“Hi,” Lauren greeted Dinah and Ally as she carefully slid into an empty chair at the desk behind the pair of them in home room. “Hey Lo,” Ally said, waving her hand slightly in welcome, a smile on her lips. “Hi,” Dinah replied, her eyes scanning the empty
space behind Lauren for something. “Where’s Camila?” she asked concerned. Lauren pulled her notebook and a pen out of her bag,
placing it on the desk in front of her as she answered. “The hospital,” Lauren informed Dinah openly. “She has another appointment with her doctor today.” Lauren sighed as she threw her bag onto the floor at her feet. “I wouldn’t be sitting here otherwise.” She continued sadly, sharing a meaningful look with the taller girl. “She hates me,” Dinah said to no one in particular. “She doesn’t hate you,” Ally reassured Dinah, rubbing her arm
comfortingly with her hand. “She’s just got a lot going on right
now…” “It’s been two weeks since she last spoke to me,” Dinah
interceded dejectedly. “She definitely hates me.” “She doesn’t,”
Lauren reiterated, leaning her elbows onto the desk in front of
her. “Ally’s right Dinah. She’s just…” Lauren paused for a moment
trying to think of the best way to describe Camila’s current state.
“Struggling,” she finally settled on, reaching one hand forward
and placing it on Dinah’s shoulder, prompting her to meet
Lauren’s gaze. “Try to give her a little more time,” Lauren
suggested. “She’ll come around eventually. You two have been
friends too long for her to just throw it all away. She’s not upset
with you. Not really.” “She could have fooled me,” Dinah replied
sadly. “She’s barely even looked at me since it happened…I can
still remember the look on her face when I opened the door to let
her mom in…it was like I’d stabbed her in the gut with a blunt
knife…” “She’ll get over it soon enough,” Ally said trying to stay
optimistic and repeating Lauren’s previous opinion. “You’ll see.” “I
don’t think she will,” Dinah countered. “We’ve never fought like
this before. I can’t even remember the last time we went longer
than twenty four hours without talking to each other…I mean,
willingly that is.” Dinah clarified. “Obviously there was…I mean…
after the accident we…but…that was different.” Dinah expressed
and Lauren knitted her brow together thoughtfully. “Didn’t she
and her family come to your house for Thanksgiving dinner last week?” Lauren asked remembering that she and Camila had
discussed it briefly. “She must have spoken to you then…” “Not
one word,” Dinah admitted. “Our parents even sat us together at
the table and she still managed to maintain radio silence.” “She
didn’t say anything?” Lauren asked Dinah disappointed.
“Nothing?”
http://5hfanfiction.tumblr.com/post/62189160723/trialsand-
tribulationschapter25 2/10 “Nada,” Dinah repeated, playing
mindlessly with the bracelet on her wrist that Camila had bought
her as a gift a few years ago. Dinah raised her eyes to look at
Lauren after a moment, desperate for more information regarding
Camila’s current condition and the reason for her newest visit to
the hospital. “She’s…alright though?” Dinah asked Lauren
worriedly. “I mean, she’s ok…” “She’s…ok.” Lauren said thinking
about Camila and her recent difficulties. “It’s just a routine follow-
up appointment today. At least, that’s what she told me.
Sometimes I wonder whether she tells me everything that’s going
on with her.” Lauren admitted. “They still think it’s her
medication?” Dinah asked continuing to fiddle with the bracelet
around her wrist. “They’re sure that it’s got nothing to do with her
head injury?” “The doctors did a lot of scans and investigations
when they admitted her after…you know…” Lauren trailed off, not
wanting to directly refer to the events that had followed their
group date when Dinah had stayed over and woken to find
Camila, in the midst of a nightmare with her nose bleeding heavily. “Everything came back normal according to her mom. The
scans didn’t show anything new and her blood work was all clear.”
“Is she still getting the nosebleeds?” Ally questioned with interest.
