Your Love Is My Drug (Camren)

3. Catch me while I'm sleeping

Chapter 3

It felt like hell.

Lauren watched her like a hawk. She'd talk constantly, pick up anything that was put down and deny ever touching it when Camila would ask where it had gone. If Camila wanted to play hide and seek with her personal belongings then she would have said so. Lauren woke up early when she didn't have to and always made sure to make enough noise that it wouldn't be surprising if the entire floor was awake at a decent hour. She'd made breakfast each of the two mornings, fruit and a personal favourite brand of yoghurt for herself, with a bowl of generic cereal for Camila that was already in the cupboard.

Curiously, it had tasted both over-sugared and stale each of the two mornings that Camila had it. She couldn't remember when it had been purchased but Lauren had assured her that it was in date, so she ate it. She didn't have much of a choice. It made her feel nauseated on the second morning but Lauren assumed it was a trick to get out of having breakfast and so Camila forced it down with nothing more than an ill-disguised look of annoyance.

Lauren timed Camila in the shower. She even walked her to work.

All of those things added up and it felt a little like comeuppance when Camila left her bedroom and walked in on Lauren's conversation to whoever she happened to be on the phone with. Camila had the upper hand as she had yet to be spotted.

"I can't tell you that," Lauren said quietly. "I'm fine, I promise. No, I did not get on the wrong side of a mobster!" she laughed. "A friend's. She's being very good to me, don't worry." Lauren bit her lip as she listened. "Yeah, I'll see you later. I've missed you too, Tony. Okay, I can't wait. Bye."

Camila rather enjoyed the moment Lauren's casual glance landed on her standing in the doorway produced a respectable jump.

"I didn't know you were there."

"Obviously."

"What are you doing..."

"I live here, which is more than you can say."

"No, I meant hiding. Eavesdropping."

Camila breezed past Lauren and sat in the armchair, away from her. "Just wondered if you would say anything interesting."

"And?"

"That was kind of my reaction too, until you got to the part about me being a good friend. What kind of friends do you have, and at what point have I treated you like one? I'm awful to you and you take it because... I don't know. Because you think that if you prove yourself just a little more it'll be okay and people will see that you're more than your insecurities. Wow, you've changed."

"I have changed," Lauren said calmly. "My friends are wonderful but please don't think that overheard compliment held any truth to it. I know you're being mean. I was trying to ease someone's concerns at not seeing me for a couple of days."

"Tony? Who is that?"

"Antonio."

"Who is Antonio, another fag to your hag?"

"Antonio is not gay."

"Is he your boyfriend?" Camila asked.

"My personal life is my business."

"So you're gay ?"

"I like that you're taking an interest in my life, Camila, but I'm sure you understand that you're not getting any answers until I do."

It was Camila's cue to ask what questions Lauren's meant but she didn't give her the satisfaction. She scratched the top of her arm and made a mental note to buy more coffee as hers was running low. She'd had to double her intake of caffeine the past couple of days. It was hard to sleep anyway, but it was harder knowing that Lauren was only a room away, sleeping on the couch. So far she hadn't heard her snore or talk in her sleep but that couldn't be considered an upside. There was no upside. There was rock bottom and then there was that level underneath. More than ever, Camila was certain it existed.