Addicted

Chapter 13: Energy

"Lo, you're gonna be fine"

Camila places her hands softly at Lauren's shoulders, rubbing reassuringly as her girlfriend stresses and wears the carpet out from her pacing. She kisses lightly at her forehead, sighing when Lauren goes to stress talk again. It's been twenty minutes of Camila telling Lauren to sit, kissing her, running her fingers through her hair, anything to get her to stop stressing.

But Lauren Jauregui apparently can be the epitome of stress when she wants to be.

"Yeah but-"

"Laur"

"Just hear me out Camz. What if my new boss doesn't like me and somehow on the way there I get in a freak accident and break my arm then I won't be able to work and I'll get fired from my dream job and then I'll be homeless and-"

"Oh my god"

"And then-"

"Princess"

Camila's hard tone makes Lauren take a breath, finally stopping in her pacing as Camila smirks knowingly.

"Eveythings gonna be okay, yeah? Your boss will love you, because you're you. You're loveable and dorky, like a Labrador puppy"

Lauren pouts. "Hey"

But Camila continues on, ignoring Lauren's cute frown as she takes her hands in hers. "And you're not gonna get into a freak accident and lose your job, okay?"

Lauren smiles lightly, because Camila's so caring and wonderful she wonders how she ever got so lucky. So she relents, sighing and nodding. "Okay"

Camila nods with a triumphant smile, kissing Lauren on the cheek and making her smile. "Good. Now go knock em dead. I'll be home by eight the latest, and yes, I'm cooking dinner for us both because you deserve it"

Lauren almost melts at Camila's words, watching how she grabs her blazer, handbag and files; struggling with all she holds as the younger woman giggles at her girlfriend. "Need a little help?"

Camila huffs, putting her handbag strap higher on her shoulder as she balances it all. "Nope. I'm a grown woman. I've got this"

Lauren raises her hands, relenting and laughing slightly as Camila struggles with opening the front door, but ultimately unhatches it and sends a little wave and air kiss.

"Bye love!"

Lauren leans her elbow on the kitchen table, chin in her palm, and smiles. "See ya!"

Maybe today won't be so bad.

-

"Miss Kordei, I thought I said to have the witness's testimony on my desk by 9 am sharp"

Camila doesn't look up from her papers as her assistant runs into her office, heels clacking across the marble flooring as she breathlessly apologises. Camila simply fixes her glasses on the bridge of her nose, flicking pages as she licks the pad of her thumb.

"I'm so sorry Mam, traffic was crazy and the witness was hesitant to even submit it and-"

Camila closes her eyes, stress building to the forefront of her head like a pressurised shaken can of coke. Fuck her head hurts, migraines are her biggest downfall when cases like this overwhelm her. She rubs her temple with her free hand, and instead of taking it out on the poor girl in front of her (Camila learnt from her past snapping session) she sighs and wordlessly holds her hand out, palm up and gesturing to Normani to hand them to her.

"It's fine. Sorry for being the reincarnation of Miranda Priesly this morning it's just-"

Normani chuckles lightly, shrugging as she holds her notepad to her chest. "Really, it's cool. I get it. Abuse cases are really hard, not only for the victims, but the people representing them too"