Dance On Our Graves

Chapter 3

When Lauren gets home from work and sees Camila and Emily sleeping in her bed Lauren gets even more depressed. So Lauren grabs the vodka out of the freezer and falls back onto the couch. After a few hefty gulps, Lauren closes it and put it down on the coffee table. She waits for it to take its intended effect as she stares at the ceiling and bites back tears.

This is all Camila's fault. She had to come here and remind Lauren what she was missing. Remind Lauren why she had to move so far away. Remind Lauren what it was like to be considered and cared about. Now she's just going to leave. This is all her fault. It's all her fault because Lauren doesn't want to blame herself.

After a few minutes, the alcohol settles in and Lauren drifts off into a chaotic sleep.

When Lauren woke up, it was bright outside. She squints against the unhindered sunlight pouring in from the windows. The curtains had been pulled back and cringed as she push up on her elbows.

On the coffee table next to Lauren, the bottle of vodka is replaced with a bottle of water and a note. Lauren falls back onto the couch and huffs. Why the fuck does Camila have to be so sweet? And why is she upset that Camila's leaving? Why did she let Camila stay in the first place?

Lauren doesn't know any answers and she doesn't suppose it matters anymore. Camila waltzed in with her kindness and crushed her taped-together psyche with it before sashaying out.

Lauren picks up the note and looks it over. In Camila's bubbly handwriting she writes :

We went to our new apartment. - 512 - You can come over if you want to. We have donuts.

Camila ends it with a smiley face and a heart in front of the first letter of her name. Lauren drops the note on the table and looks around the apartment. It's cleaned and the bed is made. Their bags are gone as is any other trace of the brunettes.

Lauren punches the back cushion of the couch. Then she slowly sits up and drains the water bottle. After a shower and a change of clothes, she goes up the two floors to Camila's new apartment. It's a little awkward when she knocks on the door, but when Camila smiles at her, all thoughts of running back to the elevator are abandoned.

"You came," Camila says, a little surprised, but pleased.

Lauren nod, "I came to..." Lauren thinks quickly so she won't have to say she was depressed and lonely and came to see her. "See if you needed any help."

Camila steps back to let her in and then closes the door behind her, "Not really. When the furniture gets here you can help put it together."

Inside, there is no furniture. It's bigger than Lauren's apartment and the living room's wooden floors aren't as scratched. There's an mp3 dock off to the side and Emily is dancing around the bare floors to a hip-hop beat. It's adorable and Lauren can tell she's trying to emulate Camila's moves.

"You didn't bring any furniture with you?" Lauren asks, shoving her hands in her pockets.

Camila shakes her head and the soft waves of her brown hair ripple. "I sold most of the stuff in the house because it wouldn't fit in my car. We used all the money to come here."

Lauren nods and looks back at Emily. The song has changed and she's doing some kind of improvised ballet-jazz fusion.

"Are you hungry?" Camila asks, turning a box of donuts around on the small kitchenette's counter.

Lauren nods and picks one up. There's a coffee maker on the far counter and an empty coffee maker box on the floor. Camila seems to read Lauren's mind and opens the cabinet. There are three mugs along with mismatched plates and a few glasses in the cabinets. Camila hands Lauren a cup of coffee and Lauren just nods in a thank you.