~Well I've been running from something
Twenty years in my car
Down a road that's leading me nowhere
Yeah we drive through the farmland
No one knows where we're from
Could I kiss you and make you a queen?
Or something in between~
Lauren's heartbeat became rapid and her breaths uneven as if grasping for air that wasn't there. All three girls realized what was happening and immediately jumped towards the brunette on the platform that seemed to be having some sort of panic attack. Normani's eyes became concerned; as she was the first one to get on the platform, hand on her best friend. All three surrounded the green-eyed girl as she began to hyperventilate.
"Lauuurrrrr, breathe, breathe." Normani said grabbing her shoulder gently as she looked at her best friend.
Lauren began frantically trying to reach the zipper on the back of the dress, "can someone get this thing off of me!" her voice desperate as she tried to reach it herself.
Ally slowly undid the zipper, "Lauren, you're okay, we're right here." Dinah nodded in agreement.
"Can someone just FUCKING get this dress off of me PLEASE!" she screamed as tears streaked down her face, "I can't breathe, please." She fell to the floor sobbing as Normani wrapped her arms around the fragile girl on the floor.
Normani brushed Lauren's hair off her face with her hand as the girl continued to weep in her arms.
***Normani's House, Redondo Beach, CA 9PM***
Normani stood by the stove waiting for the kettle to whistle. She watched her best friend on the couch, sitting with her legs crossed, her eyes out the window. She was staring into nothing in particular, almost as if searching, still visibly shaken by the news that Camila was in town.
Normani handed Lauren a hot cup of tea, "here you go, be careful, it's hot." She smiled sympathetically. "Want to talk about it?"
Lauren took a sip of her tea, "mmmm, so good." She put the cup down. "I don't really know what happened in there today Mani, just knowing that she's HERE..." Her voice trailed off as she sighed, "four years, I haven't seen her in for years and I just always..." She paused.
"You always what Laur?" Normani gave her a half smile as she noticed the girl relax her posture, deep in thought.
"You know Camila proposed to me?" She chuckled at the memory.
"What? When?"
"I was seventeen and she was sixteen, she bought me some silly candy ring pop," she perked up an eyebrow as she smiled.
***Flashback 7 Years Ago***
~Do you want to see it?
The place where I was free?
'Cause in my mind I need it
But you're nowhere near to me~
"Hi." The younger brunette said so sweetly as she closed the door behind her, green eyes meeting her gaze.
"Hi." Lauren flashed her tired smile that melted Camila's heart as she made her way to the older girl.
"So, what's so important that you had to interrupt my studying huh?" The green-eyed girl asked brushing her nose against the brown-eyed girl's who sat next to her on the bed.
Camila grabbed Lauren's face gently with one hand, placing her soft, warm lips on the older brunette's tender lips. "Well if that's the reason, then I approve." She smiled into her lips.
"I got you something." The younger girl pulled something out of her pocket, unwrapping it. "I'm going marry you someday Lauren." She said without a single doubt in her heart as she placed the candy ring pop on the older girl's finger.
Lauren's heart fluttered as her glistening green eyes met shiny brown orbs, "is that right? You're not even going to get on one knee and ask?" She said teasingly.
Camila leaned in, their lips almost touching, "I don't ask questions to which I already know the answer, that would just be silly." She breathed out before meshing their lips together passionately.
Lauren smiled from ear to ear because Camila was right, her answer was YES, with the younger brunette it was always YES. "Okay, I'll leave you to your books, which by the way I'm very jealous of your books." She teased before making her way to the door.
"Camz..."
"Yeah?"
"I want a small wedding, just close family and friends, maybe overlooking the ocean."
Camila bit her bottom lip, staring at the love of her life for a few seconds, as she held the doorknob, "whatever you want my love, whatever you want."
***End of Flashback***
Normani laughed lightly at the story, "leave it to Mila to propose with a candy ring!"
"Right," Lauren's expressions slowly turned serious, almost a little heartbreaking.
"Laur?"
"I guess I just always thought she'd be the one I'd be marrying." Lauren confessed, her eyes a gray-green color.
Normani squeezed her shoulder, not really knowing what to say as Lauren gave her head a quick shake, "doesn't matter now, I'm marry the most wonderful and amazing woman, I'm happy."
It's true, Lauren IS happy, but she couldn't help but feel an ache in her heart. She had a void left within her that can and has only ever been filled by the brown-eyed girl.
"That's right." Normani nodded in agreement, "so when does Dana get back from her business trip anyways?"
"A couple of weeks, thanks for letting me stay here Mani."
"Of course! You're always welcome, you know that."
~RING-RING-RING~
Normani glanced at her phone and stood up, walking towards the kitchen, "hey Mila."
Lauren's eyes couldn't help but narrow towards her best friend and she heard tidbits of their conversation.
"Mhhmmm, yeah sounds good, I'll see you tomorrow night. Love you too, bye." Normani hung up as her eyes met narrowed ones on the couch. "Don't look at me like that, she's my best friend too Lauren."
"I'm not looking at you like anything," she turned her gaze out the window. "So," she exhaled, "what's she here for? Some photography event I'm sure, then gone." She laughed mockingly, her tone disdainful.
"Actually Laur, Mila's back for good." Lauren's attention turned back to her best friend, her brain not processing what she just heard.
