Keep Me Alive • Camren

Seventeen

"That will be $2.75." Lauren grins, placing the milkshake on the counter. "How about I pay you later tonight?" The girl smirks as she slides the glass closer to her. Lauren only laughs, rolling her eyes and holding her palm out. "You know, you're the on-" the sever begins, but is interpreted by the door chimes, signaling a new costumer. She looks up ready to greet them, but her friendly smile disappears when she sees a familiar brunette instead.

Her face is slim and pale, almost ghostly. Dark circles under her eyes display her obvious lack of sleep.

She stands at the entrance, wrapping her sweater around her body insecurely, and glancing around the shop as if it were a foreign country and she was lost.

Meeting Lauren's concerned eyes for a second before turning away and starting the journey to the back room. Her attention on the floor until she reaches the destination.

Lauren only a few, silent steps behind.

She watches her struggle to complete a task as simple as locating her uniform, and knows that her friend is in no condition to work.

"Here." Lauren breathes, reaching for the correct shelve, grabbing the outfit, and holding it out in front of Camila. She takes it then quickly rushes into the bathroom.

Lauren doesn't realize she's been waiting outside of the bathroom until the bells chime once more. She runs back to the counter, only to find Zendaya leaving and three dollars next to the half-empty glass. Then wonders if the girl was angry, because she left without a single word, but then Camila appears and for a second she doesn't even remember her girlfriend's name. All Lauren is able to pay attention to is the girl in front of her. Not the vibration of her phone or the annoyed woman awaiting help. At least, not until Camila smiles at her, causing Lauren to confusingly looking over there as well. She opens her mouth to speak, but Camila's beats her to it. With a confident "What can I get for you?"

"Yes, finally. I'd like a twist on a waffle cone." She demands, clearly irritated by their absence of attention toward her.

Camila nods, fetching the order without any hesitation, and Lauren doesn't know what she's more surprised by. How quickly Camila's demeanor changed, or that she was here and not home in bed.

The women pays for her ice cream and leaves without a tip, and things go back to how they were before. Lauren does nothing except examine Camila. It's not even discreet, she is blatantly staring, and the girl won't even glance in her direction.

There are so many questions she wants to ask, things she wants to tell her. What are you doing here? Do you blame me? Are you ok? I've missed you. But she holds her tongue. Afraid of Camila's reaction.

An hour passes with no costumers and not a single peep from either of the girls. Just awkward silence. Like it was when they first met.

Camila was finally beginning to open up, and now they were right back where they started.

She watches her like a hawk. And she's sure the other girl knows it. But didn't expect her  to acknowledges it.

"Could you stop looking me like that?" She asks, not lifting an eye from her phone.

"L-like what?"

Camila puts the phone down and stands up straight, meeting Lauren's eyes. "Like I'm going to collapse at any minute, like I'm fucking crazy or something." She pauses to swallow a lump in her throat. "Like I'm so fragile that if you take your eyes off me for one second I'll break."

Lauren is at a loss for words. "I-I.." She begins, but after she fails to respond Camila scoffs and storms out of the store. Leaving her just as perplexed, but even more worried. She begins to chase after her, but is reminded of her job. "Dammit!" She slams her hand on the table, before running a hand through her hair.