“Not as much,” Lauren replied. “She had one a couple of days ago
but they’re nowhere near as bad as they used to be. The doctors
are hoping that changing the Aspirin and Naproxen she takes to
something else will stop them from happening in future.” “I can’t
believe they admitted her,” Dinah said wretchedly. “She hates
that place…she was so scared that’s what would happen…”
“Dinah you did the right thing,” Lauren reassured her. “It doesn’t
feel like it,” Dinah replied. “Sometimes I wish I’d just done as
she’d asked and kept my mouth shut.” “Well, I’m glad that you
didn’t,” Lauren admitted genuinely. “I could have killed her when
Ifound out what happened. Ithought she was getting better at
sharing things with us…I don’t understand why she’d hide
something that could have potentially been really serious…” “She
was terrified,” Dinah interjected. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen her
look so scared in the whole time that I’ve known her. She couldn’t
bear the idea of having to go back in to hospital and look what
happened…” “Camila will realise that it was for the best,” Ally
offered. “She knows you were only doing what you thought was
right Dinah. You were worried about her…” “I’m a complete
traitor in her eyes though,” Dinah cut Ally off. “The seizures…they
weren’t planned…so…she had to go back in to hospital. She had
no choice in the matter, but, this, it was something she could control and Itook that from her.” She paused for a moment to
look between Ally and Lauren before continuing. “Now look
what’s happened.” Dinah went on. “We can’t even hang out
together anymore. I mean, it’s Wednesday and you’ll be with
Camila,” she said nodding in Lauren’s direction, “and I’ll be with
Ally and Normani. It’ll be the first Wednesday since the start of
the school year that we’ve not all spent together…well, except
when we were with family last week for the holiday.” “Dinah this
isn’t your fault,” Lauren told her squeezing her shoulder
sympathetically. “You’ve tried to talk to her…” “I know and look
where that’s gotten me,” Dinah interrupted. “Absolutely
nowhere. She still won’t even acknowledge my presence half the
time.” “I’ll try talking to her again,” Lauren promised. “No don’t,”
Dinah told her firmly. “I really don’t want to cause any problems
for the two of you.” She said sincerely. “Camila needs someone
around and she’ll push you away if you try to force her hand.
She’s so stubborn sometimes…” “You’re telling me,” Lauren
muttered in understanding. “Please just…make sure she’s alright,
ok?” Dinah asked. “Promise me that you’ll look out for her?” “I
promise,” Lauren told Dinah compassionately, a sad smile on her
lips. “You know that I will Dinah.”
http://5hfanfiction.tumblr.com/post/62189160723/trialsand-
tribulationschapter25 3/10 “I know,” she agreed. “Thank you for
keeping me informed with everything that has been going on with
her.” Dinah continued appreciatively. “I’ve been worrying myself sick thinking up all the possible things that could be wrong. It
scared the crap out of me to see her like that….there was blood
everywhere…” Lauren squeezed Dinah’s shoulder kindly before
moving her hand down and placing it on top of the other girls’.
“It’s nothing serious,” Lauren reassured her. “The doctors aren’t
too concerned so, try not to worry about it, alright?” “I’m trying,”
Dinah responded, “but it’s just, she looks so tired and withdrawn
all the time.” Dinah noted. “I can’t help but worry, especially
when she was doing so well.” Lauren sighed as she thought about
the obvious changes in her since her readmission to the hospital.
“She’s not really sleeping,” Lauren told Dinah, wanting to share as
much information with her as possible to try and allay her
discernible concerns. “Since they’ve changed her medication she’s
been getting a lot more headaches and her left hand has been
really painful. They haven’t really found the right replacement
pills for her yet…” “Is her speech still alright?” Dinah asked feeling
guilty. “It…comes and goes,” Lauren admitted. “It really depends
on how tired she is, but, she’s been quiet in herself as well. Ithink
she misses having you around to be honest,” Lauren confessed.
