It's A Long Ride Home, I'm Afraid. {Camren} ✔️

~{17}~

The next morning, I realized my face was buried in the crook of Lauren's neck.

I felt my cheeks get red, and pulled away quickly, forgetting that I probably shouldn't do anything to wake Lauren up.

We needed to talk, of course, but she was definitely going to be hungover.

The more she slept, the less time there would be for her to have a headache and feel sick for the rest of the day.

So basically, I was doing her a favor.

I went downstairs to go make myself something to eat, and that's when Lauren stumbled in behind me.

"Shit. Guess I did wake you up, huh?" I sighed.

Way to go, Cabello.

Lauren shrugged. She looked absolutely exhausted.

"Should we talk about last night now, or do you wanna wait till you feel a little better?" I asked.

"I honestly don't remember much." The green eyed girl mumbled. "I know I got drunk, I know I was at the club, and I thought I saw you and then everything kinda gets all fuzzy from there."

I pressed my lips together in frustration, giving her a look that said I wasn't pleased.

"You lied to me about stopping. I get that it's hard, Lauren, but that's what I'm here for. I told you I wanted to help you through it. To give you as much guidance as you need so that you don't feel like you have to keep drinking."

"I know you're not as weak as you let on." I told her. "You can fight this."

She smiled sadly. "Maybe I'm just not as strong as you think I am. If I was, I wouldn't be in this situation in the first place, and I wouldn't still be drinking months after Lucy—"

She paused. She was unsure of whether she should continue.

"It's okay." I reassured her. "You can tell me."

I already knew, but it would mean I've made some progress to hear it from her.

Her green eyes stared deep into mine. She was conflicted.

"I guess you deserve to know." She mumbled. "I  shouldn't be keeping secrets from you, especially ones that are in the past."

Ouch. I thought. Where does that leave me and my little secret, then?

"Lucy Vives and I were lovers once." Lauren told me. "Or, so I thought."

I subconsciously grabbed her hand as she continued, giving her the support she hopefully needed.

"We were friends beforehand, and we actually did a photo shoot together." She said with faux enthusiasm. "That's when it started to get serious."

Lauren narrowed her eyes in thought. "She made the first move. I remember how it all went down, and how she kissed me that night."

"I thought it was the start of something great." She laughed bitterly. "Something that would give me a whole new perspective on life."

I watched as she held her other hand over her heart, clenching it gently as if she were trying to keep it from imploding.

"But I was wrong."

"You obviously know now why Ally has had a hard time opening up to you more. She said I was taken advantage of, and she wasn't lying." Lauren explained. "She doesn't want the same thing to happen again."

"Lucy was, in a way, nothing more than a gold digger. And I was too naive to tell the difference between being in love, and being convenient for somebody."