Camren Oneshots

Consequences

In response to the news that they will be attending the same award show. AGAIN.

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"–loving you had consequences."

She dragged out the last word in a melodic flourish of her voice, the raspiness standing out just barely. Her eyes stung behind her eyelids and she can almost feel the telltale signs of tears prickling at the corners but as the last instrumentals of her song ended, so does her remorse. She opens her eyes to a sight she had overly dreamt of when she was 15. Numerous people clapping for her, for her voice, for her music. Overwhelming gratitude and surrealism washed over her, prompting her to breathe a sigh, effectively expelling the anxiety of performing her most heart wrenching song out of her album and barricading her tear ducts from spilling tears.

Faces blurred together and all Camila saw was a kaleidoscope of people regarding what they heard from her with reverence. Admiration and heartbreaking empathy for her masterpiece, her own story written out and conveyed through music.

They were able to witness and hear one of her most treasured memories.

A mixture of profound awe and horror washed over her amidst the gratitude still riddling her heart.

Because she shared a piece of her own soul and the crowd loved it, embraced it, held it delicately within their fingertips.

But they saw a part of her that she's been vehemently hiding from everyone, plastering a goofy smile to cover it or offering one of her dorky jokes.

It was all a blur after that. A blink of an eye, and she's safely in her own dressing room. Changing out of her stage outfit and prepping up for the after-party.

A timid knock had her tilting her head to the side in thought. She presumed it was Math about to congratulate her for her performance.

It was why she almost stumbled backwards when she came face to face with familiar gray-green eyes upon opening the door. Her hand tightened its hold on the doorknob. She drew in a shaky breath and managed a somewhat polite smile.

"Lauren." The way she said her name was almost reverent. Quiet and a little out of breath. Cadence coated with deep longing and hope.

But who could blame her when you've just seen the woman you left almost 2 years ago?

Lauren smiled and nothing about it was familiar. No warmth, no affection, not even fondness. It was just a smile. A smile that you give to someone out of cordiality.

A smile that almost broke Camila's heart all over again.

"Congratulations on your new single." She said without preamble. Without malice. Without judgement. Without residual anger over what transpired between them. Between all of them.

It filled her with warmth, butterflies fluttering comfortingly in her chest, and the familiar sting of tears made itself known once again.

Because she waited for this moment– no, she longed for this moment.

And it's finally here.

It was a plain congratulatory sentence, nothing special about it. Not like any of their lengthy birthday messages on Instagram before. Not like as how they used to be.

It was clipped, concise, distant, and too formal for two people who shared a past.

But the message within those words didn't escape her.

It was a message of forgiveness, of hope, of a promise to a new start.

Of an offered friendship.

A burned bridge susceptible for construction. Renovation.

"Thanks, Lauren."

She smiled more warmly, more sincerely, in return and something shone in Lauren's eyes. Something unfamiliar that she has never seen before.

"I'll see you around?" The green-eyed girl canted her head. A hopeful look passing over her face but it was gone too soon for Camila to properly get a read of it.

"I'll see you around, Lauren."

Lauren regarded her with a long look, eyes warm and smile never quite reaching her eyes, before turning on her heels and walking away.

It was then that the something in Lauren's eyes earlier finally dawned on her.

The gray orbs that greeted her when she opened the door slowly adopted a striking coat of green with twinkling golds.

An imperceptible sign of Lauren's happiness.

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