These Days

III

"What the fucking hell? Why has nobody contacted me? Do I really need to learn about this kind of shit from gossip networks?" Outraged, Lauren turned to her phone before she got a million messages at once. She received calls from everyone; her mom, Sinu, to even Shawn. Everyone seemed to think she had information. The notifications only made her feel uneasy and overwhelmed.

"Hey Laur, calm down. Why don't you sit on the couch while we figure this out, okay? Maybe it's not even true, maybe she's already been found." Normani took hold of Lauren's arm and pulled her over to sit on the couch.

Tears began forming as she listened to the numerous voicemails, not wanting to answer any of the calls.

–

"Where is your little Lauren now? I wonder why she isn't here to save you. I bet she's too busy boning other chicks. Maybe even dudes. Do you really think you're enough to satisfy her needs? She needs a man. So do you."

The man ran his hand through Camila's hair, eliciting a whimper out of her as she tried to pull her face away. Disapproving of her reaction, he sent yet another harsh slap across her already stinging cheek. He now had a ring on his finger and the taste of blood suddenly flooded her mouth as she looked up at him.

"What did I say about turning away from me while I'm talking to you? Stop being a stupid bitch. Look what you made me do." He ran a finger across her bloody lip before he walked around behind her. She felt his hands fumbling with her ring finger before realizing he was taking her 'L' ring off. The one given to her by Lauren not too long ago.

"Please...please don't." He pulled on her hair and she bit her lip after letting out a whine.

"Don't fucking give me orders."

He walked back to his original position in front of Camila before dragging the ring along her lips, covering it in blood. "Perfect." The man set the ring down on my her bare thigh before snapping a photo of it. This time with his phone.

–

"Mani wait. Camila texted me at like three in the morning and the police reports are saying that she probably went missing around midnight. They are saying that the surveillance cameras showed her being taken away by a dark figure at that time. How is that possible? Why didn't she text me about it instead of telling me she was just busy on set?"

"Maybe that wasn't her?"

"Fuck, you think the guy was using her phone? He probably knew. Shit he probably knows everything about her and now he has her phone...fuck this isn't good."

"I just hope she's okay. You know she's strong."

"But she gets anxiety easily. And shit, if I had just kept trying to call her and text her maybe she would be okay right now." She felt hopeless. Finally giving in to the tears, they rolled down her face.

Lauren realized what all of this meant. She was suddenly coming to terms with the fact that some stranger had Camila in their possession and as far as she knew, Camila might not even be alive anymore.

–

As the week went on, no signs of Camila were found. Filming of the music video had been cancelled, feeling that she more than likely will not want to continue after being found. If she was even found. Lauren got a few calls from Emil, saying that the mood on set before the cancellation was gloomy and that everyone was taking her disappearance hard. Everyone else was still sending her their regards and reminding Lauren that they were praying for her. She disregarded the prayers. They weren't helping her find Camila.

"Sis, you need to get your mind off of it for a while." Chris Jauregui almost whispered to her as they sat in her childhood home, doing absolutely nothing. After realizing that nothing she could do would help the situation, she had gone into a mental shutdown. Her attempt at getting information failed, as the police continued to look and get no leads. The hopes of everyone was slowly shattering.

"Just fuck off Chris. Camila is missing for christ sake. You want me to go sing a song about her? You want me to just sit in the recording booth and cry? What a fucking awesome album that will make."

"Dude, calm down. I didn't tell you to forget about her, I told you that you should clear your mind for a bit for your own health. You know the police is doing everything they can to try and find her."

"How do you know Chris? How can I trust them?"

Chris just sighed and shrugged. "I don't know Laur, I don't know."

–

"So Camila, did you know that today marks day seven? It is our one week anniversary together, aren't you excited?"

Camila only stared, running her tongue over her scabbed lips. She had multiple lacerations on them stemming from the man's ring, and she could tell that her face was covered in bruises from the way it throbbed whenever he touched her skin.

"And to celebrate, I have a special treat. Cake!" He chuckled, pulling out a small plate from behind him with a solemn slice of chocolate cake covered in white frosting. He grabbed the fork on the side of the plate and got a small piece of it, bringing it towards her lips.

Camila resisted, keeping her mouth shut and just staring blankly, not daring to speak. But it seems as though this plan wasn't good either, since he suddenly kicked her in the shin, causing her to open her mouth to let out a scream. The plastic fork was shoved in between her lips, depositing the moist cake as she reluctantly chewed and swallowed. It was the first sweet thing she had experienced in days, pun intended.

"That's a good girl. Eat up. Can't have you passing out from lack of food. We both know how shitty your diet is." He continued to force feed her the cake until it was all gone. Once he turned to toss the plate and fork away, she started feeling lightheaded.

He seemed to have noticed as he glanced back in her direction with a smirk. "I need you to be restrained for what I have in store for you next. Can't have you trying to kick me, now can I?"

She struggled, pulling her arms against the bonds before feeling her muscles turn into jello. The world was now spinning faster and faster around her and she wondered what he had put in the cake.

–

"Honey, I'm so sorry. We will find her, okay?"

Lauren's mom wrapped her arms around her while they sat in the police station, her face buried in her neck. She was trying her best not to cry, but the tears just wouldn't stop.

"I just-- I'm worried. Do you think she's still alive?"

"Lauren, we have no reason to think otherwise, so stop thinking like that."

"I know but–" Her phone vibrated in the pocket of her jeans and she pulled it out, looking at the message sent to her from a restricted number. She hadn't gotten one since the first one sent a few days back. A link was attached in the message and as soon as Lauren opened it, an image appeared that caused her to drop her phone.

"What is it? Are you okay?"

Clara picked the phone up, knowing Lauren wasn't going to do it. She saw that it was a picture of the 'L' ring she had helped her daughter pick out for Camila. The ring was covered in blood and sitting on some sort of flesh colored background.