True Love (Camren)

Chapter 11

"You have no idea how much I cried on Saturday," Lauren tells Dinah on the way to Camila's house the following Tuesday after school.

"I'm sorry Laur," she says sadly. They pull into the driveway.

"You know, we were just here three days ago yet it already feels different," Lauren says.

They walk in, and Camila lets out a shaky breath as she runs to Lauren and jumps into her arms. "I am so sorry," she says shakily, her tears starting to fall.

"Me too," Lauren says, wrapping her arms around her tightly.

"Hey, your parents aren't home so I don't care if you make out the whole time. God knows when you'll get the chance to do that," Dinah tells them as she plops down on the couch.

"This fucking sucks," Camila says as Lauren sets her down, wiping her eyes.

"Yeah but there isn't much we can do about it." Dinah says.

"So why is this happening exactly?" Lauren asks Camila.

She sighs before leading her to the couch. "It's my dad. He... He doesn't want me to date anyone."

"Overprotective, I see now," Lauren nods.

Camila shakes her head. "No, you don't. Nobody knows but my household and Dinah," she says quietly, glancing back to her best friend.

"So... am I allowed to know?" Lauren asks uncertainly.

"I... I think I should tell you," Camila says shakily. "My father... When he lost his job last year... H-he started drinking. A lot. He was so depressed it was the only thing he thought would help, I guess. He started to yell a lot more. We weren't allowed to go out to dinner or any family occasions... One day my mom confronted him about the excessive drinking and he... H-he hit her," Camila's voice cracks and Lauren grabs her hand supportively. "He started getting more and more abusive... But he only hit my mother and I, not my sister, thank god," she wipes her tears with a shaky hand.

"So all these holes and the faint smell... That was all him?"

"Yeah, his fucking whiskey absorbed into the carpet when he spilled it all over and made me clean it up. And those holes are from his anger punches on many different occasions."

"Your guitar... That old one isn't yours, is it?" Lauren asks knowingly.

"No. My mom got that one from a friend at work. We have to uh... Hide it so he won't find it. He broke mine," Camila replies quietly, shuddering at the memory.

"A-and that room? What's that for?"

Camila lets out a small sob before clamping her mouth shut to try to control it. "T-That's our... 'Time Out' room..." She says, fear evident in her voice. Lauren is afraid to ask what's in there.

"Camila I'm so sorry I... I didn't know. I should've thought more of it, really, I'm sorry," Lauren says, starting to cry a bit as she pulls her into a tight hug. "Why haven't you told anyone about this?" she practically whispers.

"I didn't want to take the chance of him passing the house inspection. We'd all be dead the moment they left. And I don't want anything to happen to Sofi," Camila says, sniffling.

"Camila, you need to get help before it's too late," Dinah says softly.

"I-I know, and now that he's away maybe we can, but... I don't know."

"You know what?" Dinah says after a minute, getting up and grabbing a steak knife from the kitchen drawer.

"Uh, Dinah, think this through," Lauren says nervously, holding her hands out.