Speak (Camren)

Chapter 31

"I don't know, mami. I want to go, but I don't know if I can," Camila hesitantly tells her mom. Sinu sighs at her daughter's words.

"Mija, I think you can. You've improved SO much this past year and I'm sure most of that is because of those girls. You want to go and if I wasn't sure you could do this, I wouldn't let you. I love you, but soon you'll have to learn to do so much on your own and I think this summer will be a good time to start," Sinu says softly, not wanting to upset her daughter.

"It's not going to get easier until I start trying," Camila repeats the words that her girlfriend's mother told her not long ago.

"Exactly, mija," Sinu says, resting a hand on Camila's shoulder. Camila gives her a soft smile because she's finally made her decision.

"Go see her," Sinu adds, already knowing what her eldest daughter was thinking. Camila practically sprints out of the door before starting to walk to her girlfriend's house which wasn't too far away. Plus Camila loves walking. She finds it quiet and peaceful, two things that she loves dearly. As Camila walks she comes across a puppy sitting on the side of the road, as if it was waiting on someone.

"Hey, buddy," Camila mumbles, walking up to the young dog and slowly letting her hand fall to touch it. It whimpers slightly, but let's Camila pet it softly. Camila continues to do so until she thinks that she'll be able to pick it up. As she does so she realizes how light and small the dog is.

"You don't look like you've ate in a while," Camila says quietly to the dog being cradled in her arms. As if it knew what she had said it whimpers.

"My girlfriend has a dog and I was planning to go see her. Maybe we can get you something to eat there," Camila says more so to herself than the furry animal. She begins to walk on, still holding the small puppy in her arms. Once she reaches the house, she walks in through the front door. They never lock their door for some odd reason, Camila has never understood.

"Hey, Mila. Whatcha got there," Taylor asked, meeting Camila at the door, hearing it open.

"A puppy," Camila answers simply and Taylor's eyes grow wide.

"Lauren, your girlfriend is here with a dog," Taylor yells making Camila flinch slightly. SHe sends her an apology look before walking off, more than likely going to the kitchen.

"A dog," Camila hears Lauren say under her breath as she thuds down the stairs.

"A dog," she repeats again before she turns the corner to indeed, find Camila and a small puppy in her arms.

"It was hungry," Camila says, that being the only explanation she gives. But Lauren doesn't need anymore. She walks into the kitchen where Dash's food is and pours a little into a plastic container before going back to her girlfriend.

"You're lucky Dash is outside," Lauren tells her girlfriend who knows exactly what would have happened if he wasn't.

"I think it's a girl, baby," Lauren says as she examines the dog, obviously not positive she waits until it is done eating to pick it up.

"She's a girl," Camila exclaims with a wide smile, truly excited for it.

"So what's your plan for her," Lauren ask as the puppy reaches up and licks Lauren's face as she's still in her arms. Camila shrugs her shoulders as an answer to the question.

"Let's call her Charlie," Camila says, focusing more on the puppy then what to do with the puppy. Lauren sighs, knowing that her girlfriend is too entranced by it to think about anything else.

"Here why don't you take Charlie and I'll go call your mom," Lauren insist before giving her back the dog and calling Sinu. After a lengthy conversation Sinu finally decides that they'll keep the puppy.

"So is Charlie the only reason you came over," Lauren and beginning to walk back over to her girlfriend who is now dotted in the living room playing with Charlie.

"No, I wanted to tell you that I'm going to go to Paris," Camila says nonchalantly, not even bringing her head up. Lauren stops in her tracks at her girlfriend's words though.

"You will," Lauren ask confused as to how she came to that decision when just a week ago she was positive that she didn't want to go.

"Yeah, it's not going to get easier until I start trying," Camila repeats her words from earlier, finally lifting her head to look at her still still girlfriend.

"I see you've been listening to my mom," Lauren chuckles having heard that quote too many times in her life.

"Your mother is a very wise woman," Camila says making Lauren smile at how easily her family got along with Camila.

"Lauren, what happened to your dad," Camila ask out of nowhere. Lauren sighs knowing it'd come up sooner or later.

"What do you want to know," Lauren ask, sitting down next to her girlfriend and taking Charlie into her arms.

"Why don't you ever talk about him or have any pictures around the house of him or anything," Camila ask, patting the puppy's head lightly. She doesn't realize how heavy of a conversation this is for Lauren.

"He didn't want Chris," Lauren says simply. Camila looks up at her raven haired girlfriend questioningly.

"He stayed around, thinking it's get easier or Chris would get better. But by the time Taylor was born, he stopped caring. He drank and drank and drank, sometimes he'd beat Chris. Or me. He finally left one day and my mother was so relieved," Lauren says quietly, softly stroking the inside of Camila's palm. The motion calmed herself down more than she would have expected it to.

"I'm sorry, Lolo" Camila says sadly, not realizing that her girlfriend had gone through that type of pain.

"It's okay, honey. Now why don't we take Charlie out for a walk," Lauren suggest wanting to up the mood significantly. Camila nods excitedly before hurrying her girlfriend along.

Aaaaand I hope you guys liked it.