Paper Towns (A 5H Fanfic)

T w e n t y F i v e

Day 3: The Fairytale

The girls had sat in the building next to the Peter Pan mural for almost two hours, no one could come up with any place Camila would go. Most of the brainstorming was done by Lauren since she knew Miami better than the other girls but she couldn't think of anywhere.

The girls sat and thought for another few minutes. Dinah's head popped up, practically with a light bulb next to her head with an idea. "Hey, what if the fairytale Camila is talking about isn't like a storybook kind."

The girls looked at her in confusion. What did that even mean?

"She talks about how life feels like a fairytale sometimes because we're on tour and living out our dreams. So maybe part of her fairytale has to do with us. Like a more realistic fairytale." Dinah explained.

"You know the venue up a few blocks is where we were formed? We could go look there." Lauren added. "We've got nothing to loose at this point."

The girls got up and left without leaving a trace of being there. They piled into the car and drove a few blocks down the road until they saw the venue.

"I remember pulling up to this and feeling so nervous for boot camp." Ally commented.

Even now, each girl felt nerves like they felt going into boot camp, except the nerves this time were over something different.

"How are we supposed to get in?" Normani asked.

"Just like last time in North Carolina." Dinah smirked, knowing she was the one who figured it out last time. "Just wait until the back door opens and a janitor walks out."

"Except that sign on the door says otherwise." Normani replied, nodding her head at the door.

Closed for repair. Will be opened again by next week.

"The nerve.." Dinah shook her head. "Ok, so new plan, we need a new way in."

The girls looked around for any other way to get in. Ally saw one of the garage doors for the loading dock was slightly opened still.

"Guys." Ally motioned to the loading dock. The girls followed behind her. It was a big enough opening that they could all slip under and get inside. "I regret this already." Ally sighed as she slid under first.

Normani slid under next, then Dinah, then Lauren, who almost rammed right into Dinah who hadn't gotten up off the ground yet.

"Lauser for the five hundredth time, stop running into me." Dinah laughed.

The girls looked around the venue, popping their heads around corners back stage to see if they could find Camila anywhere. No trace of her at all.

Just being back in this venue was like a series of flashbacks from X Factor book camp. None of the girls really knew each other back then. They were somewhat friends but that was nothing compared to now.

They split up to cover more ground, Ally took the back dressing room areas, Dinah took the stage area, Normani took the lobby area and Lauren took the seating areas. No one was finding anything or anyone. Just an empty theater that held collectively the fondest memory of all of their lives.

Lauren walked up and down isles of empty seating. It was crazy to think this place got sold out and each seat would then be filled with individual people. People with a story and a reason for wanting to be there.

Her phone vibrated in her pocket but she ignored it. Her phone was going to die soon anyway. She kept walking around and her phone went off again. Curiously she pulled her phone out to check what it was. Two unread texts from Camila. Lauren's heart skipped a beat and she glanced around the venue. It couldn't be.

{12:45pm} Camz: You found me!

{12:46pm} Camz: You're really oblivious aren't you? lol. Look a little harder.

Lauren looked up in confusion, thinking she'd see Camila standing in front of her, but she didn't. She didn't find her.

"What the hell..?" Lauren said under her breathe to herself. She was so confused. Was Camila looking at her right now? Was she in plain sight of the other girl?

Lauren looked down to the stage at Dinah who was aimlessly walking around the stage. It was clear, she didn't get a text too. Lauren's phone went off in her hand again.

{12:47pm} Camz: You look scared. It's just me trying to scare you. Calm down.

Lauren's head shot up again. She was starting to get annoyed and frustrated. If Camila could see her, she was here somewhere. She was in sight then. But Lauren couldn't see her.

{12:48pm} Camz: Do I have to tell you exactly where I am? I thought you'd be able to figure this out.

She looked all over the seating area and she couldn't find Camila. There's no way she was even here, she was just messing with Lauren.

"Is this a game to you Camila!?" Lauren shouted to nothing. "We played your fucking game and we're here now! It's your turn to come face us now!"

Dinah heard Lauren shouting and made her way off the stage and up towards the seating area where Lauren stood.

"Lo, calm down. If she's here somewhere we'll find her." Dinah reassured her.

"This is all just a game to her." Lauren rolled her eyes. "She probably doesn't even want to be found. She probably didn't think we cared enough to do this for her." she explained to Dinah but soon turned to face the empty rows and rows of seats. "We're here Camz! We found you! Game over right?!" Lauren shouted.

There was a sound a lone pair of hands clapping slowly. Lauren and Dinah looked up to the top corner of the venue's seating to find a familiar brunette siting by herself in a leather jacket. It was Camila.

"Sorry that clap thing was creepy." Camila laughed. "I just it would make me seem badass but let's be real I'm not one." the shorter girl walked down the isle and over to Lauren and Dinah.

This was the moment they had all been waiting for. This was what this whole trip was leading up to. Almost on cue, Ally and Normani popped up in the wings of the seating area, seeing Camila in front of the other two girls. Their mouths dropped open and the quickly ran over to them.

"You're alive!" Ally cheered, pulling Camila into a hug. Camila and Lauren didn't take their eyes off each other through the entire hug.

Lauren shot daggers at Camila and Camila did the same back. Lauren should be happy to see her. After all of this she should be excited and happy to see her alive and healthy. But reality was, Lauren wanted to slap her. She was mad at Camila for leaving in the first place.

"You found me." Camila smiled at Lauren, who's facial expression didn't change from her state of anger.

"You're ridiculous." Lauren shook her head then walked off.

"She hasn't slept a lot this week." Normani said as she pulled Camila into a side hug.

Camila knew Lauren well enough to know that she was genuinely mad at her. An overly familiar look that Lauren gave her. This wasn't the reaction she was hoping for.

A/N:
Camila finally makes her return! The moment this whole story has led up to! I hope you liked this part. It was actually one of my favs to write, I say that about a lot of parts but for real this one was fun. Anyway, hope you liked this! We're almost done! There's only a few more parts! Thanks for reading this far! Leave me some comments bc I want to know how you feel about this story so far!