Beautiful When You Don't Try (Camren)

Chapter 2

A/N: Here is chapter two. Hopefully you will get right into the groove of the story. Things wil be picking up soon.

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Breathe. Inhale. Exhale. Just breathe.

Camila tried to ignore the six hands within inches of her face as four primped her hair, pulling, pushing, tugging, digging bobby pins into her scalp trying to secure her hair in the perfect shape. Two other hands were more invasive, lifting her chin, stretching her face for the application of heavy makeup. She followed orders to look this way and that way while trying to accommodate the pushes and pulls from the opposing wishes of the hands in her hair. It didn't help that there were another half dozen crew members standing around with their eyes glued to her, scanning over her, searching for any imperfection needing to be corrected.

Breathe. Inhale. Exhale. Just breathe. Almost done.

"Hey, guys. Give her some room to breathe. My goodness." Lauren approached waving her hands as if she was swatting the stylists away like flies. "Thank you. She looks wonderful but I think she needs some air."

"We still need to secure-"

"You can secure it later if it becomes a problem." Lauren cut off the hairdressers. "This photo is about her, not the hair. Right now the hair looks perfect." The brunette stared them down, unwavering in her decision. Slowly they backed down and strolled to the far end of the room, obviously talking about her as they went.

"Was it that obvious?" Camila asked nervously. She didn't want to seem weak. This was part of her dream and she needed to be able to handle it.

Lauren shook her head and smiled lightly. "Not at all. I just know you well enough to read that look in you eye. You handled it much better than I would have. I would have been overwhelmed and tearing up." The brunette admitted, lightly brushing a strand of hair back in place. "They are so worked up about getting their things perfect that they don't step back to see how they are screwing up the big picture."

"The picture is your job." Camila quipped, trying to add to the conversation.

Lauren dropped her eyes from Camila's hair to her deep brown eyes and smiled again. "That it is. And that is why I get to step in and shoo them away. They worry about your hair and makeup. I worry about you." The two fell into a silence that gripped them firmly but never too tight. They knew each other, or rather, each others past. But now this green eyed girl standing before Camila was nothing like her memories. She was calm, relaxed, yet still very much in control. Lauren was the first to break the silence after clearing her throat. "If you wouldn't mind, I would like to get a few quick test shots."

"Of course." Camila turned and tried walking but the dress made it a difficult task to accomplish. "It is expected that a dress this elegant would make anyone look like a unsophisticated goof trying to walk in it."

Lauren smiled broadly and held out her hand for Camila to steady herself as she ascended the staged steps on the set. The shoot was a depiction of a Broadway stage ready for opening night show. The backdrop was of a stray nightscape of a distant city and Camila was to be on the raised balcony overlooking the view. Fake stone columns and ivy vines lined the marble structure and Camila felt she was truly on a theatre stage. She accepted Lauren's hand impulsively had was hit with the sudden realization that she had never come in physical contact with the brunette outside of school or the light physical altercations they had, which all consisted of just arm pulling. Nothing gentle and supportive like now.

"So, where do you want me?" The diva asked relinquishing Lauren's hand.

"Wherever is comfortable right now. We can make adjustments as we go. Hey, Kim? Can I get you to set up the computer over her so I can get a look at these as we go?" The assistant scrambled to do as she was asked, her eagerness less with pleasing Lauren and more with being near Camila.