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louisisalarrie · 1 month

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Hello! The LATAM dates anon is me. Ahh sorry I gave you a bit of a chaotic ask! I’m not sure if LATAM really isn’t selling well - Lou’s Mexico dates look sold out - but I read stuff on Twitter via various fan accounts that made it seem as though sales in some countries were slow and they were really trying to drum up sales by giving tickets away etc. I also saw a couple of other tumblr blogs mentioning poor sales but I realise now these accounts are kind of ‘Louis hate accounts’ (urghh) and they’ll say anything to put him down.

I guess I just wondered if you’d read anything different about LATAM? I want it to be amazing for him. He’s such a gem and I really want him to do have great shows out there.

Can’t remember what other stuff I asked…but thank you for taking the time to respond! Xx

No don’t stress at all lovely!!! I appreciate the q’s, but they were different topics so just wanted to break them down xx

Alrighty, let’s look at LATAM ticket sales. Anon, welcome to the show.

Let’s look at some tickets available, capacities, and then I’ll chat more about venue modes and draping etc for some more context.

So, the best selling show in LATAM looks to be Arena VFG, in Guadalajara, Mexico. I’ve had a bit of a look online, and it looks like the show is entirely sold out. That has a capacity of 15,000 , and looks full concert mode, but that doesn’t mean he will have use of all 15,000. The capacity would prooooobably look more like 11,000 - 12,000ish, as an estimate. I haven’t been to the venue so I can’t be 100% on that, but they’re not selling 15,000 tickets to it. We’ll circle back to this later.

Then, his show at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City, is a race track used for Formula 1 events, music festivals, and stuff like that. It’s said to have a capacity of 110,000, but of course would be a reduced mode due to the fact that well… that’s pretty impossible for any artist to sell out. Hell, TS’s biggest concert ever was 96,000 people at the MCG in Melbourne, Australia in 2024. Ed Sheeran did 109,500 people in one night at the MCG in 2023. Harry’s biggest show in Australia for LOT was 69,512 people at Accor Stadium in Sydney, which for both show nights, had a capacity of 70,170 people (the first night sold 66,791).

Louis’ show at Arena 1 in Lima, Peru, has a promotion on until the 15 Match 2024 for 25% off certain tickets (the promotion started on 2 November 2023). It can hold up to 16,000 people, and by the looks of it is mainly used for concerts, not sporting events. So they could be selling an amount of tickets that’s closer to their actual capacity, as opposed to the other venues. Again, I haven’t been to it so I can’t be sure. The discount on these tickets, however, is only for people using payments of “Credit, Debit, Business, and Working Capital Cards”. We see similar promos with other artists, such as MasterCard pre sales, American Express presales, etc., but I haven’t seen discounted tickets like this for other artists off the top of my head. However…

I looked at Louis’ 1st June 2022 show at Arena Peru Explanada in Lima, Peru, and according to Team Louis News on Twitter, it sold out. They said it has a capacity of 15,000 people, but again, doesn’t mean every seat was utilised, but it doesn’t look like it’s used for sport, so they could’ve gotten close. And, funnily enough, at this arena and show, there was a 15% discount if you paid with an Interbank Credit or Debit card.

A lot of stadiums are owned/sponsored by banks, or insurance companies, or these companies may have a large share of profit for the money they invest in it etc., and it’s a great way of advertising. Signing up for a bank for discounts of tickets at their venue(s)??? Yes please. So, you can see the appeal. And I can 100% guarantee you that this is a partnership and a condition of said bank investing in the stadium. A quick look at their other shows, every artist (Lauren Jauregui from Fifth Harmony, Paramore etc.) has a special discount based on if they used that bank’s cards to pay for tickets. So it’s not “oh louis could NEVER sell enough tickets, he’s a flop” and whatever these losers say, it’s that certain arenas (clearly more prominent in LATAM) will have discounts on tickets due to the partnership with the bank that invests in them.

NOW

let’s circle back to capacities. this frustrates me to no end because people throw these numbers around all the time and it just… that’s just not how it works.

You can find a capacity of a venue pretty easily when you google said venue, and often people go “oh wow, this artist is playing a venue that holds 100,000 people!!!!” which is yeah, you’re right, that venue does hold 100,000 people, but that depends entirely on the mode, stage setup, and how big the artist is. Also, if it’s used as a sports stadium as well, it’s gonna hold a hell of a lot more people than a concert mode, because they can utilise every seat. You can’t just sit behind the stage at a concert, but you can sit anywhere during a football match. So that’s a major difference in ticket sales already.

If you’re someone like Harry, who has a big old T catwalk and a larger built out base/main stage, that’s gonna lower the capacity of the venue. So then they make more of it GA on the ground as opposed to seating, to make the capacity higher again. But he plays stadiums, which are used for sport, and so he’s not utilising the whole capacity as it is.

BUT Ed Sheeran did the thing.

At the MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground, used for cricket and AFL etc.), Ed Sheeran sold sooooo many more tickets than TS, because he had a 360 rotating stage in the middle of the stadium. SUCH a good idea, but that doesn’t work for an artist like TS or Harry. They perform and run up and down cat walks and dance and flail about, Ed Sheeran doesn’t. So, yep, the stage setup can seriously affect the capacity.

Then, estimated ticket sales. Louis sold out his last time in Peru, at a different arena, but it’s pretty safe to say he’ll sell out this one too (hopefully). But, that arena last year might not have been utilised at 15,000. So it’s a bit of guess work too, and finding out what he sold last year (which is easy if the same promoter is hosting but idk I haven’t looked that deep in hahaha but I’d say it’s the same one still).

And when tickets go on sale, they’ll release a certain amount (obviously smaller amounts in pre sales to see how it’s selling), but the ticket website doesn’t tell you how many tickets are left. Why would they? That defeats the purpose of trying to tell people that they might miss out. If the website says there is 10,000 tickets left, you’ll wait til closer to the time to buy one because you’re not worried. But, that skews ticket sales and a show can be cancelled over that, which is happening a fair bit at the moment with ticket reselling websites that aren’t authorised by the venue. I can go into ticketing and ticket reselling further if you’d like but yeah… best we stay on topic.

