Surreal Perfection (Camren)

Ch 13

//

When I speak, my voice trembles, because these words feel fragile, and sacred.

"I love you, Lo..."

She gasps quietly, and her eyes widen, and her hands turn into ice, around my waist.

My chest twists, and constricts into a vice, because her body language lies, and her silence consumes me.

Her mouth opens, and I feel myself fading, like echoes down an empty hallway.

"Camila, I..."

My heart is stuttering, because the suspense is cutting my blood supply into fragments.

Just get it over with, Lauren, rip my heart out and throw it into the abyss already.

Ruin me. Again.

Lauren takes a deep breath, and I see tears in her eyes, and she's fighting hard to keep them from falling.

I plead for her to say something. Anything.

Her voice breaks over me in waves, like the tide against the shore, crashing, and foaming with force.

"Camz...I-- I love you too-- so fucking mu--"

I don't even give her a chance to finish, because I hear what I need to hear, and I'm just so done with words.

So I press my mouth against Lauren's, and I feel the heat of her tears on my cheeks, and I realize that they're mixing in with my own.

To hear her actually say it back is overwhelming, because I set myself up to expect the worse.

I keep my eyes shut when she leans back to look at me, because my body is shaking.

I'm scared to open them, in fear that she'll take it back, or that I'll wake up from this fantasy.

But I feel her hands holding my face, and they feel real.

Her touch feels real, her kisses on my cheeks feel real, and her voice sounds so fucking real.

"Camz, I love you, more than anything, everything..."

I open my eyes, and Lauren's watching me like she's afraid I'm about to disappear.

So I finally let myself accept what I hear, and the moment slowly wanes into reality.

We stare at each other in disbelief, like neither one of us is expecting this outcome.

So I give her a quick wink, and say, "Camren is so, absolutely back. Bitches."

Lauren laughs, and gathers my hands in hers. She glances at the clock on the microwave, and adds, with a resigned smile, "Okay, so I have to go back to my place and get ready..."

I pout immediately, and say, "Mm...do you have to? Why don't you just wear my clothes? You look good in anything."

Actually, she looks even better in nothing, but I don't push it.

She grins, and responds, "I need underwear too--"

"No!" I interrupt, "Go commando, wearing undies is so overrated."

Lauren's eyes shine with amusement. "Is it now?"

I nod profusely, solemnly even. "It's a fact."

She just shakes her head at me, and says, "Tempting...but I have to take Dash back to my parents' house though..."

The mention of her dog wins me over right away, and I concede. "Aww, I haven't seen Dash in ages."

Lauren shyly looks at me and says, "He's as judgmental as always, but he does miss you."