Ink ➳ Camren

Chapter Forty Four

All rights go to original author.
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Once outside the stifling confines of the club, Camila took solace in the dark corridor alongside the building. She felt painfully sober, desperately wanting another drink or four. In reality, she was still under the influence just no longer feeling the happy-drunk she had been before Zayn's revelation. Why didn't I just walk away? You're too damn polite, Camila. And with Zayn of all people. The most he should have gotten from me is a slap for all the times he's leered at Lauren.

Camila's brain was on hyper-drive with too many thoughts, too many feelings jamming the gears and causing her train of thought to detour from the real issue at hand. Lauren and Lily.

As she approached the end of the alleyway, a thick cloud of smoke caught the light emanating from a dim bulb that couldn't decide if it wanted to burn out or not, only threatening it every now and then as it flickered. It didn't take Camila more than a few more steps to see the source of the smoke as her eyes caught the red, glowing tip of the cigarette held between Lily's lips.

If there was ever a time for Camila to keep her cool, this was it. She had been so focused on putting space between Lauren and herself that she completely forgot that the other woman was still floating around in her orbit like a chain-smoking comet of destruction. But as she got nearer, and as her eyes adjusted and were able to focus on the dark haired girl, Camila noticed that it was Lily who looked destroyed.

It was the brown hair suddenly illuminated and the matching eyes burning her cheek that made Lily's heart leap a bit in her chest. She had been far away and hadn't notice Camila coming towards her. She knew that the only sign of her surprise had been internal, her unaffected external demeanor was still intact and that was always the most important, as she let her eyes meet the other set. "Hey."

"You okay?"

Maybe she didn't look as in control as she had hoped. Camila's look was one of slight concern. Lily shrugged off the question, not knowing how to answer it.

"No Harry?" It was out of her mouth before she even knew why she was asking it. Perhaps she was just trying to point the conversation to the person that was the most unlike Lauren as possible.

"Why would there be a Harry?"

"You're seeing him, aren't you?"

"I'm fucking him occasionally. I'm not seeing him."

"There's a distinction?" Camila had to hold back her sneer.

"Yeah." Lily gave her a pointed look.

Camila held back an eye roll and just gave a half nod instead. And suddenly, it became clear that Harry might not actually be the most un-Lauren-like person. Lily had, after all, fucked them both...occasionally.

There was a slight pause as Lily took another drag and offered her open pack to Camila. Again, much like the other pack she had had the opportunity to inspect all those weeks ago, it was covered with Lily's drawings all done in black ink. Camila accepted the offering and gently slid one of the cigarettes from the others. A lighter was produced and ignited as Camila brought the cigarette to her lips with a slightly shaky hand.

And since it was apparent on many counts that Lily could almost read other people's minds, the brunette, locking eyes with Camila, countered Camila's line of questioning with her own. "No Lauren?" She glanced over Camila's shoulder as if she was expecting the redhead to be following behind at any moment.

Camila sucked on the filter to get it started and took a deep pull. She was about to look away and give some sort of embellished answer when Lily interrupted her.