Broken In Paradise (Perfect Promise Trilogy)

Chapter 10: Camila

That night's show definitely wasn't our best. Throughout our entire set, Lauren and Normani were avoiding each other as much as they could, Ally and Lauren kept exchanging worried glances, and I kept on getting so distracted by them and thoughts of Meaghan that I forgot most of the choreography and even some of our own lyrics. The only one who really did a good job was Dinah.

As soon as the show finished, I hurried back to the bus. I knew that our team would be disappointed in our performance, and I didn't want to deal with the lecture they were going to give us. I wouldn't be able to handle seeing the look on their faces. So, I curled up in my bunk as soon as possible with my music to drown out the world.

I couldn't believe that we'd let ourselves have so much tension in the group that it would affect one of our shows. That was something I couldn't stand. Singing was always what helped me through tough times, not what made it worse. After that show, though, I wasn't so sure that it was my coping mechanism anymore. It only seemed like another obstacle.

"Everybody, get your asses out of bed!" Dinah yelled out, making me assume that the others had all arrived on the bus. I grumbled to myself, hoping that she would stop. To my dismay, she ripped open my curtain and said, "We're having a meeting. Now."

Still curled up in my blanket, I crawled out of my bunk and slowly made my way to the couches at the front of the bus. Lauren and Ally were already there, sitting at opposite ends of the couch. I instinctively sat down beside Lauren before resting my head on her lap while I was still wrapped in a ball with my blanket. Lauren replied to this gesture by resting one hand on the small of my back, and using her other one to entwine it with one of mine.

Dinah emerged from the corridor of bunks moments later, dragging Normani by the wrist behind her. Normani was evidently still trying to go back to her bunk, but Dinah was stronger than her. Dinah dragged her all the way to the second couch and waited until she sat down before turning to face the three of us.

"Lauren, go sit next to Mani," Dinah told her.

"But," she began to protest.

"Go," Dinah ordered.

When Dinah was assertive, she was definitely a force not to be reckoned with. I could tell that our performance had upset her as much as it had upset me. Lauren obliged to her demand quickly and slipped out from underneath me to go and join Normani on the other couch. Dinah sat down in between Ally and I. I decided to curl up against her, because I honestly just needed the comfort.

"Okay, we're here, what do you want?" Normani was annoyed.

"What do I want?" Dinah demanded rhetorically, "Tonight was a train wreck. If it hasn't been us out there, I would've booed us. I don't know how the fans didn't hate it. We need to fix what's going on between us, before we completely make fools of ourselves and we get kicked off of this tour."

"You can't fix feelings. They're not broken. They just are," Normani shot back as she slumped into the couch, away from Lauren.

"I'm not talking about the emotions," Dinah explained, attempting to be patient but failing miserably, "I don't give a shit if you like Lauren, or if the Camren ship has sailed. Well, okay, I do care about that, I am the captain after all, but that's not my point. My point is that you guys can all do whatever you want, it's all good with me, but not when it affects the group like this. Fifth Harmony is literally my life, and I'm not letting that be ruined by petty drama."

"Preach," Ally agreed.

"What do you want me to do?" Normani questioned defensively.

"Work it out," Dinah replied simply, "I know that it's between you two, so we'll live you to it," she got up to leave.

"Hey," I interjected at last, "I don't know if I'm comfortable with that."

"Don't worry Mila," Dinah took my hand, "We'll just be on the other side of the curtain, it's not like we're leaving them alone for hours."

Reluctantly, I took my friend's hand and followed her back to the bunks. Ally was close behind us. I tried to go back to my bunk at the back of the bus, but Dinah wouldn't let me. She wouldn't let go of my hand. I tried to pull away from her, but instead of breaking free, she only held me tighter as she pulled me back towards her.

"Nuh-uh," she shook her head, "You're going nowhere."

"Why?" I asked, still trying to pull away from her.

"You're hurting right now; it's written all over your pathetic little lovestruck face. I'm not leaving you alone when you're hurting," Dinah wrapped her arms around me, and Ally followed suit.

I let go of whatever guard I had left and sobbed into Dinah's chest. We had only been on the road for a day, and so much shit had happened that I was starting to not be able to handle it. I thought I was in paradise. It turns out that it was actually hell.

*** HEEEY LOOK I DIDN'T TAKE FOREVER TO POST WOOHOO!!! I know it's short but I'm trying to post as much as I can because of the huge amount of time that I didn't post.... I hope you like it :)