“She’s just too proud to admit it.” “Can you do something for
me?” Dinah asked removing the bracelet from around her wrist
and holding it out for Lauren. “Can you please give this back to
her for me?” “Didn’t she give this to you?” Lauren asked taking
the bracelet from her uncertainly. “Yeah,” Dinah said, “but it feels
like its burning a mark into my wrist every time I wear it. She should have it back.” “Ok,” Lauren said placing the bracelet into
her pocket. “I’ll give it to her during math.” “Tell her…” Dinah
started but, she changed her mind at the last minute. “Tell her
what?” Lauren asked probingly. “Just…tell her that I’m really
sorry, alright?” Dinah asked. “That’s it, just that I’m really sorry for
everything.” “I will,” Lauren assured her just as Miss Lovato stood
from her seat at the front of the class to share some
announcements and take registration. Dinah, Ally and Lauren had
no other opportunity to discuss their currently fractured group
and Camila’s health any further before next period and when the
bell rang, they separated to go to their respective classes. Lauren
had French class following home room on a Wednesday and sat,
her mind preoccupied with thoughts of how Camila’s
appointment went, her hands playing mindlessly with the bracelet
that Dinah had asked her to return. Lauren studied the bracelet
closely in her hands as she thought, sighing inwardly at the mess
Camila was in. She’d been miserable ever since that day, when
Dinah had gone against her wishes and allowed her mom into the
room to find her bloodied and pale. Camila’s parents had almost
instantly taken her down to the emergency room, barely
hesitating long enough for Camila to change into a pair of sweats
and a hoody. Dinah had stayed behind to look after Sofi until her
abuela arrived and then slept over until morning when she’d
gotten a ride to school with Ally. The doctors had kept Camila in
hospital for three days, running various tests and completing a multitude of investigations. Lauren had visited her every day after
school anxious with worry about the cause of the nosebleeds.
Camila had been quiet for the most part, but, she had allowed
Lauren to hold her close, burying herself into her chest when
she’d climbed up onto the hospital bed with her. Dinah had
attempted to visit numerous times over the course of Camila’s
admission but, each time she’d arrived, Dinah was met with
complete and utter silence, Camila ignoring any attempts at
communication she’d made. Finally, after finding that all Camila’s
other tests had come back clean, the doctors had discharged her,
putting the nosebleeds down to the various medications she was
taking, in particular her antiinflammatories and analgesics whose
side effects, often included nosebleeds.
http://5hfanfiction.tumblr.com/post/62189160723/trialsand-
tribulationschapter25 4/10 Camila’s doctor had immediately
changed her prescriptions to try and reduce the same thing
happening in future. However, not only had Camila still suffered
from further nosebleeds periodically, she had also been suffering
from a higher incidence of what were sometimes debilitating
headaches and excruciating wrist pain. Lauren thought back to
how happy Camila had been that afternoon whilst they’d
practiced hitting balls down at the batting cages and conducted
food challenges at Jimmy’s diner. Dinah had been right when
she’d told Lauren to embrace the good days because lately, they
seemed to be few and far between, peppered sporadically amongst what seemed to be an ever increasing number of bad
ones. Following her French class, Lauren made her way towards
math and hoped that Camila would be present, her appointment
not running into the class. Lauren felt herself relax with relief as
she entered the familiar classroom to find her girlfriend occupying
her usual seat by the window and she made her way across the
space between them, dropping herself down into the vacant seat
at Camila’s side. Camila didn’t turn to look at Lauren immediately,
apparently unaware of her arrival, her attention focused on
something of interest on the other side of the glass, her mind
obviously preoccupied on other things. “Camz,” Lauren said her
voice soft as she placed a hand gently on Camila’s arm to get her
attention. “Is everything alright?” Camila turned her face to look
at Lauren and smiled at her sleepily. “Yeah,” Camila answered,
reaching over with her other hand to take the one Lauren had
placed on her arm. She rubbed the back of Lauren’s hand
unconsciously and returned to glancing out the window. “So,”
Lauren started hesitatingly. “How did it go at the hospital?”
