The Pursuit of Camila Cabello

Chapter Thirteen: Unplanned Dinner Date

Yass bitch, almost 5k views. Thank you for your comments, they crack me tf up. Also, thanks to the people who correct my spanish. Where my spanish speakers at? Imma just stick to italics from now on. Anyway, enjoy.

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Remember when Lauren said the only thing she was afraid of was Camila? You don't understand how true that was. As Camila stood there, eyes filled with rage and one hand coiled around the handgun, Lauren feels more terror than she had ever felt before. More than when Camila danced along the ledge of their high school's balcony.

"Camila, just let me explain." Lauren began, edging towards the other woman.

"I knew you were lying, motherfucker!" Camila yelled, "I knew you were just making up bullshit about not being with the Mafia!"

Lauren took another step forward, saying, "Camila, please just put the gun down and let me explain."

"Why, Lauren?" Camila asked, wearing a mocking smile, "Does it have bullets in it?"

"Camila—" Lauren tried again but Camila cut her off.

Slowly, Camila asked, "Is... the gun... loaded?"

"It is but—" Lauren began but Camila wasn't listening. She was going off on one of her rants, cursing everyone (Lauren especially) in spanish. Lauren would've been turned on if she wasn't so fucking terrified. Thoughts of Camila accidentally shooting Lauren or worse, shooting herself, replayed through her mind.

Finally, Lauren pleaded, "Camz, please, you're scaring me."

Camila gave her a bewildered look, saying, "I'm scaring you? Me? I'm not the one in the Mafia, Lauren!"

"For fuck's sake, just put the gun down, Camila!" Tears welled up Lauren's eyes as she said, "Put it down and I'll explain everything."

Camila stared at Lauren for a long time, her face softening at the sight of her crying. She breathed in deeply, put the gun on the counter and said, "Explain."

Lauren could feel her heart beat slow down, and her lungs opened up. Now that the gun was not any threat to Camila, she could think again.

Quickly, Lauren said, "The gun is for protection. Uncle Tony didn't want me to be unarmed in a neighbourhood as dangerous as this."

Camila crossed her arms over her chest and asked, "Why would he let you move here in the first place?"

"He knew how badly I needed to get out of that house, away from my parents. He picked somewhere no one would ever come to get me." It was only a half-lie. The last part was true, at least.

"I came." Camila said, as if it was a normal thing to do.

Lauren smiled softly at this, saying, "Of course you did: you're Camila."

Camila's face softened immeasurably. She looked so worn down and scared that Lauren wanted nothing more than to hold her. Anything to get that look off of her face.

"Promise me this is just for protection." She said after a moment, "And Lauren, I swear to God, if you're lying to me—"

Lauren quickly answered, "I'm not, I swear to you, Camila. That is all this gun is for."

Camila leaned back against the kitchen counter. She put her face in her hands and Lauren could hear the distinct whimpers coming from the other woman.

"I know I keep blowing up at you. I just..." Camila said, her voice cracking and her body shaking, "I'm just so scared, Lo."

Lauren immediately swooped Camila up into her embrace. She didn't care if she wasn't supposed to hold Camila like that. All that mattered to her was that Camila was vulnerable and needed her.