My Favorite Camren One-Shots (Part 3)

They Should Know about Us

Camila was sitting outside on the sand, facing the sea and thinking about how life could be good at times.

She was at her beach house, on her backyard, facing the same view they faced when it was decided, with a silent promise, that they'd be together. No matter what, no matter who. And it was good enough for her, back then.

It was good enough having her fingers tracing circles on her thighs, her lips whispering things in her ear that would sound forward to anyone, but to her, it was flattering. It was good enough having her vanilla scent filling her being, her arms around her waist and her front against her back. Back then, it was enough.

Now she was having doubts and she absolutely hated herself for it. On the other hand, she knew she couldn't blame herself for it. Lauren has been distant. They haven't seen each other in two weeks, due to their busy schedule. After Fifth Harmony was put behind them, in the most amazing way actually, they decided to follow different paths.

Lauren became a producer, a successful one, and she's been working her ass off to be the best in the industry. Just like before, she never settled for anything but the best. And sometimes this particular part of her personality made Camila wonder why she settled for her. Lauren was 24 and it was rather common having her name on the Hollywood news, which most of it were speculations about her love life.

Camila hated it. She hated that they still weren't aware that Lauren was hers. She hated that Lauren didn't want them to know because she wanted them to notice her work. Camila absolutely hated the fact that she couldn't hold Lauren's hand at the airport. Or the fact that she needed an excuse to see Lauren and 'I miss you' was never good enough.

Camila was 23 and her work consisted of doing lectures at schools. And she loved it. She loved encouraging people to follow their dreams and discouraging them to treat anyone like they're not good enough. The fact that school sucked for her made her realize that it didn't have to be that way for other people. She loved reaching out and helping people get over their fears. When Ellen asked Camila to be on her show, she almost passed out. Her work was being recognized.

Life could actually be good at times.

But here she was. In her backyard. In Australia. Because obviously, this was the only way they could have some privacy after Lauren's work with some stupid singer and those stupid reporters. The speculations never stopped. And Camila was getting so tired of it. She was frustrated and on the verge of doing something really stupid.

Their anniversary was two days ago and they talked, and Camila couldn't be sure but she didn't feel like Lauren remembered. They talked through a stupid phone and decided to celebrate there, at the beach house. Although Lauren seemed hesitant at first, she ended up agreeing with coming today. It was 8 p.m. she still hasn't showed up.

Life couldn't be good at all times.

Camila heard footsteps behind her and soon enough she felt her vanilla scent filling her lungs, her arms around her waist, her front against her back and her legs around her body. She whispered, "I missed you" and Camila couldn't help the goosebumps on her body. Then she felt the wet spot on her cheek when the wind kissed her face. She was crying the whole time she thought about her. A sigh escaped her mouth and she wanted to melt on Lauren's arms and forget about everything that made her heart hurt so much.

But life isn't good at all times.

"What's wrong, babe?" Lauren asked, while backing away a few inches to try and see Camila's face. Useless, she realized. Camila wasn't melting to her and something was wrong. Her heart started beating faster with every second of tortuous silence between them. She knew they've been through hard times these past weeks; they've been distant and Lauren hated it.
But Camila didn't feel like Lauren hated it. And that made her wonder.

Camila wiped her cheek and put a strand of hair behind her ear. She was aware of the bright green eyes watching her every movement but that didn't make things any easier. It was the complete opposite, to be honest. She turned to look at her and felt like her heart was being crushed when she saw the hurt in those eyes. But she was hurt, too. And she's been hurt for some time now. And life is supposed to be bad at times.

"It's getting harder, Lauren." Her gaze found the sand to be a safer place, so she kept it there. Lauren shivered because Camila was serious, she didn't use any of the pet names. And she knew it was getting harder to keep her heartbeat under a controlled pace and her thoughts didn't seem to help it. Camila is giving up. She had enough of you already. Her mouth couldn't form words because her brain was on the verge of a breakdown. It's your fault, she thought. "I don't- I can't do this for much longer, Lauren." Camila put another strand of hair behind her ear and looked up to the ocean. Lauren saw her eyes get glassy and her heart broke even more.

"Wha- I tho- but-.. What?" Lauren's voice was barely a whisper and her words were never that soft outside their bedrooms. "Camila, I-" The inability to form complete sentences was never something she could acquaint. "What do you mean? I know it's been hard but I- we were- you were-" She sighed and whispered "Dammit." so low that Camila thought it was just her imagination.

She didn't answer. There was a long pause before Lauren got tired of the situation and went to sit in front of Camila. If she's breaking up with me, she better do it looking at my eyes. Their eyes met and Camila wanted to take her words back as soon as she met those gorgeous eyes. But she couldn't. Life had to make her speak her mind.

"Camila, what the fu-" Lauren wasn't touching her and it felt weird. It was weird having those green eyes bore into her soul when it wasn't followed by a kiss. They were almost begging for an answer, though. "Babe, talk to me." Lauren's right hand went to caress Camila's left cheek. And Camila let her because life does have good moments at bad times.