Camila dropped her gaze to the table for a minute before glancing
back at Lauren, her eyes not quite meeting her girlfriends’ bright
green ones. “Fine,” Camila said in response, her eyelids dropping
heavily for a second. “They took some more blood,” Camila
informed her, holding out her left arm and showing Lauren the
small beige plaster which had been stuck over where the needle
had marked her. “You seem tired,” Lauren commented, reaching a hand up and brushing Camila’s forehead gently with her
fingertips. “I am,” Camila admitted, her eyelids dropping heavily
again. “Should you be here?” Lauren asked her seriously, but the
look Camila gave her in response told her that there would be no
convincing her to go home. “I’m fine,” Camila replied a little too
harshly and Lauren flinched internally at her tone. Lauren brushed
Camila’s forehead again and she closed her eyes, tilting her head
into the palm of Lauren’s hand, resting it there as Lauren leant
forward to kiss her brow soothingly. “I’m sorry,” Lauren
apologised again, the words quickly becoming the most used in
her vocabulary over the last few weeks. It seemed like she
couldn’t have one conversation with Camila anymore without
feeling the need to apologise for something. Most of the time she
didn’t even know what she’d done to warrant the need for it. “No
I’m sorry,” Camila countered. “I’m just…so tired.” “I know,”
Lauren said in understanding, stroking her brow again. “Do you
have a headache?” Lauren asked her worriedly. “Yeah a little,”
Camila admitted. “It’s not too bad though. I’ve had worse.” “Have
you taken something?” Lauren asked her. “I’m maxed out,”
Camila responded a hint of irritation in her voice. “I think that’s
why I’m so tired…” “Your speech doesn’t seem too bad,” Lauren
noted positively. “Give it an hour,” Camila replied shortly. “I’m
sure I’ll be incoherent by lunch.” “Camz,” Lauren said sadly, as
Camila held her head in her right hand, massaging her temple.
Lauren rubbed Camila’s back soothingly. “Can I do anything?” “No,” Camila answered lifting her gaze to look at Lauren.
http://5hfanfiction.tumblr.com/post/62189160723/trialsand-
tribulationschapter25 5/10 “How about we go out tonight and get
something to eat?” Lauren suggested in an attempt to lift Camila’s
mood. “I’m not really feeling up to it,” Camila replied honestly.
“Ithink I’d just rather stay in.” “Ok,” Lauren responded, her voice
betraying the rejection that she felt. Camila scrunched up her
nose and furrowed her brow on hearing Lauren’s tone and sighed.
“I know it’s boring,” she said misunderstanding Lauren’s response.
“You don’t have to come over if you’d rather hang out at Ally’s…I
guess I’m kind of a sucky girlfriend at the moment…” she mused.
“No it’s not that,” Lauren said kissing the side of Camila’s cheek in
an attempt to reassure her. “I just…I didn’t think you wanted me
to come over. I thought you meant that you wanted to be alone.”
Camila met Lauren’s gaze and reached up her hand to move a
stray strand of hair out of her eyes. “Please come over,” Camila
pleaded with her. “Of course I’ll come over,” Lauren told her
squeezing Camila’s left hand and cursing herself mentally when
she saw her wince in discomfort. “I know you didn’t sign up for
this,” Camila said evidently angry at herself for not being able to
be the girlfriend she thought Lauren deserved. “It’s ok,” Lauren
reassured her. “You’re just having a bad day, that’s all.” “That’s all
I seem to have at the moment,” Camila commented dryly.
