Love Me, Please (Camren)

Chapter 29

Lauren is sleepy and warm and even more adorable and precious when Camila wakes her up gently.

Immediately she tries to go back to sleep, but Camila coaxes her awake with the promise of food. To that, she cracks an eye open, and sees the plate in Camila's hand.

"Fine," she grumbles, voice raspy and soft. "God, I'm freezing. Is the air conditioning on or something?"

"Um, I dunno,” Camila responds uneasily. "Do you want something warmer to wear? I think I gave you the sweater but I can get-"

"I'm fine, Camz," Lauren amends. The nickname just slipping out of her mouth. "You did give me the sweater. Thank you." She said trying to play it off.

Camila swallows thickly and nods, her heart fluttering at the sound of the nickname coming out of Lauren's mouth. She watches as Lauren pulls Camila's sweater on over the t-shirt. Camila's favorite t-shirt, the one she wears so much it's on the verge of falling apart, but it's just so fucking comfortable. The sweater is one of her favorites too, black and baggy and so, so soft.

The sleeves are stretched and long and Lauren pulls them over her hands, effectively making the cutest sweater paws Camila has ever seen. She has to restrain herself from reaching out and clasping Lauren's hands in her own. She also has to restrain herself from just lunging forward and attacking her in aggressive cuddles. She's just too cute, all the time but especially right now, and Camila's heart can't handle it.

She clears her throat uncomfortably, trying not to think all the forbidden thoughts racing through her mind right now. "I didn't know what you like to eat in the morning, so I made these, I hope that's okay?”

Lauren nods vigorously and reaches for the plate. "Yeah, yeah, this is awesome, thank you so much."

They sit in silence as she eats and it should be awkward but for some reason all Camila feels is comforted, but her soulmate is in her sights and within an arm's reach away, completely out of harm. Camila's heart is singing happily at this information, no longer aching like it usually does.

When Lauren is almost, finished, Camila decides she should probably change into actual clothes since she's still wearing the clothes she slept in. She showered last night before people came over for the movie, so she supposes she's okay on that front and instead decides to just change into a different t-shirt, this one long-sleeved, and a nicer pair of jogs.

Lauren set the precedent last night of not leaving the room while getting dressed so Camila goes along with that now. It's no big deal, anyways, but she does feel slightly self-conscious because this time Lauren is facing her, and she makes no move to look away.

"Well, I guess I should get going," Lauren announces once Camila is finished pulling on her shirt. There's a warm blush crawling across Lauren's cheeks and she looks a little unsettled, fingers twitching where they're holding the plate, now just a mess of sticky syrup. Camila wonders if she wants to reach out and touch, just as badly as Camila wants to.

Camila nods though the thought of Lauren leaving sends a ping of pain through her body. "I'll walk you out."

"You don't have to-"

"Nah, it's fine,” Camila cuts in. She's unwilling to let Lauren walk through the frat when there are so many opportunities for her to run into one of Camila's roomates, who seem to have no filter as to the words that come out of their mouths.

As they walk downstairs, the impending sense of dread of Lauren's departure becomes stronger and stronger. Camila had been planning on studying a lot for French today but she predicts she'll probably be in too much emotional pain to even want to get out of bed. She decides to change her plans, vouching that as soon as Lauren leaves she'll crawl back into bed and refuse to come out until she absolutely has to.