Paper Hearts (Camren)

Chapter 15

“How is she?” Lauren stood up hastily as soon as she saw Normani leave the doctor’s room.

“The doctor said she’s fine. Thankfully the wound wasn’t too deep so they just stitched it up and she’s now just resting in her room-” Normani could barely finish her sentence because an impatient Lauren was suddenly pushing past her, “Woah, not so fast, Lauren. You’re still injured.” Normani pointed to the number of bruises and cuts on the woman’s face and body where she had continuously albeit blindly launched her fists at Ludo.

“Like I care.” Lauren muttered, brushing Normani’s comment off as she entered the room designated to Camila.

She quietly entered the room and sat on a nearby chair opposite Camila’s bed. Her stare lingered at the serene face of the sleeping brunette, contrasting to the memory of Camila’s frantic looking face when confronting Ludo.

“I’m sorry…” Lauren whispered to the sleeping figure, “I promised to protect you yet… you were the one who ended up protecting me instead.” She ran a hand through her hair, pushing her hair aside before allowing them to fall back into place. Her gaze turned to Camila’s abdomen. Although the wound was covered by her clothes, Lauren was fully aware that it was still there. She clenched her jaw at the memory
.
Seeing the bastard injured Camila acted almost like a trigger, and like that of a volcano, she erupted with such fury she did not know could exceed her previous state of anger.

She hated him. Detested him. Abhorred every single cell of his being. Her normally collected world had slowly dissipated into something indistinguishably disorientated. He had taken everybody away from her so to see him attempting to take another was unforgiveable. That is why, when given the chance, she fought back.

She fought back with every unchivalrous dodge she knew of. The blows landed again and again onto his face until it resembled nothing like a human face anymore; all the while with the desire of re-arranging his face in her mind. The others, although had attempted to calm her down did not manage to stop her for she was too consumed in anger to the point of not caring whether or not she’d be punished for assault. She wanted to leave a reminder to him that he’s the one that had lost. That he can no longer hurt anyone anymore. She wanted to let him know that his now disfigured face was a prophesy of his downfall which would only spiral deeper and deeper.

Thankfully, she was not charged. But that was not what she was worried about, she was more concerned about Camila’s condition more than anything.

She took another glance at Camila’s face, brushing away the thought that she found her sleeping face unbelievably beautiful.

“You shouldn’t have done that, Camila.” Lauren sighed, “I’m not worth it.”

---
Camila slowly opened her eyes and moved a little, wincing at the dull pain in her lower abdomen.

“Oh hey, you’re awake.” A voice greeted her arrival to consciousness. She looked up to find Normani grinning back at her.

“Hey Mani.” Camila croaked, her throat felt as if she hadn’t had anything to drink for the past month.

“Here, have some water.” Normani, as if reading her mind, quickly passed her a bottle of water.

“Thanks.” Camila smiled gratefully before taking the water.

Whilst gulping down three-quarters of its contents, she took a look around the grey lifeless room, quickly figuring out that she was in a hospital ward.

“How are you feeling?” Normani said after she was finished, gesturing at her abdomen.

“Oh, uh,” Camila took a glance down as if she had forgotten that she’d just been stabbed, “I’m okay. It doesn’t hurt much now. Just a little sore.”