Fortune (Camren)

Chapter 8: Do you still love Carrie?

Jump, and you will find out how to unfold your wings as you fall." - Ray Bradbury

——————————————————

"Seriously, does the food suck so bad here that it makes you cry? Or maybe you just don't like hanging out with girls in smokin' hot red dresses," Lucy joked, pulling Camila up for a tight hug and succeeding in getting a laugh out of the sniffling manager. Then she eyed Taylor appreciatively. "Man, I'd probably go all homo for that, too."

"Lucy, this is my friend Taylor Swift." Camila gestured with a wry grin, "Taylor, these are Lauren's band members, Lucy Vives and Carson Sanders."

Taylor stood up and shook hands with them, bestowing a wink on Carson that made him push his glasses up his nose and blush all at once. Then she addressed them as a pair, "It's nice to meet you both. You just missed Lauren, unfortunately. She had to leave unexpectedly."

Lucy snorted and backhanded Carson's stomach. "Go find her. She's probably in a bar, and there can't be that many in this town. There's only like one goddamn restaurant."

He nodded, blinked politely at Camila and Taylor as a goodbye, picked up the duffel bags, and then left the trio of girls to themselves.

Lucy grabbed a chair, spun it around until its back was to the table, and straddled it as she sat down. "Hey, Taylor," she directed, "mind if I steal Camila for some girl talk?"

Taylor smiled silkily, "No of course not. Mila, darling, we need to quit parting like this. Call me this evening if you can."

Camila nodded, grateful of Taylor's understanding nature, "I'll make it up to you. I promise."

When the blonde was out of earshot, Lauren turned her attention to her manager. "Alright, tell me exactly what happened," then adding as she crossed her arms on the table, "Just leave out the naked parts because I don't need images in my head that I can't delete."
——————————————————

"So she didn't hit you?"

Camila had just finished telling Lucy about what happened last night with Lauren's jealousy and then the lunch meeting. She shook her head negatively as she finished wiping her eyes, "No, of course not."

"She decked Craig, you know. She has never forgiven him, and they were really good friends before it all went down." Lucy scooted her chair closer to Camila, an empathetic look on her face. "Lauren doesn't love Carrie anymore. She's just showing her ass because she's scared." Lucy placed a hand on Camila's shoulder. "Her last relationship didn't go so well, if you must know." That earned a small chuckle from her manager. "Lauren believed you when you said you weren't cheating. That's fucking huge."

Camila understood Lucy's point. Lauren had basically admitted the cause of her upset last night, but that wasn't the only issue Camila was struggling with. "Lucy, she bought a condo in San Francisco-"

"I know. That place in Snob Hill is swanky as shit."

"She doesn't see us together, does she?" Camila clasped her hands together in her lap, trying to keep from fidgeting as she asked the question that scared her the most.

"She wants to. I mean, would it be so bad if you moved closer to her?" Lucy asked pointedly, earning a surprised look from Camila. "Lauren is gun shy. And a little fucking emotionally retarded. That's why she got so jealous of you with your friend Taylor. She can't separate normal from fuckwad crazy, and she wouldn't survive if she got hurt again. Her heart just isn't built to hold up. Fuck, that's why she drinks. It helps her handle the emotional crap."

"What should I do, Lucy?"

"Talk to her."

"I can't."