Cant't help falling in love (CAMREN)

CHAPTER 23

Sean walked down the hall and stopped when he saw the back of Lauren's head in a chair in the lobby. She was flipping through a magazine, turning the pages listlessly without really reading. Sean came up behind her, sitting down in a chair beside her.

"I didn't bother calling back. I left as soon as I got the message - How is she?" he asked, tucking his long legs under the chair.

Lauren didn't say anything, continuing to turn the pages, staring at the happy people and the loud advertisements for toothpaste and eye drops.

"She's fine, I guess," she said after a long moment, still not looking up.

"Can I go see her?" Sean continued and Lauren shrugged.

"Probably not," she whispered. "She died over an hour ago."

Sean was about to stand, but he found his hands were glued to the arms of the chair.

"What?" he choked.

"She went into cardiac arrest about an hour ago, maybe longer. I don't really remember."

Sean looked at Lauren's face, trying to gauge her reaction. She looked calm. She turned a page, glancing at the text.

"Lauren?"

"What?"

"...I - how are you doing?"

"I'm fine."

"Seriously, I mean -."

Lauren finally lifted her eyes and then went back to looking at the magazine.

"We need to get her dress."

"We can worry about that later," Sean hushed, touching her arm. Lauren jerked it away, the magazine falling to the floor. She stared at the ruffled pages, her heart speeding up.

"We need to get it - we've gotta get her dress."

She stood up and walked towards the elevators, Sean jogging after her, grabbing her arm.

"Lauren, you need to think about yourself for just two seconds!" he pleaded. "You haven't left the hospital in weeks!"

"It doesn't matter!" Lauren shouted, and the nurses at the station snapped their heads up. "None of it matters!"

"Lauren -."

Lauren wrestled out of Sean's grip, wiping her face, getting in the elevator. She punched the button repeatedly, and when it finally opened on the main floor she tore out of it. She got into the car she was given to use until she was able to get her own, and drove.

Lauren wiped her eyes again, starting the car up and tearing down the road. She knew she was speeding, but she hoped someone would stop her. Maybe she could make a fuss; maybe they'd shoot her. Maybe a bus would hit her if she ran the light. But it was quiet.

The world was quiet.

It just kept going, time kept going, and it wasn't fair. It wasn't fair that the world got to keep turning without Camila. It wasn't right.

She was crying so hard she couldn't see, so she pulled off at a small park, and pulled into the nearest parking space. She cried in the worst way; she didn't make a sound, her mouth open and vocal chords strained, but there wasn't enough air to carry anything.

"Are you alright?"

She looked up, still sobbing, trying to mop at her face. A woman was gazing at her evenly. She shook her head, and the woman came forward to touch her arm.