the lounge area of the bus and sat with the girl. If they were all talking about her anyway, she didn't want to Cuban to be alone. Although it didn't look like Camila cared too much about what was being said. Lauren wrapped one arm around her shoulder and Camila leant her head on Lauren's shoulder to show she was grateful. No simple words were exchanged except those by the others at the front of the bus. "I think she's got PTSD from the beatings. It would make sense really, and I should know." They heard Normani say and Lauren winced at the reference. Camila noticed and squeezed Lauren's hand. "Yeah, Mani does have a point. Ally I think Camila needs to see someone to help." Dinah suggested, "Yeah we can work with that. How about Mani, or you Dinah, one of you can take her to the doctors and we can sort it. We all know how things end up when your head is a total mess, just look at Lo." Lauren frowned and lowered her gaze. "This is about Camila, not Lauren. Why don't we just leave her out of this? It's not her fault what happened Ally." Normani defended her best friend. "But she's an example we don't want a repeat of, I'm not being horrible, I'm being truthful. Camila can be easily lead and Lauren is a massive influence on her, you all have to admit that." Ally explained. Camila noticed Lauren had her head down and was just on the verge of tears. If there was one thing Lauren hated, it was bad things being said about her behind her back. "They don't mean it. They're just worried about us." Camila tried to give Lauren some reassurance, but she was completely shut down. Her arm around Camila was limp, her head was down, eyes shut and she wasn't saying a word. "Fucks sake guys." Camila growled and stood up opening the door. "You idiots! You fucking idiots." She hissed as she walked towards them. "You know we can hear you in there," Ally looked like a deer caught in headlights. "Lauren, can hear you in there, you stupid twat." Camila said through her gritted teeth to Ally who now seemed like the deer who was about to get shot. Normani and Dinah observing Camila didn't think if Camila had a gun her chances were too high either. Dinah and Normani went in after Camila to Lauren who was in the same position as when Camila left her. "She hasn't even moved, she hasn't said anything to me." Camila said but she seemed more angry than sad, not at Lauren though. "God Ally, why did you say that?" Normani looked up at the shorter girl as she kneeled in front of her best friend, trying to get her to look at her. "I'm sorry okay? It's hard being the mother figure of y'all." She tried to explain. "We know, we get it just let us sort this out. Don't worry." Dinah said to Ally and kissed her cheek softly, then leading her away from them while they tried to get Lauren to respond. "Lauren she didn't mean what she said. Ally was worried about you both, that's all. You do know that in your heart." Dinah sat beside her Lauren and went to put her arm around her. Instead Lauren picked it up and put her arm back in Dinah's lap. She still let Normani's hand linger on her knee though. "Lolo I'd never do anything like that. You know me, you know I wouldn't. I'm not easily lead by that stuff. Ally's wrong." Camila spoke in a gentle voice. Lauren spoke with a quivering whisper. "Can you all just go away for a bit?" Dinah looked at her girlfriend sadly. "We can do that." She agreed, Dinah got up with Camila and Normani and left but Lauren grabbed Normani's wrist to make her stay for a minute. "Not you Mani." She begged. Normani looked down at her pained expression. "I need my best friend..and I need to apologise to you." Normani shook her head and wrapped her arms around her. "There's nothing you need to apologise for Lauren. Ally screwed up and she knows that. Camila made sure she knew." Lauren shrugged and looked at Normani hesitantly. "Well in light of that, can I be left alone? Please? I need time to myself." Normani gave a supportive smile and squeezed her arm before she left Lauren to her thoughts. Lauren literally tired herself out from thinking, when she woke up later there was someone sat next to her. Ally. "Hi." Lauren said as she glanced at her. "I've been waiting for you to wake up." "Why Ally, to tell me what exactly?" Lauren said in a harsh tone despite the fact she just woke up. "To tell you I'm sorry for what I said earlier. I was out of order. I couldn't stop thinking about what I had said. I shouldn't have said those things, I'm supposed to be supporting you, I'm not doing the best job at that lately, am I?" Lauren swallowed as she looked at Ally. "I'm really sorry Lauren but, you- I can't