Bound To You (camren au)

step into the fantasy

(we are at a very scary and serious time in the world and we need to stand with the black community! i have petitions and charities linked in the comments - support the blacklivesmatter movement and sign them and donate if you can)

up next: life at house of hernandez isn't all fun and games. also, the gals go shopping... (tw: brief mention of eating disorders)

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They talk a lot. They talk like they're newfound childhood best friends, giggling during sleepovers and staying up until the sun streams through Lauren's windows. They talk about things they'd like to name their children, conspiracy theories, their favorite singers, first kisses, terrible dates. Camila feels like she's never known someone so intimately in her whole life. It's almost insane. She's an oversharer at heart, but so is Lauren, and that leads to them becoming thick as thieves in a matter of weeks.

The other girls all poke fun at them. They're always bent in the corners, whispering, laughing like children. It feels deliciously exclusive. Camila's never felt this much of a rush before, not with anyone.

"Do you think you'll ever get married?" Camila asks out of nowhere, while she's fixing Lauren's hair out of her face. She's wearing a delicate white gown that made the thought pop into her head.

Lauren is smiling, her eyes shut. One earbud is in, and she's humming along faintly to the song blasting through it. "Duh," she says. "I'm a hopeless romantic. I'm just looking for the right person to be up for it."

Camila pauses, her eyes flicking over Lauren's content, beautiful features, and her heart aches, just a little. She thinks she'll never find anyone this irresistible ever again. "Yeah," she says, her voice coming out breathy. "I get that."

And then Lauren's chest is rumbling with laughter. "Maybe one day Lucy will do it," she says flippantly. "Maybe one day she'll really tie me down, and I can be her sugar baby forever and we'll live happily ever after."

Camila turns away like she's been slapped. She forces a laugh, but Lauren's already leaning in towards the mirror, inspecting her perfect reflection. "Thanks, baby," she tells her. "You're a godsend."

Camila kind of wants to shrivel up and die. She adores Lauren, but she also makes her feel like her insides are tying themselves in tight knots, squeezing her organs, making her sick. She's never liked someone so much, so much it's painful. She wonders if Lauren notices. She wonders all the time if Lauren's just messing with her, if she knows how Camila feels and is just fucking with her head. It's one of those evil little thoughts that nags at the back of her brain, rearing its ugly head at the worst of times.

She pushes it down. She has to. There's nothing else she really can do.

-

Usually during intermission, all the girls meander around on the main floor, interacting with the patrons, picking up a few extra tips. Camila has yet to try this. So far she's just stayed up in the dressing room with whoever is willing to sit out picking up some money in order to keep her company - most of the time, it's Lucy or Ariana, since Lucy obviously is not a performer and Ariana thinks she's above talking to the patrons one-on-one.

Lauren always comes back with her lipstick smudged all along her mouth and a wad of cash in her hands, and Camila hates to think about how she got it. Eventually, she knows she'll have to do the same thing, and she's fine with that - she's seen the men staring and catcalling at her when she's on stage, so she thinks she knows what to expect. But the thought of Lauren doing the same thing is almost unbearable.