58 Days With Lauren (CAMREN)

Chapter 5

Day 24

"Just follow me, damn." Lauren muttered in annoyance.

Camila huffed and continued trailing behind her. She had just appeared at the coffee shop and demanded that Camila come with her immediately. She refused at first, but like always, Lauren got her way. Lauren, as mysterious and infuriating as always, wouldn't tell her where they were going. "You trust me don't you?" Lauren had said mockingly. She warily nodded.

As time ticked by, Camila got more and more curious. She knew that her question wouldn't be answered- it hadn't in the past- but she tried anyhow, "Where are we going?"

Camila turned slightly and caught sight of Lauren's features, illuminated by the moonlight. Her skin appeared ghostly pale, like always, and her eyes hollow and detached, but still a bright emerald. A look she's grown used to seeing.

"Stop, for once. Just stop." Irritation laced through Lauren's words.

Stop she did. Camila stopped following Lauren and crossed her arms over her chest defiantly. She stood and waited for Lauren to realize that she was not following her any longer. Lauren glanced behind herself and scowled once she saw that Camila was no longer walking.

"Oh, don't go feeling all hurt. Just follow me." Camila wouldn't comply so easily with her, not this time.

"Why do you have to be so fucking difficult all the time, damn." Lauren grumbled quietly, but not quiet enough.

"I'm sorry that I don't obey to your every command, ma'am," Camila retorted sarcastically.

Lauren sighed and ran her scarred hand through her hair. "Fine."

She turned and sauntered away; the dark of night slowly encompassing her. Camila sighed and cursed under her breath. She ran after her; once again, giving in to Lauren.

*****

They walked for what seemed like hours. Lauren had Camila walking down a forest path; moonlight, lighting the trail, though, it could hardly make it's way through the canopy of leaves. The forest was eerily silent. There was no noise except for the sound of Lauren and Camila's quiet footsteps.

Lauren was stoic, as usual. Camila wished that she would talk. About anything. But more importantly, her past. Camila craved to know what had gone on, what had made her this way. She had opened up to Camila once before, on a night like tonight. She hadn't said much, but it was a start. Maybe tonight, Camila could delve deeper into Lauren's story, her past.

Finally, Lauren stopped walking once they had broken out of the cover of trees. There was a tiny lake surrounded by trees on every side. A stream of moonlight illuminated the lake in a haunting way. Lauren suddenly kicked off her Doc Martens and socks, and then sat down at the edge of the lake; sticking her feet in the water.

Camila kicked off her flip flops and reluctantly dipped her feet in the water as well. The water shocked her senses and she shivered immediately. She wanted to draw her feet out of the water, but there was something that held her in. Soon enough, her feet had adjusted to the frigid temperature of the water.

The sound of the water lapping up against the shore was lulling Camila to sleep. It was all so serene and cozy here. She was on the verge of sleep when Lauren suddenly spoke.

"Thank you." Her husky voice spoke ever so quietly, Camila almost didn't hear her.

"For what?" She whispered back, while turning to face her.

Lauren's gaze was unfocused as she stared ahead, not looking at Camila. A ghost of a smile formed on her face, and she answered her, "For being as annoying as you are."

Camila smiled and lightly punched her shoulder. "You're an ass."

Surprisingly, Lauren didn't tense up at her touch like she had done before. Instead, she reached into her pocket and pulled out a cigarette.

Camila scowled in disgust and scooted a little further from her as she lit the cigarette and slowly took a drag. This didn't faze Lauren in the slightest. She knew that Camila hated her smoking. It's not like she would stop just because Camila didn't like it.

"I still don't understand why you do that," Camila whispered as she watched her smoke.

Lauren effortlessly wiped any and all emotion from her face as she spoke. "You don't need to."

"I don't want you to die, Lo."

"Well that makes one of us," she laughed, but it wasn't like any laughter Camila had ever heard. It was a cold, bitter sound that shook her to her core.

"Why would you... want to die?" Camila choked out.

Lauren didn't answer, and Camila knew that Lauren had already said all she would say.

So instead of prodding her any more, Camila scooted closer to her and took her scarred, pale hand in hers, intertwining their fingers. Lauren tensed at first and Camila held her breath, waiting for her to pull away and start to yell.

But she didn't.