Never Let Me Go (Camren/Norminah)

Chapter 15: I Will Lie to You

"Can you remember who you were, before the world told you who you should be?"

- Charles Burkowski, Post Office

***

"Let's get your pretty little behind to mattress land."

Lauren rolled her eyes, pushing through the throb in her torso and the sting of her lip to follow the others. The bustle of the mall came into earshot again as the trio made their way to the front of the store and promptly paid for their items. Lauren's palms were sweaty, the image of a nearly naked Camila still fresh in her mind.

"So how do I reply to this hot-as-hell picture without sounding super gay?" Ally questioned as the girls exited the drugstore and ventured back through the mall to meet the others. Lauren was holding on to her painkillers in her available hand, the other wrapped comfortably around her torso to brace from the pain that didn't seem to want to let up in her ribs.

"I don't think there is a way." Normani replied from her other side. She had been tasked with carrying every other purchase they had made, the plastic bag that was wrapped around her wrist looked to be under strain from it's contents. "God, I swear if she doesn't buy that suit I'm going to head over and scoop it up. It's hot."

"It might just be Camila." Ally joked, sliding her hands into the pockets of her jacket. "She can easily make swimsuits hot."

"Getting a little gay there Ally." Normani joked.

"She makes everything hot." Lauren said softly, the words coming out almost mindlessly.

"Whoa." Normani stopped walking, turning around to look at her friend with an amused smirk. "Getting really gay there Lauren."

The green eyed girl stopped as well, looking up at her roommate and shrugging. "Oh, um... never mind. It's nothing." She then brushed past, feebly looking at her phone once again. Normani and Ally had both already sent compliments, the former stating she would threaten to buy the suit, while the latter actively corrected her lazy typos in the cutest way.

Lauren took a deep breath, glancing behind her to see her friends were murmuring to each other as if they were back in their high school hallways. "Good going Jauregui." She muttered under her breath, keeping her tone low and avoiding a small boy running and screaming happily across her path with a crumpled up bag of chips in his hand. "Now you've really done it."

"Send her a compliment Lauren." Normani called. "Don't be the only one who doesn't say something."'

"Mani." Ally's scolding tone followed. "Lauren has a set of bruised ribs and she barely got any sleep last night. Now isn't the time to be pestering her."

Lauren took a deep breath, looking at the group chat once more and scrolling up to the photo of Camila. With the black two-piece, combined with the provocative pose, her smooth tanned skin, and subtle muscles in her stomach, Lauren could almost feel her chest starting to ache with desire. She stopped walking, pressing the phone to her side and using the hand that was wrapped around her waist to type out a reply.

She wanted to write more. To say a million things in the moment, yet knew that it wasn't the time. Additionally, the nerves in her gut were starting to grow, and in no way helping the existing pain.

"Lauren, that's so cute!" Normani called again once the message had sent. "Lets go and find those two, they should just be finishing up by now!"

Lauren turned around, shaking her head. "I'm just going to go to the bookstore and find one of those beanbag chairs to sit down in. Let me know when you guys are done, and I'll meet you back at the car."