**CHAPTER 01**

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There were three truths to Camila Cabello, Lauren knew:

1. Meeting her their sophomore year of college was a stroke of mere chance.

2. Becoming her friend by the end of their junior year was an active choice.

3. Falling in love with her by the time graduation rolled around...falling in love with her was an inevitability.

There were three truths to Camila Cabello, and Lauren had them memorized and etched into every crevice of her skull, swearing to herself-promising herself-these truths would never in any way influence her relationship with the brunette. And they don't.

She was practiced in the art of hiding the depths of her feelings for the medical student.

She knew that when Camila was drunk, she tended to become more outgoing, louder, talkative- tended to say painful things like how much she needed Lauren, how much she appreciated Lauren, how much she loved Lauren.

She knew that after a particularly hard day, Camila liked to call her, how her guards went down for just a moment and things like 'I miss you' slipped from her lips.

She knew that when they got together, especially in environments that Camila knew Lauren wouldn't be comfortable in, Camila would press against her side, never moving far away-never once asking if the heat of her skin bothered Lauren more than the heat of the bar. (Lauren knew that Camila got particularly handsy on these nights, yet somehow she never found the strength to say anything.)

Lauren was practiced in the art of hiding her feelings for the medical student. She knew to avoid Camila when she was drunk. Knew to text Camila rather than chat with her on the phone on the days her guards were down. Knew to wear clothes that would make it impossible for her to feel Camila's skin against her own, knew that the easiest way to keep Camila's hands (her soft hands, igniting miniature flames against Lauren's skin wherever they brushed, driving her mad, driving her past all her limits, making her want to stop fighting, stop pretending, stop, stop, stop, stop) was to buy her another drink, occupy her with talk of the men in the bar, asking which one she preferred -all the while pretending that this didn't send shards of ice through her heart, that the fire against her skin spluttered out with nothing more than a whimper, that all her guards and protections flailed for a moment before regrouping and reforming and coming back stronger.

It was always easy, because Lauren had known Camila for five years. It was always easy, because medical school kept Camila busy, kept them out of bars, out of each other's apartments, out of each other's hair. Because Lauren spent more time reading and studying, couldn't and wouldn't answer Camila's calls. (She didn't think about how the current distance between them made things easier, she didn't think about why they've been so distant, she didn't-she can't-think about that.)

It was always easy, until it wasn't.

"It's important, Lauren. I wouldn't ask if it wasn't." (There were three truths to Camila Cabello:

1. Meeting her was a stroke of mere chance.)

"I know. I just...I don't understand."

"You made the most sense." (Three truths: 2. Becoming her friend was an active choice.)

"Because I'm the only one who'd agree?"

"Because you're my best friend. Because I trust you...because you were believable. Acceptable." (Three truths: 3. Falling in love with her...falling in love with her was inevitable.)

"Whatever you need, Camila."

"It's only two weeks. And all the wine you could possibly want."

"Like I said. Whatever you need."

For You ... -CamrenWhere stories live. Discover now