Chapter 6

Lauren's hands hovered above the keyboard of her laptop. She clenched her hand in a fist before opening them and shaking them. Lauren took a deep breath before she began typing. Lauren hadn't written anything in a long time but she had the sudden urge to write that day. So, she wrote. She wasn't thinking about what words she was typing into the documents. She just typed.

Lauren was halfway through the second chapter when she heard her phone buzz and she jumped at the sound. Lauren blinked. She grabbed her iPhone and saw that it was Camila.

"Hello?" Lauren said as she answered the phone.

"Hi. How are you?"

"I'm good," Lauren said, "And you?"

"Tired as always. What are you doing?" Camila asked.

"Um, writing actually," the older woman said.

"Really? I thought you quit," Camila said.

Lauren felt a smile crept onto her lips, "I felt inspired lately."

"Oh yeah? Do tell."

Lauren's smile widened as she let out a nervous laugh, "You gotta wait until you're back here."

"You know what? I'll take that deal," Camila said.

"So, where are you?" Lauren asked.

"Wouldn't you like to know," Camila teased.

Lauren let out a chuckle. Then she heard a knock on her door.

"Hey, Camila? I'll call you back," Lauren said as she grabbed her crutches and made her way to the door. When she opened them, her jaw dropped. In front of her was none other than Camila Cabello. Camila gave her a warm smile before she hugged the older woman.

"You're here," Lauren said as she hugged her back with one hand.

"Of course, where else would I be?" Camila asked as she walked into the apartment.

"I don't know, LA maybe?" Lauren suggested as she closed the door and made her way to the couch, where Camila sat.

"LA's boring and besides, New York is kinda growing on me," Camila said as she stretched. Lauren blushed as she looked away because Camila exposed her toned abs and belly button when she stretched.

"Why are you standing? Come sit here and cuddle with me," Camila said. Lauren let out a light chuckle as she sat beside Camila and almost instantly, the younger Latina rested her head on Lauren's shoulder as she wrapped her arms around Lauren's waist as she nestled up.

"I missed you," Camila said in a baby voice.

"It's only been a month since you left," Lauren said.

"It's been too long," she said with a pout. Lauren found it endearing whenever the brunette did that. Lauren wrapped one arm around Camila's body as she kissed the top of her head.

"I missed you too, Camz," Lauren said.

Lauren's eye widened when she realized what she had just said. Her heart picked up speed as she tried to calm down.

"You haven't called me that in forever," Camila said as she lifted her head and looked into Lauren's eyes.

"It slipped," Lauren said as she tried to avoid eye contact.

"Lauren," Camila said, "Look at me."

When Lauren didn't move, Camila held Lauren by her chin and turned her head, "Look at me," she said. When Lauren met her gaze, a huge smile appeared on Camila's face.

"You're still the only person who calls me Camz because you're still special to me," Camila said. Lauren said nothing as she looked into Camila's chocolate orbs. A small smile crept onto Lauren's lips as she looked at the smiling brunette.

~

The two Latinas ended up cuddling on the couch as they watched a movie when Ally walked in.

"Hey guys," she said.

"Hi," Lauren said as she kept her eyes on the screen.

"Hey Ally," Camila said with a smile as she looked at the older woman.

"What are ya'll doing?"

"Watching a movie," Camila said.

"Well, Lauren's watching a movie. I just zone out most of the time," Camila added as Ally chuckled in response.

"What are you doing here, Mila?" Ally asked.

"Why do you two keep asking me that? Do you guys not want me here?"

"No, no, we're glad that you're here," Ally said, "It's just that you're always so busy. I just thought that you'd be gone longer, that's all."

"I have a couple of days off so I thought of spending it here with you guys, instead of being alone all the time," Camila said.

"Well, I actually have to go to work soon. It was nice seeing you again, Mila. I'll talk to you guys later," Ally said as she left.

"Bye," Lauren said as the door shut. Camila grabbed the remote and shut the television off.

"Hey! I was watching that!" Lauren exclaimed.

"Lauren, you can't stay home all day. You need to go out," Camila said as she pulled the older woman by her hand.

"No, Camila," Lauren whined.

"Stop being such a baby," Camila said, giggling.

Lauren crossed her arms as she furrowed her eyebrows and pouted.

"Stop pouting or I'll have to kiss that pout away."

Lauren's face fell as she blinked at the younger woman in disbelief, "What?"

