Under the exit lights《camren》

"I honestly have no idea."

Camila had fallen asleep on the couch, the others not having the heart to move her further away from Lauren than necessary. They all got the feeling that she would want to be near the dark-haired girl as much as possible. 

The brunette found herself in an inner debate. What would happen when Lauren woke up? Would she remember anything? Would she need time away from Camila? She didn't know if she could handle that, but if that's what Lauren needed... that's what she would do. She would do anything for the girl to just... wake up.

She groaned as she got up, shifting her weight to check on Lauren as she had been doing most of the night. She had gotten minimal sleep, having to constantly look to see if the small chest of her love was still moving. She felt encouraged by the increase of strength Lauren seemed to display as the night wore on. Her breathing was getting stronger and stronger, and that upped Camila's spirits.

That's when she suddenly heard a munching sound coming from behind her and she whirled around, nearly giving herself whiplash as her bruised ribs complained.  But she couldn't focus on that, because she couldn't comprehend what she was seeing.

There sat Lauren, sitting cross legged on the metal table with a bowl of cereal in her lap as she munched away and watched Camila curiously. Camila felt her heart leap, skip a beat and soar through her chest. 

Camila fell with a harsh thud onto the floor as she scrambled off the couch. She stumbled onto all fours to crawl closer to the green eyes she had been craving all night. 

Lauren couldn't hold in a small chuckle at the girls' clumsiness. She was adorable.

"A-Are you okay?" Camila asked worriedly, a silent hope shining through her eyes.

Lauren stared at her and Camila immediately felt her heart drop. She couldn't exactly expect the girl to respond, why would she?

"Hurts." Lauren said casually, scooping another spoonful of cereal into her mouth (the cereal Dinah had bought the day before) and enjoying the taste, completely oblivious to the look of shock on Camila's face.

"D-Did you just- You... you were just- then you-and... did you just talk to me?" Camila asked as she looked up at the girl from the floor.

Lauren frowned in confusion, unsure what she meant. Lauren knew things were different. It's not like she suddenly trusted them, but she had gained a new respect for the young pack. She remembered everything, from those... horrible men to the pack coming to the rescue, although only in fragments. She remembered feeling the urge to look for her, to look for Camila. She wanted so desperately to see that she was okay, but she couldn't do it. 

Lauren was convinced she was as good as dead.

So now, things were different. She wasn't suddenly going to accept that soulmate thing, absolutely not. She had been through enough to not let the near death experience get to her completely, so that wouldn't change her resolution. But she also saw Camila in a completely new light now, having gone through such a traumatic experience together. 

Her mind was not damaged, she was too strong for that, but she couldn't say the same about her body.

Everything hurt, but she could take it. It never stopped her before.

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Walking down the stairs with Dinah, Normani didn't know what to expect to see; but it was definitely not this.

Camila sat on the floor, peering upwards in awe in her tattered clothing at a drowsy looking Lauren, who peered back down at her with a curious look and cereal in her lap, her clothes even more ripped than Camila's. Both of their hairs were a mess, but the type of mess that looked good first thing in the morning.