So, if a show sells enough to at least make a small profit, but isnt sold out regardless of capacity size, the promoter will often put a thing called “drapes” over a certain amount of seating to the side of the stage. These are just big black curtains that cover those seats to make it look more full. It’s what you’d call a “reduced mode”. And, that’s also a way they can use bigger venues if an artist won’t quite sell it out, but they’re too big for a smaller scale show and either don’t wanna do a couple of nights in a row or the smaller venue is super booked out etc. And, artists can sell out a reduced mode, which is great PR for them.

Anyway, there are a million variables that happen with shows. But, capacity does not equal ticket sales, discounts at venues does not equal the size of the artist, and I’m sure Louis is gonna do great in LATAM. I’ve seen so many people excited!!!

Hope this helps/makes sense. Thanks anon!

#anon #answered #louisisalarrie chats

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sapphicyearningbot · 7 months

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Hey.

I just want to vent with someone that isn’t going to tell me that I’m going to hell for liking women.

I started dating this girl from an old class that I had, I really liked her; she was funny, sweet, smart, she loved pda, and i could go on but I don’t feel like any words I could say about her would do justice to how marvelous she was.

I dated her for a year, but my parents (which are si conservative and homophobic) one day just decided to check my phone, where I had texts wi her, telling her how much I loved her, sending her songs and poems etc.

And they just pulled me out of the closet; they told me they knew I liked women and that I was “smart enough” to know that “wasn’t normal”.

And they told me to cut contact with her.

I panicked and I did what they told me.

But I can’t still keep her of my mind, I feel like an asshole for what I did, she didn’t deserve it, she was nice and she loved me.

And now my parents use every opportunity that they have with me to tell me that I would be a great match for any man (I like legos and superheros), they talk all the time about how being gay is weird and that people are just gay because it’s “trendy”.

But I know that I’ve always felt attracted to women, from Lauren Jauregui, to Cameron Diaz, Sadie sink and even a member of the K-group twice.

But I feel like I can’t argue with them, I live under their roof even tho they have threatened to kick me out and live with my girlfriend).

I just feel pathetic and they make me feel like my feelings aren’t valid, that just because I like women I don’t have a say on anything, as if I don’t exist.

Sorry if it’s too long, I just don’t have anyone else to talk to

I am so sorry, as a person with homophobic parents too, i get it, it's heartbreaking to have to bear with hearing such horrible stuff, and its hard to not let it slowly start affecting how you view things, but you're not pathetic, your feelings are valid, and you are who you are. your parents don't get it, maybe they never will, but thats their loss, that just shows how much they cannot handle being a parent, because it is about supporting and loving your kids after all. please stay safe out there, lot's of love for you, remember, you are not alone

#vent post #homophobia #sapphic #sapphic yearning #wlw #wlw and nblw only #wlw yearning #nblw #lesbian #yearning #sapphic yearning bot #lesbian yearning #anon submission

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gaywatch · 11 months

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it was disorientating to go from laughing along with your latest mdzs video to going on twitter and seeing thousands of voices anti-lgbtq this pride. It's so bad this year, I can barely find tweets that aren't being drowned out by hate. Thank you for uploading your videos and being a positive space for lgbtq, I had to re-watch some videos to feel better.

Oh ever since Elon """""free speech"""" Musk took over the bird place, it's become safe for no one except asshat loudmouths. I would not recommend it at all for Pride stuff, leave that for curated Tumblr/Discord/Youtube spaces. (If you've gotta do Twitter, rely on your feed and not hashtags...which you've likely realized by now but I thought I'd mention it just in case, lol.)

I'm so sorry they got you down, especially during Pride. May I offer you some queer Youtube content in this trying time? Consider it a little care package. <3 Booktuber recaps the romance novel buddy reads she did with her girlfriend (and her girlfriend is in the video)

One of my fave writing Youtubers just gave us a great vid on sapphic reading recs

My favorite music reaction girlie's old video reacting to sapphic anthem Strangers by Halsey feat. Lauren Jauregui, this is great for a laugh and also her impeccable ally attitude

Troye Sivan's music video from last year, featuring more queerness per square mile than San Francisco and New York combined

Janelle Monae's latest music video, giving Troye a run for his money but in sapphic vibes

Love you <3

#GW Asks #Pride

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lmjupdates · 11 months

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Lauren Jauregui on Collaborating with Ex Ty Dolla $ign While 'in Love' with Partner Sasha Mallory (Exclusive)

The former Fifth Harmony member tells PEOPLE about her new EP 'In Between' and going public with her new relationship: "We're so solid"

Lauren Jauregui is in the In Between.

On Friday, the singer-songwriter released her new EP In Between, a collection of introspective songs written over the past five years, largely about romantic experiences — including her time in a two-year relationship with ex Ty Dolla $ign and the emotional aftermath.

Jauregui, 26, launched into the new era last October with the vulnerable "Always Love," a ballad that expressed her positive feelings toward their amicable split. The EP concludes with a collaboration with the 40-year-old rapper and Russ titled "Wolves," which was created years pre-split but finished and released afterward, proving just how cordial the breakup was.

"Wolves" marks the especially mature and healthy place the former Fifth Harmony member's currently at in her life, as she's collaborating with an ex while in a blissful new relationship with partner Sasha Mallory. The pair went Instagram official in February, around a year after the So You Think You Can Dance alum, 34, danced alongside Jauregui in the live performance film that accompanied her debut EP Prelude. "When we met, it was instant chemistry," Jauregui tells PEOPLE. "It was like, ‘What the f— is this?'"

Ahead of releasing In Between, Jauregui caught up with PEOPLE to discuss the EP's writing process, reconnecting with Ty for the release of "Wolves" and going public with her and Mallory's romance.

