AFTER. (lxc version)

Chapter 43.

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I lean into Normani slightly and Lauren's eyes go wide but she quickly recovers. I know how immature and ridiculous this whole thing is but I don't care. If I have to be around her, I want her to be as irritated as I am.

The leather-clad woman and takes everyone's food order. I go with a burger and fries, minus the ketchup and everyone else orders hot wings. She brings Lauren a coke and the rest of them another round of beers. I am still waiting on my coke but I don't want to be rude.

"They have the best wings here" Normani informs me and I smile at her.

"So are you going to the bonfire next weekend?" I ask Normani.

"I don't know, it's not really my scene" she laughs and takes a drink of her beer. "Are you going?" She asks and brings her arm down from the booth to rest fully over my shoulder. I feel guilty flirting with her this way, well its not really flirting because I am just asking her questions but I still feel bad. I have never tried to flirt with anyone before so I am sure I am terrible at it.

"Yea, I am going with Ally" I answer and everyone bursts into laughter.

"Ally Brooke?" Normani asks, still laughing.

"Yea, she is my friend" I snap. I don't like the way they are all laughing at her.

"She would go to the bonfire! She is such a lame" Keana says and I glare at her.

"No, she isn't actually. She is really cool" I defend her. I understand that my definition of cool is not the same as theirs but mine is better.

"Ally Brooke and cool do not belong in the same sentence" Keana says and brushes Lauren's hair back off of her forehead. I hate her.

"Well sorry if she isn't cool enough to hang out with you guys, but she is.." I start to shout and sit up in the booth.

"Woah, Chanch calm down. We are just teasing" Dinah says and Keana smirks at me. I get the feeling she doesn't care for me much either.

"Well I don't like when people tease my friends, especially when she isn't here to defend herself." I need to calm down.. My emotions are running wild from being around Lauren and the fact that she is hanging all over Keana in front of me.

"Okay, I am sorry for making fun of her. Besides, I do gotta give her some credit for that black eye she gave Lauren" Normani says and wraps her arm back around me. Everyone laughs, even me, except Lauren.

"Yea, good thing a professor broke the fight up or Lauren would have gotten beat up even worse by the loser.. " Dinah says and then looks at me. "Sorry, it slipped" she says and gives me a sorry smile.

A professor? Their fight wasn't broken up by a professor it was broken up by Lauren's dad. I wonder if they even know Lauren and Ally are soon to be stepsisters. I look at Lauren and she looks worried. She lied to them. I should call her out on it right now in front of everyone but I can't. I am not like her, I find it harder to hurt people than she does. Except Matthew, my subconscious reminds me and I push her back.

"Well I think the bonfire will be fun" I say and Normani smiles.

"Maybe I will make an appearance after all" She tells me.

"I am going" Lauren says from the other booth. Everyone turn to look at her and Keana laughs.

"Sure you are" she rolls her eyes and laughs again.

"I really am, it won't be so bad" Lauren says and Keana rolls her eyes again. Why would she go? Maybe because Normani said she was. This annoying little game I am playing may be working after all.

The server brings out our food and hands me my burger. It looks great except the ketchup is dripping off the side. My nose scrunches up and I try to wipe some of the ketchup off with a napkin. I hate sending food back and I am already having a hard enough time tonight, the last thing I need is to draw even more attention to myself.

Everyone digs into their wings and I pick at my fries while everyone talks about the party tonight.

"Can I get you guys anything?" The woman asks as she walks back to the booths.

"No, I think we are good" Lara tells her and she begins to walk away.

"She ordered her burger with no ketchup" Lauren says and I drop a fry onto the plate.

The waitress looks at me, "Do you want me to take it back?" She asks nicely and I shake my head.

"Yea.. she does" Lauren answers for me. What the hell is she doing? And how did she even know it had ketchup? She is just trying to make me uncomfortable.

"Here, give me your plate. I will bring you a new burger and fries" She smiles and holds her hand out. I hand her the plate and look down while I thank her.

"What was that?" I hear Keana ask Lauren in her ear. She should really work on her whispering voice.

"Nothing, she doesn't like ketchup." she simply says and Keana huffs before taking a drink of her beer.

"So?" Keana says and Lauren glares at her.

"So, nothing. Just drop it" she snaps and Keana rolls her eyes again and scoots even closer to her.

At least I know I am not the only one she is rude to.

I am given a new burger sans ketchup and new fries and I eat most of it despite my lack of appetite. Normani ends up paying for my meal which is both nice and awkward at the same time. Lauren's annoyance seems to grow as Normani puts her arm around me yet again, as we walk outside.

"Harry says the party is already packed out!" Dinah says.

"You should ride with me there" Normani offers and I shake my head.

"Oh, I am not going to the party, Lara is going to take me back" I tell her and she frowns.

"I can take her back to her room since I drove my car" Lauren says, I almost trip over my feet.

"No, Lara and I will take her. Normani can ride with us too" Lucy smiles at Lauren. If looks could kill, Lucy would be collapsing on the floor right now.

"You don't want to drive drunk on campus, the police are going to be looking for people to give tickets to because its Friday" Lauren tells Lara. Lucy looks at me waiting for me to speak up but I don't know what to say. I don't want to be in the car with Lauren alone but I don't want to drive with Lara when she has been drinking. I shrug my shoulders and lean into Normani while they settle this among themselves.

"I will ride with you to take her" Keana tells Lauren and she shakes her head.

"No, you ride with Lara and Lucy." she says with force.

"For god's sake can we just get in the cars and go!" Dinah whines and pulls her keys out.

"Yea, lets go Camz" Lauren orders and I look up at Normani and then at Lucy.

"Camila!" Lauren says again as she unlocks her car door. She looks back at me and I get the feeling that if I don't follow she will drag me to the car. Why would she even want to be around me if she told Lucy that I better not come around? She disappears inside the car and starts the engine.

"Text me as soon as you get back to the room" Lucy says and I nod and walk to Lauren's car.

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