Pretty Girl Tears

Chapter 45

Lauren awoke the next morning with Camila bundled closely against her chest.. she'd been laying like it all night, her arm arms wrapped tightly around her back while her cheeks disappear into her neck, she didn't move.. Lauren didn't want to wake the girl but her need to pee had left her peeling away the delicate body only to gasp when she saw the deep bruises over her wrists, the bloodshot dots of red surrounded by brown and purple instantly sending a shard of guilt into her stomach.. she hadn't realised how firmly she'd had a hold of them last night in her moment of black out

She squirmed a little as her body stepped down into the floor but fell back into a comfortable sleep as Lauren tucked the blankets around her shoulders quietly escaping across the hall and then back into the kitchen

"You're up early?"

"It's 10 am sweetheart!"

Lauren widened her eyes with a shallow 'oh' as she sank down into the chair opposite her grandmothers body admiring her fresh face and interest in her not so fresh morning look..

"Did she sleep well?"

"I think so? She's still sleeping.."

Lauren hummed wiping at her tired eyes noticing her own knuckles aching from the right hook she'd given her best friend now for seemingly no reason at all.. she hid the purple marks under the table before sighing up to the woman in the face

"I'm sorry we brought all of that back here Abuelita.. I feel bad we ruined your night.."

"There's no place I'd rather you have been, She ran here blindly.. because for some reason this old apartment comforts her.. so really I am grateful"

Her words were honest an sincere, like she'd thought about them for a while, she really was thankful Camila had found her way between the old tattered walls as it meant she had a safe place.. she knew she had somewhere to go if things had gotten bad.. being the family woman she was she knew that to be a positive

"I just feel so shitty.. watching her like that last night just hurt so bad you know? Knowing she couldn't control it?"

"But you did! You controlled it Lauren! Ai what do you think would have happened if you weren't here to take her out of it?"

Lauren looked down into her lap with a pursed lip, her brain still in shock from last nights revelation however the woman was right.. if it wasn't for her who knows what kind of trouble the younger could have landed herself in..

"I guess, I just wish she wasn't hurting.. like I wish I could take that from her"

"Well you have had your fair share of hurt too my baby... but all you can do is be there for her, show her that you won't leave her side, because from what I heard last night she just needs a family.."

Lauren nod back with a smile knowing her self she would never leave, she was too invested in the Caramel skinned beauty and wanted nothing but to be hers forever.. she just hoped her life would soon calm down and stop torturing her..

"We are her family Abuelita? But I don't think she sees that?"

"How can she? Years worth of trauma cannot be fixed in a matter of days.. it will take time! And time is what I demand you give her!"

She spoke with a firm tone forcing the girl in front to nod back affirming her statement while dragging her fingertips over the old table in front, the woman not yet done talking as she cleared her throat to speak

"I know sometimes it's hard to tell the difference between directed anger and lost thoughts.. but reason with yourself before you respond like you did last night.. that anger wasn't meant for you.. but it was pointed at you... understand that we say things in the moment and sometimes all we need is to be understood"