Your last EP was called Prelude, and this one's called In Between, which feels like a very natural follow-up. How did you decide on that title?

Me and my manager were talking about just potential EP names, and I was like, "This is the in between." Then, I was like, "Wait a minute. In between. That's it." It was very simple. It’s in between the time of Prelude and the actual official debut album. These are songs that were written way back when that just needed to be released. They need to go into the world, do what they have to do and come out of me. I'm tired of holding onto s—. I just want people to be able to hear it. Now that I'm independent, I can actually make those kinds of decisions, where I can just release stuff because I feel like it's what the people need from me, instead of waiting for the perfect moment. I just want to keep giving people music, and I want people to see my heart. These songs were written a while ago, but they speak to a part of me that’s still healing.

The EP ends with "Wolves" featuring Ty Dolla $ign, and it's cool to see you two working together and showing that "Always Love" was written from a true place of friendship between you two. Tell me how that collaboration came together and what it feels like to release it post-romance.

After "Always Love" came out, we reconnected and I just asked him, "Do you feel comfortable with me still using this song?" And he was like, "Abso-f—ing-lutely." Because he's a musician, first and foremost. If he f—s with something, he doesn't care about clout or whatever. He's a really serious savant when it comes to music.

How does writing songs like these and sitting with them impact your approach to love and romance going forward?

I think they're just part of the process of me healing s—, getting those feelings out of my system and being able to move on from those situations. That's really what my writing is in general, since I was little. Writing, for me, has always been a way that I can channel a feeling outside of my body. Pencil, paper, get it out and let it go.

You went Instagram official last month with your partner, Sasha Mallory. How did it feel to go public with that relationship?

It was great. I'm in love. We'd been together for a year by that point, and I was like, "You know what? F— it." Because most of my relationships, I keep under wraps, just because it's really odd to have so many strangers have an opinion about who you're choosing to love or what goes on between the two of you. But I just want to be able to love them out loud and be able to share that with people. On Valentine's Day, I did it very impulsively. I didn't even talk with them about it first. I was just seeing people post their significant others, and I was just like, "Dude, I'm in love. These pictures are so cute. We're so cute. People deserve to see this s—." Queer representation is important, I think.

It's probably nice to wait a year to post a relationship, and the opinions don't matter as much because you're already confident at that point.

Oh yeah, we're good. We're so solid, and we have such a beautiful foundation and so much trust and love between us. So, people's opinions don't really don't matter. Honestly, for me, it's more so about protecting them and making sure that they don't feel attacked because fans are fans. Sometimes they're really supportive and beautiful and care about your happiness, and that's their first priority. Then, there's other fans who call themselves fans that I don't really consider fans — people who feel very possessive over you and feel like they have a right to tell you who you should or should not be with, which is really fascinating to me because you're literally a stranger who's never met me in real life. So it's really interesting that you think about who I should or shouldn't be with.

And people have prejudices. Racism is a very real thing, and I don't like when she gets attacked or people send her really crazy-ass messages or send weird messages to her family. I really wanted to avoid that, but it was kind of happening anyways because people assumed we were in a relationship. So I was just like, "I guess it doesn't really fully matter at this point." We just have to ignore those kinds of people as much as we can, because sometimes they're really violent and need to be handled. But for the most part, it's really just harmless, online s—.

How has this relationship impacted the way you're writing now?

I haven't really written a lot since 2020. I have a lot of pent-up s— inside of me. I've written mad poems. There's a new perspective of love in my energy because it's a very different experience with Sasha. There's a lot of patience and a lot of presence, and sometimes when you find somebody who really complements your energy, you start growing further and further into the person that you're meant to be. And it's effortless because you just want to be the best version of you, not only for them, but for yourself. It's a love that feeds that growth, encourages that growth and nurtures that growth. It's a very new experience. So y'all will probably get a few love songs from me.

What do you hope listeners take away from In Between?

I think with any of my projects, my only hope is that you resonate. That you find a lyric that makes you feel seen, that you find a song that you can dance to and feel good with. A song that you can move your body to put on a playlist, chill to, smoke to, have fun to, cry to, whatever it is. I just want you to feel.

#lauren jauregui #interview #postedbymarina

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unlikelyphantombread · 1 year

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Before the Morning

CHAPTER 2 - The Disastrous Dinner WORD COUNT: 3664 Words Wattpad: @screamingcamren

Chloe Isabella Stalin @ItsYoMainBitch Apparently, Ella Robinson spilled that having sex with Lauren Jauregui is like having a sex with a dead person. Stoic. No thrill. Boring. And guess what, folks? Ella didn't stop there. She also revealed that vibrator and a fake dick can make her orgasm more than Lauren can. Yikes! Vanilla person spotted! Lucky for her her savior who's name rhymes with Camila Cabello will be throwing her a "All hot boyz" party tonight! If you want to see Georgina and I then you know where to find us. #UselessDickGirl Kisses. 22,646 likes, 21, 543 reblog

"I knew it! I fucking knew it! Ella is Camila's posse!"

Normani laugh, "Shocker! I know it hurts but you'll get over it soon."

I rolled my eyes, "You are the best dick I've ever tasted, Lauren! Oh god! You are so good it makes me go crazy. Proceeds on orgasming 100 times every time. That doesn't sound like a boring sex to me.

"Fun tip: Next time don't fuck Camila's posse."

My eyes keeps wandering around the computer room thinking how can I get back from the embarrassment Camila caused to me.

This won't sit on me. I need revenge. I need my damn payback.

And then my eyes landed on the computer screen in front of me and smirk quickly formed on my lips.

"I know that smirk, you fucking vanilla."

I glare at Normani and she laugh, "Stop calling me vanilla!"

Since the accessibility in this computer is limited I do my computer whiz talent and crack up a few codes before I'm able to access the greatest site of all time.

Pornhub.

I type Latina brown eyes in the search bar and a lot of videos pop up. I started scrolling through each videos looking for a girl that looks exactly like Camila or somewhat close to her appearance.

