Leaving All I've Ever Known (Camren)

21. Come, Sweet Death

"Lauren!"

It's Lucy.

The newly opened area, parted by the crowd, shows her in full view. She stood in the middle of the people-less circle whilst the spotlight beautifully illuminates her, face glowing. Lucy's eyes glue to Lauren's, the audiences glue to hers.
People recognise Lucy. Not for her singing or her modelling - no. She's become a well known 'celebrity' by dating Lauren. Lauren exalts Lucy, and in return, she's gained a small but decent status amongst the general popular media.

The situation felt surreal. Only the increasingly boisterous audiences deafening shouts snapped me out of it. They finally caught up with what's happening.
It's clear why Lucy is her. She came for Lauren.

My heart sunk deeper than the titanic did. Everything had been perfect up until this point. I made a couple of great friends this week, I reunited with 4 I'd profoundly missed and Lauren and I admitted that after months of not speaking, a year of being apart from the group, after leaving all I've ever known, she still had feelings for me.

If anything could save my heart from drowning, it would be Lauren. I look at her for the first time since Lucy showed up and find her already staring at me.
Her expression was of concern and sadness, I sense her trying to tell me she's sorry. It's like she already knows whatever plans we've made will drastically change or be over before they've even started, no matter what decision she chooses to make.

It happens simultaneously and everyone's eyes are on me now. I don't even remember walking onto the stage. The crowds, Dinah's, Ally's and Normani's, who's eyes I linger on for more than the rest, stare at me.
I hate the way Norman's gaze rests on mine. It's filled with concern and the overwhelming awareness to what's happening. She's the only one, apart from Lauren and I, that knows exactly what's happened between us. I've got a feeling she'll be the last.

I return my attention back to the girl I started with. Lucy had these pleading eyes that she reserved solely for Lauren. Without words, they tell her she wants her back. It's when the crowd quietens down that she starts speaking and showing Lauren what she really wants.

"Lauren! I'm sorry!" Over the overly excited crowd, she calls to Lauren, who I know can hear her talk since I can hear her too.

"I messed up! But I'm back now. I came for you, I still want to be with you!"

This whole scenario felt like a comedy. Laughing and smiling faces cheered Lucy on. Even the bodyguards smiled as they let Lucy though the barriers and onto the stage. Lucy held the biggest grin of all as she climbed up the steps. With her back to me, she stood now inches away from Lauren.
I seemed to be the only one that didn't get the joke, unless I'm playing the role of the sad, miserable clown that keeps getting pies thrown at their face.

"I regret breaking up with you. For the past few days I've been going over us an our relationship. It's been hard and I hate being on and off and on again with you. I can hardly remember why I ended it this time. It's only when people made me opened my eyes and told me to come back and fight for you, that I realised I made a huge mistake."

Lauren faced me as she looked at Lucy, I could see her reaction as clear as day.
Her lips were pursed and her expression hardly changed from her initial one of shock. I don't think she knew how to respond or what to say, so Lucy continued, trying her best efforts to persuade Lauren to get together again.

"I needed to show you I still am deeply, madly in love with you and what better way of doing that than coming back to New York?"

My attention got distracted by flashes of florescent lights coming from the audience, some were recording, others taking pictures. It's like I'm in the middle of filming the perfect romantic movie where the 2 characters, that are really meant to be together, reconnect again.
Right on queue, Lucy holds Lauren's hand. Sticking to the plot line, she takes a step closer.
The audience are howling now, Lucy couldn't speak even if she wanted to. So she doesn't. Her mouths put to use in another way when she leans in and closes the gap.