"It's getting harder because..." She found the courage in her and looked straight into those green eyes. "Lauren I don't wan- I can't be your little secret anymore. I had enough of that already." The courage she thought she had was slipping away from her. She was most likely going to loose Lauren tonight.

Lauren's right hand fell instantly from her face. She had enough of you. "Camila, yo- you're not my little secret. That's the last thing you could ever be to me and you know that. Tell me you know that." The beautiful shade of green was pleading and Camila didn't think there was anything left of her heart. "Babe, we talked about it. You said- you told me it was okay." Lauren said, with a softness in her voice that seemed weird when combined with the rushed tone. But she was just trying not to scare Camila away.

"I know what I said, Lauren, but I didn't think it would be this hard." Camila could feel the tears threatening to fall down but she didn't stop. "I didn't think I'd have to watch you be paired with some douche in that stupid Hollywood news channel almost every week." Camila wiped a tear with her thumb and looked down. "I didn't- I never thought I'd be having second thoughts about holding your hand. Hell, I'm not supposed to have an excuse to see you, Lauren." Her breathing was hard, her throat was almost closing and she couldn't look up. She just couldn't.

"Camila, I-" Lauren didn't think twice before standing on her knees and hugging Camila. It wasn't comfortable at first, but then she started moving to sit on Camila's lap, wrapping her legs around her waist. She wasn't hugging back. "Don't cry, babe. Please." Lauren was getting desperate by the second, tears were leaving her eyes shamelessly. She never felt such thing before and it was scaring the shit out of her. She kissed Camila's temple and backed away a little, but kept her arms securely around her neck. "Look at me, Camila." Her hands made their way to each side of Camila's face to make her look up. "I need you to tell me what do you want from me. We'll make it work. We always do."

Camila scoffed at the irony that wasn't in her girlfriend's tone but seemed so clear in her head. "It's not working anymore, Lauren. You didn't even remembered me two days ago! And oh my God, I sound so stupid right now." Her hands were trying to stop the tears but were failing miserably.

"What? Camila, I've been sleeping in the studio for the past week so I could get all the work done because I wanted to be with you two days ago but guess what? I still couldn't!" Lauren was trying to be reasonable but she ended up giving up on that idea. Hell, Camila was giving up on them. "After all this time, you can't possibly think I would forget you. I'm torn between work and the love of my life, Camila." Her voice was cracking and she felt like dying, but it didn't stop her.
"You know better than anyone else that these are the most important things for me, babe." Her thumb traced patterns on Camila's cheek and with her eyes closed and nose to nose, she whispered, "Don't give up, please."

Camila cried harder at this. She wiped Lauren's tears with her thumbs but was stopped with the soft lips she knew so well. It was desperate at first, and Camila had never felt Lauren so eager. She had never felt Lauren so determined.

Then, she knew.

She knew she didn't have to wonder so much. She knew Lauren was trying, and that she was trying for Camila. For a brief second, she thought she was stupid for having started this argument, but then she remembered she wouldn't have Lauren completely because Lauren wouldn't let them know, so she pulled away.

"Lauren.. Why can't we just be?" She kept her shaky hands glued to Lauren's cheeks, she was afraid this would be the last time she would touch her. "Why can't you let them know already?"

"Camila.." Lauren sounded defeated, almost broken. She knew exactly why she didn't let them know but she also knew that it wasn't what Camila wanted to hear. Work. Camila couldn't hear that word leaving Lauren's mouth again, she'd heard enough times already. "Does it really bother you so much?" She looked at those beautiful brown eyes and saw the answer.

"You mean, does it bother me that I can't hold my girlfriend's hand whenever I want to? Or does it bother me that I can't pick her up at work when I'm in town because someone might see us?" Camila let go of Lauren's touch and looked at her eyes, "Does it even bother you at all? It doesn't seem like it, Lauren."

The way the word work left Camila's mouth made her stomach churn. "I want it as much as you do, but-"

"But what, Lauren? You're being so difficult with this and I don't get it! Is it that hard to show people that you love me? The idea of being with me is that bad?"

"You're definitely over analyzing this. The idea of being with you is perfect, Camila. I'm with you for a long time now, and I don't plan on ever changing that. Do you want them to know? Fine. We'll let them know." Lauren stood up and looked down at Camila before turning to face the sea and screaming at the top of her lungs , "I'M LAUREN JAUREGUI AND CAMILA CABELLO IS THE LOVE OF MY LIFE!" She turned around smiling and extended her hand for Camila to take it. "I know that was probably stupid because there's no one around but I promise I'll do it again tomorrow morning, when the beach is crowded."

Camila smiled her smile and took her hand. She hugged Lauren and whispered softly on her ear, "I love you" before kissing her slowly, as if it was their first kiss again. She caressed the back of Lauren's neck with her nails and breathed in through her nose, wanting her vanilla scent to fill her lungs. One of Lauren's hands was scratching the skin under Camila's shirt but the brown eyed beauty failed to notice that her other hand was aiming her phone at them. The flash made Camila smile between her lips but she didn't stop the kiss until oxygen was needed.

Lauren kissed Camila's nose and went to type on her phone.