"Does this look like her?" I asked my best friend as we watch the 4 foot Latina girl being fucked hard by some random white boy.

Thank god we're sitting at the very back.

"She doesn't look nowhere like Camila. And Lauren," Normani pause the video and look at me, "Are you seriously going to spread Camila's fake sex tape video?"

"I've never been this sure my whole life, Mani."

"This is so low."

"Be it lowerst, I don't care. I'm still doing this."

"Lowest, Lauren." Normani corrected.

"Whatever!" I dismissed her, "She insulted my S game, Mani! And my dick is hurt badly! I need to avenge it or else I'll lose sleep."

I snatch the mouse from Mani's hand and continue scrolling through thousands of porn videos.

"Cause maybe it is?"

I stopped and gave Mani a disbelief look, "How dare you! Look, the only reason I got bad reviews in bed is because Ella is one of Camila's tentacles. And I don't take bad reviews very well."

"I don't think that's a good idea. Look, I know it will hurt you so much hearing this but I'll say it anyway. Camila's a smart ass bitch. If you threw her a bomb her first instinct is not to run but to defuse the damn bomb."

Smirk shoot across my face the moment I found a video that looks similarly like Camila.

"Payback's a bitch, bitch!"

I immediately signed in my account, which is premium membership by the way, and downloaded the video.

Normani laughing the entire time.

She gets up from her seat and grab her stuff, "I love the fact that your brain is actually working on this but sleeping during classes."

So that's why she gets up from her seat quickly because she's about to roast the shit out of me.

"Come here you fucker!" I try to reach Normani but she quickly dodge it and run away while laughing.

"We'll post that shit together! Don't you dare do it without me!"

"Fine! Whatever!"

I connected my phone to the computer to transfer the video and then deleted it before I grab my stuff and walk out of the computer room.

I headed to the smaller building of West High where Ally's department is aka the elementary department to fetch my sister. She's a 5th grader and I'm gonna say my sister is the most genius shit ever. And suddenly I can hear Normani's "What happened to you?" monologue speech in my ears.

That idiot.

Little kids like Ally are scattered around the place. Others are playing while some are waiting for their fetchers. I found my sister playing with her two best friend Sofia and Maggie.

"Hey, cupcakes!"

"Lolo!" Taylor immediately stand up and gave me a hug.

"Hi, Lolo!" The other two little cute girls greeted.

"Sup, Maggie and Sofi! Your fetcher's not here yet?"

"Kaki's probably still in her dance practice."

I furrowed my eyebrows, confused whether they're talking about their brother or sister.

Taylor seemed to understand my confused face. "They're referring to their big sister."

"Oh," I chuckled, "So your sister's a dancer, huh? Sophomore?"

"Kaki's a senior." Maggie answered.

"Great! So we're both senior then. What's her name? I might know who your Kaki is."

"Her name's C—"

My phone suddenly rings interrupting the beautiful Sofia from talking.

"Hold that thought," I told her as I pulled my phone out from my pocket. It was mom calling.

"Hey, mom." I greeted.

"Where are you?"

"Still in school. I just fetched Taylor."

"Go home now and help me prepare for dinner."

"Got it! We'll be home soon."

"Okay, drive safe. Love you!"

"Love you too, mom." I ended the call and slip my phone back to my pocket.

"We really need to go ladies. We'll chat next time, yeah?" I gave the two little girls a hug before I swing Taylor's bag pack on my shoulder.

"Babye Maggie and Sofi!"

The three of them shared a long sweet ass hug before Taylor fetch my hand as we walk towards the parking lot.

"Those two looked hella cute. I bet their older sister is beautiful too. And it's a major plus points that she's a dancer."

"She is, Lolo. I saw her once when she fetch Maggie and Sofi."

"Really? Lucky hooman! You get to see her before I do!"

Taylor tugged my hand and she's wearing a teasingly smile, "Are you crushing on their older sister?"

"What?" I chuckled, "Of course not. I haven't seen her yet."

"Yes you do, Lolo! You knew her."

Now that spikes my attention.

"I do?"

Taylor nodded, "They're the ones who's coming over for dinner later."

A smile shoot across my face. Finally I can get another replacement girl for Ella.

"Now I'm excited for dinner."

I open the passenger door for Taylor and she quickly hop in. I place her bag down beside her feet before I put her seatbelt on. I close the passenger door and jogged to the driver's seat.

"Wait, so you said I know their sister. What's her name?"

I turn the car around and started to drive out of the parking lot.

"Camila."

I think I fucking choke.

"What?"

"Camila Cabello."

Oh. My. God.

I bet their older sister is beautiful too. And it's a major plus points that she's a dancer.

Now I'm excited for dinner.

Every appraisal I've said about Camila is like a ghost. It fucking haunts me and I feel like I'm gonna puke the shit out of me.

I called her beautiful. Fuck! No, this isn't happening. I didn't said that. I will never call Camila beautiful. No.

"You're not serious... right?" I asked hoping my sister will say that she is but instead I got a confused look coming from her.

"Oh god, you're really serious. Fuck." I mumbled the curse word. I may have a "malfunctioning" brain but at least I am a good sister.

"What's the matter, Lolo? You don't like her?"

I laugh, "Trust me, Taylor. What I feel for her is beyond that."

"Why do you hate Mila though? She seemed nice."

And she have a nickname for her. Great!

"She's nice to you because you're not me and probably don't have an idea that you are my sister."

"Why do you hate each other though?"

"Because she's a..." I don't know how to describe Camila without associating her name to every curse words out there. "It's a very, very long list why but the bottom line is she's a mean girl. Like, I'm one of the Powerfuff girls and she's the Mojo Jojo."

Taylor make that "Really" face, "That bad?"

"Yeah, that bad."

Throughout the whole drive Taylor told me everything about this Cabello-Jauregui friendship that's been happening between the adults and the little siblings I don't have any single clue about (And I bet even Camila). I learned that our parents have been best pals since high school and the moment they drift apart is when mom and dad moved in California.

