A Simple Folded Paper

30

Not long after, both girls left the hospital and picked up Hannah at school. Camila's mood had improved as soon as the little one ran to her when Lauren and Camila entered her classroom. Hannah's teacher reminded Lauren of the meeting that Friday and Lauren promised to be there, although she had to admit that she had completely forgotten about it.

The 3 girls made their way to Lauren's car and to home, singing along every song that passed on the radio. When they arrived at the driveway of the two sisters' house, they were confused with the two pick-up trucks that were parked there as well. They got out of the car and approached the front door of the house, with Lauren leading the way. She opened the door and, instantly, heard 3 or 4 people shouting. They seemed to be in the living room, so the girls could easily go to the top floor without being seen since the door to the living room was closed.

Lauren was concerned. She had never seen those cars in her life nor she recognized the voices, except for one - her dad's. Scared of what about the argument might be, she led her girlfriend and sister to her bedroom and closed the door behind her. On her way up, she heard some loose things, but couldn't make any coherent speech out of it.

They all laid down on Lauren's bed making small talk with the youngest about her day at school. They were talking for not more than 10 minutes when Hannah didn't answer their question about the school play when the oldest two looked at the end of the bed and the kid was curled up in a ball, sleeping.

Lauren got up from her bed and carried her sister to her own bedroom, letting her taking her so wished nap that she never fails to do - voluntarily or not. Once her sister was tucked in bed, Lauren left the room and, once in the hallway, she heard her dad's voice. It was the only voice heard, followed by several pauses and then he would talk again. Lauren assumed that he was on the phone, but he was shouting so loud that Lauren began to be worried. She decided to go check on her father and made her way down the stairs. Almost on the end of it, her dad's voice couldn't be heard anymore, only a couple of grunts. He's probably not on the phone anymore, Lauren thought.

She went to the living room in hopes of talking to her dad and see what was going on. She found him sitting on the couch, with a glass of what Lauren assumed to be whiskey in hand. "What's wrong?", she asked, disappointed by the fact that her dad was drinking again.

"GO TO YOUR ROOM!", he shouted, not looking in her direction. His voice was raspy and dry, full of anger.

Lauren flinched at the sound and did what she was told. She was scared as hell, she had seen her dad angry and has seen him drunk, they were both frightening so the two mixed together should be even worse. She went back to her room, fighting the tears that were forming in her eyes. Lauren was angry, angry at life for always ruining her happiness and angry at his dad for going back to old habits and shouting at her, like she had done something wrong. She just asked what was wrong, but now learned that she shouldn't do that again, it was not worth it.

As soon as Lauren entered the room, a small smile appeared on her face. Camila was curled up in a ball like her sister had been, her hair sprawled all over the pillow, sleeping peacefully. This was the thing: Lauren was on the verge of crying 2 seconds before and the sight of her girlfriend sleeping managed to turn her mood completely upside down. For years, Lauren praised the loneliness, she was so fond of the theory that the less she socialized, the less she would be annoyed, mad, tired of people. She thought that if she didn't have a social life at all, people wouldn't go away and she wouldn't be sad about it because she had no one to care about. But now? Now, Lauren found herself not caring if her heart was going to be broke in the end, if she would cry her eyes out before she goes to sleep, she was risking all her sanity and proving wrong her own theory by letting herself love Camila, and let Camila love her back. The girl sleeping in her bed was the light at the end of the tunnel that was society. When everyone was so shallow and empty, Camila was thoughtful, had brilliant ideas and perspectives about everything, was so educated and nerdy and so easy to talk to. Lauren was freaking in love, and she was loving it.

She grabbed a blanket from her closet and threw it over Camila. Next, she leaned down and kissed the girl's end, adjusting the blanket over her until it reached the girl's neck. When she was backing away, Camila growled and grabbed her wrist not letting Lauren move away any further.

"Join me.", she whispered, not opening her eyes. And Lauren did, how could she not? 

Soon, she was laying next to Camila who instantly clung onto Lauren's arm and fell asleep. But Lauren couldn't fall asleep, her mind wondering about her father, her mother, her dead sister, her living sister, her girlfriend. Why the sudden change in her dad's behavior? Why did her mom leave them? Why did her sister have to die? How was Hannah dealing with all of this? What had she possibly have done to deserve someone as good as Camila? Her mind just couldn't shut off all of those thoughts and Lauren didn't want to sleep either. Her arm was already going numb due to the pressure and weight that Camila was putting on it, but Lauren didn't mind. She minded a bit because, well, nobody likes to feel numbness, but she figured that it was worth it. Camila was with her and everything would be alright. That was a promise she made to herself and couldn't do it to anyone else, because if she failed she would only be disappointing herself and not someone who she cared for.

With her free arm, she reached for the book on her nightstand. The Alchemist was coming to an end and had been Lauren's company for the last few days, especially when she was waiting for Camila at the hospital. There were only a couple of pages before the last chapter, the last chapter that Lauren always refused to read in any book. When books were her only company, finishing a book meant to lose a friend, it was as if the book - the person, your friend - did not have anything else to add to your life so you just don't pay any attention to her anymore. But a book, Lauren couldn't just throw it aside or put it on her bookshelf, she couldn't stand the idea that the book had nothing else to offer. So she didn't read the last chapters because that way, when she was old and had nothing to do, she could go back to those chapters and it would be like reuniting with old friends.

Lauren never told this to anyone, not even to Camila that seemed to be as fond of books as she was. Thinking on that matter, Lauren realized that Camila and she were very much look alike, but so different at the same time. Lauren was so scared of different things, what if different wasn't a good thing? What if Lauren and Camila being different of each other, meant that they wouldn't work out? Lauren's stomach growled, her anxiousness attacking her internally at the thought of not having Camila by her side anymore.

She decided to ignore the thoughts, to send them away, to focus on her book. And so she did. Eyes darting from word to word, following straight lines until they came to an end and Lauren's eyes wandered lower. But she couldn't focus, not with the tears that had begun to roll down her cheeks nor with the thought in mind that she should be enjoying her time with Camila while she could. Lauren closed the book, put in back on her nightstand and cuddled to her girlfriend, who cuddled back in the same second.

~

A/N: 2K already??? Woohooo