Journals (Camren)

Chapter 4

"So his name is Brad?" Lauren asked with a smile. She was sitting on the edge of her bed. They were all huddled up in her room, like they did on most Fridays. Ally was sprawled out across the bed and Dinah was spinning in her chair. Normani was sitting on the floor next to Camila, who was laying down on the floor with her head in Normani's lap.

"Yeah," Ally nodded enthusiastically, honestly believing that their search was over. Their mystery was far from being resolved.

"Well, what did they say? I've talked to Brad a few times before," Lauren recalled.

"They were just making fun of him and talking about how much he liked you. They didn't really say a whole lot. But I know him. He's really nice and seems like he would do that type of thing," Ally suggested.

Camila wasn't hearing this. She just was not hearing this. They had to be joking. Were they seriously trying to discover who it was? Still? Nothing else had diverted their attention away from the mystery? It had been a whole day already. She didn't know what she would do if someone stole Lauren from her through their stupid lies. Even though she didn't necessarily have her in the first place. But whatever. She close her eyes and tried to just go to sleep. Which clearly wasn't going to happen when there were so many voices around her.

"Well, he is really cute..." Lauren mumbled as her smile grew exponentially. In her mind, he was getting more attractive by the second. If he had looks like those and an intellectual mind, Lauren might just fall in love.

"Yeah, he is," Normani agreed enthusiastically. "Let me see it," she requested as she held out her hand for the journal.

But Lauren's eyes seemed glued to the pages. It was endearing to Camila to see that she was so enamored with her writing, but her spirits dropped yet again when she remembered that she didn't know she was the source.

When Normani got a hold of the journal, she scanned a few pages. Then she flipped some more and skimmed, repeating the process. She found a good page and cleared her throat theatrically, preparing to read one of the entries aloud. Camila dreaded this.

"People write poems about smiles like yours. It's been my favorite thing about you since the day we met. That was the day our two worlds collided, then molded. When you smiled at me that day so many years ago, I was yours. Even then. I knew it. I was wrapped around your finger. I always have been," Normani swooned exaggeratedly.

"Because until then, I'd never met anyone whose smile could surpass even the most beautiful sunset. And I'd never met anyone whose grin could light up the darkest parts of me. I had never - in my entire life - met someone whose smile became a necessary part of my happiness. But then I met you, and you did all of that. Because you're just that beautiful.

And oh my god, your laugh. If I could only hear one sound before I take my last breath, I'm pretty sure that would be it. It's my favorite sound on the entire planet. You're so goddamn beautiful. The way you-" Normani continued to read, but Camila had slapped the journal out of her hands.

She couldn't take this anymore. The way Normani was reading it aloud like it was some sort of joke left her livid. She was speaking so theatrically and giggling the entire time, it was pissing Camila off. But she knew her anger couldn't be directed at Normani. She didn't know she was broadcasting Camila's deepest feelings to their friends. And she admittedly felt a little embarrassed. No one was supposed to read those private things. And they sure as hell weren't supposed to be reading them in front of fucking Lauren.

"Muscle spasm, sorry..." Camila attempted to excuse that reckless act. She should really work on impulse control. And her temper.

"What's wrong?" Ally questioned, slightly startled by the sudden outburst.