SpiderMan - Camren

~12~

Today's the day--it was finally Friday. Lauren woke up ten minutes before her alarm went off, body ready and full of excitement. After getting up from bed, she went straight downstairs to eat breakfast. She quickly scoffed down her food, laughing when her Aunt and Uncle make sure to comment on how she "literally looked like a cartoon" with the way that she was eating everything in one gulp.

And even though she was in a rush, she made sure that her and her Uncle had their daily morning interaction. Her Uncle had always done so much for her. So the least that she could do was give the man a "see ya later" before he left for work every morning. And that was something that she would never miss for the world.

Deciding on an outfit wasn't easy, but she eventually just settled on something simple. After brushing her teeth and freshening up, she made her way over to her window to grab her book bag. She peaked up through her lashes as her eyes were met with Camila, quickly running over to open her window as Camila did the same.

"Hi!" Lauren said, trying to hide her excitement about just being able to see the other girl. But she soon found herself not being able to bite back that eager smile.

"Hi!" Camila said, a huge adorable smile plastered on her beautiful face--the beautiful face that always seems to be beautiful no matter what in Lauren's eyes.

"You look pretty today!" Lauren stated with an endearing glimmer in the green of her eyes. But the glimmer soon dissipated as her eyes widened, realizing the mistake in her choice of words.

"I mean, you look beautiful everyday! Not that I look at you everyday! But... you're just... like. You're just naturally beautiful all the time!" Lauren stuttered out, mentally punching herself square in the face for being so terrible with words.

But Camila couldn't stop her smile from widening. Because she found the stuttering mess that is Lauren Jauregui absolutely adorable.

"You're sweet!" Camila giggled as Lauren mentally celebrated seeing the bright shade of pink rise in Camila's cheeks.

"So what time do you wanna go out later?" Lauren asked, biting her lip with a hopeful glint in her eyes.

"How about six?" Camila asked as she bit down on her bottom lip, failing to suppress a giggle as Lauren did a subtle fist-pump.

"Yeah, sure! How about I pick you up... and then we can just walk and talk or something!" Lauren said, eyes shutting with embarrassment for a split second. Because that sounded a lot less romantic than she had initially thought it would.

"I'd love that!" Camila replied, still trying her best to bite back the huge, idiotic smile that was already threatening to widen on her blush stained face.

"I'll see you later, Laur!"

God, she sounds so cute using my nickname.

"Alright! See ya, Camila!" Lauren's chin rested in the palm of her hands while she leaned her elbows on her desk, eyebrows slightly lifted in adoration as she watched Camila close her window and leave for school.

Soon after, Lauren snapped out of her trance with a shake of her head before she headed off to school as well.

---

Lauren had stopped walking through the halls with her back hunched now, finally gaining enough self confidence. She'd stopped worrying about Austin because he stopped bothering her--at least for the time being. Every now and then, he would send over a glare at the raven haired girl but other than that, the bullying stopped.

Things were going just right. Especially because it was Friday--the day Lauren finally gets a chance with Camila.

Our raven haired hero was now seated at her desk in her last class of the day, nearly falling asleep from the lecture the teacher was giving. The only thing that was keeping her up being the adorable smiles that Camila would send her way.

"And if you look over here, you can se-" the teacher's monotonous voice was cut off when the classroom telephone began ringing.

"Hello? Yes I do. Okay. Alright, she'll be right there," the teacher answered through the phone. When he hung up, he faced Lauren and her brows were quick to furrow.

Why is he looking at me?

"Lauren, they want you at the front desk for early dismissal."

I never get early dismissal.

And as she left the classroom, she didn't miss the soft smile that was sent her way from Camila.

---

As Lauren parked her car in their drive way, worry instantly set in as she noticed two police cars parked outside of her house. She exited her car in a rush, leaving her book bag on the passenger seat.

She entered her house and became beyond confused when she saw her Aunt at the table, crying with a policeman sitting across from her. The cop's head immediately whipped to the sound of the front door opening as he stood up and approached Lauren.

"Hey, Miss. I assume you're Lauren Jauregui?" he asked, making a brick wall of worry crash into Lauren's body. Because there shouldn't be any reason as to why a police officer knows her full name.

"Uh-yes..." she replied, confusion, worry, and anxiety coursing through her veins. "I'm Lauren Jauregui."

"Come have a seat" he said as he gestured toward the chair in front of her crying Aunt. And the sight completely broke Lauren. Because her Aunt Clara usually never cries.

As she was taking her seat with furrowed brows, she got a glimpse of the picture that was laying on the table.

That wasn't what I thought it was, was it?

"Your Uncle-um-Micheal, leaves work at twelve PM every day. Is this correct?" the policeman asked, instantly shooting worry all throughout Lauren's body. Confusion was quick to build up in her mind as she glanced over at her crying Aunt Clara.

Where's Uncle Micheal? What is that picture? Why is Aunt Clara crying right now? What are these policemen doing here?

Lauren's not stupid. As soon as she saw that her Uncle Micheal wasn't there and she saw the cop cars, she put it together. And her Aunt Clara, who never cries, was crying. She's not stupid. She just didn't want to believe the conclusion that her mind came up with.

"Yes... he does," Lauren answered, not missing how her voice has a slight quiver to it.

"Is this him?" the policeman showed her his id that her Uncle usually keeps in his wallet. Lauren's jaw dropped as her voice caught in her throat, eyes glossing over, upon seeing the blood staining the corner of the id.

"Yes... that's him," Lauren replied in a shocked whisper, fighting back the lump in her throat and telling herself, This isn't what you think. This isn't what you think.

"As your Uncle was walking to his car to go home, we were told a-" the policeman stopped for a moment, clearing his throat as he put down the id.

This isn't what you think. This isn't what you think.

"A man attempted to take his wallet. When your Uncle refused, the man.. the man shot your Uncle. We have pictures that you are allowed to see but only if you want-" the policeman's voice was immediately cut off by Lauren's.

"Show me the picture," her voice exited her lips with a shaky breath as she fought back the tears in her eyes. The policeman was hesitant, but flipped over the picture to respect Lauren's request. It was a picture of her Uncle, on the ground, with a pool of blood surrounding him. Lauren's eyes glossed over with a heavy heart as her eyes immediately flickered away from the picture and a shaky breath escaped her lips.

Lauren didn't know what to do. Her chest began to tighten up with frustration as tears flew down her cheeks. She looked back at the picture with hot tears running down her cheeks.

She didn't want to believe a word the policeman told her. Everything was just starting to go right. And she found herself breathing heavy with frustration. Because she was just starting to believe that she could finally repay her Aunt and Uncle for everything. But she couldn't even just be there to protect her Uncle. Even after all of the new powers--the enhanced reflexes, strength, the speed, she still wasn't enough.