“Perhaps you should talk to Dinah?” Lauren tried, sensing that
their rift was playing a larger part in Camila’s mood than she was admitting. “No,” Camila said simply. “Camz she’s really worried
about you,” Lauren tried. “She feels awful about what happened
and she misses you.” Lauren paused for a moment to gauge
Camila’s reaction to her words but all they were met with was
apathy. “I know that you miss her too,” Lauren told her
sensitively. Camila looked at Lauren with a miserable expression
on her face and for one second, Lauren thought that Camila was
about to burst out in tears she appeared so despondent. “She
gave me this to give to you,” Lauren said when Camila didn’t say
anything in response. Lauren reached into her pocket and pulled
out the bracelet Dinah had given her earlier and handed it to
Camila who studied it with an unreadable expression on her face.
“I gave this to her,” Camila noted finally, having turned the
bracelet over in her hands a few times. “It…was a present.
She…she doesn’t want it anymore?” Camila asked her meeting
Lauren’s eyes. “She told me to tell you that she’s sorry for
everything that happened,” Lauren shared with Camila, sensing an
opportunity. “She feels awful Camz.” “She shouldn’t,” Camila
answered and Lauren felt hopeful at the words. “She didn’t do
anything wrong.” “So you’ll talk to her?” Lauren asked
optimistically. “No,” Camila replied and Lauren furrowed her brow
in confusion. “Why?” Lauren asked puzzled. “Ijust…can’t,” Camila
replied dropping her gaze. “Camz,” Lauren started to say but her
sentence was interrupted by Mr Lopez arriving to take the class,
himself being double certified as a math and history teacher. They had a test scheduled for today so Lauren was unable to probe
Camila’s reluctance to talk to Dinah further until lunch when they
were sat together at lunch across the
http://5hfanfiction.tumblr.com/post/62189160723/trialsand-
tribulationschapter25 6/10 cafeteria from where Ally, Normani
and the girl in question sat. Camila had been decidedly quiet since
math class and Lauren watched her now as she sat eating her
sandwich, the bracelet that she’d given Dinah now firmly secured
around her own wrist alongside the matching one she owned.
Lauren saw Camila look in Dinah’s direction subtly out of the
corner of her eye and decided that this was her opportunity to
broach the topic once more. “Go and talk to her,” Lauren
prompted encouragingly. “She’ll talk to you Camz. She’s been
desperate to talk to you for two weeks.” “I don’t want to talk to
her,” Camila answered taking another bite of her sandwich and
looking towards the table Dinah occupied once again. Lauren
looked over her shoulder and smiled when she saw Dinah looking
back at the two of them with a sad expression on her face. Dinah
waved at Lauren and Camila inquisitively but only Lauren
responded, Camila choosing to continue to stare at the other girl
for a moment before turning her attention back to her lunch.
“What are you doing Camz?” Lauren asked her earnestly. “You’re
both clearly miserable…” “Please just drop it Lauren,” Camila cut
her off despairingly. “No I don’t get it,” Lauren told her glancing
over her shoulder at Dinah again to see her still looking in their direction. “You don’t hate her and you don’t blame her, but, you
won’t forgive her?” Camila dropped her sandwich on to the table
her appetite lost and she massaged her temple again, scrunching
up her face as she did so. “Please, just…leave it,” Camila said,
closing her eyes for a moment. “Camz this is ridiculous,” Lauren
said in disbelief. “Dinah loves you…she was trying to help…” “She
didn’t help!”Camila practically spat out, tears threatening the
corners of her eyes. “She didn’t alright.” “You just said that it
wasn’t her fault,” Lauren said surprised at the venom in Camila’s
voice. “You said that she didn’t do anything wrong…” “I know she
was trying to do the right thing,” Camila said rubbing at her eyes,
“I know that. Honestly, I do…” “Then what’s the problem?” Lauren
asked her. “I am,” Camila told her. “I’m the problem Lauren.”
“Camila you’re not…” Lauren said, moving her hand to place it on
Camila’s left forearm. “Please don’t touch me,” Camila said
removing her arm out from under Lauren’s touch, selfloathing
etched in her voice. “Please…” she beseeched. “I’m sorry,” Lauren
apologised, those now familiar words coming all too reflexively.
