Acting (Camren)

12.

It's the second day in the beautiful house and Camila is reading through her script when Dinah walks in. "Are you seriously studying right now?" she asks as she grabs a mug to get some coffee.

"Yeah, I was actually thinking of studying on the beach for a little bit, but it's still a little cold out," Camila responds, walking over to the kitchen to get some coffee as well, dumping a shitload of sugar and milk in it, because she honestly doesn't like coffee at all. Dinah nods whilst sipping some of her coffee. "Normani and I are going to the store today, so maybe you and Lauren can practise together?" she suggests.

"Yeah, maybe," Camila responds as she walks back to the couch. "I just don't think she takes this as seriously as I do and I really need to focus."

Dinah smirks. "So, you can't focus when Lauren's around?" she laughs as she catches the script for episode six that just flew in her direction.

"How is that what you got from that?" Camila laughs too and takes back the script Dinah hands her.

"No, but seriously, I don't think it's true. This role means the world to Lauren," the taller girl tells her genuinely as she flops down on the other seat of the couch. Camila sighs. "Well, she doesn't show it. She only ever makes jokes or doesn't want to read it through with me at all."

Dinah nods. "I get it, I just think you guys are differently wired, you know? Just because you study differently doesn't mean one way works better. I mean, the show has been pretty great, right?" Camila nods as Dinah continues. "That's obviously because of me, but I think you and Lauren are great too," she laughs and Camila does too. "You're probably right," she agrees with Dinah when Normani and Lauren walk in the room.

Lauren, not being a normal human being before her coffee, just mumbles a morning and walks to the kitchen to get her daily caffeine intake. Normani, obviously being flawless, just greets them happily and jumps on the couch in between Camila and Dinah. "Morning! Are you really studying Mila? It's like, ten in the morning," she asks genuinely shocked that someone would do that to themselves. There's some sort of snort to be heard from the kitchen, followed by a "nerd", but Camila decides to ignore it. "Yeah, yeah, just talked about it with Dinah. I'll stop soon, I promise," Camila clears up.

Dinah stands up from the couch. "Shall we?" she asks Normani, who just nods. "Okay children, don't kill each other," Dinah says before they walk to the door. "We'll be back in no time, just getting some food for tonight," Normani explains before the two of them leave to get the groceries.

Lauren walks in with her cup of coffee, sleep in her eyes and messy hair. Camila is secretly really impressed that Lauren manages to look this hot in the morning. Wait, what? "What episode are you reading?" she asks Camila as she sits down in the chair opposite of the couch. Basically as far away as she possibly could have sat from Camila. "Five, it's really good!" she replies enthusiastically, because she genuinely loves it so much. Lauren nods. "True, I love the way they wrote how Daniela and Emily have been awkwardly avoiding each other at work, it's hilarious," she chuckles. Camila nods aggressively. "Exactly! They're such idiots, it's the best," she laughs too. "Wait. You've read episode five already?" she asks and Lauren just nods in response. "You've studied already?" Once again, Lauren just nods. "You never do that?" Camila more so states than asks.

Lauren shakes her head as she sips her coffee. "I literally always do that. Just because you THINK I don't care about the show doesn't make it a fact, you know?" Lauren responds, clearly annoyed at the conversation. "How am I supposed to believe you care Lauren?" Camila asks. "You never take anything seriously and you don't want to listen to any of my suggestions."

Lauren shakes her head in annoyance again as she puts her coffee down. That's how Camila knows this is about to escalate, Lauren would never put her morning coffee down. "Just because I don't give a fuck about your stupid suggestions doesn't mean I don't work my ass off for this show," Camila rolls her eyes. "Work your ass off? Really? You're always on your phone or smoking when we're on set, even though I always ask you if you want to rehearse with me!" Camila raises her voice, getting slightly annoyed now too. "And my suggestions are actually pretty good, if you just listened to me every once in a while!"

"I don't want to listen to you!" Lauren yells, which kind of shocks Camila for a little bit. "Jesus, calm down. It isn't as if I'm forcing anything on you. I am just saying you might actually like the things I have to say," Camila tries to calm Lauren down. "I literally never like anything you have to say, what part of you telling me what to do sounds like a fun time for me?" Lauren says as she stands up to get some new coffee, because the first one is already cold, which is pissing her off even more. "I'm not telling you what to do! They are suggestions Lauren for fuck's sake, why don't you listen to me?" Camila yells this time, really getting annoyed.

"Yeah sure. "Suggestions". It fucking pisses me off that you think you get to have a say in the way I act or the way I am as a person," Lauren yells back.

Camila throws her hands up in exasperation. "What the f-, I'm genuinely not trying to do that Lauren!" Before Camila can say more, Lauren interrupts her. "Aren't you? Lauren please don't change that line, Lauren that looks stupid, Lauren that isn't like Emily at all," Lauren imitates Camila's voice way too high pitched. "You fucking always tell me what to do!"

Camila sighs, biting her bottom lip. "I'm not telling you! I'm just trying to make this show perfect. I'm sorry it means so much to me!" Lauren just rolls her eyes in response. "And it doesn't mean anything to me? That's what you think, isn't it?" Lauren asks, but she doesn't wait for an answer. "This show means the fucking world to me! It's the only place where I can be myself."

Camila laughs rudely at that. "Oh, so it's the only place where you get to be an utter asshole to your colleagues?"

"IT'S THE ONLY PLACE WHERE I CAN BE FUCKING BI!" Lauren yells as she puts the mug down so roughly the handle snaps off.

Camila flinches visibly. She kind of regrets what she just said, but how was she supposed to know that. It isn't as if they ever talked about that sort of stuff. "I'm s-," Camila starts, but before she can finish that sentence, Lauren's already out the door. Camila sighs and runs her hands through her hair. She might have messed that up a little bit, she'll admit that.

About two seconds later Dinah and Normani walk back in looking around in puzzlement. "What the fuck," they say at the same time, looking at the broken mug on the kitchen counter. "We were gone for, like, fifteen minutes?" Dinah asks, genuinely impressed at how quickly that went wrong. Maybe this trip wasn't a good idea.