Closer Than We Thought: Camren

Chapter 2: Better Together

Lauren's POV:

My lungs caved in. I felt like the world stopped spinning, and that anyone or anything would be able to fix it. The judges didn't call my name for the next round, and I was suppressing the urge to sob right there, on the stage floor. All my hard work to get here was ruined. Everything I was running away from, I would now have to face once again tomorrow. I didn't want to leave. I wanted to scream at the judges that they made a mistake. That they got something wrong. There was no way this could be happening.

That's what happens when you get your hopes up, Lauren, I thought, They crash down around you, and you're never strong enough to pick them up.

They dismissed us, and I walked numbly backstage. Once I was away from the cameras, I broke down. I sobbed loudly, and unashamedly into my sweater sleeve. Who cares what these people think of me? I'll probably never see them again. I looked up to see a camera pointed at my face. I felt a tiny bit of anger bubble up inside of me, but I was too upset to act on it. I wish they weren't filming me right now though. It felt like a major invasion of privacy.

My family soon found me, and pulled me into a giant group hug. My dad kept reassuring me that it was going to be okay, that I could come back next year.

I didn't want to come back next year. I wanted to stay here. I didn't want to go back to Miami. I didn't want to face her again. I didn't want to let my friends know I'd failed.

Apparently, I couldn't leave the building yet. There were still decisions left to be made, apparently and none of the contestants would be let go until then. So, I made myself comfy on one of their couches, and waved goodbye to my family. I saw the girl with dark hair, and she was silently crying by herself. I guess she hadn't been good enough either. I was sort of shocked, I mean if she didn't stand a chance vocally, then who did?

A stage hand walked towards the small group of depressed contestants and said in a loud, clear voice, "The judges want to see: DinahJane Hansen, Normani Hamilton, Ally-Brooke, Camila Cabello, and Lauren Jauregui. Follow me."

I noticed the girl with dark hair stand up, and follow the other three girls. I wonder which name belonged to her. I followed behind them, wondering what this was all about.

Camila's POV:

"The judges want to see: DinahJane Hansen, Normani Hamilton, Ally-Brooke, Camila Cabello, and Lauren Jauregui. Follow me."

I stopped crying when I heard my name called. The judges wanted to see me again? But why? Hadn't they already tortured me enough? I wiped my tears with the back of my hand and followed the other girls, all of which I knew were incredibly talented from boot camp. We stood on the edge of the stage, facing the judges table.

Simon's know-it-all voice rand through the tense and quiet stadium, "We were talking, and decided that all of you were too special to let go. So, you are invited to the judges house, as you are tight now."

My heart skipped a beat. The girls around me were jumping and screaming, pulling me in for a group hug. I noticed the girl with the green eyes was in my group too.

I didn't know what came over me, but I grabbed her hand and squeezed it. Silently, telling her that we did it. We made it through. And even though I didn't say it out loud, I knew she understood what I was trying to tell her.

I didn't know this girls name. I didn't know where she was from. But I felt a certain connection with her. Part of me wanted to make her feel safe, the other part wanted to be her best friend.

Which was weird for me, I never had a lot of friends in school. I was always shy and quiet. I ate my lunch in the bathroom by myself. I never really had the urge to be friends with anybody, until now.

Staring into her green eyes, I knew my life was about to change for the better.