I Need You Now (Lauren / You)

Chapter 26

Your POV

Ever since Ally and Normani broke up, I've been thinking. Why did Normani cheat? She didn't have a valid reason. Was she over Ally? Was Ally not good enough?

All of these questions relate to me. Was I not good enough for Lauren? Is that why she cheated on me? She said it was because she thought I was cheating, but still, she could've confronted me about it. And not break my heart.

"You okay?" Lauren asks, her hand on my back.

I look up at her, "Yeah. I'm fine." I give a fake smile.

---

I stay quiet as we eat with our friends. Oddly, it's not awkward between Ally, Normani or Dinah.

Austin is sadly still with Camila. I wish he could just leave or something. And never come back.

I glance up to see Lauren starring at me, concern written all over her face. I give her a reassuring smile. She gives me a small smile back, then standing up and walking over to me.

She slides into the booth next to me.

"Hi."

"Hey." I smile, her head now on my shoulder. "You okay?"

"Are you?" She retorts.

"Yeah, I'm great." I turn to her, taking her chin in my fingers and tilting her head up so she's looking into my eyes. "I love you."

"Y/N..."

I remove my hand, putting my head in my hands.

"Why, Lauren. Why can't you just say it back?" I grow frustrated. "All I want is to be loved for once!" By now, I have everyone's attention.

"Y/N I.."

"You don't love me! I get it, okay! But all I want - no, need, is for you to love me!" I exclaim, standing up.

Lauren doesn't respond, instead, she just looks at me with tears in her eyes. My tears are already falling.

"I'm sorry." She whispers.

I shake my head, blinking my tears away. I bolt out of the bar, running as fast as I can.

Lauren POV.

I'm left speechless as I watch Y/N run out of the bar.

"Lauren! Go after her!" Camila exclaims. I blink, coming back into realization.

I stand up, nearly knocking the table over as I run out. I look out and don't see Y/N.

Think, Lauren, think. Where would Y/N be?

Your POV.

I sit on the rock, my knees pressed up to my chest. There's a rock on the beach, far away from where people come to swim and stuff.

This is where Lauren and I first said we love each other. I look down, spotting what I carved in. Our initials in a heart.

"I love you." I blurt out, my eyes widening. I cover my mouth as I stare at Lauren. I don't know how that came out, it just did.

A large grin spreads over her face, "I love you too."

"Y/N." I look up to see Lauren.

"Lauren." I mummer, looking down at the rock.  She sighs, sitting down next to me. "Why?"

"Why?" She raises an eyebrow.

"Why won't you say you love me?" I quietly question.

"Because - I'm scared.."

"Scared of what? Me?"

"No," she mummers. "I'm scared that I'm going to get heartbroken."

I stand up, "You're scared that you're going to get heartbroken?" I shout. "You weren't the one who got cheated on! You weren't the one whose mother died! So don't be fucking scared! You have no right to be scared!"

"I'm scared that you'll leave again!" She blurts out. "I'm scared that you'll stop paying attention to me again!"

I hop off the rock, "For fuck sakes, Lauren! My mother was dying! Of course I was out of it. How would you feel if Clara or Mike were dying, huh? Fuck Lauren! Do you love Brad?"

"I.." She sighs. "I did love Brad."

I bite my lip, running a hand through my hair.

"So you can say that to him, but you can't to me?" I ask. "I see how it is, Lauren. If you love him so much, then go back to Brad. I bet he wants to marry you still."

"Y/N! No! I said I did love him! I don't anymore!"

"But you said you loved him, didn't you? You said that to his face, didn't you?" I question as it starts to drizzle. "So why can't you say it to me? What makes Brad so different?"

"I don't know." She mummers, the rain now pouring down.

I shake my head, beginning to walk away. 

"Y/N! Come back here!" She shouts. I keep walking. "If you don't come back here..I'll - I'll.."

"You'll what, Lauren?" I swiftly pause and turn around. "What, Lauren? What would you do if I kept walking? You wouldn't run for me, I know that's a fact."

Lauren doesn't say anything. I sigh, turning around and walking away again.

----

oh no

Lauren damnit ):

-Gracie.