Godparents (Camren)

9.

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C

"So, Normani's really dead?" Alex questions from her place behind me. Her arms are wrapped securely around my waist and we're cuddled up in our bed. I guess that technically it's her bed since she hasn't asked me to move back in yet, but I've slept here every night since the day at the coffee shop with Lauren.

"Yeah," I speak with a sigh. Though it's been over a month since it happened, it still doesn't feel real to me. I'm not sure when it will sink in that she's really gone, but right now it just feels like she's on a long vacation to some Caribbean island or ancient city or somewhere else far away.

Alex nuzzles her face into the back of my neck and breathes deeply, "I'm sorry that I wasn't there for you."

I turn over on my side to face her and take in her features. Her bright blonde hair falls just barely over her shoulders and her usually intense grey eyes are hiding behind her eyelids. As my eyes scan her face, I can't help but think about how she looks almost the exact opposite of Lauren. Beside the obvious differences in their hair and eye colors, there are several others like how Alex's hair is always neatly brushed, even after she wakes up in the morning while Lauren's looks a little messy most of the time. Alex's smile is a perfect example of the one's shown in dentist's commercials while Lauren's two front teeth are a little bit longer than average which gives her smile a more natural sort of feel. Even their skin tones were near opposite. While Alex was always the perfect olive-y sort of tan, Lauren was so pale that she might actually be a ghost.

"What are you thinking about?" Alex's smooth voice breaks me out of my thoughts and I realized that she's looking at me.

I blink a few times to bring my focus back to the real world and sit up, stretching my arms up over my head, "Nothing," I speak somewhat unconvincingly

Alex lets it slide. "Have you talked to that girl recently?"

"What girl?" I ask, looking up at the ceiling to avoid her curious eyes.

"The one from Tim Hortons the other day," she explains.

"Oh, Lauren," I try to sound nonchalant. This is the first time that she had brought Lauren up since we started talking again.

"Lauren," she unfavorably draws the name out, "What's the deal with her? Were you on a date?" Alex asks somewhat accusingly, her eyes studying my face, looking for some sort of reaction.

"No we weren't on a date, it's not like that," I keep my gaze on the ceiling. It isn't a lie, Lauren and I weren't on a date. We were simply talking about how I was going to pick Skylar, the child we were raising kind of together, up from school. Speaking of which, what time is it-

"Then what is it like?" Alex uses one of her hands to guide my face so that my eyes are level with hers. I try my best to not get lost in the intensity of her look.

"We were just...talking," I speak as evenly as possible.

Alex presses on, "Talking about what?"

I try to squirm out of her grip, but she holds me there. "We were talking about Normani's daughter Skylar."

"What about Skylar?"

"Well, uh, Lauren is one of Skylar's godparents," I say, hoping to just leave it at that.

"So, what does that have to do with you?" Alex talks slowly to me like I'm a young kid who is having a hard time understanding her.

"Um, I'm the other one," I mumble quickly, running all the words together to make it hard to understand the words.

"You're what?" Alex questions, unable to hear what I had said.

I don't respond right away, trying to avoid eye contact and attempting to wiggle out of her grip without much success.

"Camila," Alex speaks my name like a threat, bringing my face in closer and forcing me to look her in the eye once again.

I take as deep of a breath as I can with one of her arms wrapped tightly around my torso before I speak again, closing my eyes as the words leave my lips, "I'm the other godparent."

Alex doesn't move for a few moments. As soon as she does, though, I wince, ready for some sort of contact. When none comes, I open my eyes to see her roughly reaching for my phone on the side table.

"What's her contact name?" she speaks evenly with a hint of anger beneath the surface.

"It's-uh-it's," I stutter.

"Speak Camila! Jesus," Alex shakes her head and throws the phone at me. "Tell her that you'd like to meet up for dinner at Salvatore's tonight. Seven o'clock. Do you think you can manage to do that?"

I nod my head quickly, wanting to rub the spot where the phone hit my arm but not doing so because I know it will only make her more upset.

"I'll pick out outfits for you and I both tonight, I think that Lauren and I should have a conversation." Alex speaks again with a small smile.

I nod again as Alex begins to walk out of the room.

"Unbelievable," I hear her speak in an annoyed tone as she walks down the hallway.

I quickly type out a message to Lauren, knowing that Alex will check my texts later to make sure I didn't say anything out of order.

To: Laur

Hi, can we meet up for dinner tonight at Salvatore's around 7? Very important.

Only a few moments pass before my phone vibrates with a reply.

From: Laur

Sure, is everything okay?

I bite my lip as I text back.

To: Laur

Everything's good, see you tonight.

I sigh and flop back into the bed, closing my eyes for a moment before I hear Alex call my name. Getting up quickly, I sigh again and hope that tonight doesn't completely suck.

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A/N
Another quick and short update with more about Alex and Camila's pretty awful relationship.

Camren is coming, don't worry.

Orientation for college went really well! I don't know my roommate yet but I made some new friends.

Thank you for reading,
X