Ethereal

Forty

Lauren opens Camila's journal to where she had stopped reading. She was only a few pages in. Camila hadn't been very consistent in writing at first. But it was understandable knowing that she had school and cheer practice every day.

Lauren's eyes gazed over the first few words and her heart immediately drops.

Lauren cheated on me.

Lauren snapped the journal shut angrily and pinched the bridge of her nose. She's done so much stupid shit in the past that she wished she wasn't reminded of.

Lauren sighed and picked up her phone for the first time in almost two days. She had been nonstop reading Camila's journal. But in addition to that, she was now in the Hansen household in California. She was doing exactly what Taylor was yelling at her for the other night. She wasn't around. She wasn't around to be there for Taylor.

But she felt empty. She didn't feel anything about leaving Taylor behind. She didn't feel anything period. Dinah said that Lauren was depressed. And as much as the smaller girl wanted to deny it, she knew she couldn't. But maybe it was just severe separation anxiety.

Lauren turned her phone on and let it load. When it finally did, her phone immediately blew up with notifications. Must of them she didn't care about. But one caught her attention. And it was from two days ago.

Missed call from Camz.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me!" Lauren laughed sarcastically. The door opened behind her and she didn't even turn around to see who it was. She took one last look at the message on the screen that seemed to be taunting her. Lauren raised her hand angrily before chucking the phone at the wall. She watched as the screen shattered into a million pieces.

Lauren felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her waist. As if to hold her back. And she was glad they did, because if they didn't, Lauren didn't know if she had enough self control to stop herself from punching a hole in the wall.

"Okay. Calm down sweetheart okay? I'm going to go get Dinah." The soft voice belonged to Milika. And all Lauren could do was nod timidity.

The older women left then room to find her daughter and Lauren took a seat on the edge of her best friends bed. Her chest was heaving from being so angry. She placed her head in her hands.

What if it was important? What if Camila isn't okay and they needed to get ahold of somebody?

"Lauren, hey, what happened?" Dinah sat down next to the older girl and wrapped her arm around her.

"Camila called me. And my phone was off. She called me two days ago." Lauren stressed.

"Lauren, I'm so sorry love. It's not your fault." The blonde tried.

"No Dinah! You don't get it! You don't f-fucking get it!" Lauren snapped. Dinah slid back on the bed slightly.

"What if it was serious Dinah? What if she really needed us. Something could be wrong and we don't know." Lauren ran her hand through her hair.

"Take a deep breath with me. You're letting this get to your head. I know that being in a relationship with Camila has always prepared you to expect the worst but you can't think like that. You can't get worked up over it." Dinah tried to advise the older girl. But Lauren was too stubborn. It went in one ear and right out the other.

"Can I please have your phone?" The Latina questioned.

Dinah nodded and handed the distraught girl her phone. She knew what Lauren was going to do. And she didn't think it would be a good idea. But who was she to stop Lauren?