Talk To Me (Camren)

Chapter Nine

A/N: I realized that I rushed the update for the last chapter without reading it over carefully so I went over and tweaked it. You don't have to reread it, no drastic changes, but I do apologize. This chapter isn't heavy heavy because I have a...pleasant surprise in the next chapter that I think you'll like. Hope there's no mistakes because I wrote this at five AM (it's when I feel literary inspiration). Here it is, lovely beings.

Chapter 9

Lauren's POV

The rest of the day with Camila had been spent curled up in bed watching movies and eating all the popcorn in the house. I had called Ally up and told her that I couldn't come to movie night. Camila was my main focus right now and I don't think it would be the best idea to go out.

My phone read 5:43.

"Hey," I threw a piece of popcorn at the girl who was across the bed with her head resting in her hands. Her attention averted from Ryan Gosling to me, "Do you want to stay for dinner? We'll probably be having it soon. My parents won't mind."

Camila took her bottom lip between her teeth in a nervous lip bite.

"I don't know...if I'll be able to...talk...to them."

I propped myself up and asked, "Why not?"

This girl was still a mystery to me. Sometimes I got so caught up in, well, just Camila that I forgot how other people see her, or should I say get to see her. Around other people, it totally slipped my mind that Camila was a mute to everyone. Her choice to talk to me will never not make my heart flutter giddily.

She shrugged and didn't meet my eyes. I reached for the remote and paused the movie.

"Can I ask you something?" I took the risk.

"Yes," she answers.

I thought about asking her the obvious question, but instead I asked, "Do you ever get lonely?"

She swallowed and looked down at her hands that were fidgeting with the blanket.

"Sometimes, I guess. It's pretty horrible being stuck in your head 24/7 with no verbal release," she looked at me through her long lashes, "But I'm not completely isolated. I have tumblr and I talk with my six year old sister. That's probably why I can be pretty childish and goofy at times. My only social activity is talking about princesses and spies," I smiled and tried to imagine Camila playing with her sister, making funny faces and tickling her. My smile grew when I imagined her being that way towards me. "And you," I met tender brown eyes gazing over at me and my stomach did a flip.

I slid across my plush mattress to be physically closer to Camila.

"Are you sure you couldn't chat a little with my parents?" I pressed. The only reason I was pushing this was because I wanted my parents to like Camila and them to get along. My dad was just really big on having nice conversations with my friends and boyfriends. All he needed was a confirmation that they were good, polite people and I don't know how I would get him to see that with Camila if she didn't have a conversation with him. Maybe I could tell them that she was exceedingly shy.

"I-I don't know Lauren."

"They're nice people I swear."

"That's not," she furrowed her eyebrows and I waited patiently, "That's not it."

"Then what is it?"

I sat there, wondering if she would tell me the reason she never talked to people. Did she trust me that much?

She shrugged, looking down with an expression of...shame?

No, she didn't trust me enough yet. I don't know what I was expecting.

Unsure of what to do after that, I pressed the play button to continue the movie. The next few minutes was filled with the hushed voices of the characters and Camila's eyes heavily transfixed on the screen. She really got into these movies.

"So you make love to me and then you go back to your husband? Was that your plan? Was that a test that I didn't pass?" I heard Noah's voice from the machine, but I wasn't looking at the TV anymore.

I think I had a very serious staring problem, because every chance I got, I would direct my attention to Camila. It was like I wouldn't be satisfied until I had burned the imprint of her face in my memory, until I memorized every soft curve and motion of her profile.

Still watching the movie intently, Camila's eyes filled with adoration as her breath caught. She started chewing on her thumb. Obviously this scene pulled at her heartstrings.

"So it's not gonna be easy. It's gonna be really hard, and we're gonna have to work at this every day but I wanna do that because I want you. I want all of you, forever. You and me, every day.  Will you do something for me? Please? Will you just picture your life for me, thirty years from now, forty years from now? Whats it look like? If it's with that guy, go. Go! I lost you once, I think I could do it again. If I thought it's what you really wanted. But don't you take the easy way out."

"What easy way? There is no easy way! No matter what I do, somebody gets hurt!"

"Would you stop thinking about what everyone wants? Stop thinking about what I want, what he wants, what your parents want. What do you want? What do you want?"

"It's not that simple-"

"What do you want? Goddammit, what do you want?!"

"...I have to go."

After the scene played out Camila must have felt my gaze because she turned her head to meet it. I felt that lighter-than-air feeling that always appeared when our eyes met.

"You like these types of movie, huh?" I guessed, already knowing the answer from her eyes.

"What type?" She asked curiously, cocking her head to the side.

