Trials and Tribulations

Chapter 54

A/N: So, I sincerely apologise for this taking so long. As you know, I've had a lot of family drama kicking off and work has been really busy so time has been an issue in and of itself. Also, I've literally spent the last couple of days in a lot of pain and being sick so I haven't really felt up to writing much. Anyway, here's the chapter. Sorry again for the delay. I hope you enjoy it x

"Lauren!" Camila called enthusiastically as she ran hurriedly over to the back of the wire fenced dugout where her girlfriend was standing with the rest of her team mates as they prepared for their softball game against Jackson high school. It was a Wednesday afternoon, two weeks after the Taylor Swift concert and the weather was perfect for a game of softball, warm, but not too hot, the air still, the sky sunny and clear. "Hey," Camila greeted, offering a small wave as Lauren turned around in response to the sound of her name being called, a broad smile appearing on her face at the sight of her girlfriend. "Hi," Lauren returned as she came closer to the division which separated them. Camila hooked the fingers and thumbs of both her hands around the thin wire of the fencing when she reached it, pressing her face as near to it as she possibly could. "You came," Lauren noted, her eyes sparkling happily at her girlfriend's presence, her hands mirroring Camila's but lower down on the fence. "Of course I came," Camila replied amused. "Did you really think I'd miss your game?" "I wasn't sure," Lauren admitted feeling a little ashamed. "You said that you didn't really understand the rules after you came last week so I thought that you might skip it..." "You explained the rules to me afterwards though," Camila reminded her. "We spent like, a good two hours discussing them at your house over dinner." "I know but you didn't really look like you understood them," Lauren responded

laughing as she recalled the look of pure confusion on Camila's face as she'd tried to teach them to her. "Ok, well honestly? I didn't, not really," Camila acknowledged truthfully, "but Normani has been trying to teach me them and I've been looking them up on google all week," she confessed. "I think I'm finally starting to understand them now." She said with a hint of pride evident in her voice. Camila leant into the fence further, bouncing against it slightly. "Hopefully it'll mean that your dad won't make fun of me quite so much when I'm over next," Camila chuckled softly. "I think he was genuinely shocked that I didn't know how to play softball." "He was only teasing you," Lauren reassured her. "It's not a big deal or anything. Although...the rules are relatively simple Camz." She added thoughtfully. "I know," Camila groaned, "but for some reason my brain really struggles to retain them." Camila continued leaning away from the fence a little, "perhaps I just wasn't meant to be a fan of softball." She mused. "You know you don't have to come and watch if you don't want to." Lauren informed her kindly. "I mean, I love that you did but if you'd rather be elsewhere then we can catch up later." "I might not be a diehard fan of softball just yet," Camila replied, "but I'm a diehard fan of yours." She finished smoothly. "Trust me. There's nowhere else I'd rather be right now." "You're a dork," Lauren commented, shaking her head gently from side to

side in amusement. Camila's mouth formed a halfsmile at both Lauren's use of the word and the affectionate tone of voice which accompanied it. "So..." Camila started uncertainly as she pressed her body up against the fence again, her fingers still hooked around the metal divide. "Good luck for the game," she wished Lauren, bringing her face closer to the fence again. Lauren leant forward and planted a soft kiss against Camila's lips gratefully through a large gap in the meshed wiring. "Thanks," she replied with a smile that reached the corners of her eyes. "I'll see you afterwards?" she asked. "Definitely," Camila answered smiling as she leant back away from the fence again. "I'll be sitting in the bleachers with the others," Camila told her, gesturing over her shoulder with her thumb to where Dinah, Ally and Normani were already seated. "Should I wait for you there?" "Yeah, just stay put and I'll come and find you all," Lauren suggested. "Ok," Camila agreed, her gaze dropping to the floor for a moment, her right leg bouncing up and down on the spot anxiously. "Are you alright?" Lauren asked Camila, noticing her somewhat nervous disposition. "Yeah," Camila replied lifting her gaze again and making an effort to put a smile back on her face. Lauren gave her a look, unconvinced and Camila sighed on seeing it. "I get nervous watching you play," she finally admitted, after a moment's hesitation and Lauren couldn't help but feel touched by Camila's concern for her. "What if you break your leg or something?" "I'll be fine," Lauren reassured her seriously, reaching up one of her