Trials and Tribulations

Chapter 68

A/N: It's midnight and the chapter still isn't quite finished yet so I've split it as promised but I really struggled to find a good place so sorry if it's boring and nothing much happens but that's the compromise when I split them. Also, it's not proof read so sorry for any mistakes.

Lauren pulled up outside Camila's house in her red Chevrolet Cruze the following Wednesday after school, Ally, Dinah and Normani all huddled in the back of it, singing along to the stereo animatedly. She put the car in park and quickly shut the engine off, the girls groaning loudly in response to the sudden lack of music. "Lo," Normani complained, affronted that her friend would even consider cutting out the stereo whilst Beyoncé's album was playing, her hard copy having found its way in to Lauren's CD player with a little bit of persuasion. "Can't you leave that on?" Lauren turned around in her seat to look at her friend, one hand unfastening the safety belt as she did so to allow her body the freedom it needed to complete the movement. "I'll only be a few minutes," Lauren said, laughing at the look of disappointment on each of the other girls' faces. "Are you seriously telling me that you can't go that long without murdering

another one of her songs?" "Murdering?" Dinah asked, feigning offense and holding her hand up to her chest as if wounded by the word. "Excuse you but we were totally killing it." She said as Lauren twisted back around in her seat and opened the door to her left, climbing out of the car. She shut it after her and turned around, leaning in through the open drivers' side window to address her friends' once more, a smirk plastered on her face. "I know you were 'killing it'," she said, meeting Dinah's gaze levelly, "that's exactly what Ijust said." "'Murdering' a song, and 'killing it' are two completely different things you know?" Dinah reminded her and Lauren's smile grew wide. "Not when we're talking about your rendition of 'Flawless'" Lauren commented, "you guys really suck. You don't have enough swag for a song like that." "Would you just put the stereo back on?" Normani requested, brushing off Lauren's playful jibe with a smile of her own. "Fine," Lauren chuckled, bending forward and reaching across the steering wheel with her right arm in order to turn the key in the ignition one click. "Just, try not to inadvertently attract every cat in the neighbourhood with your mating calls," she joked as the stereo returned to life. The girls immediately picked up where they'd left off and Lauren shook her head at them in amusement before making her way to Camila's front door. She paused outside and rang the bell when she reached it, holding down the small button and causing a long, noisy, drawn out buzz to be emitted. Lauren waited, her eyes scanning the space around her distractedly until

the front door opened and an out of breath Camila appeared from behind it, apparently having run down the stairs. "Hi!" Camila greeted Lauren enthusiastically, a large smile appearing on her face at the sight of her girlfriend. "Hiiiiiii," Lauren returned, drawing out the word and frowning at the large, dark, purple bruise which surrounded Camila's right eye and spread out diffusely across her face. "What happened?" she asked concerned, reaching a hand up to caress Camila's brow, her fingertips moving down to trace along the small cut which was visible on her girlfriend's right cheek. "Oh this?" Camila asked gesturing to the blemish with her right hand as Lauren moved aside and allowed her to step out of the house. She pulled the door closed behind her swiftly as she continued, the latch clicking firmly in place. "I took up boxing." She joked. "If you think this is bad then you should see the other guy...." "Camz," Lauren protested knowingly, giving her girlfriend a pointed look. "It's nothing," Camila reassured her, waving a hand dismissively in front of her face. "I had a seizure this morning and my head collided with the kitchen counter that's all." "Jesus," Lauren exhaled. "That's all?" she asked, believing Camila to be downplaying the injury in order to pacify her worries. "Are you alright?" "I'm fine," Camila told her as she reached down and picked up Lauren's hand in her own. She pulled it up to her mouth and kissed the back of it affectionately. "It's no big deal honestly,"