What it takes (Camren)

Chapter 11

When Lauren and Sofi finally made it back home, they found the other two girls cuddling in the sofa. Camila lifted herself up to say hello, it was painfully obvious she had been crying but when Sofi asked her if she was ok, the older girl managed to fake a smile before insisting everything was great.

Sofi approached them while Lauren walked over to the kitchen to start making dinner. The little girl gave Dinah a bag of hot cheetos, her favourite, and placed a bag with 8 small white containers in front of Camila.

"What's this?" Camila asked, taking them out.

"Cake!" Sofi said happily. "We weren't sure which one you'd like best so Lolo bought them all"

Camila's eyed widened in surprise as she looked over at Lauren, who was too busy cooking to pay attention, and then at Dinah who mouthed a quite 'told you' before smirking and taking one of the container.

"Hey! Those are mine, you have your cheetos" Camila said as she took back the small container.

"There's 8, Mila. You can share" Dinah scolded her as if she was a kid.

"Lauren! Tell Dinah the cakes are mine" She yelled, as she grabbed all the boxes and placed them on her lap.

"Lauren! Tell Camila she has to share" Dinah said now, getting annoyed at her friend and trying to take them from her.

"Lauren! I'm hungry" yelled Sofi, just to say something.

Lauren turned around and sighed, trying to stay calm. She wasn't known for having a lot of patience, but one look at Camila and she calmed down.

"Dinah, you asked for Cheetos and you got them" Lauren started saying, imagining she was talking to two spoiled little kids. "The cakes are Camila's so she'll share if she wants to"

"That's so not fair!" Dinah said, crossing her arms in front of her chest and pouting at a smiling Camila.

"Unbelievable" Lauren muttered as she turned around and continued making dinner.

"I was kidding, Cheechee. Of course I'll share them, but after dinner ok?" Lauren heard Camila say, an amused smile taking over her face. "We can share the cheetos now, though!" Camila said, getting closer to Dinah.

"I don't share, girl" Dinah said quickly, getting up and making the other girl follow her around the living room. Lauren sighed again, wondering what the hell she had gotten herself into.

-

"Ropa vieja" Camila gasped when she saw the plate on the table, having been too busy fighting with Dinah and playing with Sofi to pay attention to what Lauren was cooking. But there it was: white rice, black beans, shredded beaf, fried plantains, and avocado slices. Camila's favourite food that she hadn't had in a very long time. And it smelled delicious. "You made ropa vieja"

"You like it, right? Sofi said it's one of your favourites so I thought..."Lauren started saying before being interrupted by a smiling Camila.

"It is. It's just that I haven't had it since..." She had wanted to say since last year, but that brought back memories of the last time she had visited her parents for thanksgiving, the last holidays they had spent together. Who would've told her that only a week later she'd be back home, but for a completely different reason. Swallowing the lump in her throat Camila looked up, staring straight at Lauren's eyes and said "thank you". None of them looked away, choosing instead to stare at one another, each one lost in their own thoughts and feelings, until the bell rang and interrupted their moment.

"I'll get it" Lauren said as she stood up, wanting a second to clear her head. She opened the door to find a thin, brown haired girl with big brown eyes and thick eyebrows, whose smile faltered the moment she saw Lauren.