a supercut of us

xvi-xix

A/N: if you guys could be so kind as to give the video above a listen, it should help you feel what camila is feeling in these sections. at least it helped me writing.

lore, every single day i have a moment of 'i fucking hate loreeeee' over how fucking massive this thing is becoming. i don't even know if we're halfway yet??? lol i'm sure you ain't complaining but i am!!!

-------------------------------------------

xvi.

The first stop of Camila's European Tour is the United Kingdom. The opening concert is in London, then she has one in Manchester and another in Brighton.

It is somewhat disconcerting and not something she's proud of, but the idea of going to Manchester next is what has her thinking of Ariana and ultimately makes her decide to give her friend a call. They keep in touch through texts and snaps, but it's been a while since they last FaceTimed.

"Mila, hi!" Ariana says with a huge grin. She looks freshly showered whereas everything about Camila is pure exhaustion. "You're lucky I just finished my gym routine and have some free time now. Where are you? I thought you were going to Europe?"

"I am in Europe. London, to be precise." Camila snuggles among the bed pillows and returns Ariana's smile. "Today was the first gig but I couldn't sleep when I got back to the hotel so I thought we should catch up."

It had occurred to her on the flight to London that, apart from Ashlee, no one in her circle of friends knows about Lucy – and the only reason Ashlee knows is due to Lucy's visits during the US tour, since Camila hasn't been forthcoming at all with information about their relationship.

Maybe it's time that starts changing.

"I'm working on my new album," Ariana shares excitedly. "Hold on, let me get my headphones and find a quiet spot."

"I'm dating Lucy Vives," Camila blurts out to the shuffling noise on the other side. She fears if she starts on music discussions with Ariana, she'll lose the courage to tell her.

"You what?" Ariana asks, looking very much like a deer caught in headlights. "When did this happen?"

"Well, remember that party in LA when you two met?" Camila hides behind a pillow, and mumbles, "We kinda, sorta, pretty much made out for a very long time after you left."

"Oh my God, Mila, that party was in January and you're telling me this now?!" Ariana seems somewhere between ecstatic and offended and it's very entertaining to Camila. "Wait, she called me a random night after that party to ask me for your number. She sounded so drunk and conflicted, it was kinda funny, but I didn't think much of it and I completely forgot to text you to let her know she'd asked."

"It's alright, she called me herself and informed me of all that." Camila chuckles. "Nothing happened that time though. She just came to pick me up and we stayed up all night talking."

"Wow, this is..." Ariana appears to remember she was searching for a quiet spot and takes a seat at what Camila presumes is her desk. "I mean, this is Lauren's ex we are talking about so, like, sure, she was flirting shamelessly with you at that party, but I didn't think it would get this far. I didn't even think you would actually make out, to be honest. You just seemed amused that she was giving you so much attention when back during her days of dating Lauren, you two barely spoke."

"I was amused. Around The X-Factor days, sometimes I hung out with both her and Lauren and we got along great, but when Lauren and Lucy rekindled their friendship – or relationship, whatever –, she never talked to me more than the bare minimum." Camila frowns. She'd forgotten about that and now she's wondering why Lucy had behaved that way. "She wasn't rude or anything, you know? She just stuck to her business and kept away from me."