night after night (camren)

30.

But feeling more for Lauren would only put the girl in the line of fire. Camila had no extricate herself before she made her problems Lauren's problems. No one wanted that kind of shit in their lives.

......

Camila was stuffing her clothes in her suitcase. Lauren rubbed her eyes and covered her mouth as she yawned. Maybe she was seeing things, but it sure looked like Camila was fixing to get the hell out of dodge. Dressed in jeans and a sweater, the girl was tugging the zipper closed on her suitcase.

"I thought your flight wasn't till five?" Lauren said, scrubbing her hand across her jaw.

Camila shook her head, "I got it wrong. I transposed the times. It's 11:05 not 5:11"

"Let's just change it then"

"I tried. The later flight is booked" Camila said, and her voice was strained, as if she were speaking through a sieve.

"Really?" Lauren arched an eyebrow.

"Yes, really" she said, but she didn't look at Lauren. She kept tugging and yanking at her suitcase. Lauren got out of bed to help, kneeling down on the floor next to Camila. Her shoulder bumped the girl's, and Camila cringed as if Lauren had burned her.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, fine" Camila said, crisply as Lauren closed the suitcase for her.

"You don't seem fine"

"I just need to go, that's all. I hate being late and missing flights. It totally stresses me out" she said, and there was a hitch in her voice, as if she were about to cry. Did she have some kind of bad childhood memory about missing a flight? Because she sure as hell seemed sadder than the moment warranted.

"Let me go with you to the airport then. We can at least spend more time together in the car"

Camila shook her head, "That's sweet. But I just have to go. The cab is already here" she stood up, "I need to get going. I'm going to have to work tonight, too"

Lauren cocked her head to the side, saying nothing, just studying Camila. She was used to negotiations, to deal-making, to knowing when someone was lying, and her hackles were raised,

Camila didn't seem so stressed or sad anymore. She seemed full of shit.

"Which one is it, Camila?" Lauren's words came out more harshly than she'd thought. Or maybe they were exactly as harsh as she felt, "Are you working tonight or did you mix up your flights? Because I'd buy one, or maybe I'd buy the other, but two seems like you're piling on the excuses"

Camila huffed out through her nostrils, narrowed her eyes, "Do not even think about accusing me of lying"

"I did not accuse. I asked" Lauren said, "But it's interesting to see where your brain went"

Camila's eyes widened, and they were filled with anger, "I have to go" she said, biting out the words, "I need to get out of here. I have shit to take care of at home, and that is that. I will call you later"

"I'm so sorry to hear Jordan's arm is broken" Lauren said, not bothering to strip the anger from her voice.

Camila shot Lauren a furious look, but kept her mouth shut as she grabbed her bag, headed down the steps to the front door and out of Lauren's building.

The door clanged shut, the sound of it echoing throughout the girl's home, leaving Lauren with cold, empty silence.

She could have gone after her. Followed her, gently grabbed her arm, and asked if she was okay, if she'd done something wrong. But there was no point. Camila didn't want to be stopped. She didn't need to be stopped. She was a woman who'd made up her mind, and Lauren had enough self-pride and smarts to know she'd been played. Especially when she grabbed her computer and sank down on the couch in her living room to look up the email from Virgin Atlantic, since she'd been the one to buy the ticket for Camila.

Lauren's heart dropped. Hot shame spread in her chest. She had no clue what had gone wrong, but the time on the ticket told her that all this falling had been a one-way street.

Camila was still on the 5:11 flight.

She cursed more times than she could count as she slammed her laptop closed. She ran a hand through her hair, anger and frustration coursing through her bloodstream. The last thing she wanted to do was sit with this feeling. She pulled on workout clothes and went to the boxing gym to spend the morning punching the bag alone, letting all her anger pour out of her, and her hurt too. The stupid hurt she felt for having been left.

She'd only known Camila for a short time. Had only spent a few days with her. They had been perfect, fabulous, wonderful days, but even so her heart shouldn't ache without the girl. Like a gaping whole in her chest.

It should feel like nothing.

Like nothing. Lauren let those words echo in her head with each punishing jab until eventually her mind was blank, and her body was tired, and she hoped against hope she'd forget Camila fast.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

sorry for missing the update on thursday, i was having a bad day and i didnt feel like writing but here you go :)

also.... i have concluded i really need to start proof reading