Camila dropped her head into her hands and chuckled to herself,
a manic, somewhat disturbing sound it was so misplaced in the
moment. “You’re sorry,” Camila said, “Dinah’s sorry, my doctors
are sorry, everyone is fucking sorry…” she continued. “Ok, don’t
do this to yourself Camz,” Lauren said, ensuring that she
restrained the hand that was itching to reach for Camila’s chin
and turn her face up to look at her. “Don’t be angry,” Camila said appearing lost in her own thoughts, the words trickling out of her
mouth as soon as her brain had conceived them. “Don’t get upset,
don’t get frustrated or…or annoyed.” She paused for a minute
lifting her eyes to Lauren’s. “You’re doing really well,” Camila said
mimicking everyone that she’d ever heard those words from her
tone mocking. “You’re getting better every day; making
improvements…you should be pleased with your progress…” “I’m
not getting better Lauren,” Camila said angrily after a moment
when Lauren had not said anything in response, all words lost to
her. Camila clutched at the side of her
http://5hfanfiction.tumblr.com/post/62189160723/trialsand-
tribulationschapter25 7/10 head as she continued. “I’m not…and
you stick around like one day I’ll wake up and finally be the person
that you deserve…” “You know that’s not…” Lauren began but
Camila was slowly spiralling and she’d already stopped listening to
anyone else except the voice in her head which kept telling her
that she was a failure and an idiot. The voice that constantly made
her question her continued existence, whether it was all worth
the struggles she faced on a daily basis. “First the seizures…”
Camila continued unimpeded, “and then the nosebleeds…and the
pain, the constant, pounding, ache in my head and the burning in
my arm, the pins and needles…” “Camz calm down babe,” Lauren
said reaching forward to put a hand on her shoulder and stopping
at the last minute, remembering Camila’s previous reaction. “Just
breathe…its ok.” “It’s not ok,” Camila said, hearing but not listening. She was completely unaware of Lauren’s presence, her
mind racing, rambling, “I failed that test, I didn’t even answer any
of the questions…I couldn’t concentrate…” Lauren sucked in a
deep breath and she glanced over at Dinah who was watching
them, evidently concerned, from where she sat. Dinah made a
move to stand up but Lauren stayed her by raising her hand.
“Camz…look at me…” Lauren pleaded, tears stinging the corner of
her eyes and threatening to spill over. “It’s me Lauren…just…calm
down…babe, don’t get yourself worked up…you’ll have another…”
As she said it, Lauren noted the pool of blood forming at the
opening to Camila’s left nostril and felt her stomach drop,
Camila’s agitation bringing on another nosebleed as she thought it
might. “What’s wrong?” Lauren asked leaning forward and
holding out a tissue for Camila, which she either did not see or
chose to ignore. “Why are you doing this?” Lauren asked her.
“You were doing so well…” “Ifucking hate myself,” Camila said
loudly in response. There it is again, Lauren thought as Camila
finally expressed the same selfloathing which she’d suffered with
since they’d first met and as before, Lauren’s heart broke at the
sound of the words as they left Camila’s lips. “I’m fucking useless,”
Camila shouted standing up and banging her hands on the table,
causing her to wince in pain. She pulled her left arm up into her
chest, cradling it with her right. “Shit,” she said and Lauren stood
up anxious, noting that Dinah had followed suit from the corner of
her eye. Students were watching the interaction now and Lauren couldn’t help but feel selfconscious as Camila continued. “I can’t
fucking stand it,” Camila shouted, her face growing red and her
breath coming fast. “It’s such fucking bullshit…it’s…it’s….fucking
shit.” Lauren noted movement out of the corner of her eye and
was almost positive that it was Dinah but she couldn’t tear her
eyes away from Camila, her mind torn with what to do for the
best. She knew if she tried to touch her, Camila would lash out
but, if she didn’t she could hurt herself, her emotions already
getting the better of her. “Why do you even hang out with me?”
