Camren Oneshots & Imagines

Scar Tissue

Trigger Warning: abuse
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Camila hates her scars. She despises them. She wants them gone, but there's nothing she can do. The scars are a constant reminder of the life she'd had before being discovered and, eventually, adopted by the Cabello family at the age of thirteen. They're a reminder of her mother who would beat her for the simplest of mistakes, and of her father who held a lighter to her face as she was pinned against the wall.

The one across her eyebrow is fine as it doesn't gain much attention, nor garner many questions. The marks of the flame that danced across her cheek, however... those scars have led her to cover up every mirror in the bus, to have to wear a blindfold during hair and makeup, only taking it off when her eye makeup had to be done. Those scars cause Camila almost as much pain as the fire itself had. She can still feel it's hot licks against her skin, still smell her own flesh burning, when she looks at it. She hates it, despite the times Lauren has kissed it tenderly, trying to show her love for Camila in her entirety.

She hates it, and she wants it gone. If it were gone, she wouldn't get the odd looks she's getting now.

Camila had woken up late and, as though in punishment, she had to go to the interview without makeup. Now, the people conducting it were casting disgusted or scared glances her way while the other girls answered their questions. Lauren notices - of course, Lauren notices everything - and rests her hand on Camila's knee, dangerously close to the girl's own. It doesn't do much to cheer the girl up, though.

"So, Camila..." One of the men, sporting a dark green baseball cap, turns the attention to the second youngest of the group when Dinah finishes explaining her love for pranking her friends.

"Mm?" Camila acknowledges shortly. Why be polite when she knows this man won't be? She can tell by the look in his eyes, the slight redness trickling up his neck and into his ears. They always feel guilty for asking, yet they always do.

"First of all, I think you're incredibly brave." The man begins, prompting Camila to hold back a roll of her eyes, "Obviously, we knew you had scars but... we didn't know it was to this extent. There are rumours but... is there a story behind them, or...?"

Camila tenses. The flashbacks hit her again and the room grows warm. Those faces are etched into her mind. All she wants is to forget them! Why won't the world let her forget them?

"I'm sorry if-" The man begins, noticing the girl's suddenly heavy breathing and the way her eyes screw shut. He doesn't get the chance to finish before another woman bursts into the room, followed by a man. While the woman rushes to Camila's side, the man heads straight to the interviewer and announces that they're done, that they have to leave. He identifies him as Fifth Harmony's manager.

"Oh, I was just-" the man says again before his microphone cuts out, though he does continue, "- curious about it. I mean, there are rumours online. I'm sorry if I overstepped. It wasn't my intention."

"It's okay, we should've clarified. We still have to cut the interview short, though." The manager sympathises, adding in a hushed tone, "She, uh... she suffers from PTSD and, well, the flashbacks can be pretty traumatic."

"I'm so sorry, I didn't know." The man apologises yet again, glancing over just in time to see Camila being lead outside by her mom who is basically holding her up while Lauren follows close behind.

Their manager simply nods, gesturing for the remaining girls and team members to follow him before exiting the room too, leaving the interviewers in shock.

Meanwhile, outside of the building, Lauren and Sinu try to calm the girl with the racing heart and ragged breath.

Lauren, having asked previously and been told that it may help, pulls Camila into a relatively tight embrace, still light enough for the smaller girl to push her away if needs be.

"Camila. Camila, you're safe." Sinu says in a calm voice, "We're outside the studio now, Camila."

"Do you want some water?" Lauren asks after a minute or so of this. While Camila's breathing has calmed a little, her eyes are still screwed shut and she is shaking slightly. The girl shakes her head, taking Lauren's jacket in her hands when requested, but when the older girl presses the end of the water bottle to her lips, she quickly latches on and allows her girlfriend to hold the drink for her until she's almost finished. Sinu continues her promises of 'you're safe' all the while, despite it lasting a few minutes. By the time the water is gone, her eyes have flickered open and she is gazing about herself with a small frown, tears slowly falling down her cheeks.

"Thank you," She mutters, reaching over and pulling both women into another hug, "I love you."

All three of them sigh in relief when, despite still shaking a little, Camila appears to be back in the present.

"We love you too," Lauren answers for the both of them. Sinu soon steps out of the circle, allowing the couple to embrace one another.

"I'll go speak to the others." She offers with a kind smile. Lauren, the stablest of the two, nods in understanding as she runs her hands up and down Camila's back, still wanting her to calm down.

"I hate when they do that." Camila sighs once her mom is gone, "I hate when they ask questions like that. If I wanted to tell people about it, I would have done already. Don't they realise that?"

"I know, baby. I know. They're greedy, they just want something that makes them stand out, something that'll make them more money." Lauren tries to explain.

"My life shouldn't be making them money! My par- Those sick people don't deserve the attention they'd get of people knew."

"You're right, they don't." Lauren agrees, pulling back a little to press her lips against the younger girl's forehead.

"I hate this, Lauren." Camila repeats, leaning into her girlfriend's touch, "I... you know you don't have to stay with me, right?"

Despite the hurt she feels at that statement, Lauren keeps her cool as she replies, "I know, but I'll never leave you, Camila. You're stuck with me until you don't want me anymore, and I'll still want you then too."

What would've been a sigh from Camila turns into a giggle when Lauren blows a raspberry against her cheek. She smiles, reaching up to cup Lauren's perfect face before planting a quick kiss on her lips, not really caring if they get caught. Sinu and Lauren seem to have picked a very private area of the parking lot anyway, so the chances of paparazzi getting a hold of this moment are slim.

"I love you." Camila grins, hiding in the crook of Lauren's neck with her arms slung over her shoulders.

"I love you more." Lauren retorts, wrapping her own arms tighter around Camila's middle as they wait for the girls and the rest of their team to emerge from the studio.