Trials and Tribulations

Chapter 55

A/N: Just....bear with me, lol x

"Are you sure that you called her?" Lauren asked Ally anxiously, biting her bottom lip subconsciously and wincing in pain, the deep split which was now present in the soft flesh there as a result of her beating having been momentarily forgotten. "Yeah, I called her Lo," Ally reassured her friend, perching herself on the hospital bed beside Lauren and facing the brunette with a concerned look on her face. "She's on her way here now." "Ok," Lauren said, nodding her head slightly in response to the news. "Did you think about what you're going to tell her?" Ally asked the greeneyed girl, her tone serious. "You've already lied to your parents about what happened..." she pointed out, bewildered. "Ally please don't give me that look," Lauren pleaded, resting her head against the back of the bed and

closing her eyes for a brief moment to avoid Ally's judgement. "I already feel bad enough as it is and you looking at me like that isn't helping." "I don't understand why you called me?" Ally asked her confused. "Why did you choose to call me over anyone else? You knew what I'd say..." Lauren tilted her head forward again in order to meet Ally's gaze. "I can't tell her," Lauren said simply already knowing where Ally was going with this thread of conversation and the smaller girl glanced down at the starched hospital linen covering her friend's lower half, shaking her head in disappointment. "Ally..." "You're making a mistake," Ally told her honestly, cutting her off and lifting her eyes to meet Lauren's pointedly. "We've talked about this before remember? The same day that you found her at the accident site before she went to rehab." she prodded gently. "You can't lie to her about this Lo. It's not fair. She's only ever been honest with you. Don't make her regret that." "Ally I told you what Rachel said," Lauren defended, clutching at her side when a jolt of pain shot through it. She gritted her teeth for a moment until it passed before continuing on. "I told you what my options are. What do you want me to do?" she gasped, evidently in pain. "If I tell Camz she's going to completely lose it and I can't risk that. Not after the last time..." "You still don't trust her do you?" Ally asked knowingly. "Even after everything she's been through, you don't trust her enough to not react..." "You saw what happened today," Lauren reminded her. "Did she look like she'd be able to remain neutral, to keep her

cool?" she asked, doubt laced in her words. "She came this close to hitting Rachel earlier," Lauren said, lifting up one hand and holding her thumb and index finger slightly apart to emphasize her point. "Do you really think she'll be rational if she knows the truth about what happened?" "You won't know how she'll react unless you tell her," Ally countered. "You're not even giving her the opportunity to fail. You're just making a unilateral decision for her instead." Ally paused for a moment, reaching one hand over towards her friend and placing it over the back of Lauren's own supportively. "At the end of the day it's your decision Lo," Ally told her. "I'll not interfere in it, but don't be surprised if this comes back to bite you in the ass." She said honestly. "If you don't tell her the truth then Rachel will. You know that just as much as I do. She'll take any opportunity she can to stir things up. You'll be playing right in to her hands." She noted. "How do you think Camila is going to feel when she finds out that you've lied to her? Especially if it comes from Rachel and especially when it's over something as serious as this is." Lauren sighed and ran her free hand through her hair, grimacing in discomfort at the movement. "You don't have to protect Camila," Ally commented meaningfully. "You're supposed to be in a relationship Lo. You're meant to be equals. You can't keep treating her like she's incapable of looking out for herself or making her own decisions

about things which affect her. She won't thank you for it. You know that." Ally said gesturing towards the ring Camila had given to Lauren which still encompassed her left middle finger. "She wants you to trust her Lo. Camila told you as much herself. So why can't you do that?" Lauren dropped her eyes to the floor avoiding Ally's question, but the smaller girl could see her friend's reason plainly written across her face. "You're scared," Ally commented sadly, understanding. Lauren looked up at her again and nodded her head almost imperceptibly. "I can't go through it again Ally," Lauren shared with her friend. "It was painful enough to lose her the last time. I don't know if I can watch her selfdestruct again..." "Camila is not the same person that she was three months ago," Ally reminded Lauren poignantly. "Even you must see that Lo." She stated. "She's completely different now. You have to believe that she can deal with this, otherwise those ten weeks that she was away at rehab meant nothing. Your separation meant nothing." "I believe in her," Lauren responded unconvincingly, wincing again as she tried to sit forward, her ribs protesting at the movement painfully. "Then prove it," Ally remarked. "Prove it by telling her the truth about what happened. Then the two of you can figure out what to do together. Don't take that decision away from her. Involve her in it. If you really believe in her, if you really consider your relationship to be equal then you have to Lo. Otherwise you could lose her anyway..." she trailed off affectively. Ally gave Lauren a sad smile, reaching up her other hand to stroke