Paper Towns (A 5H Fanfic)

S e v e n t e e n

Day 2: The Diner

The four girls sat in a booth next to the window of the old diner down the street from the venue. Each took a sip from their milkshakes until fries were brought out.

"We still have opening night to worry about. What if Camila isn't back? We tour as a four piece and act like we're fine? I don't want to do that." Normani broke the silence.

Ally put a hand on Normani's shoulder. "If we don't find her someone will."

"It's like she left the group." Dinah said as she picked up a fry. "Like she doesn't want to be part of Fifth Harmony anymore."

"I mean I know at some point we're probably going to split but I thought that would be way further down the road not at our peak." Lauren added.

"No offense Lo, but I thought you'd be the first to leave the group." Dinah reached for a fry from the basket when Lauren hit her hand.

"What the hell? Why me?" she replied.

Dinah shrugged. "Have you met you?" she raised an eyebrow at Lauren while the other two laughed. "You're stubborn and.." her voice got quieter until she just stopped mid sentence.

"Dinah just say it." Normani interrupted.

"Say what..?" Lauren questioned. She looked from Normani to Dinah then to Ally who also seemed to know what was going on. "Guy's what?" her voice cracked slightly in hurt. No one made any effort to speak.

After a long silence, Dinah let out a long sigh. "None of us know if you know this but.." Dinah looked over at the other girls for reassurance to tell her. Ally nodded and Normani smiled. Dinah directed her attention back to Lauren who was looking at her with such pleading eyes. "The three of us were with Camila and a few weeks ago, in the hotel lobby by the elevators. We heard John talking to a guy from a different management and a guy from Republic Records."

Lauren looked across the table at Normani and Ally who looked nervous. Nervous for how Lauren would react? Or nervous about telling Lauren this? Or both? Lauren was still clueless as to where this was going.

"John's hard on you for a reason you know?" Ally added, reaching across the table to Lauren's hand that was resting on the table. "He wants you to have a good public image, be a good role model, preserve your voice."

"Yeah, I've preserved my voice a whole lot with this album." Lauren rolled her eyes. "Ok? So they talked about my lack of care for what John tells me to do and that solo distribution is shit for me. Everyone knows that." she nervously laughed. She had no idea where this was going but wanted to stop it from going any farther. Slow it down so whatever truth was about to come would just go away. It clearly was something that was scaring the other girls and Lauren wasn't sure how she'd react if this was how they were reacting.

"Well, John was telling them that you were never one to follow instructions. So-" Dinah was cut off abruptly by Normani.

"Just spit it out." she said to Dinah the directing her attention to the green eyes across the table from her. "Lauren, Republic Records wants you and just you on their record company. John and our management legally have you on a contract as a Fifth Harmony member but if another management comes up with the money and the contract that you agree with, you could leave."

The words took a few extra seconds to sink in for Lauren. She could've swore she miss heard her bandmate. A big time record company wanted just her? Why? "What the.." Lauren's voice trailed off. "I-I don't know what to say."

"They sounded like they'd been talking about it for months." Ally said. She looked upset and it broke Lauren's heart to see Ally like that.

"That's why John is always so much harder on you. He's worried they're gonna contact you, steal you away and you're gonna have to hold your own in the public. He wants you to be ready to be a solo act." Normani explained.