And now I'm starting to think the reason why they moved back in Miami is this. I'm really happy that they're best friends and everything but what I'm not happy about is out of all daughters Mr. and Mrs. Cabello could produce, why Camila? Why did their egg and sperm cell decided to create a fake ass bitch that is Camila? The same Camila that I anger the most?

And now it all make sense to me why mom didn't confront Camila in the school earlier. This is the reason why.

I park my dad's car straight to the garage while Taylor burst the door open and run towards the porch. I trailed behind my sister and I saw my parents already organized everything for the said night dinner with the Cabello's.

I helped my mom a little in preparing because god knows what will happen to me if I don't. I baked some cupcakes and muffins for the kids and roasted a turkey and ordered 4 boxes of pizza. I really wish I could know what flavor of pizza Camila's going to eat so I could spit on it and sprawl it with some water coming from the toilet. Unfortunately, I can't tell.

I've been wishing for the hours to go slow or that the wheels of their car flat broke. I'm honestly not prepared to pretend I'm excited and happy to see Camila when in fact all I wanted is to punch her hard in the face until she fell down on the floor unconscious.

But luck is not on my side because as soon as the clock strikes 7:30, the doorbell rings.

"Lauren Michelle, go get the door."

I groaned as I drag my feet towards the front door. I took a deep breath before I open it and I was greeted by Mr. and Mrs. Cabello with a huge smile on their faces. Behind them is Camila and her two little sisters.

"Lolo!" The two girls launch themselves to me happily then turn their attention to Camila, "Kaki, she's the one we're talking about. The beautiful Lauren!"

Camila cringe at the word, "You should've called her the brainless Lauren so I'll immediately know who she is."

Her parents looked at Camila. Their eyes telling her to shut up and the brown eyed girl look back at them innocently, "What?"

"You guys should've called your sister my insecure fan who won't shut the hell up rather than Kaki so I'll immediately know who she is too."

I look at Camila with a smile while the brown eyed girl scoff irritatedly.

"I'm your fan? Please! Nothing about you is pleasant to see. Wake up, you're just a sore in my eyes!"

I watch her parents and sisters look back and forth between Camila and I with a questioning look on their faces. They probably expect us to be a loving friends like them.

But sorry to crash the dream, we're not.

"Oh, Camila! That's why we are best friends! C'mere and give me a hug. I missed you."

I walk over and gulp Camila into a big hug which sent every hair on my body to stand. The disgust that runs through my entire body the moment I hold her is extreme and overwhelming. I'm sure she feels exactly the same way.

A devious smirk appeared on my lips as I whisper to her ear, "I wonder if parents know that their oh-so-holy virgin daughter dated almost the entire guys in school."

"Try to open your big filthy mouth and I'm gonna kill you!" Camila whispered and I laugh as I pulled away.

I face Camila with a fake smile, "You're my favorite sight to see, Camila."

I took advantage of her incapability to fight back by flickering her forehead. Hard. Hard enough to leave a red mark on it.

Camila groaned and glare at me while her parents and sisters are laughing thinking we were both being playful.

Oh, if they only know.

"They are so cute together, Maggie!"

"They are!"

Both little sisters gush while the parents are giving us their warm smile.

"I know Clara's trolling me when she said that you and Camilita doesn't get along well." Mr. Cabello said, completely awe at the sight of us being all buddy buddy

"You guys are so cute." Mrs. Cabello said, "And you must be the famous Lauren. Your mother always talks about you."

"I hope she's saying good things."

"Don't worry she is."

"Shall we?" I motioned through the door, "My parents are very excited to see you guys already."

"We'll get going then." Mrs. Cabello let her kids and husband inside.

"Welcome to our humble abode, Mrs. Cabello."

"Thank you, Lauren. I swear you're the cutest."

"Thank you. I swear you're the prettiest woman I've ever met. Second to my mom, of course."

She look back with a smile and I heard Camila mumbled a "Sucker much?". I watch her parents step inside the house. The moment they disappeared from my sight, I turn look at Camila.

"Actually Lauren, I have something for you." Camila slips her hand inside her jeans then pulled it out seconds later with her middle finger sticked in the mid air.

"From the bottom of my heart... fuck you."

Camila smirk smugly, "Everybody wants to fuck me, sweetie. But to fuck a game you gotta be a coach, and they were all just average players. But you Lauren, you're below average and it's actually disgusting how stupid you are."

I laugh, "Oh Camila, I don't exactly hate you. But if you were on fire and I had water, I'd drink it."

"If you listen closely you can hear me not caring." Camila smirk before walking inside the house.

I followed her and everyone's already settled in the dinning area. Our parents talk about tough cases they handled today, and that's one of the few more things I learned from them; both of our parents are business partners in our law firm so basically they both owned it which I have no fucking idea with.

Proceeding to the little offsprings, Maggie, Taylor, and Sofia are so lost to their conversation on what they will be playing after dinner.

Only Camila and I are the ones who doesn't have a say on anything during dinner. It's not like I will initiate a conversation with her anyway. One fact is clear here— it doesn't matter how much boredom kills us or if the world is falling apart or we're the last people remaining on earth. I'd rather have my tongue cut off than to talk to Camila and Camila would rather talk to a tree than to have a conversation with me. That's that.

"You know I'm your best friend Lauren," Camila suddenly spoke while slicing her steak.

I bite my pizza and started chewing not giving a damn fuck on what she's going to say.

"And I'm always here if you need me." She lift up her eyes finally meeting mine. She smiled devily, "I heard you FAILED FIVE SUBJECTS and it's okay. I'm here to help you cope up."

I almost spit out the pizza.

Everyone's conversation stops and all eyes landed on me and Camila at how the words " failed five subjects" are so well-emphasized.

This fucking bitch!

"Lauren, is that true?" My mom inquired.

