American Soldier

Chapter 9

"I've already told you what I want." Camila says as she continues packing her truck with her and Valerie's belongings. "Either get the restraining order or let him keep coming around and lose me."

Lauren watched her silently, swallowing nervously. She pushed the tears away from her eyes.

"I guess you're going to choose him." Camila mumbles as Valerie gets in the truck with Ace.

Lauren stared at her before dropping her head. "He's Avery's dad. I can't stop him from seeing his son."

Shaking her head, Camila forces a laugh. "Avery doesn't even like him." she says before getting in the truck herself.

Lauren lifted her head. "I know that." She whispered.

"Yet you still choose Keaton." Camila responds, starting the truck and preparing to drive off.

Lauren let her tears fall and turned, walking off in the direction of nowhere.

"Why'd you let them leave?" Avery asks, following behind her.

Lauren turned her head slightly. "Because, I don't deserve her. I'm broken." She told her son before running off.

Avery followed behind her quickly. "You keep choosing my dad even though I hate him."

"Avery, please leave me alone. I need to think." Lauren begged. Her eyes were clouded with tears and she could hardly see.

"Whatever, not like you care about us anyways." the nine year old responds, storming off to his tree house.

Lauren's heart broke in her chest and she turned, running in the opposite direction. She was starting to think that maybe everyone would be happier without her. Maybe Avery and Charley would have better lives without her. Maybe Camila would be able to find someone else if she wasn't around. She came to the busy main road and stopped, watching the cars drive past and letting her thoughts run away from herself. She hadn't been paying attention to anything until she heard Camila's voice calling out her name.

Lifting her head, she wiped her eyes. She didn't realise she was standing right at the edge of the road.

Camila's truck was parked right in front of her.

"Lauren, get in before you get yourself killed." Camila calls out softly.

"You're mad at me." Lauren responded. "Maybe everyone would be better off without me."

Sighing, Camila gets out of the truck and pulls Lauren into her arms. "Don't think like that."

Lauren just stood there. She didn't make a move to wrap her arms around Camila or anything. She felt numb and cold. She was trembling and soaking from the rain that had suddenly just came on. She didn't even flinch when a loud clap of thunder cracked through the sky.

"Come on." Camila says softly, helping Lauren into the truck.

Lauren sat in the truck, her head down and her eyes on her hands.

"Why can't you let him go?" Camila asks,  she couldn't understand why Lauren was obsessed with Keaton.

"He was my first... everything." Lauren muttered, she swallowed slowly.

The soldier sighs and starts driving back to the shelter.

Lauren brought her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. She rested her forehead against the window and stared out of it.

Valerie was sitting in the backseat with Ace, watching the cars drive by.

Camila glanced at Lauren and then at Valerie in the back seat. She sighed heavily.