Never Be The Same (Camren short fic) (COMPLETED)

VI

"Remind me again why we have to do this now when we really need to be at the hospital?" Lauren hisses impatiently at Dinah. Annoyingly, Will and the record label want them to appear in a radio interview while they are in Miami to address the scheduling issues of their world tour due to them staying in Miami for almost a week now. And of course, the interview has to be on the exact same day Camila is going to wake up.

It has been approximately two hours since the doctors had administered the drug in Camila's bloodstream and Lauren has been itching to go back to the hospital and be there for Camz when she wakes up. Sure, she is still unconscious for now but what if she wakes up and Lauren isn't there?

"I know," Dinah sighs, and Lauren can tell that the radio station is also the last place the tall blonde wants to be right now. "But you gotta take the chill pill, Lauser. The interview is gon' be livestreamed and we can't have you be all sulky and shit," she adds as they're being ushered to their seats and handed each of them headphones.

The four women greet the radio deejays and settle on their chairs. Lauren tries her best to keep her composure and not glare at Will who is standing behind the glass panel separating the booth from the control room he is in. The interview hasn't started yet but Lauren already wants to get up and rush to the hospital as soon as possible.

"Keep your cool," the green-eyed girl can make out Will mouthing to her as he catches her glance. She resists the urge to roll her eyes at their manager as the camera for streaming purposes is directly at her right side.

The theme tune of the radio segment plays through their headphones and Lauren exhales.

Here we go...

-

So far, the interview is going well. Lauren is in her best behavior and despite their recent distress earlier, there isn't any trace of it on her and the girl's faces. It's ironic how they're artists in the music industry but it feels like their lives are one big tv show that they have to put on an act 24/7 and practically become great actors.

Lauren keeps glancing at the clock. Funny how she hates clocks today. Seconds seem to get longer and longer and she feels like this interview is dragging on and getting boring due to the fact that their manager had already talked to the radio hosts prior to the interview and advised them against mentioning Camila and the recent shooting.

Lauren's phone chimes in her pocket and she gives the radio hosts an apologetic smile for not turning it off. "Sorry," she says meekly and pulls her phone out to put it on silent, but the text message she receives from Sinu stops her from doing anything with it:

"Camila is awake."

Lauren's eyes widen, almost bulging out of their sockets as she gasps, "Holy sh--"

Dinah clears her throat and places a hand on Lauren's thigh, squeezing it lightly as if reminding Lauren that they're still on air.

But Lauren is beyond caring. She shows her phone to her bandmates with a shaky hand, ignoring the curious looks of the interviewers and the glare Will sends them from the sidelines.

"I'm sorry, I just--I need to go," Before the girls--or anybody for that matter--could even react, Lauren springs to her feet and takes off the headphones, a determined look on her face as she excuses herself before bolting out of the booth, running as fast as she can out of this place.

Contract be damned. Epic's management can sue her all they want for not doing her duties right, she doesn't care anymore. They can all suck it.

She needs to be there for Camila right this very moment. And nothing and no one can stop her.