Just Off The Key Of Reason

Chapter 2: One Foot in Your Bedroom

When Camila woke up, before the crack of dawn, she got ready quietly and in a sleep hazy blur, and grabbed coffee and a banana from the kitchen before heading out the door. Rehearsals went smoothly, despite the increasing bossiness that seemed to overtake her body when she was tired, and she definitely thought they were ready for opening night. They got off early evening and Camila got a smoothie from her favorite place before heading home. She thought about texting Lauren to see if she wanted one, but realized she didn't yet have the woman's number. So, being the awesome and generous person she was, she got Lauren one anyway.
Camila walked through the door, not really knowing whether to expect Lauren to be home or not. She went through the entryway and into the living room and smiled when she caught sight of Lauren curled up in a ball, fast asleep on the couch. She put the smoothie in the fridge and pulled out some stuff to put a salad together for dinner.
Barnaby came trotting happily into the kitchen, and then a mussed up brunette head appeared in Camila's line of sight, with a small smile on its face.
"Hey." Lauren greeted, voice laced with sleep. "How were rehearsals?"
Camila waved her salad tongs around enthusiastically. "Hey! They were wonderful! We're so ready to open, Lauren, it's going to be amazing."
"It sounds like fun." Lauren remarked, leaning onto the breakfast bar and shaking her head around to settle her hair.
Camila was amused. "So much fun. You'll probably meet my cast sometime; they're just... fantastic." She enthused. "Oh! I got you a strawberry smoothie! It's in the fridge if you want it."
Camila didn't bother waiting for Lauren to answer. She just swept over to the fridge and pulled it out and handed it to her.
Lauren smiled. "Thanks."
Camila studied her and calmed herself down a little. "So, tired huh? Couldn't go back to sleep?"
Lauren sipped her drink. "Mm, no. I...It's going to take some getting used to." She said quietly.
"Well, you should get an early night. I don't have work tomorrow, so maybe we can do something? Are you from-have you seen the city yet?"
Lauren nodded. "Yeah, I've lived here for...a while."
Camila waited to see if she would say more. She didn't elaborate. "Okay. Maybe we could hang out in Central Park, you know, get lunch or something? I have some friends coming over in the morning, so it would have to be after that."
"I-yeah, okay."
Camila raised her eyebrows. "Well, Lauren, try to contain your excitement, please."
Lauren flushed. "No...really, that sounds fun. I'm just not used to...people. Like, hanging out with people. People wanting to hang out with me."
Camila thought for a moment. "We'll bring Barnes. He likes to chase...well, everything I guess. He actually goes a little psychotic..." Camila narrowed her eyes. "You know, actually, maybe we shouldn't bring him."
"Aww, no, he'll behave." Lauren said, smiling down at the dog lying against the dishwasher. "Won't you Barnesy."
Camila scoffed. "Psshht, of course he'll behave for you. He thinks you're his lord or something. A goddess."
Camila squatted down next to Barnaby and held his head with both her hands, looking straight into his happy brown eyes. "Look, B, I know she looks like an angel, and I can see why you're enamored with her," Camila looked up to a crimson Lauren and gave her a wink, "but you're supposed to love me more. Okay? Good boy."
Camila stood up and went to sit next to Lauren at the breakfast bar with her salad. "He likes to pretend he doesn't understand me. But I know he does. I taught him to dance." Camila said wisely, stuffing a few mini tomatoes in her mouth.
Lauren scrunched up her face in confusion and amusement. "He dances?"
"Oh yeah. He's a pro. Just make him get off his lazy ass and say dance. It works best if you have a conga line."
Camila had only taught her dog to dance because she and Ally wanted to see who could get their dog to do the cooler trick. Barnaby learned dance. Ally's terrier learned speak, and had never shut up since.
Lauren narrowed her eyes and studied Camila, trying to see if she was joking or not. Camila caught this out of the corner of her eye and smiled, greens poking out of her mouth.
"Seriously, Lauren. My dog is a dancer." Camila thought it should be obvious. She had tried teaching him to sing as well, but multiple complaints had been filed by the neighbors.
Lauren stood up and walked over to Barnaby, who stood immediately for her. Lauren smirked, and Camila scoffed at the unfairness of it all.
"Traitor dog." Camila muttered under her breath.
"Okay, Barnes, dance."
Barnaby did nothing. Just sat and watched Lauren contentedly. Lauren rolled her eyes and sighed, then turned around. "I knew-"
"No, try again. Really, I'm not making this up." Camila insisted. "Dance, Barnesy. Come on, B, dance."
