Like I Do - Camren

Chapter 17

Lauren's POV
I watched Camila's body lay still, though very much alive, looking as though it was lacking life. She looked so vulnerable in that position. Her skin was pale and around her eyes were dark. It had been 2 days since she was rushed into the hospital. We had a show tonight but Camila would not be participating. No one knew when she would wake up. The doctors said that she should wake soon and I don't wanna be gone when she awakes. I have to be there, to apologize. Because it truly was my fault that she did this. And I knew it. I stared at her, holding her soft hand and waiting. Finally the girls walked in. They all looked sad and upset, each of their eyes lacked that certain spark, which just broke my heart more. "Lo.... we gotta go." Dinah said quietly and softly. I nodded slowly. I loved Camila so much, and as much as I would've preferred to stay, we had so many people looking forward to the show. I couldn't let my fans down. I kissed Camila's forehead softly and turned to walk out with the girls. They were all staring at Camila, and I caught their attention before we left.

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We performed the show tonight the best to our abilities in this state of sadness. After the show we returned to the hospital to Camila, who sat awake and sitting slightly up, staring out the window fro the 6th floor of the building. "Camz!" I exclaimed and ran over to her, the other girls following suit. She smiles weakly and I hugged her, being careful not to hurt anything. We enveloped her in a group hug and didn't pull away for a few minutes. When we finally did, I looked down at the fragile girl, who looked up at me. "I'm sorry." She mumbled, and tore her eyes away from mine. "No, you shouldn't be sorry! This is my fault. None of this would've happened if.... I just would've told you." I said. "Well, you weren't the one who did this to me." She lifted her arms and I saw how the white bandages wrapped completely around her arm were already red from the blood. I cringed, remembering the before sight of her arm, torn and bloodied flesh. "And I'm really sorry you had to see it." She said, her voice barely above a whisper. I shook my head and bent back over to hug her, tightly. "No. Don't be sorry for anything." I whispered into her ear. I could hear her small sniffle, signifying that she was crying. I pulled away and the girls immediately rushed in to comfort her. I took that as my cue to leave and I exited to the halls.

I sunk to the floor right next to Camila's door, my back to the wall. My knees were curled to my chest and my arms rested on them. I sunk my head down and just cried. I knew it was my fault, I made her feel how she did and she took action, but it was still because of me. I hadn't noticed when Mani came out until she started rubbing my back and said "It's okay, Lauren.". I leaned into her side and let myself continue crying. "Hey, I have good news. The doctor said that she can come back tomorrow. Of course after he mentioned some crazy house he should go to. We wouldn't let her go, of course." Mani rambled on. "Lo, Mila is asking for you." I hear Dinah's voce after the door opens. Her and the girls exit the room and piled into the hall.

I stand at the side of Camila's bed as she stares at me. Her eyes wander my body, and I just raise an eyebrow. I couldn't tell if the gesture was flirty or not. "Hey, Lolo." She smiles sadly, finally meeting my eyes. "Hey, Camz." I smile back. "Uh, the girls said they gave you my phone to hold onto....." She said, nervously. I quickly nodded. "Oh, yeah." I reached for it in my back pocket. I had grabbed it before we headed here cause I knew she'd want it. I hand it to her and she looks back up at me. "Um.... I was expecting a text from Ari..... you didn't, uh, read it? Did you?" She asks, nervously. The mention of the girls name made my blood boiled. "No. I turned your phone off, I knew you wouldn't want anyone to be snooping in your stuff. Plus, it's disrespectful." I say, truthfully. "Ok. Good." She breathed out a sigh of relief, which made me wonder what a text would have concealed that she wouldn't have wanted me to read. I knew Ariana had her little crush on Camz, but Camila knew that I knew. "Hm." I hummed in response. "Um.... It's not what you're thinking..... the text, I mean. She likes me, but she knows I don't like her back. We're just friends." She said, sounding as if she needed to clarify. "It's really none of my business." I say. "Yeah, you're my best friend. You are supposed to know these things." She joked. I loved when she called me her bet friend, but a part of me hates it. Every time she said it felt like she stabbed me in the chest, because it just clarified that her feelings for me were no more than platonic. "Um, are you ok?" She asked, worriedly. "Huh? Yeah. I'm fine." I say, looking up into her brown eyes. I felt as if she were reading my mind and quickly looked away. "Ok." She hummed, sounding unconvinced. "Uh.... Lolo?" She said and I looked back to her. "I'm.... scared.... Will you please cuddle with me?" She said, hesitantly. "Sure." I nodded. She scooted over on the bed and let me sit by her. She quickly snuggled into my side. "What're you scared of, Camz?" I ask out of curiosity. "I.... it's stupid." She shook her head. "When have you ever cared about saying something stupid before?" I chuckle, playfully. When she giggles I feel my mood lighten. "Just tell me." I give her a light squeeze and hear her sigh. "I'm scared you're gonna leave." She whispered. "What? Camz, I would never leave you. I love you." I say. I hadn't realized that it would take this kind of situation for me to admit it to her. "I love you too, Lolo." She says, sounding as if she wanted to say more. I realized that she didn't take it the way I had meant it. That means she still didn't know. "No, Camz, I...." I began to try and clarify when the door opened and the girls piled back in, bickering over something. "Hey Mila!" Dinah came over to the bed. "Ally is mad at me, protect me!" She hid behind the bed, using Camila to guard herself. Ally rolled her eyes at this and Mani chuckled. "Oh, right. Use the injured girl as protection." Camila chuckled. "Yeah, Ally the Saint would never hurt an injured person." Dinah said. "Ok!" Ally yelled. I chuckled at the girls until I noticed Mani's eyes on Camila and my intertwined hands. She looked up at me and smirked. I just shook my head at her.