thin walls (are calling me home)

Chapter 17

Camila almost dropped her phone.

"What?"

"She woke up! We had to get out, but she's awake." Normani said quickly.

Camila felt tears prick her eyes. "Oh my God." She breathed out in relief, a smile taking over her face despite her shaky voice.

Normani let out a breathy chuckle. "I know! Come quick, okay?"

Camila cleared her throat. "Be there in half an hour."

The young actress turned around to find an expectant, wide-eyed Shawn. If her initial sob made him believe the worst, the high pitched, "She woke up," she let out a second later made him sigh. Camila threw herself in Shawn's arms, giggling through her tears as her brother scolded her for scaring the living shit out of him.

("Jesus, way to give me a heart attack!"

"Happy tears, Shawn.")

After they parted, Camila messily gathered her things and left without another word to her friends and colleagues, Shawn following close behind with some eyes on both of them as they crossed the room.

Getting a taxi was relatively easy in front of the theater, but the thirty-seven minutes they spent inside it on the way to the hospital could be considered one the most agonizing experiences of Camila's life. The brown eyed girl couldn't keep her knee from bouncing for the life of her, no matter how happy she was. Being nervous was only natural, she guessed, seen as the girl she considered the love of her life had just woken up from a fucking coma.

When the taxi stopped at the curb in front of the hospital, Camila practically jumped out of it, leaving Shawn behind like she had done multiple times these last few days. She would have to apologize in the future, but right now all she could focus on was getting to Lauren's room.

After he caught up with her and they talked to the receptionist, Camila and Shawn rushed to the familiar room, finding Normani, Ally and Lauren's mother in the corridor by her room.

"Oh, thank God you're here!" Clara exclaimed as soon as she saw them, making Camila's heart skip a beat.

"Why, what happened?!" Camila asked loudly, her eyes wide open, as she came to halt in front of them, clutching her heart.

"Oh, nothing, dear, don't worry. I just think Lauren would like to have you here." Clara reassured her with a hand on her shoulder. "Sorry for scaring you."

Camila practically exhaled all her air in relief. "It's okay." She told the older woman, smiling at her.

Then, Camila turned to Ally, who was smiling despite the tear streaks on her face, and, with a breathy chuckle, threw herself in the arms of her smaller friend. No words were exchanged between the two at first, each knowing exactly how the other felt.

And still, the, "She's okay," Ally muttered against Camila made the taller girl's eyes well up with happy tears again as a big smile took over her face.

Camila pulled back, but kept herself in Ally's arms as she wiped away her tears. She turned her head a moment later when she heard Shawn groaning.

"Not the happy tears again." He feigned despair, making Camila let out a watery giggle. Ally laughed as well, stepping back, and Camila took the opportunity to slap Shawn's arm lightly.

"Shut up, dumbass." She breathed out, before turning to Normani and giving her a heartfelt hug as well. "We still can't go in?" She asked the other girl after she pulled back.

It was Clara who answered, making Camila look at her. "We have to wait until Lauren is better situated to go back in. Apparently waking up from a coma is more complicated than they make it seem in the movies."