Beautiful When You Don't Try (Camren)

Chapter 1

The first chapter is a build up. I already have the second one converted and might post it soon.

Reviews are always wonderful to get. Let me know what you think!

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I can do this. Lauren told herself, pulling the collar of her winter coat up to her face as she walked down the crowded New York City street. It's been seven years. I've changed. She'll know that maturity comes with time. She has always had the better grip on the reality of people and their personalities anyway. She rounded the corner and caught sight of her assistant huddled against the wall by the entrance to the studio building. "Is everything set up?"

The nervous young assistant shifted the thick rimmed glasses on her face and smiled between the steam puffs of her breath lifting in the air. "Yes Ma'am. Lighting is now setting up and awaiting your approval. Your equipment, cameras, lenses, and filters are all accounted for and organized as you like. Backdrops are in place and-"

She was cut off with a light smile and a raised hand. "Kim. I know you are still new to this and to working with me," Lauren opened the door and held it, "but all I require is a 'yes'. Okay?" She waved her hand at the nodding girl for her to enter, following close behind her. "I'm not as much of a hard ass as everyone says. And contrary to popular belief, I don't bite."

Kim laughed lightly as she closed the elevator doors and signaled their floor. "Of course not." She commented as if she had known all along.

Lauren arched an eyebrow and decided to break in her new assistant to see if she was going to last. "Actually, I shouldn't say that. I do bite. Just not at work." She lifted her gaze to the illuminating floor indicators above the elevator door while she watched from the corner of her eyes as the assistant shifted in uncertainty. "Hey, Kim?"

"...yes Ma'am?"

"Do you ever joke?" The elevator fell silent until Lauren looked to her assistant and smiled a laughing smile. After another second of hesitation, Kim broke out into a nervous, forced laughter and the elevator dinged its arrival. Lauren stepped out first, shaking her head. She needed to find someone with a sense of humor to work with.

The studio was nothing more than a large, empty loft now occupied by the equipment of the most in demand new photographer in the industry and a crew of stylist, makeup artists, and random paid employees who avoided eye contact and busied themselves as she approached. Lauren wasn't the same bitch she had been in high school, but she did utilize the skills she had perfected in that department to maintain her control if she needed to. She couldn't be seen as a push over. She was still too new. But today, the cowering crew made her nervous. Today was the worst day to be seen as a bitch.

"Is she on her way?" The brunette asked stripping off her coat and throwing it across a vacant chair before busying herself with adjustments in search of perfection.

"She is due here any minute." Kim stated looking over the schedule on her phone, double checking just in case.

"That means she will be here in twenty." Lauren informed her without making eye contact.

"Excuse me?"

"If she is suppose to be here now, then she won't show up for at least fifteen minutes with the maximum being thirty minutes. She has to be fashionably late to make an entrance but not glaringly late to be viewed as unprofessional." She stopped her staging to look at the confused yet intrigued girl. "Because of all the words you could use to describe her, Camila Cabello is anything but unprofessional."

Kim followed closely with scurrying steps as the tall brunette glided through the open space with purpose and poise. "You have worked with her before, then?"