Feels Like Heaven (CAMREN)

The Imagination Confession

Lauren's POV

I decided to call Vero, an old friend of mine during college. Well besides being a good friend, she was my psychologist and she was the one insisting that I should move in to San Francisco. She's the one person who keeps on telling me how amazing this place was. And yes, I am meeting her up because I need to ask her something about the resent events, well there was nothing new that's happening in my life right now, besides that weird encounter that happened in my apartment few days ago. So here we were together meeting up in a local coffee shop in the city.

"OK. So, what's this all about?" She asked me with an eyebrow raise as we head towards our seats in the secluded area of the café with our coffee cups.

"What? Nothin'." I retorted. But knowing Vero of course she knows that something was up with me. Of course she will suspect why all of a sudden I decided to meet her up somewhere at this hour, it is not my usual attitude. But I insisted that nothing was up and I just want to meet up like that.

"Nothing? Really, Laur? So, you called me for nothin'?" She was asking me while taking a sip of her coffee. Man her reverse psychology is actually working on me now. The way she stares at me with that questioning look is intimidating me. 

 "Fine!" I said. "I've been sort of seeing someone." I told her with all honesty but I saw her rose a brow. 

"Seeing someone?" She cut me off. Wow she sounded so happy about my confession. "That's what I'm talkin' about. Finally!" She continued while slapping my shoulders with her free hand and as she put down her cup with the other hand.

 "You think it's a good thing?" I asked her looking so unsure of her actions, she doesn't even know what I mean and she already came up with her conclusions like I'm dating some person.

"Absolutely!" She retorted.

 "Yeah Laur, the last time I tried to hook you up, you bailed out on me. This is good, and the fact that you initiated it yourself, that's important. OK? Now, who is she? Do I know her?" Now she's asking me like she was excited to meet this mad woman.

"I mean I'm seeing someone that's not there." I told her once again and she looked at me with furrowing brows . 

"She's emotionally unavailable?" She tried asking me once more and I looked at her looking like I was asking her really that's what are you thinking about what I was seeing aren't you supposed to know that what I was seeing was actually inanimate.

"Oh, you mean like a hallucination?" Finally, she got what I meant and I hang my head down. 

"Yes. Twice, in my apartment." I told her in a matter of fact voice and I took a sip of my coffee. "A woman." I continued while I saw she was taking out her pen from her coat. 

"Attractive?" She asked me again curiously.

"Yes! What?! No! Not really there, Vero, are you really asking me that?" I told her again in an irritated voice this time.

"Right. Right. OK." She said, "so when you saw this woman, were you drunk?" 

"I mean, I had a little buzz." And I know she was unhappy of my answers by the look on her face. She was taking her notes.

"Lauren, don't lie to me, it doesn't help." She looked at me while she was shaking her head and put her pen down.

"OK, fine, I was wasted." I admitted and hung my shoulders down. "But still, I shouldn't be seeing some little brunette control freak running around my apartment." I continued and I observed she was writing everything I say.

"Why are you writing this down? This isn't a session." I told her in an irritable questioning voice.

"That's insulting Lauren, Okay? I'm your friend Vero here, I'm not charging you." She said. "But if this thing rolls into a second hour we're gonna have to work out some kind of deal." I gave Vero a questioning look.

 "Laur, I'm kidding." She continued, "So, hold on a second. You were drunk, you saw this brunette, controlling..."

"Alright, I get it. I gotta stop drinkin'." I cut her off. 

"No!" She retorted back.

"No?" I was a bit confused about what she said wa she encouraging me to drink instead? Was she really trying to tell me it's okay for me to drink?

"Yeah, but what I mean is drink, party. However, just do it with other people. God gave us alcohol as a social lubricant. Make men brave, make women loose." She's giving me one of her lectures now.

"What is that, some Berkeley shrink thing?" I tried telling her I am truly unconvinced by what she's saying now. She's like telling me I live in a cave and not socializing. I can't believe her.

But she told me to look around me. She's emphasizing that this was the world now that this was reality. There is no time to hide and be a loner, I need to spread my wings and forget all about my worries and my uncertainties. I should stop swimming around in my own mind. That I should not live my problems and not go into them alone for it is a dangerous neighborhood. That I need a life outside the four corners of my home, get a life, meet people.

"Come on, Lauren Michelle. It's been two years, dude. No more hiding out." She told me in a demanding tone as she finished her speech while pointing her finger on my chest. 

"Absolutely not." I answered her back with a subtle smile.