Deserted Challenges (camren)

Chapter 2

Ally coughed slightly, “I assume you know each other…” she said, her mouth turned into a smile.

The two women parted and neither could wipe their grins off their face. Lauren spoke up, “Yeah, Camila is my neighbour… what are you doing here?” She turned to the smaller girl.

“Well, I’m your photographer.”

Lauren’s mouth dropped in surprise, and Camila laughed slightly, “My new job is with your paper.” Seeing Lauren not snap out of her surprise she continued with her explanation. “Henry recruited me about two months ago, and then told me you needed a photographer… I volunteered.” She stopped mid-sentence seeing Lauren shake her head manically. “Lo, don’t you want me here?”

Camila’s voice sounded hurt which pierced through Lauren’s train of thoughts. She looked up at her face, seeing hurt and confusion in her hazel eyes.

Ally cleared her throat and mumbled her excuses to leave, guiding all the onlookers away from the tent. Lauren’s eyes followed them until they became tiny figures in the distant before returning her eyes to Camila. “It’s not safe here…”

Camila laughed, “You’re here?”

The taller girl nodded, “But something could happen… and Camz, you shouldn’t have come.”

Brooke threw her hands in the air, before bending to pick up her camera bag. “I came because I believed in your story and because I thought you’d like a friendly face…” Her voice became louder as she stared hard at Lauren. “I was obviously wrong…. But, you’re stuck with me…”

The girl marched out of the tent, Lauren hot on her trail. Lauren reached out and grabbed her arm, spinning her around to face her. “Camz wait!”

Brooke stopped moving, and waited impatiently for her to speak. Lauren smiled sheepishly, “I’m sorry…. I really am. It’s great to see you, and I honestly, couldn’t think of a better person to work with.”

Lauren knew that Camila was an expertly, talented photographer and was always passionate about her work, as herself was. They would make a great team.

Camila smiled, “Good to know because I’m the only person you’re working with.”

Lauren laughed, “Well, there’s always plan B if you don’t work out.”

Camila raised an eyebrow, “What’s plan B?”

“Throw-away cameras.”

Camila pushed Lauren gently backwards, “You don’t even know how to work one of them.”

The girl grinned, “I got the instructions written down… how hard can it be? If you can do it…”

Camila pushed her again, laughing, “I’ve only been here for twenty minutes and you’re already trying to make my life a misery, you really must have missed me.”

Lauren's smile turned serious, “I really did.”

Camila nodded in agreement and whispered, “Yeah, me too.”

The older girl changed the topic before it became overly emotional and clapped her hands together, “So where you sleeping?”

Camila shrugged, “I don’t know.”

Lauren looked around at the tents and saw Ally in the distance and ran to her, leaving Camila no choice but to follow. “Hey Ally, we got a bed for Camila?”

Ally looked up from the child whose chest she was listening to, and looked back at the boy, smiling. “Dafur, you sound good… Laur, Camila’ll be bunking with you… Dafur, can you stand up straight?”