Say You Won't Let Go

The Strongest Of Them All

"I can't believe you didn't tell me. You literally live with me—we're sisters!" Ally exclaims in astonishment. Her boyfriend, Troy, sits next to her, his arm around her shoulders.

"Calm down, Alz." Lauren laughs, looking to her sister. "I did tell you. But you were on the phone with Troy."

Troy nods, "even I heard her, darling." He says gently, making Ally scoff playfully.

"Whatever." She sings, stuffing food into her mouth.

"Why is that exactly like Camila?" Dinah asks from beside Lauren, gesturing to Ally while laughing.

"Spare my girlfriend." Lauren wraps her arms around me, burying her face in my neck. "We all eat."

"Some more than others." Normani mutters, side-eyeing me.

"Rude. I thought you were on our side, Mani." I wrap my arms around Lauren head, squeezing her tightly. She smiles into my neck and my heart flutters like a butterfly.

"It's like they're already married and on their honeymoon." Dinah complains, making a gagging noise.

"Oh, shut up." Normani shoves the taller girl. "They're finally together. Took freaking long enough."

"I suppose." Dinah rolls her eyes, frowning. "I'm the only single one, now."

"I'm single!" Normani shakes her head and Dinah sighs loudly.

"I know." She drawls, putting her hand on Normani's face and turning to me. "Camz, next Sunday, do you want to get dinner with me?"

"Sure." I shrug. "You can come over. Dad is making pasta Sunday."

"Yes." Dinah drawls, fist pumping the air. I laugh at her, a smile lingering on my face after the noise dies in my throat.

"Pasta is weird." Lauren jeers, crinkling her nose in disgust.

"You're weird." I retort. Lauren sticks her tongue out at me and I giggle. Resting my head on her shoulder, I sigh happily.

The happiness crinkles up when I hear the voice of the devil.

"If it isn't my favorite pair, eh?"

I see Normani ready to jump up in the corner of my eye but Dinah wraps her arms around her to keep her down.

Lauren lets out an exasperated sigh. "Mahone."

Austin, Mahone himself, flashes me a devilish grin. "I don't know why you're with her. She doesn't even know my first name."

I hear Dinah mutter under her breath. "Asshole."

"Good, saves her a few brain cells." I roll my eyes, biting my bottom lip to keep the smile away from when I see the confusion in Austin's face.

He shakes off the defeat and tries again. "You know—"

"If you just came over here to belittle my wonderful girlfriend and me, thinking you were going to get some juicy reaction, or whatever the fuck you and your asshole friends obsess over, then lower those hopes back to the ground because it isn't happening." Lauren snaps, her eyes fixed on the boy's boring green eyes. A look of rage, of being tired of hiding, of irritation that people can't just accept her, of disappointment in the world we live in, is upon her features.

Austin looks taken aback, like he wasn't expecting it, and almost fearful of embarrassment, but he trudges on, digging the hole deeper and deeper. He mocks, "Oh, your wonderful girlfriend, eh?", like it's going to make a difference.

"Yes, my wonderful, lovely, passionate, everything-I-could-ever-want, girlfriend. And yeah, I get that you're upset because she isn't yours—you're not worthy. Hell, I'm not even worthy. But here we are; looks like the soul spoke." Lauren flips him off, turning back to me and kissing my head. I hum happily.