Broken, Honest, Beautiful

Mess

"How could you be so irresponsible?!" Mike groaned. "I'm sorry! It's not like I didn't try and stop it." Lauren noticed her parents arguing with her brother as she came downstairs from her room. "For fuck's sake, I've been home for one week, just one freaking week.." Lauren whispered to herself. When Lauren walked in on the fight everyone went silent, but they were visibly distressed. Lauren hesitantly picked up a banana, making Chris chuckle, earning a swift slap over the head from their father. "Okay. What's going on?" Lauren asked, leaning against the counter. "Your brother here couldn't keep it in his pants." Clara sighed, Lauren choked on her banana and then hurriedly threw it into the bin, Chris patting his sister's back with a smirk. "Chris what the fuck?" Lauren shouted. "Language, please Lauren." Her father reprimanded but even he was thinking the same. "What did you do?" "Oh come on! It's not like Dad didn't do this at his age!" "Actually son, I didn't. Your mother was my first, and you kids were all planned." Lauren gave him a simple look and raised her eyebrows. "Okay, maybe not all of you." "Exactly." Chris stated. "So what're you going to do?" "It wasn't a one night stand, it was my fucking girlfriend!" "Language, Chris!" Clara shouted. "I'm getting a headache, God help us." She muttered. Lauren looked at her brother, who's eyes were screaming for help. "Look, mama he used protection, right?" "Of course, we always do." "So it was an accident, and Chris is a good guy, I mean you're his, our parents, we came out okay, they're in a relationship, and we all know he'll see..." "Alex." Chris stared obviously, they had been together 4 years. "Right, sorry, I forgot. He'll see Alex through this." Lauren said simply. "You're just too young to have a child, Chris." Clara sighed. "But he's trying, he wants to be a responsible man in this situation, let the boy do the right thing, love." Mike smiled at his wife. Chris and Lauren shared a smile and turned to look at their mother. "He's too young, Mike.." "Well you always said that you wanted a grandchild.." Chris said earning a smack on the arm from Lauren. "Zip it, let Dad sweet talk her." "Come on babe, let him be a good father. It's God's plan for him." They could see their mother coming around. "What will be, will be." Mike added. "You're only 17, mijo." Clara said, turning to look at him with his sister by his side. "I can do this Ma. I don't want Alex to get an abortion and neither does she, and when that baby comes, boy or girl, I want to take care of it and love it. Like you guys love me." "Admirable suck up." Lauren muttered softly before playing the supportive older sister role. "Mama," Clara met her daughter's eyes. "Just let him try." Lauren said gently. Clara looked over at her eldest and let a small smile show as her two children intertwined hands supportively. "Well I don't suppose we can do anything now anyway, can we?" She relented, Chris smiled widely. "I won't let you down guys." Chris said kissing his mother's head and patting his father's shoulder. "Well that doesn't mean you're not grounded son, you go to your room." His father said simply. "What? But-" "Dude," Chris looked at his sister. "Don't push it Chris." Lauren shook her head. "Thanks sis." He said and kissed her cheek, bringing her into a hug. "Anytime bro, but don't let this happen again, yeah?" Chris nodded and went to his room while Lauren trudged over to her parents. "Is this a bad time to go to Camila's or.." "No honey you go have some fun, it'll give us some time to talk." Mike said and Lauren looked between them hesitantly. "See you later then." She said, going upstairs to 'grab her bag' before she left. "What is it Lo?" Chris asked when she snuck into his room. "I'm breaking you out, duh." "I thought you said don't push it!" "Shh! I meant don't push it in front of them, you need to see Alex and tell her what's been said, be the man you say you are." Lauren explained. "Window break?" He asked and Lauren nodded. "I got you, on my cue bro." Lauren said and Lauren opened the window slightly. Lauren got the door and opened it to reveal the warm soothing Miami air. "Mom! Dad! I'm going!" Lauren said as she peeked up to see her brother hanging out the window. Lauren threw up the rope and tied it to a pipe. "See you later sweetie!" Her mom called. "Do you want a lift?" Her father asked, coming to the door. "No! That's okay, bye." Lauren said as she shut the front door and pulled on the rope. "Jesus that was close." Chris breathed as he jumped to the floor. "I know, get the rope." Lauren said and Chris yanked it down, hiding it in its usual place beneath the bushes. "Do you need a ride to Camila's?" "You can't take the car, bozo, it'll be obvious you're gone." "So you keep the car and I'll get a bus the rest of the way." "What's the point of that?" "I'll see your safe." Chris said simply, making Lauren smile at his words. "You're a good guy Chris." "Hop in you sap." He teased and shoved her lightly. Lauren took the keys from her brother and went inside Camila's. "Text me when you're at Alex's." "Okay." He nodded and while he wandered off to the nearest bus stop, Lauren knocked on Camila's door. "Hey Sofi! Where's Camila?" "In bed." She giggled. "It's 11 in the morning, that's insane!" Lauren exclaimed, feigning surprise. This was typical Camila. "Mami! Lauren's here!" "Hello Lauren!" She called from the kitchen. "Hi Sinu!" Lauren called back. "Mila's upstairs!" "Thank you!" Lauren called back politely, and went upstairs, she saw Camila sleeping and decided, why not, and slipped into bed beside her. It's not like she had slept much last night. "Hi Lolo." Camila mumbled into her pillow. "Hi Camzi." "Can I sleep for just a little bit longer?" "Yeah. It's fine by me." Lauren smiled and cuddled up to her friend. "You're the best Lauren." "I know." Lauren giggled and Camila wrapped an arm around her