Rather Be (A Camren Story)

Chapter 4

"Lauren, Camila, are you two officially back together?"

"How are the kids handling things with the divorce?"

"Camila, how does Shawn feel knowing you'll be living with your ex for the next two months?"

Can we please create a world where paparazzi don't exist? The paparazzi swarmed around the girls and I. Extra security had to be sent out so we could all safely walk five feet into the restaurant. Kayne's grip tightened around my neck the more flashes she saw. I rubbed her back, signifying everything is going to be alright.

I followed security back to section where the restaurant had roped off for us. I felt uncomfortable with all the cameras people were trying to hide. Is it really that hard to ask someone for a picture? It will make us both more comfortable instead of trying to sneak a picture. It's not like I'm Beyoncé, even though I feel like her whenever I dance to one of her songs.

I sat Kayne down in one of the chairs and took a seat to one next to her. I helped flatten the red ruffles down on her dress then help pushed her seat in closer to the table.

"Put me down," Ashtyn pouted, her arms were crossed as Camila kept her arms securely under the toddlers butt. "I'm not a baby."

"I know you're not Princess, but there is a lot of people out there. Mommy didn't want you getting hurt or lost out there," Camila explained to the three year old.

"Mommy, I hope you holding me didn't make the camera get my bad side." I couldn't help but laugh at my daughter.

"You don't have a bad side, baby," Camila told her, planting a kiss onto her cheek.

"At least my eyebrows are on fleek," the toddler stated. I should really reconsider allowing Dinah to babysit the girls, but then again it's always cute when things like that come out of their mouths.

Camila set the toddler down and helped her into one of the seats. She then sat down in the chair between Ashtyn and me. My eyes traveled down the Cubans body. She wore a simple, long sleeve, black dress that reached her mid-thigh.

"So, Lauren, your birthday will be here soon. Any plans?" Normani asked breaking me out of my trance.

I looked up at my former bandmate. "Not that I know of," I shrugged, taking a sip of the water in front of me.

"We should go to Life," Dinah suggested.

"Life?" I asked raising my eyebrow.

"Yeah, ya know, the club near that pizza place with the cutie."

"I know what Life is," I told the Polynesian.

"Is that the place with the bouncy dance floor?" Ally asked.

"The floor doesn't bounce, Ally."

"I'm pretty sure the floor bounces, Lauren," Normani said.

"No, y'all are always drunk and think the floor is bouncy," I informed them.

"Mama, I want to go to Life," Ashtyn commented. "Can I come?"

"Not this time, baby."

"Curse being little," she frowned.

"So Life is a go?" Dinah grinned.

"If you want to do that for your birthday, then go ahead but my birthday is going to be low key."

"Just because you're a mom, it doesn't mean you can't live life like a normal person in their twenties," The Polynesian stated.

"Being a mom has nothing to do with it. I just don't want to go, okay?"