The Stage Door (Camren/Norminah)

The Nightmare

"Oh my God that was amazing," Normani screamed as the girls stepped off stage after their performance. "Did you see that, we got a standing ovation. A fucking standing ovation."

"I feel so alive," Dinah breathed, wrapping her arms around Normani's waist.

"They left, halfway through they left," Lauren said as she stood off to the side with her head down.

"Screw em' they aren't worth it," Normani told her, leaning back into Dinah's embrace.

"Uh hey guys, why don't you give Lauren and I a minute okay?" Camila said stepping forwards. The girls nodded and left, Ally, Dinah, and Normani stopping for a second to place a comforting hand on Lauren's arm. Once the girls were out of sight Camila turned to face Lauren, "Can we talk?"

"I don't want to talk about it," Lauren said shaking her head and trying not to cry.

"Not about that, about something else," Camila said looking up and past Lauren, her eyes meeting Ally's across the room. "I don't think I can do this," she said motioning between herself and Lauren. "I made a mistake, I don't think I can do this."

"Camz? What are you talking about," Lauren cried out, her heart fearing what was about to happen.

"I made a mistake, you're my friend and I think I was just so lonely before that I confused what was happening between us as love, but it's not," Camila told her, stepping back as Lauren tried to reach for Camila's hands.

"Clara and Mike just left, please you can't leave me too," Lauren was hysterical by now, unable to hide her broken heart. "Is there someone else? Is it Max?"

"It's not Max, it's, well you see," Camila said struggling to get her words out.

"It's me," Ally said stepping out of the shadows. "It's me, Camila and I are in love, we have been for a while, we just weren't sure how to tell you."

"NO!" Lauren shouted, "This can't be happening."

"Lauren you couldn't have thought we would last forever, your own parents didn't want you, why would you think I would be any different?" Camila asked her as she wrapped her arms around Ally. "We should probably go, you look like you need some time to process things," Camila said as she turned to walk away, hand in hand with Ally.

"Camila don't leave me," Lauren screamed after her.

"Camila don't leave me," Lauren yelled, jolting from her nightmare. Lauren's breaths were short and frantic as she looked around the darkness that was enveloping her dorm room.

"Lo?" Camila whispered, waking from the sound of Lauren's scream. "Lo? What's going on? Why are you screaming at me not to leave? I'm right here."

Lauren looked down, her eyes adjusting to the dark as she took in the sight of her girlfriend who was still curled into her side, peering up at Lauren with concern etched into her features. "It was a nightmare? Oh my God it felt so real," Lauren sobbed, her hands coming up to her face and Camila shuffling out from under the covers moving to sit in front of her.

"What was? What happened? What time is it?" Camila questioned, her eyes falling to the clock. "Jesus it's three-thirty in the morning," Camila groaned.

"I-I'm s-sorry," Lauren sputtered through her tears and as Camila took in the sight of her frightened girlfriend she moved to wrap her arms tight around Lauren.

"Hey don't apologize okay, everything is okay, tell me what happened," Camila whispered, her mouth tickling the outer edge of Lauren's ear. "I'm here, it's okay."