I can feel her eyes boring a hole at the side of my head but I didn't look back at her nor answer her question. I'm just looking at Camila with a deadly glare. The bitch pretended to be shock that she dropped the bomb at the "wrong" fucking time.

"Oh god! You didn't know, Mrs. Jauregui?" Then she turns her brown eyes on me. Her face screams the most fake ass apologetic expression ever, "Oh Lauren,"

"No, I didn't. But thank you for telling me Camila. You are so kind—"

"I didn't failed five subjects, okay?! She's lying!"

"I have proof though."

"Are you fucking serious?!"

"Lauren, your mouth!" Both of my parents called me out.

Camila took her phone and showed the screenshot of my academic card to my parents.

Okay, first of all, how in the hell did she manage to snap that out?

"Don't take this in a wrong way, Lauren. I'm just concern to you. I'm your best friend and I wanted to help you out."

Her face screams a fake concern expression but her eyes are smirking devilishly.

"We're gonna have a talk after dinner, Lauren."

"I'm just concern to you too, Camila. But tasting every guys in school is not good."

Camila's entire demenour changes making me smirk. I shift my eyes on her parents who looked completely shock.

"Es eso cierto, Camilita?"

"No. Por supuesto que no, Papa."

"Whoops! Parents didn't know? I'm so sorry, Camila. I thought they knew all of your sexual activities inside and outside the school."

Camila's boiling in anger at this point and I'm loving every seconds of it.

"Twinkle, twinkle, little slut. Name one guy you haven't fucked." I sing out loud with a smirk.

Camila quickly fires back.

"I'd like to see things from your point of view, but I can't get my head that far up my ass."

I laugh, "I'm so sorry you were offended when I called you a slut. I didn't know it was a secret."

"And I suppose you having an STD is not a secret too considering you're a skank."

"Good story Camila, but in what chapter do you shut the fuck up?"

Camila laugh, "You're hurt to hear the truth and that's fine. But I have to say this— if idiots could fly it's no surprise that you'll be the damn airport. You know why, Lauren? Because you are the epitome of stupidity!"

"You know why I can't stand you, Camila?! It's because you're the most asshole fake ass bitch I've ever met!"

"Maybe if you weren't so fucking stupid then maybe I won't be a damn bitch around you!"

"F the fucking Y I, Camila! My IQ is much higher than your retarded brain!"

She laugh angrily, "Please! My goddamn dog is much more smarter than you!"

"You know what?! Fuck you!"

"Okay, stop! We heard enough of this banter!" My mom yelled, stopping both Camila and I. But the death glare that we're giving each other didn't. "We get it. You two are not friends. You two hate each other. We get it. No need to say a very inappropriate words in front of the little ones!"

"See?! This is all your fault!" Camila and I said at the same time while pointing fingers at each other.

"Enough!" Now it's her mother's turn, "This feels weird to know that the adults are friends, the little siblings are friends, and... well, except for the older sisters. What's happening in here?"

"Camila fucking Cabello happened!"

"Lauren!"

"One question Mr. and Mrs. Jauregui. There's a lot of stupid people in the world, why did you decided to add one more?"

"Camila!"

"Your mother should've swallowed you!"

"And your father should've wiped you on the sheets!"

"You talk so much shit, I don't know whether to offer you a breath mint or a toilet paper!"

"Please, Lauren! You couldn't pour the water out of a boot if the instructions were written on the heel! That's how stupid you are!"

"Ladies! Aren't you tired fighting with each other? Look at your younger siblings. They're much more matured than the two of you!"

"Lolo and Kaki would be a great friends if they ever get along." Tay suddenly butt in out of nowhere earning a loud disgusting scoff from the both of us.

"Friends? I prefer killing her instead!"

"And I prefer chopping off your damn tongue if that will stop you from abusing the privilege of being a stupid moron!"

"And you guys would be good looking couple too." Maggie commented, earning a smile from both the adults and younger ones.

Camila scoff, "Please! I don't do relationship with a dyke! Let alone a brain dead dyke!"

"I would rather fuck a lifeless body than to be in a relationship with a bitch like you!"

"Ladies! Oh my god! What did I say about the inappropriate words? And could you two please calm down?" It was my mom and she's already giving me a death glare which is not a good sign at all.

I guess I already consumed too much of my freedom of speech in this table so I just slide down from my chair a little and shut my mouth.

"We and Taylor are like that at first but when we finally get to know each other well we became best of friends." Sofi started and both our parents agreed.

"Maybe if Lolo and Kaki get to know each other too then they'll be friends too."

Camila's about to open her big dirty mouth when Mrs. Cabello cover it.

Thank fucking god!

"Thank you, Mrs. C—" Taylor covered mine as well.

"The kids have a point. Maybe you guys need to get to know each other more." My dad says.

"Spend a lot of time together." Added Mr. Cabello.

"What do you have in mind, Ale?"

"I don't mind sending Camila off to a dorm as long as she's with Lauren. Right, Sinu?"

Mrs. Cabello immediately nod her head. "Yeah, and Camila's 18 already and it's also practice for college."

"We don't mind sending Lauren off too." My mom says.

Wait, what?! Are they seriously proposing THAT?! No way! No fucking way I will live in one house with this fucking asshole!

I immediately push my sister's hand, "No, okay?! I would rather live in a house full of cockroach than to live with this asshole!"

"Lolo! Your mouth!" My sister called out, slapping my thigh.

"It's only right that you live along with your species."

"Camila!"

"Oh yeah?!"

"Aww I hurt your feelings by being blunt? Boo hoo! Maybe you should cry me a river, build me a bridge, and grow the fuck up!"

"You know what, Camila?! You are the reason why God created a middle finger! So fuck you!"

"Okay, that's it! That's enough! Starting tomorrow you two will live in one apartment. That's it. That's final."

Oh hell fucking no!