expect you to understand, never mind it doesn't matter." Lauren placed a hand on Ally's knee. "Let me try." Ally took a deep breath and nodded. "Well I feel like I need to protect all of you girls all at once. It's hard for me to be there for everyone and stand on everyone's side like I want to, like I'm expected to. Everyone has me down as some kind of mother role and I'm just, I'm not. I'm learning just like all of you. Yeah I'm a bit older than y'all but I'm still growing up and I still don't know a lot of things. Earlier I was trying to protect Mila and I forgot I had to protect you too." Ally finished and Lauren shook her head at her incredulously and pulled Ally into a hug. "Ally, you don't need to protect us all. We're big girls, adults. We don't all expect you to be our mothers, we have mothers to deal with our bullshit if and when. You're our friend. You're right, we're all still learning in life, that's you included. No one expects you to be on their side all the time, that may be what you think but it's not the truth. Yeah, I can say we definitely want support, but you don't need to sort out our messes for us, that's our job to do. We're not all relying on you, but you can always rely on us, and I hope you know that." She finished. Ally looked up at Lauren with tears in her eyes. "Thank you, I really needed to hear that to be honest with you. Thank you so much Lauren." Ally squeezed the girl before Lauren had released her from the hug. "Anytime, and in future, please say something if anything is ever bothering you." Lauren pleaded, Ally gave a nod. "I will Lauren, promise." Lauren smiled at the small Latina. "Good. What time is it?" Ally looked at her phone and then back up at Lauren. "It's 5pm. Oh, and Normani said to tell you to meet you outside the bus, she has a surprise or something." Lauren raised her eyebrows and went to the door of the bus to hop out. "Mani what is it?" She called, suddenly strong arms grabbed her waist from behind and she screamed and turned around to see who it was. "Oh my god!" Lauren squealed and jumped into her father's arms. "Dad what are you doing here?" Mike picked his daughter up and spun them around in a circle. "Normani flew me out here for a couple days. She said you've been having a bit of a tough time lately and a visit from your pops would do you good. Did you miss me Lolo?" Lauren squeezed her eyes shut in his embrace, enjoying the moment. "More than ever." When she opened her eyes Normani stood behind them on the steps to get in with bus watching with a warm smile. "Thank you." Lauren said in a whisper. Normani just nodded and went inside to leave the two Jauregui's alone. Mike put Lauren down and took in her appearance. Lauren didn't give him much of a chance before she went in for another hug. "God I missed you so much." Lauren said, her voice was muffled into his shirt. "I missed you too Lolo, I'm glad Normani flew me out." Lauren grinned, "Me too, I'll have to pay her back the money." Her father just shook his head. "I've already done that. Don't you worry your pretty little head." Lauren giggled and let him go. "How's Chris and Mom?" "They're good but they're missing you too." Lauren giggled. "I miss them more. How's Ta-" Lauren stopped herself and frowned. "Uhm, why don't we get some dinner, have a catch up?" Her father wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "Sounds great." Lauren recovered herself from the memory her sister was gone. "Wait Lolo hold on!" Lauren turned around at the sound of Camila's rushed voice and saw her running towards her. "What's up?" Camila just wrapped her in a tight hug. "Are you okay?" Lauren asked into her shoulder worriedly. "Yeah, I just, I needed a hug from you." Lauren sighed and she wanted to ask more but not in her father's presence. "Hey, where's my hug?" Mike teased. Camila's eyes got a bit wider as she realised who was with Lauren. She had completely forgotten she wasn't alone when she ran over to hug her. "Papa Jauregui!" Camila let go of Lauren to hug him. "Hey kid, how ya doing?" Camila smiled forcefully, "I'm good, how are you?" Mike smiled. "I've got my Lolo for a few days so I'm great. Well, we were just going to get dinner so I'll catch up with you girls soon, see you Camila." Camila waved and went to back inside the bus but Lauren grabbed her wrist. "When I get back, then we're talking, okay Camz?" Camila nodded but she didn't look too comfortable. "It isn't bad. Come here." Lauren hugged her briefly and smiled when she held her shoulders. "See you in a bit, Kay? I love you Camz." Camila smiled slightly. "Love you too Lolo." Mike smiled at the