3 A.M. (Camren)

5

When Camila dropped me off it was around midnight. I checked my phone and kept reading the message Normani sent me.

Who said I didn't feel good?

That's besides the point. Although, I only went out for about two hours. I had a nice time. Camila made it somewhat easier for me.

When I entered my house, all of the lights were off. Which was expected I'm sure my parents were asleep in their bed and my siblings were out being kids.

I started walking through the living room so I could get to the stairs to get to my room. As soon as I touched the bottom of the stairs, the living room lights flickered on.

"Um, Lauren, where have you been?" I turned around to see Taylor sitting in the recliner next to the lamp with her arms folded across her chest.

"Why are you awake? It's like midnight."

She unfolded her arms and placed them firmly on her legs. "I don't know if you noticed but, you see that trophy right there?" She asked pointing at the trophy placed center stage onto the mantle above the fire place.

I shrugged. "Yeah, what about it?"

She scoffed. "I had district finals today. You promised you we're going to be there and where was Lauren?" She laughed. "No where to be found as usual."

I sighed heavily, running a hand through my hair. " Look. I'm sorry. What do you want me to say? Why'd you even ask me to go if you knew I wasn't going to make it?"

She stood up out of the chair, "Because I thought just maybe. Just maybe, you would take a moment out and stop feeling sorry for yourself and think about me." She laughed. "I knew I was asking for too much. Always playing the victim. You're such a selfish bitch Lauren. God, I don't even know why we bother with you." She yelled storming off.

"Well, screw you too kid." I mumbled walking up the stairs.

-

Camila's POV

After I dropped Lauren off, I made my way back to my apartment. Oddly enough it was actually only fifteen minutes away from Lauren's house.

Before I took Lauren away from my party, I had the most random nosebleed. I mean it wasn't random because I know what caused it. It was just random because of the timing.

When I was in high school, I was in a pretty bad car accident. I suffered from slight brain damage. The only thing I remember is an 18 wheeler running through a red light. My parents told me I was in a coma for eight months.

Nobody thought I was gonna make it. Not even Dinah. She was by my side the whole time. She missed her whole senior year and she lost her job because of me.

When I had woken up from my coma, I promised Dinah that she would never have to worry about me or anything else ever again. I became something I despised the most, a drug dealer.

Although my parents were rich, I wanted my own money to repay Dinah for her strength and loyalty. You don't find good friends like that these days, you know? At first, dealing drugs to the kids around campus was strictly for me to repay Dinah but, sometime in my junior year during winter break I changed my mind. I liked doing it.

I just didn't want anyone else I was close to knowing my business. They didn't need to. So, Ally was one of my usual customers. She set me up with the job at the café when I turned twenty-two. It always pondered my mind why Ally always wanted to buy speed from me. How much energy could she possibly need? That's beside my point I'm trying to make here.

I don't do drugs.

I'm already screwed up enough as is.

-

The Next Morning

When I woke up, I was laying down on my floor in the hallway. I was no where near my room. I got up off the floor and stretched a little. It's a small price I pay for the life I live, I guess.

"I'm so tired of this." I mumbled.

"You look tired." Dinah said coming out of the bathroom. "Mila, you're bleeding again." She sighed quickly grabbing some tissue out of the bathroom. "Put your head back." She said firmly pressing the tissue against my nose.

"Dinah, it's fine. I got-"

"Shut up." She said cutting me off. "You can barely hold yourself up." She shook her head. "You told me you were getting better."

"I was. They just started happening again last night when I was with Lauren." I replied.

"Oh yeah, how is she?" She asked. "I know she was pretty upset about what Shawn said. He's such a jerk Mila." She scoffed. "I don't know why you hang out with that kid."

"We're not friends anymore." I replied back blandly. "I wasn't kidding. Anyone who makes her feel any less of a person is dead to me."

Dinah pressed against my nose a few times. "Seems like you like her."

"I hardly know her Dinah. Only from what Norman told us."

Dinah shrugged. "Sometimes you don't have to know a person. Sometimes there's a connection there that is unexplainable. Someone you met two days ago could mean more than someone you've known for you're entire life." She smiled at me. "All done." She said wiping my nose of one last time. "I'll tell Ally you need the day off. I'm going to get ready for work. Don't forget to take your medication." She said handing me my bloody nose tissue. She gave me a light kiss on the check, before heading back to her room.

"Hey Dinah?"

She turned around. "Yeah, Walz?"

"Thank you." I replied.

She smiled and said nothing then went back into her room.

Dinah's POV

As I closed the door to my room, I couldn't help but feel worried. I'm always worried about Camila.

"I'm scared for her Mani." I sighed.

"Camila is a big girl Dinah," She said getting dressed. "I'm sure whatever it is she has it under control and doesn't want us to worry."

"She's my best friend." I huffed. "Of course, I worry about her. It's what I do. She's like my baby."

"I would expect that to come out of Ally's mouth." She muttered.

"That's like me saying for you not to worry about Lauren." I said. "She's a big girl."

"Lauren is only 18. Camila is 26." Normani snapped.

"Age doesn't make a difference." I said.

"Obviously it does." She rolled her eyes. "I'll see you later Dinah." She said storming out of the room.