Time Shift (Camren)

Chapter 18: Collecting Scars

A/N: It's Christmas Eve!!! I hope you all have amazing holidays full of happiness and love!! Here's a Chapter that I hope will make you smile today :)

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"I'm going to get my phone's charger," Lauren said as they walked into her living room and Lauren turned on the lights.

Camila nodded and when Lauren left the room, she threw her purse to the nearest sofa, ready to get comfortable. But as soon as she was going to sit there, she saw the inviting-looking pool through the glass doors and decided to go outside. She took off her shoes and sat on the side of the pool, her legs hanging in the water.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying not to think about the past couple of days.

"Isn't it a bit too chilly to go for a swim?" Lauren said as she came out of the house, carrying Dash in her arms, "I found this little one sleeping on my bed."

Camila opened her eyes and looked at her as she put him down gently on the floor. Dash ran to Camila as soon as he could, greeting her happily. Camila laughed, kissing the small dog sweetly and turning back to Lauren who was sitting next to her.

"Oh my god, Lauren! Your face!" she said, noticing the bruise on her right cheek. She reached out to touch it and Lauren flinched a little, not expecting the sharp pain she felt. Camila frowned, "Sorry."

"Does it look bad?" Lauren asked, touching the area softy with a finger.

"It's swollen and it's starting to bruise," Camila said and then pointed at Lauren's hand, "And so is your hand."

Lauren looked at her right hand and groaned, "I'm going to bring some ice to put on the bruises. If I show up like this for our performance, no amount of make up will help."

"Maybe you shouldn't have hit him so hard," Camila joked as Lauren walked into the house and towards the kitchen.

"And missing the satisfaction of giving that idiot what he deserved? No way! It was totally worth it," Lauren yelled from the kitchen and Camila chuckled, "Besides," Lauren added, returning to the yard with an ice pack pressed against her face, "He was talking shit about you and then he hit me. I'm starting to wish I had hit him even harder."

"You're crazy," Camila let out a soft laugh that made Lauren smile in spite of the pain.

"I'm crazy but you told him you'd choose me any day," she teased, sitting next to Camila again.

"Of course I would," Camila looked down at the water moving around her feet, "No matter what happens, I'll always choose you."

"Camz," Lauren removed the ice pack from her face, her happiness clouded by the fact that Camila was still thinking about the events on Christmas, "What did you hear that day? Why did you run away like that?"

Camila shifted uncomfortably, "I heard Lucy, mostly. She said stuff about you hurting me and how our relationship could never work. And you agreed."

"I did," Lauren nodded, "But that's not all I said. You didn't hear the rest of the conversation, did you?"

Camila sighed, remembering the conversation with her father, and shook her head slowly.

"Well, if you had stayed for a few more seconds, you would've heard me telling me Lucy that I didn't care about all she said because I don't want anybody else but you," Lauren said, her heart beating fast in her chest, "I'd never lead you on, Camz. You know me better than that."

It was Camila's turn to feel her heartbeat speeding up. Lauren wanted her.

"I should've told you, though," Lauren continued speaking, Camila's silence making her anxious, "And I should've told Lucy. All this mess could've been avoided. Fucking insecurities."