reasons to go, reasons to stay ➸ camren

chapter twenty three ➸ the eye of the storm

"Where were you?"

Camila jumped when she slipped through the front door and practically ran into Lauren. She stumbled backwards but the taller girl didn't budge. She was sure that 'sitting next to an old man on the bus who kept trying to smell my hair just so I could ride in a circle and then come home' wouldn't be an acceptable answer. For Lauren or Keith.

"Out."

She said the only thing she could think of.

Lauren's lips curved into a frown and her eyebrows furrowed together in thought. Camila tried to slip past her and up the stairs, but Lauren grabbed her wrist before she could escape. Camila bit her lip. She'd almost gotten away with it. Lauren hadn't caught her any of the other nights.

"What's going on?" Lauren's voice was deep in the back of her throat and Camila flinched. This is exactly what Keith wanted. If only she could tell her the truth.

"Nothing, Lauren. I was out," Camila tried to keep her voice from wavering. The pained look in Lauren's eyes made her heart drop. She hated this.

"Camila..." Lauren's voice grew softer.

Camila shook her head, yanking her hand out of Lauren's grip and turning around to go upstairs. Lauren followed her quietly.

"Where are you going?" Camila asked timidly, watching as Lauren grabbed her pillow from the bedroom and stormed past her down the hallway.

"The couch," Lauren mumbled, disappearing down the stairs before Camila could defend herself.

One of the only perks of Rowan being a heavy sleeper was that Camila could slam the door as hard as she wanted. And she did.

——

Breakfast was silent the next morning. As soon as Rowan finished eating, Lauren took the small girl down to the beach to get away from the house. Away from the tension between her and Camila.

Lauren didn't want to acknowledge what had happened that night. In a million years, she would never expect Camila to cheat on her. Which is probably why she hadn't said anything about it yet. Maybe she was just being irrational.

But all the signs were there.

The necklace was a clear clue. A friend wouldn't buy a solid gold necklace for another friend. But yet again, even most couples wouldn't be able to exchange such extravagant gifts.

And then the sneaking out. Where had she gone last night? She sure seemed terrified when Lauren had caught her coming through the front door. And she wouldn't give her a straight answer.

She didn't stop Lauren from sleeping on the couch, either. Which Lauren found odd because Camila would usually beg her to come back to bed after they have a fight. She wouldn't sleep until they made up. Lauren wondered if she slept last night.

Lauren wondered if by not coming to get her, Camila was admitted to doing something she shouldn't have.

Lauren felt sick to her stomach.

——

Camila watched longingly out the window as her daughter skipped happily down to the beach. Lauren was following behind. Camila could tell she was overthinking. About her.

This was the most painful thing Camila had ever done in her life. Keith's beating didn't come anywhere close to how much she was hurting. She was watching the love of her life slowly lose faith in her. And if she did anything to stop it, Camila was sure she'd be watching the love of her life slowly die in front of her.

At least one of those options left Lauren alive. Camila knew either way, her own life would be ending soon. Keith was too smart to let her live after this. She should've realized that and ended this whole situation before Lauren ever got involved.