The Womanizer

Chapter 31: The Boy Is Mine

**play The Boy Is Mine by Brandy & Monica when you see (*) for a better read

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Bel Air- Los Angeles

Lauren slouched on her couch, the room dimly lit by the flickering light of the television. The silence was heavy, broken only by the faint hum of the refrigerator and the occasional creak of the old floorboards. Her eyes were fixed on a point in space, lost in a whirlpool of thoughts and emotions she couldn't untangle. The shadows in the corners seemed to grow longer, stretching out like the memories she tried to forget but couldn't escape. Each creak of the floorboards echoed the weight on her heart, and the hum of the refrigerator felt like the persistent noise of worries she couldn't silence. She sighed, the sound soft and tired, blending into the quiet room as her thoughts drifted aimlessly, searching for a place to rest.

She hadn't expected to see Camila last night. It had been months since she'd last seen her, but seeing her at the party had stirred something deep within her. Camila looked just as she remembered, maybe even better. That same smug smile that could break through all her defenses was still there, flashing like a beacon in the crowded room. Lauren's mind wandered to her own body, picking apart every imperfection. She tugged at the waistband of her jeans, feeling the extra weight she had gained during her time in rehab. Her stomach felt heavy, and her skin seemed dull under the harsh lights of her bathroom mirror this morning. She had traced the lines on her face, noticing the deepening creases around her eyes and the slight sagging of her cheeks. Her reflection was a stark contrast to Camila's effortless beauty, and it gnawed at her, making her feel raw and exposed. She sighed, a mixture of frustration and longing, wishing she could recapture even a fragment of the confidence she once had.

"Damn," She muttered under her breath. "Why did she have to be there?"

Her mind flashed back to the moment their eyes met across the room. It was like no time had passed, like all those unresolved feelings had been lying dormant, waiting for just this moment to resurface. She felt the pull immediately, a mix of longing and something deeper, something she couldn't quite pinpoint. Lust? Sure, that was always there. But it felt more tangled now. It was a knot of emotions, a blend of old wounds and new desires, twisting together in a way that made her chest tighten. The memory of Camila's gaze sent a shiver down her spine, igniting that familiar spark but also a flicker of something more profound, an ache that spoke of unfinished business and unspoken words. Her heart raced, caught between the thrill of seeing Camila again and the weight of everything that had been left unsaid.

Lauren rubbed her face with her hands, trying to shake the thoughts of Camila from her mind. She was with Sydney now. Sydney, who was carrying her child. She'd stood by her through thick and thin, believing in her when no one else would. She didn't deserve this. She didn't deserve her sitting here, pining for her ex while she was upstairs, probably dreaming about their future together. One look. One look was all it took, and now she was tangled in Camila's spell again, like a moth caught in a flame it couldn't resist.

"Get it together, Lauren," She whispered to herself, the guilt weighing heavy on her chest.

But the memories kept flooding back. The good times with Camila, the way they seemed to be made for each other, the passion that had always been so intense. And the bad times, the fights, the breakups and makeups. It was a rollercoaster, but part of her missed the thrill, the unpredictability of it all.

"Camila... she had to show up and mess with my head," She muttered, running a hand through her hair.

She closed her eyes, trying to focus on Sydney, on their baby, on the life they were building together. She had to be the woman Sydney believed she could be. Lauren owed her that much. But the battle within her raged on, a storm of desire and duty, of past and present colliding in a way she couldn't control.