Love Only

IX

Second chances.

It is something Lauren knows a woman like her--especially living in this fucked up life under the spotlight--rarely gets to have. It's a luxury a celebrity hardly gets; either you're good or your bad, successful or flop. There are no in between, no grey area; yet at the same time, the ugly truth about fame is hidden in a grey area, hiding behind its glamour and away from the knowledge of everyone like a sweet delicious poison starting to gnaw at your insides and waiting to strike fatally and consuming you until it is too late to do anything about it.

Lauren knows she and the girls are on the brink of being consumed by all of this. They have been manipulated enough to the point where the green-eyed girl doesn't know who she is anymore. She stares into the mirror and sees a stranger in front of her; a broken stranger with bags under her eyes. As their fame grows, she feels further and further away from her true self and she resents herself for it.

That's why her world turned upside down the moment she heard that Camila was leaving the group to chase her own dreams and pursue her solo career. Sure, Lauren took jabs at the record label whenever she could to express her resentment towards them but only Camila had the guts to do something about it; to put her foot down like "enough is enough" and break free from all the restraints holding them all back.

Lauren may not show it--and she may have resented Camila for leaving them, but deep down, the green-eyed girl's respect for the brunette increased tenfold, as well as the guilt of letting the music industry ruin what they had before.

But they can't ruin them anymore. Not again.

Fuck the record label. Fuck the music industry. Fuck fame in general. A second chance is presented to Lauren in a silver platter. And she sure as hell aren't going to take that for granted.

She's going to get her girl back.

"Lauren!"

"Lauren, wait up!"

Lauren ignores the indistinct voices calling out her name as she rushes to the parking lot, cussing as she realizes she can't exactly tell their van driver to take her to the hospital seeing as she just walked out of the building like a maniac when they're supposed to be in an interview still.

"Lauren!"

"Ugh, fuck!" Lauren groans and cusses out loud, raking her fingers through her hair in frustration. She really needs to get to Camila. And fast.

Something catches Lauren's eye and a small smile spreads across her lips. This is perfect.

She rushes towards a sports bicycle leaning up against a wall, thanking the heavens as she sees there's no chain to secure it from thieves. Lauren's no cyclist but she knows how to ride a bike. And right now, she's desperate enough to steal one.

The things she'd do for love, man.

Mumbling a small apology to nobody in particular, she swings her legs across the bike and starts pedaling as soon as she's seated. "Crap!" She cusses as she almost fell down at first try. It's been a long time since she's ridden a bike, okay?

Lauren ignores the incessant buzzing of her phone in her pocket. By now, she knows that the world has already been made aware of Camila's recovery, and that Tara already has put two and two together as to why Lauren left in the middle of the interview and that she must be fuming right now. Lauren likes their manager because she's a cool chick, but she doesn't want to hear anything she has to say right now. The last thing she needs right now is a good ole scolding from her.

"Yes!" Lauren grins as the bike soon steadies. She starts pedaling like crazy towards the exit of the parking lot and ignores the screeching of tires behind her. Her hands are shaking because of the intense emotions overwhelming her senses and she knows she has to control herself otherwise she might get into an accident herself.

She starts to try steady her breathing and soon, she begins to ride her way into the streets of Miami with ease, her pale skin now sunkissed under the sweltering Florida heat. Adrenaline pumps in her veins, and her heart is hammering inside her ribcage as she passes cars one by one, leaving a hot trail behind her as she slowly gains speed. She knows riding in a bike like this is risky, as people can see her and can easily recognize her but she doesn't care. They can take their fucking pictures all they want but nothing is going to stop her from going to the damn hospital.

But maybe she spoke too soon..

A car drives past her and blocks her way, causing Lauren's bike to swerve to the side. She grips the handle hard and turns her body to the other side, preventing her from falling. Her body almost slams into the side of the car and her can hear her heart pounding as she realizes she did almost get into an accident.

She breathes heavily, panting and trying to slow her heart rate. She almost fucking died because of that!

She is about to pedal away once more when the driver's side window rolls down, revealing a very pale and very guilty Ally Brooks.

"Ally?" Lauren asks incredulously, realizing that the person who almost ran her over is one of her friends. "What the hell?!" She bursts out. Ally could've gotten her hurt, or worse, killed!

"Oh my god I'm really so so sorry, Lauren. Are you alright?" Ally rambles, worry and guilt etched in her features as she looks over at Lauren. The green-eyed girl sighs and waves her off. She's is unhurt, so she really doesn't have time for this. "I'm fine. I need to go."

Normani peeks into the window from the passenger side where she is sitting, "Tara is furious, Laur--"

"No, Mani," Lauren interrupts, shaking her head firmly. "I'm going to the hospital and none of you can stop me," she says and grips the handle of the bike again, ready to bolt at anytime should they try anything to stop her.

The backseat window rolls down and out comes Dinah Jane's head, her thick mane of hair sticking out the window. "Who says we will?"

Lauren furrows her brows in surprise and looks at the three of them. "You won't?"

Normani shakes her head in response, "Tara still doesn't know that Camila is now awake." Oh. Well shit. "But they just went out looking for you."

Great. Expect a lawsuit soon, Lauren says to herself.

"Luckily, we have Vin-fucking-Diesel amongst us," Dinah chuckles amusedly and pats Ally's shoulder. "Ally will try and lose them. Meanwhile, you go there and yo girl, Lauser," the Polynesian adds, a smirk on her face. She may be teasing her, but Lauren knows Dinah is happy for her.

"I will."

"That's my girl," Dinah's smirk turns into a smile, along with Ally's and Normani's. The support they're giving Lauren makes the green-eyed girl tear up, and she has to swallow down the lump in her throat as her chest tightens with gratitude for these three girls who have become such a huge part of her life over the years.

"Don't go all soft on us now, Laur," Ally says, although she's fighting her tears off herself. "Go."