the cards that life deals you {camren}

five

The next week, Camila arrived at noon with the stuffed wolf that Lauren had left in her car. Small feet padded down the stairs and toward the door when the eight year old heard her mother calling for her from the bottom of the stairway.

Lauren wasn't keen on keeping secrets, and he one that her father had her holding for him was draining to say the least. She had been sleeping later and more often than before.

Every time a lull in the day came, she felt the urge to go to sleep and forget about all the things that bothered her in life. Lauren's small hand rubbed her green eyes as she blinked a couple of times and looked up upon reaching the bottom of the steps.

"Camz?" she mumbled sleepily with the hints of a small smile. The sixteen year old teenager grinned at Lauren's rumpled appearance. If she was being honest with herself, she had never seen a cuter kid than Lauren Jauregui. She walked past Mrs. Jauregui and kneeled down beside Lauren to hand her the wolf that was nearly half of the smaller girl's size.

Her pale arms wrapped around the animal's neck in a hug that made Camila giggle and ruffle her hair a little bit.

"You left this in my car last week, Monster. I hope you didn't miss him too much." Camila said as she sat on the bottom step where Lauren was standing and leant back against the railing. Lauren's hair bounced as she nodded enthusiastically; apparently she was able to shake off the bit of sleep that had kept her sluggish.

"Yeah, I missed him! I thought we left him at the fair." Lauren admitted as she ran her small fingers through the dog's amazingly soft fur.

"Nah, I grabbed him for you. Anyway, what are you naming him?" Camila inquired with a curious tilt of her eyebrow.

"Ace!" Lauren shouted almost instantly, which brought a smile to Camila's lips but made Mrs. Jauregui exit the room as if their presence irritated her. Camila noticed her behavior, but chose not to say anything for fear of starting something she had no business being in.

"I like it. Ace fits him." Camila nodded and pulled Lauren into her lap with the dog in her grip.

"Your parents are leaving in a few, any clue what they're up to today?" Camila asked curiously, but then Mr. Jauregui's voice floated from the top steps in a way that set Camila's back ramrod straight.

"Maybe you should come to us with any inquiries of our destinations, otherwise, do not drill my daughter for answers." The man's deep voice carried powerfully down the stairway. Camila looked up with a nervous gaze and attempted a polite smile.

"Mr. Jauregui, I swear it wasn't like that. I was just wondering where you and your wife were going today." The Latina responded with a pleasant look. Lauren's little fists balled into her stuffed animal's fur as she attempted to hold back her anger.

No one talked to her Camz like that! She had begun to notice, every day they were getting colder and colder. She wasn't sure what was wrong, or how to fix it, so she stayed quiet and snuggled into Camila's embrace even further.

The tan girl's scent of vanilla and something that was the equivalent of sunshine, made her relax as she hugged the wolf closer to her body. She was able to tune out of the conversation until both of her parents left the house and Camila breathed a sigh of relief.

The brunette didn't bother to ask Lauren what was up with her parents, because she was sure that not even she knew the answer. Whatever the case was, it wasn't any of her business. She looked down at the green eyed child on her lap.

"How was school this week, Monster?" Camila asked with a flash of her pretty white teeth in a smile. Lauren's serene expression melted into one of anger as she lodged her bottom lip between her teeth.