"Romantic, sob stories with a very charming male role," I grinned knowingly, "C'mon we've been watching them all day from your pick. Titanic, The Notebook, Like Crazy. Admit it, you like the gushy stuff."

"I don't," she interjected stubbornly.

"You were about to break out in sobs just now and wasn't even that sad."

"He's just so perfect, that scene is perfect!" She swooned.

"You love these movies," I said again.

"With a passion," Camila admitted easily, grinning from ear to ear, showing off her set of pearly white teeth.

"Lauren!"

"Yes mom?" I yelled back, instantly recognizing my mother's voice.

"Dinner!"

We heard her yell the same to my siblings.

Camila instantly locked eyes with me and I saw fear and panic swimming in them. This was very unsettling to me and my instant instinct was to ease her worries.

"C'mon, let's go get some din," I pushed myself off my mattress and stretched out a welcoming hand. She took it and got up herself.

I leaned over close to her ear and whispered, "There's nothing to worry about, Camz. It's not big deal, honestly. You don't have to speak if you don't want to. I would never make you." 

And no I did not just whisper in her ear just to get close to her.. even if there was no reason to. Pulling back, I rapped my fingers more firmly around her hand with reassurance.

"All it is is sitting down with a roomful of old goofs and two idiots to eat. The old goofs being my parents and the two idiots being my lovely siblings. Hell, maybe I won't talk. It's embarrassing enough to be related to them," I added jokingly. I earned a giggle and a tug to the arm.

When we arrived to the dining room, my mom was placing the food on the already set table and my dad was still in the other room, watching TV.

"Why hello. Chris told me you had someone over," Mom greeted and made her way over to us, "I'm Clara or Mrs. Jauregui, or Mrs. J or Mamma J. Whichever you prefer."

I grit my teeth in embarrassment as I watched Camila hold her hand out to shake but my mom had gone in for a short hug instead. The brunette was too pleasantly surprised to return it but she smiled charmingly at the older woman when she pulled away.

"Mom, this is Camila," I introduced her myself.

"Great to meet you Camila. You can go ahead and take a seat anywhere you'd like."

We let go of our interlocked hands. Camila did what she was told and observed her surrounding,  kind of like she did previously in my room.

"Michael, go get the kids and come sit," Mom ordered Dad before she walked into the kitchen. I took the opportunity to go follow her.

I leaned my forearm on the counter and waited for her full attention.

"What's up, honey?"

My mind raced as to what I should do. Explaining the situation would take a lot of time to explain, which was not convenient right now.

"Hey mom. So, um, Camila- She won't be speaking...throughout dinner." I mentally smacked my forehead.

"Is she deaf?" I definitely had her attention now.

"No, she's not deaf. Look, can you just tell Dad and let me explain later?"

She narrowed her wise eyes skeptically. My mom was a very open minded, attentive, nonjudgmental miracle that I had in my life. Clara would be willing if she saw good in Camila. I got that from her. If I could tell someone was a good person, I respected them, if not, I didn't waste my time to really care about them or build a strong relationship. I was lucky to have such a great mother and I knew that she was willing to take my deal.

"Alright," she then stepped closer. She looked me square in the eyes, daring me to look away, "Is she good-hearted? Is she genuine, mija?"

I stared back at her, questioning if she knew something I didn't know. Something told me their was more depth to her words.

"Yes," I affirmed.

And that was it. She smiled, showing her eye crinkles from all her years of smiling brightly. She brushed a few locks of my hair away from my face and said a warmhearted "good" before spinning around and leaving.

The dinner was predictable. My siblings were silently staring at Camila the first ten minutes, which didn't go unnoticed by my mom. Dad was too busy rambling on about The Heat loss. All the while I gave Camila's hand and thigh soft, tender touches under the table to make the rude stares less essential. Every once in a while I would lean over and whisper a cheesy joke in Camila's ear that would make her dreary face lighten up. Eventually Chris and Taylor eased up and started fighting and talking in loud voices like usual.

Camila began to actually smile as she listened to Taylor make fun of Chris's shirt that had turned pink in the laundry because I accidentally put one of my red blouses in the whites pile.

"Are your boxers pink too?"Taylor cooed, enjoying every minute of her upper hand.

"I guess we all know who's not getting laid anytime soon," I couldn't resist saying as I bit back a laugh.

"Lauren," Mom reprimanded.

I glanced to my left to see Camila also biting her lip, suppressing a giggle.

"Bitch," Chris growled under his breath so mom couldn't hear. I smiled innocently back.

Overall, the first dinner was not bad. Not bad at all.