Surreal Perfection (Camren)

Ch 4

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Lauren locks the door behind her, and the world outside of this room stops existing.

Her eyes are searching mine, and I feel self-conscious because fuck, she looks beautiful.

She's wearing green, and that's just not fair. Her lips are bright red, and I want the colour smeared all over my face.

When she speaks, I hang on every word.
"Did you...call me last night?"

I'm at a crossroads, because I can choose to lie, or choose to tell the truth. Thankfully, I don't get to make a decision just yet, because she keeps talking.

"I tried calling you back, but it kept going to voicemail..."

Ha. Damn right it did.

My satisfaction only lasts for a few seconds.
There's a bit of a tremor in her voice when she's talking, and I notice that her fingers are playing with the trim on her pockets.

She's just as on edge as I am, and the playing field seems to even out.

Lauren continues talking, and I decide that staying quiet is my best strategy; otherwise, my hands are bound to take control.

"Last night, when you called. Lara and I, we were just messing around..."

I can't stop the way the corner of my lip quirks to the side, and my subtle action keeps Lauren rambling.

Her hands fan out and her shoulders rise to a shrug. "She's dating our drummer, the whole band was at my house. It wasn't just us."

The fact that she feels the need to explain things to me, even though she doesn't have to, makes me feel like I have the upper hand now.

It kinda gets to my head, and I say the complete opposite of what I'm actually thinking. "You don't owe me an explanation, Lauren."

I can tell that she's a little miffed with my response, but I'm on a roll now, and I feel the need to unload on her.

"I don't really care who you're messing around with. It's none of my business."

I'm a little surprised by the sharpness of my tone.

Lauren looks like she's trying to hide that my words are upsetting her, and the bitterness in me chooses to punish her just a bit more.

"You made sure of that when you decided to fuck off and do your own thing."

My words hit the bullseye, and I'm expecting for her to get set off by what I've said. So I prepare myself for the fight I just picked.

But her red lips are trembling now, and there's water in her sad eyes.

When she speaks, I feel like a total asshole, because she sounds so incredibly small.

"Right..." Lauren deflates like a punctured tire, and her words sound as hollow as I feel. "I'll see you at the studio tomorrow, Camz."

She slips out of the bathroom and I stand there, dumbfounded, with how I chose to handle the situation.

The use of her special nickname for me, tugs at my heart, and only makes the shit I'm feeling, even shittier.

I catch my reflection in the mirror again.

Not only does it call me a liar, but it's now labelled me an asshole.

Apparently, my hangover's a late bloomer, because there's a full wrecking crew having a block party in my head.

I feel nauseous, but not because I want to throw up, but because I feel guilty.