Barnaby jumped up a little bit and lost his balance, then jumped again and shuffled around on his hind legs, so his lolling tongue came up to Lauren's chest. Lauren grinned and laughed. "Oh my God, your dog dances! That is so cool!"
Camila chuckled, a little surprised. That was the loudest she'd heard Lauren speak; she sounded so excited. She looked so excited. Her mouth was huge.
"He won't learn anything else. He doesn't even know 'sit,' but he'll dance his little fluffy butt off if you have a treat." Camila explained.
Lauren just kept smiling and crouched down to rub Barnaby's tummy.
"Did you have lots of pets? You seem really great with animals. Well, dogs. Or, one dog." Camila babbled.
"No." Lauren said quietly, still smiling softly.
Camila nodded and bit her lip, waiting for the woman to elaborate, but no more words came. "Okay, well, I'm off to bed." Camila slid off her stool and nudged Barnaby out of the way to put her bowl in the dishwasher. "Goodnight Lauren."
"Night, Camz."
Camila smiled at the name as she made her way to her room. She thought about ways to teach Barnaby to sing. Seriously, Camila Cabello's dog should be able to sing like those huskies on YouTube. She would find a way to do it without being evicted.
~oooooooooo~
Three hours later, Camila was still awake and suffering from deja vu. She heard the creaking in the hallway and didn't hesitate in sliding out of bed and opening her bedroom door. Lauren was in the hallway again, shuffling around nervously outside her own bedroom door.
"Is it the pipes again?" Camila asked quietly.
Lauren startled a little, but nodded, eyes fixed on the ground. She didn't evenbother trying to hide the bear behind her back this time.
Camila pursed her lips and thought for a moment. "Come on." She finally said, gesturing for Lauren to join her. "You can sleep in my bed." Camila just figured things were less scary when there was someone next to you.
Lauren looked nervous; her eyes were still focused on the ground.
"Barnaby's in my bed." Camila said nonchalantly, trying to coax Lauren. She didn't want to have to outright beg this woman to get in her bed; that would be a little...desperate. Lauren's eyes flickered to hers for a moment. "He would be inordinately pleased if you joined him." Camila continued, lips quirked up a little.
Lauren stepped hesitantly in Camila's direction and Camila smiled. She allowed Lauren to enter her room first and directed her to the other side of the bed, the one that didn't have the warm spot that Barnaby had stolen. They both slid under the covers, smiling as the dog's tail thumped against the blankets, though his eyes remained closed.
"Can I turn off the lights?" Camila asked, not sure if the hall light seeping under the door would be enough for Lauren. She used to turn it off, until one night she went to get a drink of water and stubbed her toe in the dark so that she couldn't dance for two days. Horrible night.
"Yeah." Lauren said softly.
Camila glanced over in the dark and smiled at the bear cuddled up to the woman's chest.
"What's his name?" Camila whispered, then gestured at the shadow of the stuffed animal when Lauren turned to look at her.
"It's...Pooh Bear." Lauren said into the darkness, embarrassed.
Camila grinned. "But it's not a Winnie the Pooh."
"No...I mean, I wanted one, but, I never...I got Pooh Bear instead."
Camila rolled over to face Lauren, who was still on her back with the bear pressed to her chest.
"I have a lion." Camila offered, smiling when Lauren turned on her side to face her. "His name's Fuzzy. He got-hey! Don't laugh! I was three, okay." Camila chuckled and tapped Pooh Bear on the nose.
"Anyway, he got really worn out. I mean, seriously; he could not keep up with Karla Camila Cabello at all. I actually kept him on my bed until I got B here, a year ago. Then B ate one of Fuzzy's legs and-,"
Lauren gasped and Camila smiled reassuringly, grabbing one of her hands. "and now he lives in my closet. Safe and sound. Happily stitched up and overcoming the odds with three legs."
Lauren chuckled and buried her nose in the bear.
"Alright, Lauren." Camila said with faux strictness. "Goodnight for real this time. No more wandering the house in the middle of the night like some kind of nightmare from Paranormal Activity, okay?"
Exactly the kind of movie she wanted to think about before bed.
Lauren nodded and, to Camila's surprise, kissed the small hand that was holding Lauren's. Camila was glad her blush couldn't be seen in the dark room.
~oooooooooo~
Camila woke up the next day to an empty bed, her arms wrapped around...Pooh Bear? She slid out of bed and tucked the bear under the covers, like he had been in Lauren's room that first day. She then changed into sweats and a t-shirt, so that she would be sort of presentable for her friends, and made her way out to the kitchen. Lauren was sitting at the breakfast bar in sleep shorts and a long sleeved tee, and a severe case of bed head, obliviously funneling Lucky Charms into her mouth.
