Restart

Chapter 27

[Flashback]

Camila was homesick.

She had been living in LA with Austin for about two years now, and things definitely hadn't turned out how she'd imagined them.

Austin had posted a few videos of himself singing on YouTube over the years so he had acquired a small fan base as well as some professional attention. He was finally working on his first EP, but he still wasn't really bringing in any money, or at least not enough.

Living in LA had proven to be expensive, and they had blown through their small amount of savings rather quickly. Austin had claimed he was too busy with his "career" to find a job, and since they had bills to pay Camila had to be the one to work and eventually found a job at a local diner.

She had just gotten back from a long, late-night shift and came home to an empty apartment. Austin had texted her, telling her he was going out with a few of the friends he'd met while working on his music.

Camila stripped off her clothing, showering quickly in their single tiny bathroom before pulling on a clean t-shirt and underwear and slipping into the bed she shared with Austin. She knew he wouldn't be home tonight.

Camila was lonely. It wasn't necessarily that she wanted Austin around more, but she did want someone. She wasn't used to this level of isolation. It had been too long since she'd seen any of her friends or family.

She pulled out her phone, desperate to talk to someone to ease the loneliness she was feeling. Her first call would have been Dinah, but she knew she was going out tonight with some of the friends she'd met during her time at the University of Miami. She could have called her mom but it was already late back home. She didn't really have any one else.

Ally was busy with school and her boyfriend, but they managed to catch up once in a while. Normani on the other hand had been ignoring her more and more to the point where they weren't speaking at all. Camila knew it was because of everything that had happened between her and Lauren, and she really couldn't blame her.

So without thinking twice, Camila dialed the number of the last person she should have been talking too.

"Hello?"

Camila froze upon hearing Lauren's voice. She was surprised the girl had picked up at all, let alone on the first ring.

"Camz? Are you there?"

Her pace quickened upon Lauren's use of the nickname she'd given her years ago. The girl's voice sounded innocent and soft but it was also laced with a subtle excitement.

"Hi," Camila finally managed.

"Hi."

"I don't really know why I called," Camila spoke after a pause that probably seemed much longer than it was.

"I'm glad you did."

Camila truly had no idea what she was doing, or what she was supposed to say, but somehow it felt right. A genuine smile creeped onto her lips for the first time in months after only talking to Lauren for a few seconds.

"How's LA?"

"It's okay," Camila lied. Lauren hadn't exactly liked the idea of Camila moving out to LA in the first place, and she had been right as usual.

"Just okay? You're not a big star yet?"

Camila's smile grew in response to Lauren's playfulness. They hadn't spoken literally in years, and despite the terrible terms they had ended on things felt easy with Lauren. Just as they always did. A small laugh slipped past her lips, but she surprised herself when it soon turned into a stifled sob.