The Pursuit of Camila Cabello

Chapter Six: Dinner with the Cabello's

The day after Lauren and Camila's conversation, Clara informs her family that they would be spending dinner with the Cabello's. This doesn't register with Lauren for a while but when it did, she laughed out loud. When she finally regained her composure, she finds her entire family (Jinx included) staring at her.

She realises, with great alarm, that this wasn't a joke. The Jauregui's would have to spend dinner with the Cabello's for at least two hours (probably more, considering how these dinners usually go).

Of course her first instinct was to ditch the dinner and watch Netflix all day. She was all ready to phone in her absence until she got a call from Camila.

"If you so much as think about not going to this dinner," Camila threatened and Lauren could just imagine the violent hand gestures she was making, "I swear to God, I will break into your house, drag you into mine and tie you to a chair for the rest of the night. Got it?"

All Lauren could do was hum, "Mhm."

So Lauren, now thoroughly terrified, had to ditch Plan A and face Plan B: spending an entire dinner with the Cabello's and Austin.

She wanted to barf just at the thought of his name. There was something about this guy that felt off to Lauren. Maybe she was just biased and he was actually a really good guy. Or maybe he was a little shit waiting to get his ass kicked.

Lauren held herself for a moment, remembering her promise. If she was going to try and rekindle her relationship with Camila, she had to be mature about her place in Camila's life. It would help no one if Lauren antagonised Austin, so the least she could do was act civil. She could handle one night of civility if it meant respecting Camila.

When the family had finally dressed up, Clara pulled Lauren aside and said, "I don't want any shit from you tonight, alright? Sinu is so excited to see you again after all these years so don't ruin it for her."

Lauren gave her a blank look, visibly unimpressed with her mother.

"You must have a very low opinion of me, Mum, if you think I'd ruin this dinner over petty jealousy." Lauren said, feeling her temperature rising, "Don't worry: I know my place. The dinner will be over before you know it."

Clara gives her an odd look but doesn't say anything else on the matter. Lauren, being used to her mother's accusations, simply walked off. They hadn't even made it to the dinner yet, and Lauren was ready to fight someone.

The drive was mostly done in silence: Clara and Mike talked quietly between them; Taylor and Chris were listening to their headphones and staring out of the windows; Lauren was trying to beat her high-score on Flappy Bird, which was currently a pathetic fourteen.

When they did arrive, Lauren was the one to knock on the door. She held a box of chocolates in one hand and her purse in the other.

The door opened suddenly to reveal a small child. The child was as tall as Lauren's hipbone, and wore a white dress and flats. Her brown eyes were doe-like and she still had a good amount of baby-fat on her.

When Lauren recognised her, she shouted, "Sofi?"

The child, Sofi, gasped and shouted back, "Lolo?"

The two screamed in excitement and Lauren quickly bent down and hugged her. Pulling away, Lauren looked at her and said, "You've grown so big, Sofi. What are you, like, 10?"

Sofi nodded with a toothy grin, happy that Lauren remembered, "I've missed you, Lolo. Mila told me you've become a musician now so that's why you don't visit anymore."