"Good morning!" Camila sing-songed. She ruffled Lauren's hair as she walked through to the kitchen. Lauren choked on a few Lucky Charms and ducked her head shyly.
"Mmbormrin." She said around her mouthful. Camila laughed and poured herself some coffee.
"Did you sleep well?" Camila asked. Camila was surprised; she actually fell asleep as soon as Lauren joined her.
Sure a nightmare about sleepwalking people who creepily stand by the bed and watch you in your slumber plagued her, but hey, she was asleep at least. And she was burning her copy of Paranormal Activity.
Lauren nodded. "I took Barnaby out this morning. I tried to wake you because he was whining, but you were sort of...you looked-I didn't want to disturb you." Lauren finished with a pink tint to her cheeks.
Camila smiled reassuringly right as there was a knock on the front door. She looked to the door and rolled her eyes.
"Those are my friends. This is the first time in my lifetime they've ever shown up early to anything." She remarked. "You'll like them...just be yourself." She said more quietly.
Lauren kept playing with the marshmallows in her milk. Her legs started bouncing up and down, but she met Camila's eyes and nodded.
"Open the door Cabello! I need a fucking Ziploc bag!"
Camila shook her head and laughed to calm Lauren's nervous expression.
"Camila!" A separate voice came muffled through the door. "Open the damn door! I had a Hot Pocket this morning! It was a mistake that's quickly turning into a disaster!"
"Dear God, Camila, open the door!" A third voice yelled.
Camila looked slightly horrified as she finally walked over to the door and swung it open. Lauren focused on eating her marshmallows.
Camila bowed in fake hospitality to her guests, waving them inside. "Come on in, ladies, gentlemen. Thank you for being patient and not disrupting the neighbors at all."
"I'm hitting your can, Mila." Zayn stated, sort of frantically scurrying through the living room, only in the state of mind to glance at Lauren.
"Cabello. I need a goddamned Ziploc bag right now."
"Why do-Ohmygod, Dinah! What is that?"
Camila stared, disgusted and intrigued, at the dead animal that Dinah held on a stiff piece of paper, out of the eyeline of Normani.
"It's a frog. I'm taking an anatomy class and we're supposed to find dead insects to study."
Harry rolled his eyes. "Frogs aren't insects. She knows. Supposedly. She says bigger is better for studying anatomy; you're lucky we stopped her from scooping an armadillo into a trash bag yesterday."
"Speaking of fucking bags," Dinah interjected loudly, "I need a damn Ziploc bag right now."
"Stay calm, okay." Camila held up her hands to placate the woman waving around the dead amphibian in her living room. She pointed to the frog and then to Dinah's face. "Don't drop it."
Dinah smirked and shrugged. "Whatever."
Camila passed behind Lauren as she entered the kitchen and whispered in her ear. "They're insane." Lauren smiled to herself.
"Hey there's a new person in here!" Normani exclaimed, bounding away from Dinah and taking the seat next to Lauren at the breakfast bar. Dinah followed and placed the dead frog on the paper on the fucking countertop.
"Ohmygod! Dinah!" Camila lunged across the surface and tossed a Ziploc bag in Dinah's direction. "Put it in there! You're disgusting!"
Camila shook her head in disbelief. God, these people. Then she noticed Lauren's hyperactive, bouncy legs and nervous eyes which refused to meet the bright, innocent brown ones directed at her.
"Mani, Dinah." Camila said. "Harry!" she called slightly louder so the boy on the couch could hear. "This is Lauren Jauregui, my wonderful new roommate."
Lauren flushed and smiled shyly, keeping her eyes focused on peoples' lips rather than their eyes.
"Oh God, they gave you another person to drive crazy? Shit Jauregui, you don't know what you're in for."
"Shut up, Dinah!" Camila defended. "You're probably a horrible roommate to Normani. You just put a dead frog on my kitchen counter."
Dinah rolled her eyes and dragged Normani to sit on the love seat with her. "Come. Join us, Lauren Jauregui." She said, waving her hand around and gesturing to the empty chairs in the living room. "I need to find out if you can handle Cabello's brand of crazy."
Lauren glanced at Camila, who smiled softly at her and leaned forward to whisper so only Lauren could hear.
"She's harmless. Really. Like a Chihuahua. You can just ignore her if you don't want to talk to her right now. She'll get distracted by something else."