Camila's back FOR GOOD…but WHY?
~Move to New York City
Take your woman by the hand
Leave her there with your things on the doorstep
And there's no way around it
Could this be our last dance?
So fall asleep with the tv, darling
I'll be back again~
***Venice Beach Wines, Venice Beach, CA 8PM***
"Let me know what you think ladies?" the waitress asked as she placed two glasses of red wine on the table.
Normani wasn't much of a wine drinker so she watched the younger brunette across from her take the lead. Camila swished the dark red liquid in her glass, allowing it to aerate some more before positioning the glass before her nose, taking in the scent.
"The aroma is exquisite," she said before taking a sip, "wow that's delightful, we'll take two bottles of the Almaviva Puente Alto, what year is that again?" she asked the waitress.
"2008, perfect, I'll be back with those two bottles."
"Take your time, we'll be here for a little while." She flashed her a smile.
"Camila, those are hundred dollar bottles." Normani said wide-eyed.
"It's my homecoming present to you," she smiled, "besides, you REALLY need to start drinking good wine, RED wine." She chuckled jokingly.
Normani took a sip of her drink, letting the flavors swim in her mouth. "Wow, that's REALLY good Mila."
"See, told you, GOOD wine makes a difference." She held her glass up for a toast. "To you and me, thanks for always being there for me Mani. I know it was hard for you too when I left, we all grew up together, best friends," Camila flashed a toothless smile, her eyes a little sad, "I just wanted to say thank you."
~CLANK~
"I love you too Mila." Normani smiled lovingly at her best friend, to her, Camila was a younger sister.
Camila was never good with her words; she didn't grow up in a loving family like Lauren and Normani. Yes, all three girls have known each other since sixth grade; they grew up together. All three were best friends and Normani refused to EVER choose sides between the two. It's not like she ever really had to, but when she did, she'd put both of them in their place.
***Flashback Freshman Year of High school***
~Do you want to see it?
The place where I am free?
'Cause in my mind I've been there
And there's no one here but me~
Normani watched Lauren toss things in her closet clearly frustrated, "like seriously Mani, I don't know what Camz's problem is, why can't she just be supportive?"
Normani raised her hands up shaking her head, "I'm NOT doing this with you two, whatever you guys are fighting about, you can talk it out."
"Ha! Talk it out, yeah because she's sooooo GREAT with talking it out." The porcelain skin girl rolled her eyes.
"You know Mila cares about you Lauren, we both do; she's just looking out for you. Anyways," she stood up, "Mila's downstairs, she just texted me."
"What?" Lauren was confused.
"You two need to talk, okay, love you Laur, bye." She closed the door behind her before Lauren could protest.
The door slowly opened, "Hey." The younger girl's voice was monotone.
"Hey." The taller brunette nodded as if waiting for the younger girl to say something.
"Mani said you wanted to talk to me." Camila let out.
Lauren crossed her arms, "oh did she? Well, she lied."
"Okay fine." Camila turned to towards the door.
Lauren immediately closed the gap between them, grabbing the younger girl's arms to turn her around, unguarded green eyes locking with gentle brown ones. "Camz, this is dumb, I hate fighting with you; you know that." She smiled at the younger brunette.
"Yeah." Camila nodded, unable to say anything else.
"Yeah? That's it; you have nothing else to say? I mean you were pretty rude to Evan the other night." Her green eyes narrowed, irritated. "FINE! Just stand in front of me and don't say anything," her hand flailing about as she began ranting, brown eyes staring at her the entire time. "Ugh! I just, I don't get you," her green eyes beginning to water as all these different emotions began to flood the taller brunette; she wasn't quite sure why she was getting so upset and HOW the younger brunette was the ONLY one to bring this emotion out of her. "Whatever Camm-"
Before she could finish, Camila grabbed her face gently, pulling her in for a kiss. The younger girl leading the way, caressing her full lips against the older girl's which was in shock for a split second, before moving gently along with the brown-eyed girl. Camila hesitantly pulled away, her brown eyes waited to meet smoky green ones that she loved so much.
Camila's lips pulled to her eyes as Lauren fluttered her bright green ones open, "I wish I could give you a reason for the things I do, but I can't" her voice sincere, exuding feelings she's been holding on to. "I'm not up for a fight Lauren, not with you." The taller brunette's eyes softened, her heart swelling, "you need a lover that's good enough for you, he's NOT good enough for you." Her brown eyes intense as she continued to cup Lauren's face, "you need someone who believes in you," she tucked a stray hair behind Lauren's ear, "I believe in you."
***End of Flashback***
"Love you too Mani." She said before taking another sip, "so, maid of honor?" she stared at her wine glass, avoiding eye contact as the pain pierced through her entire body. "I know it's silly because I ask this question every time I see you," she shook her head, slowly bringing her glossy brown eyes up to meet her best friend's. "Is she happy?"
Any other time Normani wouldn't hesitate to say 'YES', but seeing Lauren fall apart the other day at the mention of Camila caused her to and the brown-eyed girl noticed, they both knew each other like the back of their hands and Camila notice.
She HESITATED; WHY would she hesitate?
~In the morning it'll find you
Let the light shine away
Down a road that's leading me nowhere
And there's no way around it
Could this be our last dance?
Just fall asleep with the tv, darling
I'll be back again
I'll be back again~