chapter ten

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i always keep forgetting to say that this is gonna have 30 parts so we're over a third of the way there

@ all of u who saw the accidental update i wanted to finish chapter 23 before i posted this so i stay the same amount ahead and i can't write tonight bc i'm going to belgium lmao

anyway enjoy the chapter

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Camila isn't sure how she feels about Thanksgiving.

Since it's been a while since she was last at home, her mom is going all out with the family time. When Camila isn't with her mom, she's looking after her sister, playing board games with her and her dad, and it's probably the most aggressive family time she's ever had; even her two dogs, Thunder and Leo, are in on the action. She decides not to broach the topic of going out for a sleepover until the Saturday after Thanksgiving, when she approaches her mother as she's making yet another turkey sandwich for Sofi.

"Um, hey," Camila smiles, "so-"

"What do you want, mija?" Sinu asks her, fixing her with an amused look. "I know it's not money, so what is it?"

"I was wondering if it'd be okay if I went for a sleepover at a friend's house tonight," Camila says, choosing her words carefully, because she hadn't exactly told her mother that she'd reconnected with Lauren. When they'd gotten off the plane, Camila had to wait for her dad, and while Lauren's mom had offered her a ride, Camila had declined, since her dad was already on his way. As far as Camila's parents knew, she flew home by herself.

Sinu frowns. "Since when do you have friends in Miami?"

It's so blunt that Camila laughs. "Wow, thanks for like, indirectly calling me a loser, mami. And, um... I'm going to Lauren's."

"Lauren Jauregui?" Sinu asks, and Camila can tell she's wary from her tone. "And why would you be doing that when you haven't spoken to her for years?"

"Well, um, we actually ran into each other. In LA. She goes to college there, and I bumped into her, and we got to talking again, and..." Camila bites down on her bottom lip, "and I'm kind of falling in love with her all over again, but it's not... like before. She's actually happy now, mami."

Sinu fixes her with a look, and it's her worried mother stare. Camila just smiles reassuringly. "And you're sure she's not on anything?"

"Mami," Camila scolds her, shaking her head, "no, no, her parents sent her to reform school after we fought and she's away from all of that, she's actually studying law at UCLA."

Sinu eyes her for a moment, but sighs. "Well, you are an adult, you can make your own judgements. You can go."

Camila smiles, pulling her mom in for a hug. "Thank you, mami. I love you!"

She heads up to her bedroom to pack her things, Thunder trailing after her, and then realises she hadn't even asked Lauren if she could go over. She pulls out her phone and calls Lauren, and when she picks up on the first ring, she's not even surprised. "Are you just always on your phone? Is that how you always pick up on the first ring?"

"No, I have you on bypass, so it always rings on loud when you call me," Lauren says like it's not the sweetest thing ever. "Just in case, you know? Anyway, what's up?"

Camila pretends like the words didn't make her melt completely. "Oh, I was wondering if I could sleep over at your place tonight. You know, like we said on the plane."

"Of course, you're welcome here any time. Do you need a ride?" Lauren asks, and Camila nods, before realising that Lauren can't see her and answering verbally. "Okay. I'll come pick you up. I'll be twenty minutes."

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