#camren #camren is love #camren is real #camilacabello #lauren jauregui #gxg #enemies to lovers #fifth harmony #dinah jane #normani #normani kordei #ally brooke #Wattpad #fanfic

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96harmony96 · 10 months

Text

Chapter 15

I stopped by Cary’s room before I left for work Thursday morning. I cracked the door open and peeked in. When I saw he was sleeping, I started to back out.

“Hey,” he murmured, blinking at me.

“Hey.” I entered. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m glad to be home.” He rubbed at the corners of his eyes. “Everything all right?”

“Yeah . . . I just wanted to check on you before I head to work. I’ll be home around eight. I’ll grab dinner on the way back, so expect a text around seven to see what you’re hungry—” I interrupted myself with a yawn.

“What kind of vitamins does Jauregui take?”

“Huh?”

“I’m never not horny, and even I can’t pile-drive all night like that. I kept thinking, ‘She’s got to be done now.’ Then she’d start up again.”

I flushed and shifted on my feet.

He howled with laughter. “It’s dark in here, but I know you’re blushing.”

“You should’ve put your headphones on,” I mumbled.

“Don’t stress about it. It was good to find out my equipment still works. I hadn’t had a chubby since before the attack.”

“Eww . . . Gross, Cary.” I started backing out of the room. “My dad comes in tonight. Technically tomorrow. His flight lands at five.”

“You picking him up?”

“Of course.”

His smile faded. “You’re going to kill yourself at this rate. You haven’t gotten any sleep all week.”

“I’ll catch up. See ya.”

“Hey,” he called after me. “Does last night mean you and Jauregui are okay again?”

I leaned into the doorjamb with a sigh. “Something’s wrong, and she won’t talk to me about it. I wrote her a letter basically puking out all my insecurities and neuroses.”

“Never put stuff like that in writing, baby girl.”

“Yeah, well . . . all it got me was fucked half to death with no better idea of what the problem is. She said it has to be this way. I don’t even know what that means.”

He nodded.

“You act like you get it,” I said.

“I think I get the sex.”

That sent a chill down my spine. “Get-it-out-of-your-system sex?”

“It’s possible,” he agreed softly.

I closed my eyes and let the confirmation slide through me. Then I straightened. “I gotta run. Catch you later.”

* * *

The thing about nightmares was that you couldn’t prepare for them. They sneaked up on you when you were most vulnerable, wrecking havoc and mayhem when you were totally defenseless.

And they didn’t always happen while you were sleeping.

I sat in an agonized daze as Mark and Mr. Waters went over the fine points of the Kingsman Vodka ads, achingly aware of Lauren sitting at the head of the table in a black suit with white shirt and tie.

She was pointedly ignoring me, had been from the moment I walked into the Cross Industries conference room aside from a cursory handshake when Mr. Waters introduced us. That brief touch of her skin against mine had sent a charge of awareness through me, my body immediately recognizing her as the one that had pleasured it all night. Lauren hadn’t seemed to register the contact at all, her gaze trained above my head as she’d said, “Miss Cabello.”

The contrast to the last time we’d been in the room was profound. Then, she hadn’t been able to keep her eyes off me. Her focus had been searing and blatant, and when we’d left the room she’d told me that she wanted to fuck me and would dispense with anything that got in the way of her doing so.

This time, she stood abruptly when the meeting was concluded, shook the hands of Mark and Mr. Waters, and strode out the door with only a short, inscrutable glance at me. Her two directors scurried after her, both attractive brunettes.

Mark shot me a questioning look across the table. I shook my head.

I made it back to my desk. I worked industriously for the rest of the day. During my lunch break, I stayed in and looked up things to do with my dad. I decided on three possibilities—the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, and a Broadway play, with the trip to Ellis Island reserved for if he really had a desire to go. Otherwise, I figured we could skip the ferry and just check her out from the shore. His time in the city was short, and I didn’t want to overload it with a bunch of running around.

On my last break of the day, I called Lauren’s office.

“Hi, Scott,” I greeted her secretary. “Is it possible for me to talk to your boss real quick?”

“Hold on a minute and I’ll see.”

I half-expected to have my call rejected, but a couple of minutes later I was put through.

“Yes, Camila?”

I took the length of a heartbeat to savor the sound of her voice. “I’m sorry to bother you. This is probably a stupid question, considering, but . . . are you coming to dinner tomorrow to meet my father?”

“I’ll be there,” she said gruffly.

“Are you bringing Ireland?” I was surprised there wasn’t a tremor in my voice, considering the overwhelming relief I felt.

There was a pause. Then, “Yes.”

“Okay.”

“I have a late meeting tonight, so I’ll have to meet you at Dr. Petersen’s. Angus will drive you over. I’ll grab a cab.”

“All right.” I sagged into my seat, feeling a spark of hope. Continuing therapy and meeting my dad could only be seen as positive signs. Lauren and I were struggling. But she hadn’t given up yet. “I’ll see you then.”

* * *

Angus dropped me off at Dr. Petersen’s office at a quarter to six. I went inside and Dr. Petersen waved at me through his open office door, rising from his seat behind his desk to shake my hand.

“How are you, Camila?”

“I’ve been better.”

His gaze swept over my face. “You look tired.”

“So everyone keeps telling me,” I said dryly.

He looked over my shoulder. “Where’s Lauren?”

“She had a late meeting, so she’s coming separately.”

“All right.” He gestured at the sofa. “This is a nice opportunity for us to talk alone. Is there anything in particular you’d like to discuss before she arrives?”

I settled on the seat and spilled my guts, telling Dr. Petersen about the amazing trip to the Outer Banks and then the bizarre, inexplicable week we’d had since. “I just don’t get it. I feel like she’s in trouble, but I can’t get her to open up at all. She’s completely cut me off emotionally. Honestly, I’m beginning to get whiplash. I’m also worried that her change in behavior is because of Corinne. Every time we’ve hit one of these walls, it’s because of her.”

I looked at my fingers, which were twisted around each other. They reminded me of my mother’s habit of twisting handkerchiefs, and I forced my hands to relax. “It almost seems like she’s got some kind of hold on her and she can’t break free of it, no matter how she feels about me.”