waist. "Is Sofi okay? She's not meant to answer the door." "I don't know, either your Mom is fine with it this time, or she's killing her downstairs, but I don't hear anything." "Good." Camila yawned. "Did you even sleep? You look beat." Lauren noticed. "Not much, I was up Skyping Mani till really late last night." Camila explained. "How is she?" "Okay. Missing me. Can we sleep now?" "Yeah, sorry." A couple hours later Camila was awake with a start, and woke Lauren up shaking her desperately. "Jesus Christ!" She gasped. "Camz?" Lauren asked gently when she noticed her teary eyes. "Hey, why are you crying? What'sa wrong?" Camila looked down shamefully at her bed. "I-I had a k-kind of, not r-really n-n-nightmare." Lauren stroked her arm reassuringly. "What was it about?" "I really thought we were back to that day, I thought I killed you." Camila sniffled. "Aw Camz..c'mere." Lauren mumbled and pulled her friend into her arms. "You know it wasn't your fault, don't you?" Lauren asked, Camila shrugged. "It wasn't, Camz." "Do you promise?" "Yes, I promise. Let's go out and get some food. I don't know about you, but I'm getting hungry." Lauren said, kissing Camila's head. "Yeah?" Camila nodded and smiled. "Mhm." "You sure you're good?" Camila kissed her cheek and hugged her. "Yeah, I'm good." Lauren beamed and pulled her friend up eagerly. "What do you want? Where do you wanna go?" "I get to choose?" "Uh huh." Lauren smiled. "I want frozen yogurt." "Then we shall get fro-" Lauren's phone rang and Camila nodded. "You can answer it." "Sorry, hello?" "I can't find Alex! I got here and there was no sign of her, all her clothes are gone Lauren what do I do?" Lauren frowned, her brother was panicky and it sounded like he was on the verge of a breakdown. "Just-just, look calm down okay? I'll be there soon. Text me the address." "Okay." Camila looked at Lauren awkwardly and Lauren smiled anxiously. "Uhm, change of plan." "Can we still get hang out?" "Can you do me, well, my brother a favour?" "What is it he needs?" "Shit, basically Alex, Chris' girlfriend is missing and she's carrying his baby." "Chris is gonna be a dad?" "Not the point Camz, we gotta find Alex and fast." Lauren, Chris and Camila searched all over town before they saw the girl walking away from the place they hadn't dared to check, a clinic that dealt with abortion. "You didn't.." Chris croaked in horror, Alex cupped his face and gently pressed a kiss to his cheek. "I'm sorry, I just couldn't do this yet." "You said you wanted this." Chris said, taking her hands off his face. "You said you wanted to do this together-and I don't even get to say what happens with our child?!" He said, getting more angry by the second. "Alex what the fuck!" Lauren shouted. "It's his baby too!" Camila added. "Was." Alex said softly. "I'm sorry, Chris. I love you, I did this for us it was-" "You did this for yourself.." Chris said slowly, stepping back. "If you weren't ready, I would have respected that..I would have come with you, it would have hurt and it does but what hurts me more is the fact that you didn't trust me." Lauren looked at Camila sadly as she listened to her brother speak so heartbrokenly. "You did this behind my back Alex." "Chris! Come on-" Lauren stepped in front of the girl and stared her down. "Shut up! Now you just fucking listen. He has not given you one reason to doubt him, not ever. Chris is a good guy, and you really hurt him. Can't you see that? Alex, he's my little brother, do you know much it fucking kills me to see him hurt? And all because of a girl who clearly has no respect for him, hasn't he gained it by now? After four years?" Chris watched with both sadness at pride at the two girls. "You don't deserve my brother, if I were him I'd dump your sorry excuse for an ass here and now. But I'm not him, and I can't make his decisions, but my God, I hope he can see he deserves better." Lauren said before moving to the side and taking Camila's hand to join her. "Yogurt?" "Hold on." Lauren whispered. "Chris I love-" "Don't give me that shit, my sister's right. I do deserve better. Love means you have respect, and you trust one another. I'm sorry Alex, we're finished." Chris said, and after a long minute and an internal hissy fit, Alex stormed off. Chris took a deep breath and looked up the dismal sky. "Hey..you alright?" Lauren asked slowly, Camila dropped Lauren's hand knowingly and Chris pulled his sister into hug. "I'm sorry Chris, I'm really sorry she did that to you." Camila moved forward and rubbed his back supportively. "You didn't deserve that lack of respect." Lauren sighed into his shoulder. "Thanks Camila. I'm just..I'm gonna go home, tell the folks. Have fun with Camila, yeah Lo?" "You gonna be okay? I can come-" "Nah don't do that, it's fine sis. Nothing is going to change what she did..it's all over." He smiled sadly before going to a bus stop. "I can give you a lift?" Lauren called out but Chris shook his head. "Do you think he's okay?" Camila asked after a silent minute. "He's hurting." Lauren said simply. "Your parents will deal with him. They'll help." "No, they won't." Lauren scoffed. "They'll be relieved, they won't console him." "Do you need to go home?" Camila asked. "No, no I came to hang with you and he needs some time to process things. Let's go get some yogurt, yeah?" "Actually I'm really feeling pasta now." Camila said thoughtfully. "What?" Lauren asked in shock, staring at her friend in disbelief. Camila slowly smiled. "Oh you-fucking-you asshole!" Lauren hit her arm. "Are you as hungry as I am?" "Probably more." Lauren frowned before smirking at her friend. "What is it?" Camila asked suspiciously. "Race ya!" "Fuck off Jaure-hey wait!" Camila shouted. "Lauren! Head starts aren't fair!" "You snooze you lose Cabello!" "Fuck you!" "Fuck you right back!" "How are you so fast?" "I work out, come on faster!" Lauren laughed before her eyes widened drastically. "Camila, watch out!"