Trials & Tribulations

Chapter 22. "My date, is a girl."

Ally had stayed with Camila and Lauren for a while, sitting at the kitchen counter with the two of them, eating an assortment of confectionary and discussing the events of the day in detail. Both Camila and Lauren had found it therapeutic to revisit everything that had happened again today, Ally providing them with some much needed thoughtful and balanced counsel.

"I'm so happy that you guys managed to work things out," she told them honestly. "I was really worried when you called me Lo," Ally continued turning to her friend. "I don't think I've ever heard you so agitated before." Lauren glanced at Camila who was watching her closely, a small smile on her lips.

"Yeah well, I don't think I've ever felt so agitated before," Lauren admitted reaching her hand along the counter to take hold of Camila's.

"If Lauren ever does something as ill-advised and idiotic as that again," Ally said turning to Camila feigning seriousness, "then you have my permission to cause her an immense amount of physical harm alright?""Hey," Lauren protested, knowing that Ally was only joking. "I know I acted irrationally ok. I guess I just lost my mind for a minute. Can I plead temporary insanity or something?"

"Everyone can see how much you two mean to one another," Ally told her in response. "It would have to have been temporary insanity Lo. That's the only logical reason I can think of as to why you would ever question the way Camila feels about you, especially because of something that Rachel Murphy said."

"I think we were both at fault," Camila commented squeezing Lauren's hand reassuringly. "So much has happened in the last couple of days that I think we were just overwhelmed by everything, at least, I know I was." Camila shared openly. "I had an emotional, knee jerk reaction to what Lauren said and walked away when I should have stayed and listened. Maybe if we'd talked things through properly straightaway then we could have saved each other a few hours of heartbreak."

"I think that you're probably right," Ally acknowledged in understanding, "but, I'm not surprised that you're feeling overwhelmed. You've got so much going on Camila that I don't know how you even begin to deal with it. How both of you deal with it." Ally said glancing at Lauren and pausing to take a sip of her drink. "I mean, you're a couple now so it affects you too, right Lo?"

"I guess," Lauren conceded, having not really considered it before.

"Ally's right," Camila admitted in realization. Lauren played with Camila's fingers mindlessly out of habit as she continued. "You put up with a lot of things that most people wouldn't even entertain the idea of getting involved with," Camila said thoughtfully.

"You make it sound like I'm some sort of saint," Lauren laughed.

"Well let's not be ridiculous," Camila joked. "I don't think I'd ever call you a saint...I mean, you did just pin me up against the sink and tease me profusely. I definitely don't remember reading about any saints in my religious studies class who'd ever done that." Ally raised her eyebrow slightly and turned to look at the kitchen sink in question.

"I don't think I need to hear about this," she said turning to look back at the others. "How you two decide to reconcile after a fight is something that I do not need to know."

"Oh my God Ally," Lauren said incredulously. "I don't know what you think we were doing before you got here but it was not that. Camila was wet so I lent her some clothes..."

"I'm sure she was," Ally interrupted raising her eyebrow suggestively before she turned to study Camila who was still sat wearing Lauren's hoody.

"Camila, would you tell her please?" Lauren pleaded her face blushing copiously at her poor choice of words moments ago. For a moment, Lauren didn't think Camila was going to say anything but eventually, she relented.