Capture-Bonding

Chapter 4

When Lauren makes it back to her room, it's past 1 o'clock in the morning. She deflates into her bed, a deep frown set in her features. 

She shouldn't have stayed with Cam—Cabello. She's getting too close to the younger girl. She just doesn't see a way for this to work out once Cabello finds out which family Lauren comes from. It won't matter that Lauren wants out. It won't matter that she wants to get her life together, and finally go to the art school that accepted her fresh out of high school, if they'll reaccept her—it's already been three long years. To a Cabello, though, there's nobody worse than a Jauregui.

Lauren's never cared about what people thought of her, but she's sure she'll be more disappointed than she should be when Cabello finds out she's a Jauregui. Even if Cabello didn't care who Lauren was, Alejandro sure as hell would—if her father's stories about him are anything to go off of. Alejandro was ruthless and cold-hearted, she'd been told. He'd never let Lauren anywhere fucking near Cabello after he caught wind that Lauren was Cabello's capturer—even if she was ordered to do it.

Lauren lays awake for several hours, Cabello plaguing all corners of her mind. None of this was supposed to happen. She wasn't supposed to develop feelings for her victim. That was not a part of her father's plan.

But maybe... Lauren can change her fate. Maybe Lauren can grab this mess by the horns and turn it into something she can work with.

Lauren felt her stomach swirl with something she's been feeling more frequently. She vaguely recognizes it as excitement and giddiness. She feels like a fucking school girl, and she can definitely get used to it.

She jumps out of bed and grabs her laptop from her backpack. Lauren searches for the website she needs, and once she finds it, she gets to work.

Lauren can see this being a win-win for everyone—well, almost everyone. Her veins are pulsing with adrenaline for the first time since she'd committed her first few crimes and gotten away with them all. It had been such a rush for Lauren, and it made her feel more powerful than she could describe, but this rush was different. It's from doing something that's going to make herself happy for once, not her father.

It's a welcome change in Lauren's life.

–

Camila awakes on her sixth day of being held captive feeling nervous. She looks to her left and remembers why she feels this way. Things with Lauren feel weird now. Sure, the older girl had stayed until Camila fell sleep, but Camila kind of hoped things would be different when she woke up. She foolishly hoped she'd wake up with Lauren, and they'd drive off into the sunset... or something. She doesn't know. She just wanted Lauren to show that Camila wasn't imagining all of this.

Camila guesses it was a long-shot to wish for that. It's a long-shot to wish for anything these days, besides chocolate cake, it seems. She wishes to go home, it hasn't happened. She wishes to see her little sister Sofi, that hasn't happened. She wishes to go back to school, hasn't happened. This whole kidnapped-thing is really starting to tick her off.

And now that she thinks about it, what kind of kidnapping is this, anyway? Camila's never heard of kidnappers being so freaking accommodating. Who kidnaps someone just because they have a vendetta against her father? Who doesn't let a poor, innocent girl make one freaking phone call? It's absurd! Who locks a door from the outside? That's so backwards! What kind of kidnappers give their hostage a double freaking bed and no freaking pillow? Who buys a girl chocolate cake and doesn't kiss the chocolate off the corners of her mouth? Who would—

Camila's face contorts in confusion.

"Wait, what?" She shakes her head.

Whatever, she doesn't care. She's mad, and she wants out of this place!