Live Again (Camren)

Chapter 2

Camila

       It's Thursday night and somehow Dinah convinced me to host her and her wife for dinner and a movie. I would usually be jumping at the idea of hanging out with them because since the semester started I've seen very little of them. But this was sort of last minute and I'm a little nervous because Lauren hasn't replied to my text letting her know she can't come over tonight. And then my heart drops when we're getting ready to dig into dinner and there's a knock at my door.  I rush to the door, and open it slightly squeezing myself out. Lauren goes in to kiss me but I stop her.

"Did you not read my text!?" I whisper yell at her.

"No. My phone died while I was at the lab." She explains, "what's going on?" She asks, confused as to why we're whispering outside the front door of my apartment and not headed straight for my bed.

"Normani and Dinah, came over for dinner and wanted to watch a movie." Now I explain, "you can join us if you'd like?" I ask hopeful, I would like to spend time with her somewhere other than a bed. She takes too long mulling over her answer because we both jump at the sound of the door opening.

"Is everything okay mil–" I hear Dinah's voice ask. "Laur what are you doing here?" She asks Lauren, you can tell she's completely surprised to find her out here.

"Camila invited me, and my mother always says it's not polite to decline an invitation." She answers sleekly. This is also the first time I hear Lauren mention a family member.

"Did she just start saying it now? Because every time I've invited you over for dinner you decline." Dinah, rolls her eyes, you can tell she's just joking and I want to laugh but no one else does so I hold it in.

"Okay, should we head inside now?" I interject because I hate awkward moments.

"Sounds good to me." Lauren answers.

"Yeah me too." Dinah adds, looking at us skeptically.

Dinner is...quiet to say the least. Nobody says much, Dinah makes a few efforts here and there but nothing. I find it strange since these three have been friends for years now, you would think they'd be dying to tell funny stories about each other. But no, instead they eat in silence, every once in a while asking your basic being polite questions.

Normani and Lauren sit in the living room while Dinah takes a quick trip to the bathroom and I'm in the kitchen making popcorn. The apartment is not the biggest to begin with and as quiet as Normani wants to be I can still hear her scolding Lauren.

"Your sleeping with her aren't you?" Normani asks, way to get to the point there. Lauren must have given herself up because Normani speaks again. "God Lauren what are you thinking?!"

"I don't know, nothing I guess. I'm just having fun, lay off mani." Lauren answers. I know I shouldn't be listening in to their private conversation but I've been badly trying to figure out what this thing between us is and since Lauren won't talk to me, this is my only source to get answers.

"Your having fun but what does she think this is?" She asks, and I almost want to step in and answer 'I have no idea what this is.' But of course I don't.

"I–I don't know, but it's pretty clear this is just a fling." She answers, not just Normani's questions but mine too. All I am to her is a fling.