Three Is A Crowd

Chapter 10: When The Walls Came Tumbling Down

The following weeks have become somewhat mellow inside Room 727.

But it doesn't mean that Lauren and Camila have magically become bestfriends, because, of course, that's just plain wishful thinking. They're like a Twilight Zone version of soulmates -- perfectly made for each other, not for romance, but for bickering. They're like CatDog, total opposites, but stitched together by sadistic fate. They complement each other, in a twisted sort of way.

Of course, Lauren still plays the part of an annoying roommate quite perfectly.

Of course, Camila is still very much the irritating nagger to Lauren.

Of course, Lauren's string of hoes, who Camila usually meets in different states of undress, never cease to come and go.

And of course, there is never a shortage of sarcasm and eye-rolling that's is constantly being shared between the two.

Yet there is now this unspoken truce between them: Lauren has stopped eating all of Camila's sweets, leaving her a good amount, which Camila is grateful for, and, in turn, she becomes more lenient with Lauren's mess, finally admitting that she too is a messy ass bitch. So now, they co-exist harmoniously in an untidy room with an endless supply of sweet treats they share together.

Camila manages to convince Lauren to watch more episodes of Buffy The Vampire Slayer with her, and despite all the huffing and half-hearted nitpicking, Camila knows that Lauren is enjoying the show just as much as she is, maybe even more, given how much commentary she does on the side about Joss Whedon's work. They even come to an agreement that they should watch Firefly when they finish BtVS; it's a compromise that Camila's willing to do, despite her lack of enthusiasm in that show's premise, she enjoys the excitement in Lauren's voice, so there's no question about it -- she'll do anything to see Lauren without her usual scowl.

It's the perfect set-up; they're finally in a place where they don't piss each other off too much, but they also aren't that chummy to a point that it's too cheesy.

This is like a dream which Camila never wants to end.

Obviously, that's not realistic. Not all good things last forever. Sometimes, it takes four and a half years, sometimes, only weeks, or a few months, at best.

* * *

Lauren's realization that she's crushing on her roommate is what leads her to fortify her walls; anything that's meant to keep Camila a safe emotional distance from her.

Normally, she has no problem pursuing someone she's attracted to; after all, she believes that the only way to get over a crush is to have them under her. That's a sure-fire way to make her lose interest. She only needs to hook up with that person, and she'll discard them like used condoms afterwards, never to be bothered with them again. Call her what you like, judge her all you want, but the only time that Lauren lets anyone come near her is if it's sexual in nature; otherwise, her emotional barricade is built like a motherfucking Trump wall meant to prevent anyone from getting inside her head and her heart.

She has made a promise to herself when she had her heart broken for the first time it would also be the last. No way in hell would she let another person have the power to do that to her again.

So far, she's been successful.

Her system works: fuck 'em then ditch 'em. And the reason why that works is because she chooses her conquests well. A long-term roommate could pose several complications, it's a risk Lauren isn't willing to take.