Just A Job (Lauren/You)

Chapter 13

           

"Are you ready for this, Y/N? Are you sure you are?"

I heard the girls suppressing their laughter behind me. I could just imagine what I look like to them. I felt like a child getting reprimanded not to touch anything at a toy store.

"Uh—I'm not going to war, Uncle Rob," I said.

"You think you're not, but what if you are, huh?"

Camila burst out laughing at that point and soon the other girls join her as well. I would've joined them in laughing too if I wasn't scared for my life right now. To say that Uncle Rob was looming over me was an understatement.

More like he was covering the sun.

"That's enough, Rob. Don't scare the poor boy," said Stephen in an amused tone.

Uncle Rob backed away from me but not before messing with my hair. "Hey!" I exclaimed while trying to arrange my hair as best as I could. Uncle Rob opened the car door and the girls all filed in the black van.

Fifth Harmony was supposed to have a show today but they decided to go to the Teen Choice Awards instead. They were nominated for five awards and even if I was just their bodyguard, I was so proud of them. I've seen them work their asses off every day, night in and night out, to live out their dreams. It's about time they got recognized in the music industry.

"Come on, Y/N," Uncle Rob called out. "We're going to be late."

I turned toward the van and climbed in the passenger seat. Stephen and Uncle Rob were seated on the back with the girls. Camila was already leading the loud conversations before we could even leave the parking lot. I leaned forward and turned on the radio since I know that music would more or less calm the ladies down.

But then we were tearing it up on the highway and the girls were screaming on the top of their lungs inside the car.

I glanced at the rear view mirror and saw Stephen resting his head on the window and my Uncle looking strangely calm. And when I looked at our driver, he had a nonchalant look on his face. How long did I need to surround myself with these girls before I wasn't fazed by anything they did? I shook my head and smiled. They have got to be the craziest girls I've ever met.

A Beyonce song plays on the radio and it was Normani and Dinah's turn to lead the charge. Where do these girls keep their boundless energy in their small, petite bodies? Just another question to add to my 'Mysteries of the Female Individual' list.

I glanced at the rearview mirror again to check on the girls. But my eyes land on one particular girl who wasn't singing with the others. She was only looking out the window with her phone in her hand. It looked like she was carrying the weight of the world for some reason.

After that incident at the theater, Lauren still talked to me often. And whenever we talked, we're like friends who've known each other for a long time. She still laughed with Camila and still smiled at me—that is until yesterday. She was down all day yesterday and not even Camila could make her laugh. The poor girl even asked me to talk to Lauren to ask her what's wrong but she seemed so guarded and distant that I was sure she was just going to shut me out again.

I pulled out my phone from my pocket and texted her.

Me: Are you okay?

I looked at her in the rear view mirror as the phone vibrated in her hand. She looked at the screen then at me. I nodded once to urge her to read my text. After a while, my phone lit up as I received a reply from Lauren.

Lauren: Yep, I'm fine. Just tired.

I immediately texted her back.

Me: Do you want me to get you anything?