The Secret of Jauregui Estate (Camren)

Chapter 9

Dinah offered to drive us home from school since no one was there. Dinah, Mani and Ally agreed while Lauren insisted on walking home.

"C'mon, LoLo, don't walk alone in the rain!" Ally said sympathetically.

"Yeah, we do owe you after all." Mani added. Lauren stood in the parking lot with her arms crossed. She was very strong willed if you ask me!

"No, I can carry my own weight. Thank you for the offer though." Lauren said and with that she walked away.

"Good riddance." Dinah huffed as she started the car and drove off. Out of the corner of my eye I could have sworn I saw Lauren get on a motorcycle, then again it's been a long day so maybe I was just tired.

"Lauren's actually a nice girl." Mani said. "I could totally see myself hanging out with her."

"Hello? She's a vampire! A bloodthirsty monster! We can't trust her, guys." Dinah said.

"I think she's pretty." Ally said. "And those eyes!" Mani agreed as they carried on about how pretty she was. Dinah rolled her eyes and continued watching the road.

"She's so hard core though!" Mani stated "It's like she can't be touched!"

"Yah! She's so mysterious, I wonder why she never tries to talk to anyone at school. Well, except us." Ally said contributing to the gossip.

"Lauren actually has a soft side, guys." I informed in Lauren's defense. "She actually cared about those missing people."

"She just wants you to think that!" Dinah warned. "Vampires can't be trusted."

"See, that's just it!" I shrieked. "Lauren has regreted trusting anyone for a hundred years because she's been let down by the ones she loved! You won't give her a chance, Dinah! She was killed by her own father but, believe it or not, a VAMPIRE saved her! Not a werewolf or a witch, a VAMPIRE." Dinah allowed a gentle tear to roll down her face. "Dinah... you're crying."

"Sorry," She wiped a tear from her eye with the sleeve of her shirt. "It's just, I never knew she went through so much pain. I was always told as a pup dat all vampires were a threat. I had no idea they actually had a soft and gentle side to them." I patted her shoulder softly as more tears streamed down her face.

"I think you owe Lauren an apology." Mani stated. Ally was bawling her eyes out next to her but she still nodded in agreement.

"Why don't we do dat right now?" Dinah asked as she drove to the Estate where a very angry Lauren lived though we didn't know it yet.

"Woah, this place looks a lot bigger up close!" Ally cringed as we walked up the steep stairs I remembered all too well. I caught Mani staring at the red water in the fountain and giggled at the expression on her face. When we finally reached the door we knocked with the same knocker from before. Jebodiah answered the door with his never changing expression of steadiness.

"Good evening, ladies, may I help you?"

"Ugh, yes, Jebodiah. Is Lauren home?" I asked. Jebodiah nodded and escorted us inside then told us to wait in the dining room like he did the day I got a flat tire.

"Daaaaang!" Dinah was looking around the gorgeous room and at the decor inside. "Are dose real rubies!?" She asked, pointing at the chandelier.

"Imported straight from Africa." Lauren chuckled in the far doorway. She walked over to the same side of the table she always seemed to sit in. "So, what brings a werewolf, a witch and two humans here?" She asked.

"We actually came to apologize." Mani said.

"I was wrong about vampires." Dinah confessed full heartedly. "I didn't know-"

"About my backstory?" Lauren interrupted. "Yes, well I accept your apology. But." She said, emphasizing the 'but.' "I'm still a bit upset, not with you, but with my own story." She said as she took a red drink off Jebodiah's silver tray.

"Why?" I asked. Lauren chuckled and swirled the same red drink she had when I was here around in the glass.

"Why would you want to hear my story?"

"Because we care about you, Lauren." Ally stated. Lauren stopped swirling her beverage around and set it down on the table.

"Alright..." Lauren muttered.

Lauren's Story:

Lauren was a six year old girl with an adventurous spirit and curious personality. She was always getting herself in trouble somehow! One time she walked into the neighbor's house during dinner and invited herself right in.

"Mommy, why is the sky blue?" Lauren asked her mother one beautiful spring afternoon as they watched the clouds go by.

"The fairies painted it that way." Clara told her daughter.

"Have you ever seen a fairy?" Clara laughed at her daughter's question.

"No, but I still believe."

"CLARA! GET IN HERE!" Lauren's father, Michael, called from the Estate. Clara groaned then rolled over and walked inside. Lauren didn't know it yet, but that was the last time she would see her mother.

When Lauren turned eighteen, her father began to hate her. He would abuse her and scream at her for things such as not putting her shoes away. Eventually, Lauren couldn't take anymore blows. Her father threw a vase at her and she for sure would have died if it weren't for Keaton, the vampire that saved her. She was reborn as a vampire and would live on forever more.

End of Story

"Wow." Dinah muttered. Then I saw an unbelievable sight before me! Lauren was actually crying!

"LoLo, your crying!" Ally wheeped as she stood up and ran to the girl's side. She wrapped Lauren in a tight hug.

"Thanks, Ally." Lauren murmured resting her head on Ally's collarbone.

"So you are 118 years old!?" Mani asked. Lauren simply nodded still in Ally's embrace. "Dang!"

"I know, I'm old." Lauren chuckled, lightening the mood.

"I never said that!" Mani giggled.

"You were thinking it." Lauren chuckled back.

"I think we're off to a great start!" Dinah's laugh echoed through the Estate. Yup, I can see a start to a great friendship!