Fortune (Camren)

Chapter 2: Atlanta

A celebrity is one who is known to many persons he is glad he doesn't know." - Lord Byron

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"Lauren." Camila answered the phone with only that word, the name that she had fallen asleep thinking about while waiting for the call.

"You sound tired," the gravelly voice on the other end of the line said into her ear.

"That's because," Camila looked at the clock by her bed, "it's three a.m. here."

"Fuck. I forgot about the time difference. We just got done with the show a little while ago. This is the first time I've had alone. Did I wake you up?"

Smiling, Camila snuggled back into her pillow, "Yes, but I'm glad you called. I needed to hear your voice."

"Everything okay?" Lauren asked, suddenly concerned.

Camila was tempted to tell her about the conversation with their record exec, but information like that would surely set Lauren off, so she kept it to herself. She'd figure out how to deal with that later. "I just miss you," she said instead, "It's crazy how much. Atlanta can't come soon enough."

Lauren sighed loudly. "I know. Those pictures in that fucking newspaper have made the photogs insane. I can't go out of my hotel without someone asking about who you are."

"I'm sorry. We should have been more careful." Camila bit her lip as she absently watched the softly shifting patterns on her ceiling of moonlight through clouds.

The singer scoffed, "I'm not gonna stop living my life because of that, Camz. I hope you haven't changed your mind."

"No, of course not. Maybe just not be quite so public next time."

Lauren chuckled. "I'm beginning to think there isn't a place that they don't consider public. They even take pictures of me buying groceries for the road." Lauren looked over at the clock in her hotel room, "Damn, you need your sleep. I'll call you tomorrow."

Camila tried to stifle a yawn but failed. "Okay."

"Camz?"

"Yeah?"

"Sleep well."

"What's the big news?" Dinah unceremoniously plopped down into a seat at the Grill and tossed her bag and sunglasses haphazardly on the table. Ally, Camila, and Normani were already seated and had been there a while if the pools of sweat from their water glasses were any indication.

Normani frowned at her blonde friend as she looked pointedly at her watch, "I would have known twenty minutes ago if you'd arrived on time."

Dinah shrugged, "I was shopping. The new Jimmy Choos came out. So like, duh! I had to buy them before my size ran out."

Normani closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose, but said nothing more.

Camila directed her attention to Ally, anxious to hear something other than bickering. "How was your night with Troy?" Troy had come back from New York the evening before in a surprise visit, showing up at the agency's office and whisking Ally away to some special dinner he had planned.

Ally's smile was wide, and she looked down at her fidgeting fingers in her lap. "It was great, actually. That's kinda what I wanted to talk to you guys about. Troy proposed." She held up her left hand and showed the ring.

Dinah clapped excitedly, "Holy crap! Did you say yes?!"

"Of course she said yes Dinah- hence the ring on her finger," Normani snapped, and then she stood up to hug Ally. "Congratulations! I'm so happy for you."