Behind The Mask (A Camren Fanfic)

Chapter 9

"Lauren, I'm freaking out right now," Austin said as he paced back and forth. He was in Lauren's room. He just burst through the door which annoyed Lauren, more than usual because he left the door open.

"Well hello to you too," Lauren said as she rolled her eyes.

"Do not sass me, Jauregui," Austin snapped.

"Excuse me?" Lauren asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm sorry," Austin said as he let out a frustrated breath. He sat on Lauren's desk chair and buried his face in his hand.

"What do you usually do on dates?"

"I don't know.. I uh.. I bring them to watch a movie, a scary one so that I can put my arm around them when they're scared," Austin said as Lauren rolled her eyes.

"Then I bring them to a nice restaurant for a movie. I pay for dinner, we talk, then I bring them home and kiss them goodnight."

"That won't do."

"Then what do you suggest?"

"Camila hates scary movies. She'd cry. You wouldn't want that. Let her pick the movie. You'd want to compliment her. Call her beautiful. Compliment her without any reason. Have dinner, talk about her. Don't talk about yourself unless she asked and don't brag."

"I don't-"

Lauren gave him a glare and Austin apologized as he looked away.

"After dinner, take a walk under the moonlight. Hold her hand."

"And if it rains?"

"Dance with her."

"Are you serious?"

Lauren rolled her eyes, "You want my help or not?"

"Okay, you dance with her. She'll say no because she's a terrible dancer but you do it anyways. Slow dance. Hold her close and sway."

"Drive her home. Walk her to her door but don't kiss her goodnight."

"Wait, why?"

"She hasn't had her first kiss. Kiss her cheek instead."

"How would you know it'll work?" Austin asked as he looked at her.

"You asked me what I'd do. That's what I'd do."

"Thank you so much!"

~

Lauren's phone buzzed in the middle of the night. She groaned as she tried to reach for it in the dark. When she found it, she answered the call.

"What?" she asked sleepily.

"Did I wake you?"

"Camila?"

"I'm sorry-"

"No, it's fine," Lauren said as she sat up and turned on a lamp.

"What's up?"

"I went on my date with Austin today."

"I know. He came by to annoy me about it."

Camila chuckled.

"How was it?"

"I was surprised. He was totally different from what I imagined," the younger girl said.

"I had a great time actually. But I can't help but wonder if he planned it or someone else did."

Lauren froze. Her heart started to pick up speed as she listened to the other girl. Camila was describing the date and Lauren was surprised that Austin did exactly what she had told him to but what if Camila had figured it out? Was that why she was calling her late at night?

"Lauren?"

"I'm here," she said quickly.

"So um, what should I do?"

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Are you even listening?"

"I'm sorry, Camila. My brain is still sleeping," Lauren tried to joke.

"Austin wants to go on another date but the entire time, I barely know anything about him. What should I do?"

"Do what you think is right to you. If you want to go on another date with him, go. If not, then don't."

"But I have a feeling that he's hiding something, Lauren," Camila said.

If only you knew...

"We all have secrets, Camila. No one's going to dump everything on the first date."

"Hmm... Okay," Lauren heard Camila say.

"Goodnight, Camila."

"Goodnight, Lauren."

~

The door flew open. Lauren looked up from her book to find Dinah by the door. Lauren frowned as she sat up as the tall Polynesian walked in and shut the door behind her. Lauren set the book down as Dinah crossed her arms and glared at the dark haired girl.

"To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Cut the crap, Jauregui," Dinah snapped.

Lauren looked at her in surprise.

"Now, you and I both know that that dorito can never pull that date off without any help," Dinah said.

"And by dorito, you mean Mahone," Lauren said as she tried to understand.

"So, what happened?"

"I may have helped him."

"Why? I thought you hate him," Dinah said.

"Oh I do."

Dinah looked at her as she waited for her to explain. Lauren let out a sigh as she crossed her legs.

"I have my reasons for helping, which is none of your business. I don't like helping him because I don't think he deserves her. In fact, I don't think anyone is good enough for her," Lauren said.

"But I helped him because I chose to. I told him what to do and what not to do because if he breaks her heart, I will come after him, don't you worry, Hansen," she added.

"You do realize that you are indirectly dating Camila, right? Through Austin? Which is wrong and gross?" Dinah asked.

Lauren nodded as she looked at the floor, "I'm well aware of that."

"So what? You're just going to let Camila fall for someone that doesn't deserve her?"

"Maybe," Lauren said as she looked at the floor.

"You're so full of shit, you know that?"

"Yeah, I know," Lauren said.

"Is that all? Or are you gonna give me a poly beatdown?"

"That's all," Dinah said before she left the room. Not long after, the doorbell rang. Thinking that it was Dinah, she got up and walked up to the door.

"What?!" Lauren asked as she answered the door.

"Hello to you too, Lauren," said the brown eyed brunette.

Lauren's features soften as she blinked, "Camila!"

"How do you know where I live?" she asked.

"You live just 20 minutes away, Lauren," Camila pointed out.

"I saw you once, remember?"

"Oh, right...."

"Is this a bad time?"

"Uh no! Not at all. Come in," Lauren said as she opened the door wider.

~

"Nice room."

"Uh... Thanks," Lauren said. She knew that Camila was just trying to be nice. Lauren's room was so messy. There were posters of rock bands on the wall, her clothes were all over the place.

"So what brings you here?"

"I know..."