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Chapter 19

For as long as Lauren had known her, Ariana had always described Premiere Weeks as beautiful beginnings. She claimed there was something magical about the whole thing. It was the preparation of the moment she let another one of her creations out into the world. A baby bird leaving the ultra plush nest. Then, in true Ariana fashion, she got to bask in the glory of all the adoring reviews. Even if the reviews weren't so adoring, or plentiful. Let's face it, nobody ever told her any differently.

Everything was a production for Ariana Grande. Everything. And to Ariana, it wasn't worth it unless it was over-the-top, 110%, and all out. Lauren understood the sentiment, she really did. But, the only thing she loved about Premiere Week was Premiere Day. And the only thing she loved about Premiere Day was Premiere Night. And that was only because the whole fucking thing was nearly over. All she had left to do was walk the carpet, sit through a terrible movie, and then suffer through a party with a bunch of pretentious assholes. It was a release. It was a purge. Another torturous week was ending. So was so close to the end.

The super added bonus for this ending: as soon as it was over, she could start to really focus on the situation with Camila. She had made this flawless plan. Really. It was flawless. Surprise Camila by showing up in Seattle for Thanksgiving. Ask her to move to New York. Spend a blissful five days with her girlfriend. Start planning Camila's move. Camila a job worthy of her awesome talents in the Big Apple. Live in New York City with her beautiful girl. Get married. Have dancing brunette babies. Be happy forever. Flawless.

Until it wasn't so flawless anymore.

"You should stick with your plan," Dinah whispered with a nudge as they rode side by side in Ariana's limo. Ariana sat across from them doing her Premiere Week breathing exercises while being fanned by Kitty with a giant feather.

Lauren gave her a sharp elbow back in response. "Stop reading my mind, DJ."

"I didn't," the woman said as she picked some invisible lint of her most stylish jacket. "You were muttering 'flawless plan' again."

"Oh. It was flawless," she said. She shook her head, "But, I can't go through with it now."

"You can and you should."

"No. No, Dinah. What am I going to say now? 'Hey baby, turn down the awesome job offer and come to New York because I can't live without you any longer.'"

"Yes, that sounds about right."

"No," Lauren told her. "She would. She would totally do it. I know she would, that's why I wanted to ask her in person. So I could enjoy all the sexy benefits."

"That's a little underhanded."

"Fuck off, my girlfriend lives in Seattle. I will get any sexy benefits I can whenever I can get them." She stopped when she had a realization. "I wonder if any airlines have Booty Call Miles. We could probably rack them up considering we'll be apart forever."

"Ask."

"I can't. I don't want her to pass up this kind of opportunity for me. She shouldn't. I can't ask her to do that."

"You said yourself, you can't make decisions for her. Put all the options on the table. She'll decide what's best for her."

"What if she says yes? Then she picks up her entire life to come here and she regrets it? Then what? Where does that leave us?"

"Then...you both took the chance," Dinah said. "You have a much better shot if you're at least in the same city. That's all you can ask for, Lauren. A shot at making it work."

"There's got to be another option, though."

Dinah looked her in the eye, "Lauren Jauregui, you love her. Stop being such a chicken and ask her to move in with you."