A Change Of Directions (Camren)

Chapter 14: 'I love you'

"I think I'm gonna throw up." Dinah breathed, looking nauseous enough for me to believe her, so I took a step away from her and laid a soothing hand on her shoulder.

"If you really need to, then don't do it here, but over there." I said, pointing with a thumb over my shoulder to point to the streets. "Lauren won't appreciate this kind of welcome gift on her porch."

An unamused glare was my only response and I shrugged my shoulders. "Do you want Normani back or not? She's just in there, probably in Lauren's room."

Dinah looked up uneasily like she was expecting Normani to suddenly jump out of Lauren's window.

"Come on, you're Dinah Fucking Jane." I said with an eye roll. "Don't chicken out now."

"I'm not - I'm...it's just that. It's for real this time, right?"

The last few words were whispered with a hopeful and scared tone and I didn't have the heart to tease Dinah anymore. Smiling encouragingly at her i said, "Just tell her the truth. Make it official. Say the magic word and don't ruin it again, then yes, it's gonna be for real and forever this time."

I innerly cringed at these words. Gosh, Ohio was making such a sap out of me.

"Good." Dinah nodded, then paused. "What magic word? 'Please'?"

"Oh no, don't make me say it." I shook my head and raised my hand to finally ring the bell.

But Dinah panicked at this, feebly ranting, "Shit, shit, shit...no, no, no...what's the magic word? Please, I needs to know!"

Chuckling at her desperation, I reassured her, "Chill, I meant 'love' as the magic word."

"What, so I just say 'love' and all is well?"

I wanted to face-palm. Why was it that love not only made people blind, but stupid, too?

"Listen cause I'm only gonna say it once." I said, raising my forefinger and Dinah eagerly nodded, "After Normani has forgiven you, you give her the most serious and loving expression you can muster up, okay? Like this."

And I set my features into a genuine, adoring expression, looking at Dinah like she was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. Keeping my expression, I added, "And then you say..." For dramatic effect, I paused and turned my head to the front door to declare as genuinely as I could, "I love you."

Only that I wasn't facing the door anymore, but none other than Lauren Jauregui.

Kill. Me. Now.

"Awkward." Dinah drawled behind me and I was too flabbergasted to react at all, opening and closing my mouth like a gold fish, staring at Lauren in front of me. Lauren's usually pale cheeks were burning a flaming red and her eyes were as round as saucers, gazing at me with utter surprise and - something else I couldn't decipher.

"I...I..-I was only..." I stuttered, cursing myself for making a bigger fool out of myself, "I you know, I was only-"

"Declaring your undying love for Lauren."

"Exactly. Wait, what? No, no!" Turning to Dinah, I gave her a murderous glare, but she was having too much fun to feel bothered by it, judging the way she doubled over with laughter.

Facing Lauren again, I looked at her pleadingly, hoping that she would get the misunderstanding. But Lauren wasn't looking my way, she was staring at the doormat.

"Lauren? Who's at the door?" A light voice called behind Lauren and I saw Dinah stiffen next to me, retreating one step. Growling, I reached for her hand and gripped it tightly. It wasn't supposed to be comforting or soothing, I just didn't want her to run away after all the long work of persuading her to come here.