Your Love Is My Drug (Camren)

14. A Hundred Million Suns

Chapter 14

Lauren was the only occupant of the room when her alarm went off at seven AM.

She was first clued into that fact when she rubbed a hand over her face and brushed over a post-it stuck on her head. It' d been a note from Camila explaining that she'd gone for coffee and not to worry, she planned to make it back in time to catch the plane. What was left unwritten was why Camila had really gone out but Lauren didn't need it to be spelled out for her every time. She worried for Camila each time she left the building to use, but at the same time she appreciated that Camila respected her home enough not to taint it like that.

Due to Lauren's slight exaggeration on the city's morning traffic, she and Camila were the first of their group to arrive at the airport.

Lauren's driver, Andrew, dropped them off at the curb side directly outside of the terminal and pulled their cases out of the trunk. He had a quick sweep of the inside of the car in case Lauren had left anything behind, which she had done on more than one occasion and then proceeded to beg him to turn around to bring it back.

Lauren gasped when Andrew held out her cellphone in his hand. "Thank you!"

He indulged her with a smile and shake of his head, and then she promised to make arrangements for picking them back up nearer the time. Once he'd driven away from the curb and another car nearly took Andrew's bumper off in their haste to occupy the space, Camila looked up from the tag on her case, making sure her address (really Lauren's) was eligible.

"Did you remember your ID?"

It was a joke but for a split second Lauren hesitated when answering. There had been several occasions in the past where she'd left it in a different purse. Luckily, it was safely nestled away in her travel wallet.

Camila didn't like the smell outside of airports. The car exhausts and burned rubber always made her feel somewhat nauseous and this morning, coupled with her anxiety, it was no different. The excessive, impatient honking didn't help either. On a regular morning they were background noise, but today was no regular morning and they were harsh on her senses as they stood outside the terminal waiting for their friends.

Lauren, when she wasn't biting her tongue not to ask Camila if she was sure she was all right, took in the strangers happily, watching people embrace and kiss hello or goodbye, excited for their travels or happy to be home. Camila seemed to spot all of the miserable business men and women who travelled regularly and resented being away from their family so much. She didn't realise it at the time, but she looked equally as unapproachable as they did; treating everyone as a potential paparazzi suspect.

Fifteen minutes later and Lauren left her bags with Camila while she went to use the restroom inside.

Camila's stomach churned the way she imagined everybody's did when they were flying out of state or country, but it was more than that, of course. She had a feeling this trip was going to change everything and she couldn't tell if it was going to be a good or bad thing.

It didn't help that she was stood around waiting. She needed the distraction that being busy and occupied brought.

After a while, when Camila was on the receiving end of another hard stare from a disgruntled traveller, she realised with startled urgency that Lauren had not returned.

Lauren had said that their spot outside was perfect as it was visible from all angles and they would be spotted right away when the group arrived but Camila was unaffected with such trivialities and had a firm hold of their cases as she turned around to go inside. She had to give the bottom of Lauren's case a hard prod with her foot and pull at the same time for it to tip the extreme weight, and then she was off.