Beautiful Optimism (Camren)

Chapter 3

Camila's PoV.

"Are you okay?" I ask Lauren as I stroke her brow. She sighs lightly and I kiss her forehead.

"No," she replies almost breathlessly.

I play with her hair while I wait for her to continue. She takes in a deep breathe and let's it out slowly. I watch her chest rise and fall for a few seconds.

"I...I killed someone." Lauren says. My mouth goes dry and it's hard for me to swallow.

"Wha..t?" I ask sitting up from Lauren's chest so I can look at her.

She sniffles and wipes a tear from her green eyes. I grab her hand and rub circles on the back of it.

"It was self defense though." she says while looking down at our hands.

"Was it the person that did this to you?"

Lauren nods her head slowly and closes her eyes tight.

"Who was it?"

Lauren looks at me and tells me with her eyes. And I think I understand what she's saying. Austin Mahone.

"Austin," I breathe out and Lauren nods again.

"What's going to happen?" I ask after a silence falls between us.

"I don't know, Camz, but I'm scared." Lauren admits and more tears fall from her face. I lean back into her and hold her close.

"Well someone had to kill him," I say pointing between us. For the first time in forever I hear Lauren giggle and I can't help but smile. After a second she stops and looks to be in pain.

"You okay?"

She nods, "My ribs hurt,"

I smile lightly and lift up Lauren's shirt.

"What are you doing?" she asks.

"Shhh," I say placing a finger over her parted lips.

I move my eyes back down to Lauren's torso and see it's wrapped up in bandages. I lightly stroke her ribs before placing soft kissing on them. I pull her shirt back down and lay back beside her.

"What was that for?" she asks wrapping her arms around me.

I shrug my shoulders,"I was kissing away your pain."

"You are so corny." she giggles while holding her side. For a few seconds we just stare at each other, not saying a word. Finally Lauren cracks a smile and winks badly at me. I laugh and bury my face in her shoulder.

"Hey," Lauren says turning to face me. She has a serious look on her face.

"Hey yourself," I reply.

"Quit, I'm trying to be serious," I chuckle knowing Lauren is hardly ever serious. But when she is, it's something important.

"Okay, okay." Lauren takes a deep breath and struggles to sit up.

"The wedding, we need to reschedule."

I raise my eyebrows and look at Lauren questionably.

"Just hear me out." she says and I scratch my face. I don't know where she's going with this, but she needs to get to the point.

I nod letting her know to continue.

"Okay. Well I feel really bad about ditching you at the alter and what not."

"You didn't ditch me, you were beaten up and it's not your fault." I reply quickly. "Wait, what are you getting at?"

"I want to make it up to you. This weekend."

"Like a date?" I ask grinning and Lauren laughs.

"That's exactly what I was thinking. I want to take you somewhere special." Lauren says holding my hand.

"It's a date then." I say before kissing Lauren softly on her lips.

"Great I'll pick you up at 8:00." Lauren says and I smile.

From my pocket, I feel my phone vibrate. I pull it out and see a text from my mom.

Mom: I need you home to babysit Sofi!

I sigh loudly and don't even bother to reply to her. Lauren looks at me and raises her eyebrows.

"What's that about?" she asks.

"Mom wants me home." I say sticking out my bottom lip. Lauren looks a bit sad.

"You should probably go then," she says shifting around on the bed. I nod slowly.

I give Lauren a kiss. "Bye Lo, I'll talk to you later." I say standing from the bed and grabbing my belongings.

"Bye babe, I love you," Lauren says when I reach the door. I turn around and blow her a kiss.

"I love you too," I say before walking out of the room and down the hall.

I feel my stomach turn and rush to the nearest restroom. I sit in front of the toilet breathing heavily after I've finished. The thing about having cancer is that it strikes at the worst times. I wipe my mouth and take the pills from my purse.

I leave the hospital and walk to the bus station feeling worse than I did earlier. Good thing there's a bench here. I sit and wait for the bus and when it finally comes I feel like giving up.

I can't give up. Not yet.

authors note:

sorry for the short chapter! and cliffhanger lol.

I feel like Camz might be going sooner than expected