nobody like you (Lauren Jauregui)

like a pro

"Hi, I'm Lauren." Lauren says, a grin on her face as she sticks her hand out for Sarah to shake it.

Which Sarah does, with a smile on her face as well.

"Sarah. Let's get to the dining room."

Sarah leaves and Alma takes a moment before taking Lauren's hand and leading her to the room, where Sarah's helping Tamsin in her high chair.
Alma pulls a chair for Lauren, and sits next to her and Tamsin.

Not really knowing what to say, Sarah goes to the kitchen to take everything they'll need, and she hears Alma's laugh as well as the distant babbling of Tamsin.

She takes a moment to just listen even if she can't hear what they're saying, just to hear their voices.

And then Alma laughs again, as well as Tamsin. And it makes her smile.

"So, Lauren, how long have you been teaching?" Sarah says as she comes back with drinks and appetizers, and Lauren turns her head to answer.

"It's actually my first year teaching. I only have one class for now."

"Do you still like your job?" Sarah sits down and quickly glances at Alma who's looking at Lauren as the Latina talks.

Alma has to admit that she's very proud of herself for coming up with this and actually talking to her mom. She was expecting her to not acknowledge how her daughter felt at all, and even maybe yell about how irresponsible it was for her to be fucking her teacher.

But Sarah seems to not hate Lauren. If she did, Alma would know. She probably would've said it already.

But she smiles, and keeps the conversation knowing, asks about Lauren and her family, and Alma doesn't really talk much because Lauren really is handling this situation like a pro.

Maybe it's because she's twenty-three. Or because Alma really isn't as social as Lauren seems to be, so it's hard for her to picture herself talking to Lauren's mom as easily as Lauren's doing it.

When her mom leaves to get desserts, Alma's eyes grow wide.

"I'm surprised she hasn't yelled at you or kicked you out yet." The youngest says and Lauren chuckles. "How are you not nervous?"

"There's no reason to be. I'm just being myself. She wants to see me, not my teacher side, not my defensive side. That's just me. I'm happy to be here." Lauren answers with a smile as if it was obvious.

"Happy!" Tamsin says.

"You have a lot to say, don't you?" Alma turns around and Tamsin giggles.

"Do you know how much you two look alike?"

"I know. I should show you pictures of when I was small, you'd think it's her."

"Oh I have plenty of those! We sh-" Sarah jumps into the conversation with a chocolate cake in her hands, and Alma shakes her head.

"No. You have all the embarrassing pictures, I'll show her the ones I have."

"They're not embarrassing! They're adorable."

"No. I used to run around naked all day, so it's mostly me butt naked with chocolate all over me."

"You did love to be naked. She'd take off all of her clothes as soon as we'd put them on her!" Sarah says, and Lauren chuckles as Alma shakes her head.

"I like to feel light as a feather, and I like to be free. What can I say?" Alma simply says, and Sarah shakes her head with a smile.

When dinner's ready, Sarah disappears to put Tamsin to bed and Alma looks at Lauren with the best heart eyes, which Lauren finds adorable.

"I love you so much. Do you know that?" She asks, scooting closer to her.

"I do." Lauren answers with a smile. "I love you even more."

Alma cups Lauren's cheeks to kiss her, and Lauren kisses the tip of Alma's nose as they pull away, making her chuckle.

"Okay I'm going to clean the table." She says, getting up and Lauren does the same.

"I'll help you."

"No, you don't have to, I got it."

Lauren's already up, though, and collecting the rest of the plates to take them to the kitchen, and Sarah comes back as Alma's ready to wash the dishes.

"Don't bother, I'll do them. Are you staying over tonight, Lauren?"

Lauren looks at Alma. None of them planned, mostly because they didn't expect tonight to go that well.

"Yeah." Alma says. "She is."

"If that's okay?" Lauren looks at Sarah, and Sarah smiles.

"Of course it is."

"I don't have my stuff." Lauren whispers to Alma.

"It's still early, we can make a quick stop to your place?"

"Yeah, we can." Lauren says.

"Well you guys better do this now before it gets too late."

With that, both of the girls hop in Lauren's car as Lauren starts driving.

"Your mom's actually very nice." Lauren comments and Alma nods.

"She is, when she's not under his influence. Not that I can blame her. Toxic relationships, you know. I know there's nothing she can really do about it and I guess she's scared of what he'd do if she left him. I'm scared of him, too."

"I understand. I mean, I haven't met him yet but I can just tell that he's toxic as fuck."

"I mean, he did throw me on the ground multiple times and choked me while holding me against a wall."

"I'm so sorry that you had to go through that."

"It's okay. I got used to it. He's a very nice guy when he's not on whatever drug he does with his jobless friends."

"They're all like that. Drugs really are damaging and not only for the people doing them. What about Tamsin?" Lauren asks as they get out of the car and make their way to Lauren's room.

"He never landed a hand on her, probably never will and he shouldn't even try to because that's something I'd definitely try to kill him for. I don't care if he wants to punch me every night, he can do that, but if he touches her he's a dead man."

"That's understandable."

"He loves her too much. She's daddy's little girl, you know. She doesn't realize yet, and I hope he gets his shit together before she's old enough to."

"She'd be traumatized for the rest of her life."

"I was fine before he started doing drugs. Not one trauma. Just happy memories, and he had to comr along and destroy it."

When Lauren gets all of her stuff, they head back to Alma's house and directly go to Alma's room.

"I'm just now realizing you've never been in my house before. It feels like you already have."

"No. I never have. It's really nice, though. It's very... Chill. I like the energy."

"Because crackhead David isn't here. If he's sober, energy doesn't change. Happy family. If he isn't... You definitely feel it." Alma says, taking her jeans off. "I'm gonna go shower. Are you joining?"

"Hell yeah I am." Lauren smiles, following Alma to the bathroom.