Camila asked and Lauren went to answer but wasn’t afforded the
opportunity when Camila pressed on. “You could be friends with
anyone, you could date anyone but you don’t…none of you
do…why? I don’t understand why you stick around? Why the fuck
do you put up with all this shit? Why?” “Camz,” Lauren said her
voice calm. She stepped closer to Camila again, reaching out her
hand tentatively but stepping back quickly when Camila swiped at
her. “Don’t fucking touch me!” Camila shouted. “I don’t want
anyone to touch me, just… leave me the fuck alone. I just…”
Camila reached up to put a hand to her head as though she felt
dizzy, the blood from her nose now leaving a crimson trail down
her lip and on to her chin. “Mila…” Dinah tried, having stepped up
beside Lauren as Miss Lovato also appeared beside them.
http://5hfanfiction.tumblr.com/post/62189160723/trialsand-
tribulationschapter25 8/10 “Fuck you,” Camila said putting a hand
on the table to steady herself. “Fuck you,” she said again, her voice slightly weaker now, some of the bitterness lost, sobs
escaping her lips as tears began to fall from her eyes. “Camz,”
Lauren said again, stepping closer to Camila worriedly. Camila had
bowed her head so that it was in held in her hands. She started to
hit the top of it with the heel of her hands, gently at first and then
more forcefully, cursing under her breath, admonishing herself.
Lauren took the opportunity to take another step closer to Camila
and took hold of here right hand in her grasp firmly. Camila’s head
snapped up at the contact like she’d been given and electric shock
and she wrestled in Lauren’s grip trying to get free. “Let me go!”
she hissed. “Lauren…let me go…” Lauren didn’t know whether she
meant in this moment or forever, but glancing at Miss Lovato who
was stood observing the scene closely, apparently at just as much
of a loss as both Lauren and Dinah, she was reminded of her
words of advice the last time this had happened. “Just continue to
be there. Even when it’s hard for her and she lashes out or tries to
push you away. Especially be there for her then, because that’s
when she’ll need you to be around the most.” “No,” Lauren said
firmly as she grabbed hold of Camila’s left elbow. “Stop,” Camila
pleaded, trying to bang her fists into Lauren’s chest. “Fucking stop
it!” Camila tried to hit Lauren, tried to punch her, tried to kick her,
but Lauren held her tightly, pulling her close to her. “No!” Camila
protested again as Lauren continued to hold her unrelentingly.
“Stop it please…” “Shh…” Lauren said pulling Camila’s face into
her chest as she continued to squirm, the blood from here nose seeping into Lauren’s shirt. She threw her arms around Camila’s
torso pulling her into her closer, not letting her go even as her
girlfriends’ fists pumped into her back in protest. “Shh…” Lauren
tried to soothe again, reaching up with one hand to gently stroke
her hair. “It’s ok.” Lauren reassured her, her whole body moving
as Camila continued to escape her grasp. “Please…” Camila said
her voice quieter than before. “Please…” her body finally sagging
in Lauren’s arms as she openly sobbed. “Please make it stop,” she
said crying. “I just want it to stop,” Camila said as her knees
buckled and she collapsed to the floor, still wrapped up in
Lauren’s arms. Lauren kissed the top of Camila’s head, herself
crying now as Camila reached up and once again pressed the heel
of her hand to her head, bumping it repeatedly. “Please… just
make it stop…please Lauren…please…” “Ok,” Lauren said kissing
the top of Camila’s head again and rocking her back and forth
slightly on the floor. “It’s ok…” “Please,” Camila pleaded again
pushing her forehead into Lauren’s shoulder. “Please…” “I’ve got
you,” Lauren comforted sharing a look with Miss Lovato who had
put a hand on her shoulder supportively. “I’ve got you Camz…it’ll
be alright….shh…I promise…I’ve got you.”