Camila could see that Lauren was tempted to just go back to her bedroom, so she was surprised when the brunette got up and put her bowl in the dishwasher, then went and sat in one of the armchairs in the living room. She pulled her feet up under her and shook her hair out to untangle it.
Camila smiled and went to sit in the chair next to her when Zayn finally emerged from the bathroom, Barnaby hot on his heels.
"Oh God, Zayn," Harry said, "I forgot you were even here."
Zayn nodded sagely. "Dude, Hot Pockets will do things to you. I really think I need to see a chiropractor or acupuncturist or something."
Camila winced. Zayn moved to sit next to Harry and brightened as he caught sight of Lauren.
"Oh score, Mila! Hottie as the new roommate!"
"Zayn!" Camila scolded. "Be appropriate!"
"Camila," Normani started, "that's like telling a chocolate cake to be vanilla. It's like, way less tasty. And racist."
Lauren was distracted enough by that statement to look Normani in the eyes. Normani just smiled at her and Lauren returned it shakily before averting her gaze.
"So, green eyes, where are you from?" Dinah asked, staring deeply into Lauren's soul.
Camila thought Dinah looked like a psychopath. She didn't know whether to intervene or just let this play out. She just leaned more fully on the side of her chair that was closest to Lauren. Maybe she would learn some things about her odd new roommate.
"I'm from here." Lauren said, quietly.
"You don't seem very sure of that." Dinah remarked. Normani punched her in the arm.
"That must have been wonderful, growing up in New York." Harry said with bright eyes. "We didn't, which is really..." He scrunched up his nose and Dinah nodded in agreement.
"What do you do?" Zayn asked, stretching out and putting his boots up on the coffee table.
Camila fought the urge to shove them off. Boots, frogs, whatever. She liked to think herself a tolerant person.
Lauren bit her lip and started messing with the rubber band around her wrist. "I don't have-I'm not employed or anything right now...I have hobbies. Books."
Camila smiled. "She has so many books, it's amazing. Oh! And animals, Lauren. Barnaby has fallen in love with her."

Dinah nodded and narrowed her eyes. "I'm sure he has."
Camila studied her suspiciously.
"How can you afford to live in the city if you don't have a job?" Dinah switched tracks.
"Dinah!" Camila exclaimed. "You can't ask people that!"
Camila really needed a leash for the girl. Or a shock collar, or something. Anything to ward off her inappropriate behavior. She could just zap Dinah every time she opened her mouth.
Lauren smiled at Camila. "My aunt pays for it." She told everyone else.
Camila could tell Dinah didn't want to stop digging until she got Lauren to tell her the secrets of the universe. Surprisingly, Lauren continued.
"I got into Columbia a few years ago, so I'm not...you know...completely unqualified. Um, but I was homeschooled after elementary school and I didn't think college would be...right. For me."
Lauren ducked her head and stretched her rubber band back and forth rapidly. Harry was watching her carefully and beat Camila for a change of subject.
"We were just stopping by on the way to my store." He said kindly to Lauren. "I'm an interior designer. Zayn's my handyman. Dinah, well I have no idea why she's with us. She likes to pretend she hates us, then lets Mani drag her everywhere we go, so..."
"Shut it, Styles. God, I'm bored already. Ready to go?"
Camila rolled her eyes and stood up to retrieve the frog from the kitchen. Dinah followed her and pulled her behind a wall so nobody could see them.
"Camila. What's with this girl? Is something wrong with her, or is she just a bitch? Because she seems like a bitch."
Camila was grateful for how caring and considerate her friends were.
"What, no, Dinah." Camila exhaled in exasperation. "She's sweet. I think she's just shy, and you're really scary to people who don't know that your favorite pajamas have pink, fluffy bunnies on them. And if you say the word bitch one more time, I'll throw you off the balcony."
Dinah chose to ignore the bulk of that statement. "She won't look us in the eye. She seems like a serial killer. A hot one, but a serial killer."
"She's shy." Camila said again, more firmly. "She needs to get to know us better."
"Great!" Dinah grinned. Camila was scared. "Because we're taking you guys out to a club tomorrow night. And wear something nicer than that ratty ass shit you've got on now, Cabello."
Camila expected nothing less; she shook her head and just walked away. Zayn and Normani were at the door, and she watched Harry shake Lauren's hand softly and tell her it was nice to meet her. Lauren murmured her "you too," with a shy smile, looking into his blue eyes.
The door slammed as everyone finally left and Camila leaned back on it with her eyes closed. She shook her head at Lauren. "God, these people..."
Lauren gave her a small smile and poured herself more Lucky Charms.