"You heard me," Camila said with a smirk.

Lauren looked away as she took a deep breath. Her heart was beating very fast. Lauren looked at Camila and smile.

~

Lauren and Camila walked side by side at Central Park as they talked about trivial things. After a while, Lauren began to feel tired so they sat at a park bench.

"So, how's life?" Lauren asked after a while. Camila burst out laughing as she shook her head. Lauren just looked at her with a smile.

"To be honest, kinda lonely. When we were Fifth Harmony, all I ever wanted was to be alone sometimes and now, I can't stand it," Camila said.

"You miss us?"

"Very much, yes," Camila said.

"No, Camz, I mean... Do you miss us?" Lauren asked as she looked down and interlace her fingers with Camila's.

"More than anything in the world," she said.

"Why did you think I came back?" Camila asked, "I wanted to see you," she said as she brought their interlocked hands up and kissed the back of Lauren's hand.

"Camila, what are we?"

"What do you want us to be?"

Lauren looked at their hands, "More," she said quietly.

Camila smiled, "Since when were you so straightforward?"

"Since I almost died," Lauren said as she looked at Camila.

Camila smiled as she kissed Lauren's cheek, "C'mon, let's get back to the apartment," she said as she helped Lauren up.

~

"Lauren?"

Lauren hummed in response. The two Latinas were lying in bed, facing each other, after a long day.

"Did you mean what you said?"

"What?" Lauren asked as she looked at the brunette.

"Five years ago. Did you mean what you said? That you loved me?" she asked.

"Or was that like the last resort to get me to stay?" Camila asked.

Lauren looked away, "Yeah, I meant it," she said before she met Camila's gaze. Camila gave her a sleepily smile before she leaned in and kissed her lips lightly.

"What was that for?" Lauren asked.

"I love you too," Camila said, "I've always loved you," she said as she shut her eyed and smiled. Lauren smiled to herself as she watched Camila. The younger woman looked so beautiful and peaceful, and Lauren felt as though she was looking at the old Camila she had always loved. Lauren soon drifted to sleep and for the first time, she didn't wake up in the middle of the night because of a nightmare.

~

When Lauren woke up the next day, she saw Camila smiling at her.

"Morning," she said.

Lauren hummed in response as she felt her eyelids drop again.

"You're... Staring," Lauren said sleepily.

"Can't help it. You're beautiful," she said.

Lauren grabbed the blanket and pulled it over to cover her face. She heard Camila giggle as she tried to pull the covers off.

"Hey," she said, "Why are you hiding?" she asked, giggling.

"Let me sleep!" Lauren whined.

"Fine. When I come back, you better be awake," Camila said. Lauren brought the covers down as she looked at Camila.

"Where are you going?"

"If you must know, I'm gonna go get breakfast and coffee because you ran out of food," Camila said as she kissed Lauren's forehead, "Be back soon!" she said before walking out.

~

When Camila returned, she found Lauren sitting on the bed. She was hugging her knees close to her chest as she looked at the window.

"Lauren? Are you okay?" Camila asked as she placed the coffees on the nightstand.

"I can't do this, Camila," Lauren said, "I can't..."

"Whatever this is... Whatever we are... It has to stop," Lauren said as she looked at the brunette before her eyes fell to the floor.

"Because I shake the feeling that one day, you're going to leave me again... And I don't think I can handle that," she said.

"Is that what you want?" Camila asked as Lauren turned back to the window.

"Answer me, Lauren. Is that what you want?" she asked again. Lauren turned back and met her gaze with tear filled eyes.

"I want you," she said before she looked away and blinked back the tears. Camila climbed onto the bed and crawled towards her. She leaned in and kissed Lauren's lips gently. Lauren kissed her back hungrily and desperately. Camila pulled away after a while and bit her bottom lip as she rested her forehead against Lauren's. Camila's hands cupped Lauren's cheek as she tried to catch her breath.

"I love you," Lauren said as she sobbed, "I love you," she said it over and over again. Camila pulled away as she hugged Lauren tightly.

"I meant what I said before. I'm not leaving you this time. I may have to go once in a while but now it's different," Camila said as she pulled away, cupped Lauren's face with her hands as she looked into those emerald green eyes she adored.

"Now, I have a reason to come back," she said, "And it's you."

"I love you, Lauren and I'm not just saying that," Camila added with a smile before pulling her in and kissed her lips once again.