interaction. "Always had a soft spot for friendship Camren." He teased as they walked. "Oh shut up Dad." She pushed him playfully. "How's Laurinah these days?" He continued on with the ship names. "Dad!" Lauren whined. "We're really good, great even." Mike smiled and left a light kiss onto his daughters temple. "That's good to hear." After a nice dinner with her father, Lauren was in the best mood she had been in for a while now. Entering the bus though she saw solemn faces. "Who died?" Lauren chuckled before she saw not even a hint of a smile on anyone's faces. "Guys for God's sake, what happened?" Normani stood up. "We uh, we need to, we need to talk." Lauren frowned. "Okay, I need to talk to Camz too. So bear with me." Lauren looked around the bus before Dinah stood in front of her. "Where's Camila?" Lauren demanded with an uneasy tone. "Austin has her." Dinah gulped. "What?" Lauren growled. "How? What happened, how did he get Camila?" Normani sighed. "Camila saw him when she went out earlier and she just, I don't know she got mad at him and he hit her and she came back here, Austin followed and now Mila's gone." She explained worriedly, then it was Ally who spoke. "We called the police, but nothing yet." Lauren licked her lips. "Dinah I'm worried about her." Dinah pulled her into a hug. "I know babe, we all are." After a long 20 minutes of pure silence and waiting, Ally's phone rang. "Hello?" She answered hurriedly. The 3 girls exchanged looks. "Oh you have? Thank god!" Ally gasped and covered the phone with her other hand. "They found Camila!" The 3 girls sighed with relief. "Thank you so much we'll come- what- what do you mean she's in the hospital?" Dinah and Lauren exhanged terrified looks before Normani went to find her keys. "Thank you, thanks a lot, bye!" Ally hurried out. "Camila's at the hospital, Austin tried to kill her!" Ally ran around trying to find her coat. Lauren and Dinah went to get theirs and the girls all rushed out the door to Normani's car. "One of you call Sinu." Normani told them as she drove to the hospital. "Ally you're the best at that kind of thing. We're all panicking at the moment." Dinah scrambled out her words but then Lauren remembered her conversation with Ally earlier. "No Ally always does this stuff for us, and she's not our Mom. I'll do it." Lauren took out her phone, Ally flashed her a very thankful smile and before they all knew it they were at the hospital. "Look guys, it's Camila!" Dinah gasped as they saw Camila in a wheelchair in the hall being guided into a room. "Guys oh my god!" Camila yelled as they ran over to her as a crowd. "You're okay!" Dinah gasped as Camila hugged her with one arm. "Yeah I'm okay Dinah, I'm fine." Camila whispered in a tone of both disbelief, and relief. She went around all the girls hugging them. "Who called my mom then? Because I just had her on the phone to me for the like last 10 minutes before she finally agreed not to come down here." Camila scolded and Lauren slowly raised her hand. Camila hit her arm as she got into the hospital bed. "Hey! Mani told me to." Lauren defended herself, Normani now on the receiving end of a slap. "Thanks Lo." Normani said sarcastically. "We're just glad you're okay." Ally sat on the bed and Camila smiled slightly and nodded. "So if you don't mind telling us, what the hell happened?" Dinah asked, "Ugh I don't want to go over it again right now guys. I've told the police already. I don't wanna repeat myself." Normani nodded in understanding. "We get it. But you will tell us? You won't bottle it up like you always do?" Camila nodded quickly. "Of course I will Mani." Lauren peered closer at Camila. "Camz your throat, it's been cu-" "-You know I'm so tired, can I go to sleep for a bit?" The Cuban interrupted hurriedly. "Sure. I'll stay with her in here, you guys can just, wait outside." Dinah said while Camila closed her eyes, avoiding the world for the time being. "I'll look after her babe, don't look so worried." Dinah kissed her girlfriend softly. Lauren kissed her back and nodded. "And don't forget the two bodyguards just outside the door." Normani added. So all the girls except Camila and Dinah left, which just left the two best friends alone in the dimly lit, silent room. "Please don't shut us out Camila, please don't shut me out. I'm begging you." Dinah squeezed her hand and Camila let out a cry and sat up so she could hug Dinah. "Shh, I've got you." Dinah was quick to react and crawled onto the bed with Camila firm in her hold. "Don't cry. This time I've got you Camila." Dinah promised as she held the Cuban against her body tightly. "This time you're safe baby."