Cant't help falling in love (CAMREN)

CHAPTER 8

The shrill ring of the phone was too loud to ignore, and Camila started awake, untangling herself from the covers to reach over the side of the bed, picking up the receiver and holding it up to her ear.

"Hello?" Her voice was thick with sleep, and she rubbed at her eyes with the back of her hand.

"Hey, Camila. I said I'd call back." There was a smile in Lauren's voice, and Camila pulled the phone onto the bed and rested it on her stomach.

"Lauren-"

"I just wanted to tell you that I'm heading over to your place when I get off."

"Lauren, I don't think that's a good idea."

"Why not?

"Because what if he sees you?"

"Who?" Lauren sounded angry now, and Camila wanted to reach into the phone and soothe her. She wanted to hold her and kiss her and tell her not to be angry because this wasn't Lauren's fault, she doesn't need to be angry. "Your landlord? I don't care if he fucking sees us."

Camila sighed, listening to the crackle as Lauren moved around and the dull murmur of people talking in the background.

"Camila, I'm serious about you moving in with me."

"Can we talk about this later? Please?"

There was a stretch of silence between them before Lauren sighed, exasperated.

"You're being stubborn about this; it's bullshit," Lauren continued, and Camila put the phone on the bed, rolling onto her side, fingers of her free hand splaying over the sheets, smoothing it down.

"What if this happens again, Lauren? We'll both be out of luck."

"Everyone else in this goddamn world gets to live with the person they love, I don't know why we can't," Lauren said harshly, and Camila rolled her eyes.

"This isn't a competition, Lauren! This isn't something we can win just by practicing! We have to think about this! We've rushed into everything else and it's catching up with us..."

"What the hell does that mean?" Lauren said softly, and Camila caught herself, face flushing.

"You know I don't mean it like that," she whispered. "You know I don't so don't make it out like I'm regretting it. It's just facts. We rushed into this. We really did, Lauren, and now we have to accommodate; the rest of the world isn't about to keep rushing with us."

"It's not going to be a problem. I live on the top floor and no one will hear us," Camila blushed at Lauren's implications, but didn't say anything as she continued, "I'll pay off my landlord if he starts anything; I'll just do that."

"Lauren, all I'm saying is we should be careful."

"We're being careful. If you live with me we can keep an eye on each other. I know what they do to people like us. This way I'll know where you are. You'll know where I am. Think about how nice it'll be to come home and find you in my bed? Huh?" Lauren's voice was suspiciously low and Camila squirmed.

"Don't talk like that," she hushed. "Lauren, not right now."

"My place is bigger. The heating works. The hot water stays on for longer than two seconds, the electricity doesn't go out as soon as it gets windy. My bed is bigger."

"Lauren," Camila groaned, shaking her head. "You're not hearing me."

"I'm ignoring you. You're going to talk yourself out of it, so I have to talk you in. I was going to ask you soon anyway. I hated you living in that closet."

"Yes, but it was my closet, Lauren."

Lauren was quiet for a second and then huffed.

"You better be up when I come over."

"I slept all afternoon, so I will," Camila answered with an empty sigh.

"I'll see you in about half an hour."

The line went dead and Camila hung the phone up, setting it back onto the floor.

She hummed to herself, fingers pressing into the pillow as she pulled her legs up to her chest, reveling in the silence of the room. She tried to ignore what had happened between her and Donnie; she tried to think about Lauren, Lauren's eyes, Lauren's smile, Lauren in her Cadillac looking so perfectly at ease with everything, speeding down the street. She wanted to think about Lauren and nothing else.

The sound of her bedroom window rattling drew her out of her thoughts, and she rolled over in bed, watching Lauren's silhouette move outside her window before she pulled it open. Lauren stepped into the bedroom with a smile on her face, closing the window behind her before walking across the room, kneeling at the side of the bed. Camila leaned into the touch when Lauren palmed her cheek, slipping her fingers through her hair.

"I missed you," Camila whispered, all traces of her temper erased.

"Yeah, I missed you too," Lauren leaned forward and pressed her lips to her forehead, and Camila reached out to close her fingers around the nape of Lauren's neck, eyes shut, exhaling in relief. "So, you're gonna move in with me, right?"

Camila could feel Lauren's lips curl into a smile against her forehead, and she pulled back slightly to look up. She was almost grinning, and she could tell that Lauren was excited about Camila saying yes, because Camila really wanted to say yes, but she just couldn't.

"Lauren-"

"Look, you're going to be a doctor, this is logical. This makes sense. You need a place to stay, and you're paying for school basically out of pocket," Lauren stood and pulled her boots off, crawling into bed with Camila afterward, Camila moving under the arm Lauren held up, pressing into her. "And I can take care of you. I want to take care of you."

"I can't ask you to do that."

"Then don't. Just - just let me do this, Camila. Just let me do this for you."

Camila opened her mouth, but Lauren silenced her.

"Don't think about it," she said sternly, and Camila sagged, Lauren's thumb tracing over her swollen face. "I'm gonna make you so happy," she whispered, like she was merely thinking out loud. Camila kissed her again. She knew she would; there wasn't any question.

Lauren frowned at the damp pillow, squinting at her. "And quit going to bed with your head wet. You'll catch pneumonia like that," she laughed, and Camila laughed too, even though it wasn't funny, really. Her chest felt less tight, at least. "We'll move your things tomorrow. I'll borrow Bobby's truck," Lauren continued, and Camila nodded along, not really listening