Dare You To Love (Camren - Norminah - Vercy)

Chapter 37: Real Friends

A/N: This chapter kicks off Part 2 of DYTL. CH 1 started off with 3 best friends, & I think it's appropriate to start Part 2 off with important friendship plot points cuz like my fic 'You Complete Me', the friendships between the characters is what's gonna steer the romantic ships home. #foreshadow

"It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends." – Albus Dumbledore (Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone)

Recap (Read in Neville Longbottom's Voice)

Previously on DYTL...

Lauren, Lucy, & Leo's deep talk weed sessions (CH 21) + Lauren admitting to herself that she's falling for Camila now that she sees Camila getting along with her friends (CH 36) + Lauren doesn't wear dresses (CH 35).

Lucy stopped believing in love when her parents went through a divorce, but Vero resurrected that belief via completing the bucket list (Literally the entire first part of this book, but people who skip around wouldn't know...SMH).

Vero was bullied for her dyslexia as a kid (CH 6), that's why she's majoring in Child Psychology and Education at UCLA, to potentially help kids with learning disabilities (CH 3).

Vero is kinda against the dare but has to watch helplessly cuz friendship (CH 20).

Normani asked her parents to take the proposal of her marriage to Dinah's family cuz she's been in love with Dinah since she was 7 (CH 2, 24), but Dinah feels trapped cuz she was forced into this marriage cuz she didn't want to be disowned by her family + (CH 1, 3, 32) + Dinah is wary of love because she was fucked over (CH 31, 32) + Norminah are HORRIBLE at communicating with each other (CH...literally the entire fucking story).

Dinah's friends don't know about her infidelity and are assuming that Norminah are happily married (recurring) + Dinah and Camila had a fight over Dinah's marriage before (CH 7) + Austin cheating on Camila traumatized her (CH 15).

Camila doesn't think she's lost her virginity to Lauren (CH 35) + Camren had loud strap-on sex during Lauren's birthday beach weekend (CH 36).

WALLY: Ally's husband Troy died in Afghanistan 11 months ago (CH 9) + Lauren introduced Ally to her buddy Will, who's wife had died in the navy. Will holds group therapy sessions to help people with the grieving process (CH 14) + Will and Ally have become good friends (CH 19, 30).

Ally has been helping Normani deal with Dinah's infidelity (CH 25, 27, 30, 32) + Normani told Ally that she would walk away if things ever got too much (CH 30) + Dinah had asked Normani to give her till their anniversary to adjust to their marriage, so as of now they're continuing to live together as just friends (CH 32).

Holy shit this has turned into a dramatic soap opera, but y'all haven't even seen the real drama/fluff yet. As of now, the real shit starts...[praying Allysus emoji].

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July 2018

Lauren's POV

I was fidgeting with the half-finished joint in my hand, so lost in the thoughts about my relationship with Camila that I wasn't even paying attention to the action-packed episode of Game of Thrones. Though I was sure about my feelings for Camila, my inner angel and devil kept bickering over the benefits and consequences of being in a real relationship. My head throbbing slightly, I sighed and turned my attention back to the TV.

Except, it was turned off.

I turned to look at my cousin, who was looking at me in lazy amusement from the other couch. Lucy exhaled a generous amount of smoke and said, "Hi. Welcome back."