Beautiful When You Don't Try (Camren)

Chapter 70

A/N: So... the big night. Starts off with a little Adrianne & Kim scene as a wrap up for some of the drama and to throw a little bit of them in there since they are absent from the dinner.

Now, on to dinner and Shawn's entrance (as well as a few other characters). And just to warn you, you're going to hate some things.

I'm thinking we might get to the wedding in about... four chapters.

As always, thank you for taking the time to let me know what you think. Thank you and enjoy.

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"You're mad at me." Adrianne stated plainly as she and Kim sat on the assistant's couch, watching TV. Neither looked at the other.

"I'm not mad at you."

"You're something that isn't necessarily happy."

"That's a bit more accurate."

Adrianne paused. Kim was leading her into the conversation again. Though she normally loved it, this was one of those topics she would rather just cut to the chase on. She didn't like having Kim upset at her. It was one of the worst feelings in the world to her. "If you're not mad at me, what are you?"

"I haven't quite figured that one out," Kim stated, running her fingers through her own hair. "When I do, you'll be the first to know."

The apprentice sighed and broke her fixation on the TV, resting her head back on the sofa and looking at the ceiling. "It's about what happened in the office with Lauren, isn't it?"

"If you already know, then why ask?"

"Because I'm trying to have a conversation with you about it." Adrianne snapped slightly, the women's eyes finally meeting in a long silence. "I'm sorry." Kim didn't say anything and after another second of silence turned her attention back to the TV. "Can you please talk to me about it?"

"What exactly are you wanting me to talk about? The only involvement I had in the situation is I was standing there."

"But you obviously have an opinion on it if you are something other than happy with me at the moment."

Kim turned the TV off and set the remote down on the sofa between them before she turned to face her girlfriend. "Were you always so hard on her?" Adrianne dropped her head back against the couch again. "Don't you think you were a little over the top?"

"Yes."

The younger woman faltered. She wasn't expecting Adrianne to admit it quite so quickly. "Oh."

"It's just... I know how Lauren works. She either attacks things head on or she runs from them, ignoring the pain she's causing herself. There are certain things she needs to be pushed with." She explained with her frustrations with Lauren rising in her voice. "She hates being pushed and won't deal with it for long so you have to get it all out at once... but I let my frustrations with the asshole seep over to my frustration with her."

"It's her call though."

Adrianne shook her head from side to side on the back of the couch. "I mean, yes it is, but its one of those calls she needs help making. She knows what she needs and wants to do, but she so scared of it for whatever reason, that she convinces herself that she doesn't need or want to do it. Over the years, especially when she was learning about herself, I had to push. I guess I just got so used to doing it that I don't stop to think about how much I push."

There was a silence that gripped the room and caused Adrianne to turn her head to look at Kim.

"Why are you smiling?"