Glory Hole

Part 10: Comfort Food

Camila wasn't sure exactly how she got here. But she sat in a booth at her old job with a banana split and french fries in front of her.

She'd already called Dinah and asked her to pick her up after she'd finished work, promising to explain what had happened later and the Poly had agreed.

With her back to the door, Camila watched her ice cream melt as she played with the spoon. She didn't feel like eating but Selena knew her well enough that she'd brought over her usual.

"So, you wanna tell me what's wrong and why you came back to this dump?" Selena asked as she sat down across from her.

"Is my job still open?" Camila asked instead.

Selena chuckled at the younger girl. "I wouldn't hire you back even if it was. You're too smart for this place, Mila." Selena told her as she ate one of her fries.

"So are you," Camila defended.

"Yeah but I can't risk not having a job. Besides, I'm the manager. It's not that bad," Selena told her.

"Right... How is Noah by the way?" Camila asked and Selena smiled at the question.

"He's good, very good. He asks about you, you know? 'When's Aunty Mila coming over, mami?'" She told her.

Camila smiled at her words and took a bite of the half melted ice cream. "I can come over tomorrow if you want?" She offered.

"No way! Don't you have that big test tomorrow.?" Selena asked her, surprised the words had even left the brunettes lips.

"Nah, I don't think I'm gonna go. I'd rather spend time with you and Noah..." Camila mumbled, stabbing her ice cream as she frowned.

"Don't be ridiculous. You've been working for your GED for how long? I will personally drag you to that test, Mila." Selena threatened.

Camila laughed for a moment before another voice spoke up and she froze. "No need, I'll be driving her tomorrow."

Camila stared down at the table, refusing to look up as Selena looked at the new person. "Hi, are you Camilas friend?" Selena asked, standing up and wiping her hands with her cloth.

Lauren smiled at the brunette, "yeah, something like that." She told Selena.

"Alright well I'll leave you two be, I have to get back to work. See you later, Mila!" Selena told the pair before walking off.

A few seconds later, Lauren was sliding into the booth opposite her. "How did you find me?" Camila asked, looking out the widow.

"You weren't at the apartment. So I went out to the gas station-" Camila scoffed at her words, the assumption behind them.

"Let me finish," Lauren told her firmly. "I went out to the gas station and talked to Dinah. She told me you called her upset and to pick you up when she finished work. But she didn't finish for another four hours. So I explained to Dinah what had happed and she told me where you were." Lauren explained.

"I figured the best person to know where you were would've been your best friend and room mate, Kar- Camila..." Lauren told her, letting out a sigh. "I didn't go there because of how we met, okay?" Lauren asked.

Camila bit her lip nervously, still avoiding eye contact with the Latina across from her.

"Can you just- Can you say something! Come on Camila! You lie about your name to me and then move into one of my apartments, get a job at one of my businesses, and you still don't talk to me? Just... Just say something, please." Lauren yelled, lowering her voice as a few people looked over at them.

Camila jumped at Laurens outburst before looking up to meet her emerald eyes, tears in her own brown orbs. "I didn't know how to..." She told the CEO.

Laurens heart dropped as Camila looked up at her with her glossy eyes. She wanted to tell her it was okay and that she was sorry for yelling but she waited for Camila to talk first.

"I didn't mean to lie. I didn't lie! I just... Doing that... I didn't want anyone to know it was me. And Karla is my name, it's just my first name and I don't go by it. I prefer Camila but I figured I could use it when you asked my name. I didn't think we would..." She trailed off as she looked back down as she picked at her nails.

Lauren let out another sigh at the information. "I didn't lie... And by the time I figured out who you were, that you were my boss... Dinah and I had moved in, and we had gotten really close. And then Ryan told me that you were my Big boss and I just- I didn't know what to do... What would you have done?" Camila asked, looking up at the CEO desperately.

Lauren was taken back by the question. What would she have done... She would've done the same thing...

"Camila it's okay, I understand, alright? I would've done the same thing." Lauren told her and Camila fell back into her seat with a breath of relief at her words.

"It's okay, Camz..." Lauren told her again, moving to the younger girls side of the booth and pulling her into a hug.

Camila fell to the raven haired girls arms and pushed her face into her neck. "Are you sure?" She asked again.

"I'm sure, Camz. Don't worry about it anymore, okay? Now let's get you home and to bed. You have a test tomorrow." Lauren told her, helping her out of her seat before throwing a twenty on the table and guiding the younger girl out of the café.