Like I Do - Camren

Chapter 29

Camila's POV
Smoking began to be a very common thing for me. After Ariana gave me a large supply, I began using it every time I would feel the effects start to wear off. The girls seemed worried, but no one really confronted me about it.

I sat on top of the bus, smoking a joint, when I heard someone start to climb the ladder. Lauren appeared and came to sit next to me. I offered her the joint and she took it. We sat snoking together for a while before she finally spoke up.

"Tonight is the last show of the tour." Lauren said. I nodded in response. "They want us for a sound check in an hour." She continued when I didn't speak. I just nodded again. "Camila." She huffed, and I turned to face her.

"I know we haven't really talked since... y'know. And I know that you probably aren't interested in talking, but I just wanted to remind you that I'm here. I've been through the self destructive path that you're on, and it messed me up for a little bit in case you forgot. Getting high is fun, trust me I know, but don't turn to it as your only coping mechanism. It will tear you apart, and I really don't want to stand by and watch you destroy yourself." Lauren sighed as she finished and began to stand up.

"Wait." I called out, and she turned to face me. "Could you sit with me? Just for a little bit." I asked, and a small smile broke out on her face. "Sure, Camz." She replied, and sat back down where she had previously been. I scooted closer to her and layed my head on her shoulder. At first she tensed and let out a shakey breath, which she didn't realize that I had noticed, then she relaxed and rested her head on mine, a sigh of content escaping her lips.

______________________________________

The concert had gone pretty normal. It was a bit more hyped, though, being the last one of the tour and all. I was begged to go to the after party but I just wasn't feeling it. Instead, I set off for my house in LA. I didn't feel like going back to Miami, it just didn't feel like home anymore. All of us girls were living in LA, not too far apart.

It had been a week since the last show and getting out of bed had become a hard task for me. I spent my days getting up at 1 in the afternoon, smoking at least one full bowl, then laying in bed staring at the plain, white ceiling. I would shower around eight, smoking every time the effects started to die down, and lie awake in bed until around 2 in the morning. That was how every day had gone the past week.

At about 7 am on Sunday, someone loudly barging into my apartment woke me from my light sleep. "Mila!" I heard Dinah's voice. I grunted and buried my face in my pillow. My bedroom door was opened and I heard Dinah sigh.

"It smells like weed in here." She commented. I felt her weight fall onto the bed beside me. "I'm here to pick you up. All the girls are going to hang out and you are not skipping out on this one. We all miss you and Lauren has literally been a different person." She said. At the mention of Lauren's name, I sat up. "How is she? Is she alright?" I ask, to which she shrugs. "Physically she is okay. She's been really sad, though. She said that you haven't texted her back, and she told Normani about the situation on top of the bus the last day of tour."

"You and Mani are talking?" I ask curiously, to which she nods. "Like we used to be. I decided to forgive and forget after..... But I still am trying to get over her. It'll happen eventually I hope." She replies. "Now get up, let's go." She stands up, looking down at me with her hand outstretched

We met up for breakfast and I felt awkward. These girls were like my family but I felt so disconnected from everything that I couldn't even see them as even that right now. It didn't help that I was so high my thoughts were mixing up with eachother.

We sat in a booth, and I slumped against Dinah. Everyone knew I was high. It had been like this for a while now. Lauren kept glancing at me like she wanted to talk to me, but she didn't say anything.

When the effects of the drug in my system started to die down, around twelve, Dinah wouldn't let me go back to my apartment. I kept telling her I was tired, which was true since I don't sleep well anymore. The weed didn't exactly help that situation, either.

At one point, Dinah and Normani both announced a party we all were supposedly invited to, and they all planned on going. "No way in hell." I said, before Dinah could get any ideas. "Please Mila?" She tried pouting, but I stoll refused. "I hate doing this to you, but you know who is going to be there?" Dinah asked, her voice getting hushed. "Brad." She said quietly.

That name immediately got my attention. "Lauren's been feeling pretty lonely lately, and you know they had a thing-" "Fine, I'll go." Dinah was cut off by me. She squealed in excitement, then turned to the girls who were having a different conversation across the room. "Told you I could convince her." She said to them.

______________________________________

Walking into the large house, I instantly got a bad vibe. Though Lauren and I haven't talked much recently, I decided to stick by her, especially with the knowledge that Brad was here.

I spotted Dinah, Normani, and Ally in the crowd of celebrities dancing and having a good time. "You want anything to drink?" Lauren asked me, and as much as I wanted to stay on alert, I figured one drink couldn't hurt. I nodded in reply, to which she grabbed my hand and guided me to the kitchen.

The feeling of her hand in mine was one I missed, and feeling her touch me as simply as that sent shocks of electricity through my body. The thought that she was no longer interested in me floated through my mind, and I had to constantly remind myself that she deserved better than me.

Lauren handed me a beer bottle, and opened one for herself as well. We hung out silently for a minute before walking towards the crowd. People were all around us as we made our way back to the girls, but when we made it back Ally was the only one to be found, claiming she had no idea where the other girls went.

Dinah's POV
I watched Normani dance, and it seriously still got me every time. The way she moved was just so perfect I couldn't help but stare. It seemed as though I wasn't the only one, because I looked as a guy a little taller than me, with a scruffy looking face and tattoos covering his arms, stared at her with hungry eyes.

Finally, he made his way over to us and tried to initiate a conversation with Normani. I noticed Ally had disappeared at this point, and stood by awkwardly. As the guy flirted with Normani, I overheard that his name was Josh and he was a back-up dancer for someone up-and-coming that I've never heard of.

It made me angry, seeing her so taken by his words, and seeing her flirt back. That should be me. I thought. I was trying so hard to rid myself of these feelings but every time something like this happened, every time she hugged me, every time we made eye contact for just a moment too long, and it was all back. My progress was lost.

I got really sick of watching Normani and Josh flirt, so I left. I went looking for Camila and Lauren when I was stopped by a guy who I couldn't deny was attractive. "Hey." He grinned boyishly at me, and I greeted him back with my own grin. "Wanna dance?" He asked, to which I nodded.

We were grinding and dancing and at that moment I could see myself leaving with this guy, but too soon a hand wrapped around my wrist ripped me away from him, leaving a dumbstruck look on his face.

I turned to see who grabbed me, expecting it to be anyone but Normani, yet she stood staring daggers at the guy before he ran off. "Mani what the hell?" I asked, and she looked to me with a pissed off expression.

Before I could object, she dragged me by the wrist, which she still held in her hand, and we stopped by the bathroom door in an empty hallway. "What the fuck was that?" She wasted no time in asking, angrily. "What was what?" I ask, genuinely confused by her outbreak. "Don't play dumb with me Hansen." She growled. "Mani, maybe just calm down. Talk to me. What're you so angry about?" I asked, placing a calming hand on her shoulder. She looked at my hand before replying.

"I just hate when you do things like this. I hate that you make me feel all these things that I don't want to feel. I hate you." She growled once more, and before I could say anything she pulled me into a kiss that was very much long overdue. At that moment I understood why she was mad. She was jealous. I couldn't believe it, but soon my mind becane clouded as our lips moved together.

Little did we know at the time, Camila and Lauren were across the house doing the exact same thing.