Crashed (Camila/you)

Five

Camila had left for her 'duty', so to speak. She didn't explain much, but it seemed as if she were a police officer of some sort, except nothing like our police officers.

Meanwhile I'm standing where I first saw Lauren, looking at the small hut with nervous butterflies in my tummy.

What would I say to her? Apologize? Thank her? Congratulate her? She seemed content with Dinah, happy even, and Lauren isn't often happy. As sad as that sounds, it's true. It's how we met.

Therapy.

"Why doesn't everyone introduce yourselves? Let's start with you Mr..." The man inhaled sharply, nervous from being put on spot. He cleared his throat and scanned the crowd, his lips set in a thin line as his eyes narrowed into a glare.

"Jordan Tucker," he grunted his name with distaste.

"And why don't you tell us what brought you here today, Mr. Tucker." The therapist said softly.

Jordan rolled his eyes. "Drugs. Isn't that what brought us all here?" He asked as his eyes lands on the therapist, challenging him to disagree.

"Alright, Mr. Tucker, pick someone to introduce next."

Jordan scanned the crowd and landed on me, smirking. I shrunk in my seat as he spoke. "What's your name, Beautiful?"

"Uhm," I cleared my throat, ignoring his attempt to hit on me and sat straight, "Y/n Y/l/n."

"Go ahead and ask her why she's here, Jordan. And play nice."

He stared at me a long moment before he sighed and leaned forward, resting his forearms on his thighs, "what're you here for?"

"Marijuana," I chuckled, "underage. It was this or juvenile detention." I didn't see it as being such a big deal since I was 19 going on 20, but the cops seemed to think different.

"Okay, Y/n, now continue this process with someone of your choice." I looked over at the guy with a notepad who had yet to introduce himself, but found myself scanning the small crowd around me.

My eyes landed on a girl who looked to be around my age and wanting to be anywhere but here. I picked her. "What's your name?"

"Lauren," she said hesitantly, "Jauregui."

"What're you here for?" I asked her gently. I could tell just from her name she wasn't of English decent, and that intrigued me. I wanted to know more than why she was sitting in this stupid room with these idiotic people.

"Same thing you are," she sighed and hunched over, "stupid, isn't it?" I found myself smiling at that, and I promised myself if I became friends with anyone here, it'd be her.

•

"Y/n?" I jumped when I felt a large hand on my shoulder, turning to see Dinah with a small smile. I took a step back and let out a breath.

"Is Lauren here?" I asked hesitantly, not quite sure if I were actually ready to talk to her. Dinah looked at me, her lips set in a thin line, then she sighed.

"Let's talk for a moment, yeah?" She urged new gently in the opposite direction, back into the medical center almost directly across the path.

"I just need to—"

Dinah held up a hand and cut me off, "Lauren's upset." I almost shrunk in my spot as her words washed over me. "She doesn't hate you. However, she does hate herself. She blames herself for not being there when you woke up, for not being able to prove she was strong enough to do it on her own. She feels you blame her as well, and I think that's whats hitting her the hardest."

"But I would never," I cut her off and took a step back. "This is not her fault, I do not blame her."

"She can't help how she feels, but maybe you can. I stopped you to explain to you what she's been going through these past few weeks. When you walked away from her the day you awoke, she looked beaten down without even a touch. I know you're best friends, but she's my mate. Do not hurt her again, do not make her think how she is thinking. She loves you, Y/n. Don't throw that away because you're scared." And with that, she walked in the opposite direction, nodding occasionally at passing people.

A mate? I should ask Camila what that means later.

Swallowing my pride, I walked up to the door and knocked, wiping my sweaty hands on my thighs.

"Dinah, how many times do I have to tell you to just walk right—in..." She paused before trialing off as the door swung open to reveal me.

"Lauren, I'm so so—," she cut me off with a hug, engulfing me in her arms and squeezing tighter than i've ever been. I hugged back with just as much enthusiasm, missing her as if I hadn't seen her in weeks. To which... I guess I hadn't...