The exchange (camren) English Version

Chapter 108

Camila's POV

I woke up in the middle of the night, with my hands sweating and my heart shot.
A nightmare.

With every sound that the floor or the furniture gave me, it covered me under the sheets. My eyes wandered around the room, stopping in unknown shadows and in the dark corridor that I could see through the crack in the door.

The sound of Taylor's quiet breathing showed me that only I was awake. I didn't blink or think twice to take my pillow and go after the only person who manages to calm me, only by holding me in her arms.

I entered her room, on tiptoe, not to scare her, but I was surprised when her bed was empty and no sign that she had been sleeping and went to the bathroom or I know.

My stomach hurted.

She went to such the party.

I sat on her bed, trying to prevent the bad thoughts from taking account of my mind, my body trembled, I was afraid. With fear of my nightmare. Afraid of what she can do alone with Wesley.

I needed Lauren today, I needed her to touch me and tell me that everything was a dream and that it happened. That distracted me with her nonsense and let me sleep on her body, but, above all, I wanted not to throw everything away again.

I lay down on her bed and took the cover, covering myself, I grabbed onto her pillow, to at least feel her perfume, in a vain attempt to feel better. I closed my eyes and asked God, to please not leave her alone. Not  tonight.
I don't know how much my heart can hold.

The night went slow, torturous, if I could sleep an hour was a lot. I got up at 6 in the morning, with the sun rising and heavy eyes, I went through the room, hoping to find Lauren, but the same emptiness of the night happened to settle there.

When I knew there was no chance of the dream coming back, I went to the bathroom to get some water on my face and went downstairs to prepare something to eat, but I got stuck before I got to the kitchen.

My eyes didn't want to believe what they saw, in my throat a knot formed and I was paralyzed before the scene worthy of sorrow.

Lauren was lying on the floor, in any way, as if she were faint, her clothes were disorganized, her eyes were red, and in her hands was a little bag of dust. I shook my head and threw that away from her, my entire body trembled and I didn't know what to do first.

I sat on the couch, unable to help her get up. Or wake her up. I saw what she was holding before and I sighed.

Amazing.

I took several deep breaths before getting up and getting rid of the drugs. My head hurt, lots of thoughts left me silly and the main one was still a basic why?

With no opportunity to pick it up by myself, I had to call the only person able to help, even if it was too early to bother him, I had to do it and thank God he arrived a few minutes later.

“Oh my God” he was scared when he saw Lauren.

“You are right” It was all I could say.

I crossed my arms, watching from afar, scared. Regretfully. Drew took her to the room, with some difficulty and then went down again.

“I'm sorry for bothering you at this time, but I didn't know what to do...” I said amd sighed, sitting down. I feel weak. He put his hand on my shoulder.

“It's hard for all of us” he said and tried to comfort me “I'm in this with you”

I prepared a very strong coffee for both of us, we did not sit quietly in the room, my gaze focused on any point on the wall, while I held the cup firmly in my hands.

“You're disappointed, aren't you?” he asked, his voice weak.

“I don't know what I feel anymore...” I said and shrugged “I think I'm anesthetized”

“I use to do what Lauren too” he told me “but I admit that I never got as far as her” he drank a little coffee
“You changed her too much and you should feel proud of that”he said and smiled from one side “but it's not easy for her to leave a vice of years...”

“I know” I said and sighed  “but the fact that she doesn't ask for help, doesn't want help...”

“She is afraid, embarrassed, and proud. Clara and Michael pretend not to see the problem” he said and shook his head.
“They are great people, but they don't listen to their daughter's desperate cry for help” I nodded slowly.

“Nobody ever cared so much about her until you arrived. I felt lonely in this battle... he said and I looked at him, attentive “never anyone before had extended his hand to Laur in that way.”
He said and I moved my coffee

“I think it's the first time she realizes that there are more people who love her for her character, for old Lauren... not just those idiotic friends she has....” he said ans rolled his eyes “and I am eternally grateful for having recovered a part of my best friend that I thought had already died...”

I was hammering Drew's words for a long time, I needed to get Clara and Michael's attention for Lauren, make them open their eyes, then, when everyone had already woken up (and asking why Drew is there so early) I decided to talk.

“It's not an easy way to say this” I decided to start like this then, “excuse me if it sounds a bit heartless, but Lauren arrived drugged yesterday.” I threw it, all at once

Clara's expression changed, her usual spontaneous smile vanished, as the shock passed her face. Michael seemed firmer, holding his wife's hand. While Taylor shook her head, unable to believe it as I did when I saw her.

“I thought that was over”she stammered the words. “It had been a while since she came well...”

“I'm sorry, but she is your daughter and I'm just an exchange student, but, in my opinion, Lauren will never be really okay...” I explained what I thought “she needs help, but she is afraid to ask for it.”

“Dear, you've already done so much for her, Lauren has been having a different mood since you're here...” she said and smiled, a little “and at the end of the day, it seems that you know her better than we do, that we are her family.”

I didn't answer anything, because there was nothing else to say. Now it is in their hands too, the weight was too much to support alone.

A few minutes later I passed Lauren's room and saw Clara sitting next to her.
She was off, still. The eyes of that woman who welcomed me so well were bathed in tears upon seeing the state in which her eldest daughter was.

I dared to enter and place a hand on her shoulder, she needs a greater protection than I did when I found her. When she saw me there, she let out a half smile in the middle of the crying that she was holding and held my hand, looking for strength.

“She is going to get out of this, she is going to...” I murmured, sincerely “Lauren is strong, although sometimes she ends up letting herself go.”

“I feel so guilty...” she said, her voice low
“I should have helped her before she reached this state...”

“She didn't want to be helped...” I tried to assuage her guilt “she wasn't going to let us help.”

“But I could have insisted..” she said her voice was failing.

“Don't get upset about something that has already happened...” I suggested “let's think about the now”

“Oh, dear, you are an angel” she said and got up, hugging me “thanks for everything you've done, it was a blessing that you arrived here...”

“Thanks to you for welcoming me so well” I answered, back, to that lady so loving that I learned to respect and love.

A few hours later Lauren woke up, walked down the stairs with slow steps, while pain was formed on her face as she moved. As soon as she saw me she was paralyzed, in the middle of the bleachers. Withdrawal.