Dr. Petersen looked up from his typing, studying me. “Did she tell you that she wasn’t going to make her appointment on Tuesday?”

“No.” The news hit me hard. “She didn’t say anything.”

“She didn’t tell me, either. I wouldn’t say that’s typical behavior for her, would you?”

I shook my head.

Dr. Petersen crossed his hands in his lap. “At times, one or both of you will backtrack a bit. That’s to be expected considering the nature of your relationship—you’re not just working on you as a couple, but also as individuals so you can be a couple.”

“I can’t deal with this, though.” I took a deep breath. “I can’t do this yo-yo thing. It’s driving me insane. The letter I sent her . . . It was awful. All true, but awful. We’ve had some really beautiful moments together. She’s said some—”

I had to stop a minute, and when I continued, my voice was hoarse. “She’s said some w-wonderful things to me. I don’t want to lose those memories in a bunch of ugly ones. I keep debating whether I should quit while I’m ahead, but I’m hanging in here because I promised her—and myself—that I wouldn’t run anymore. That I was going to dig my feet in and fight for this.”

“That’s something you’re working on?”

“Yes. Yes, it is. And it’s not easy. Because some of the things she does . . . I react in ways I’ve learned to avoid. For my own sanity! At some point you have to say you gave it your best shot and it didn’t work out. Right?”

Dr. Petersen’s head tilted to the side. “And if you don’t, what’s the worst that could happen?”

“You’re asking me?”

“Yes. Worst-case scenario.”

“Well . . .” I splayed my fingers on my thighs. “She keeps drifting away from me, which makes me cling harder and lose all sense of self-worth. And we end up with her going back to life as she knew it and me going back to therapy trying to get my head on straight again.”

He continued to look at me, and something about his patient watchfulness prodded me to keep talking.

“I’m afraid that she won’t cut me loose when it’s time and that I won’t know better. That I’ll keep hanging on to the sinking ship and go down with it. I just wish I could trust that she’d end it, if it comes to that.”

“Do you think that needs to happen?”

“I don’t know. Maybe.” I pulled my gaze away from the clock on the wall. “But considering it’s nearly seven and she stood us both up tonight, it seems likely.”

* * *

It was crazy to me that I wasn’t surprised to find the Bentley waiting outside my apartment at quarter to five in the morning. The driver who climbed out from behind the wheel when I stepped outside wasn’t familiar to me. He was much younger than Angus; early thirties was my guess. He looked Latino, with rich caramel-hued skin, and dark hair and eyes.

“Thanks,” I told him, when he rounded the front of the vehicle, “but I’ll just grab a cab.”

Hearing that, the night doorman to my building stepped out to the street to flag one down for me.

“Miss. Jauregui said I’m to take you to La Guardia,” the driver said.

“You can tell Miss. Jauregui that I won’t be requiring her transportation services now or in the future.” I moved toward the cab the doorman had hailed, but stopped and turned around. “And tell her to go fuck herself, too.”

I slid into the cab and settled back as it pulled away.

* * *

I’ll admit to some bias when I say my father stands out in a crowd, but that didn’t make it less true.

As he exited the secure security area, Victor Reyes commanded attention. He was six feet tall, fit and well built, and had the commanding presence of a man who wore a badge. His gaze raked the immediate area around him, always a cop even when he wasn’t on duty. He had a duffel bag slung over his shoulder and wore blue jeans with a black button-down shirt. His hair was dark and wavy, his eyes stormy and gray like mine. He was seriously hot in a brooding, dangerous, bad boy sort of way, and I tried to picture him alongside my mother’s fragile, haughty beauty. I’d never seen them together, not even in pictures, and I really wanted to. If only just once.

“Daddy!” I yelled, waving.

His face lit up when he saw me, and a wide smile curved his mouth.

“There’s my girl.” He picked me up in a hug that had my feet dangling above the floor. “I’ve missed you like crazy.”

I started crying. I couldn’t help it. Being with him again was the last emotional straw.

“Hey.” He rocked me. “What’s with the tears?”

I wrapped my arms tighter around his neck, so grateful to have him with me, knowing all the other troubles in my life would fade into the background while he was around.

“I missed you like crazy, too,” I said, sniffling.

We took a cab back to my place. On the ride over, my dad asked me the same sort of investigative questions about Cary’s attack as the detectives had asked Cary in the hospital. I tried to keep him distracted with that discussion when we pulled up outside my building, but it didn’t do any good.

My dad’s eagle eyes took in the modern glass overhang attached to the brick façade of the building. He stared at the doorman, Paul, who touched the brim of his hat and opened the door for us. He studied the front desk and concierge, and rocked back on his heels as we waited for the elevator.

He didn’t say anything and kept his poker face on, but I knew he was thinking about how much my digs must cost in a city like New York. When I showed him into my apartment, his sweeping gaze took in the size of the place. The massive windows had a stunning view of the city, and the flat-screen television mounted on the wall was just one of the many top-of-the-line electronics on display.

He knew I couldn’t afford the place on my own. He knew my mother’s husband was providing for me in ways he would never be able to. And I wondered if he thought about my mother, and how what she needed was also beyond his means.

“The security here is really tight,” I told him by way of explanation. “It’s impossible to get past the front desk if you’re not on the list and a resident can’t be reached to vouch for you.”

My dad exhaled in a rush. “That’s good.”

“Yeah. I don’t think Mom could sleep at night otherwise.”

That made some of the tension leave his shoulders.

“Let me show you to your room.” I led him down the hallway to the guest room suite. It had its own bathroom and mini-bar with fridge. I saw him noting those things before he dropped his duffel on the king-size bed. “Are you tired?”

He looked at me. “I know you are. And you have to work today, don’t you? Why don’t we nap for a bit before you have to get up?”

I stifled a yawn and nodded, knowing I could use the couple of hours of shut-eye. “Sounds good.”

“Wake me when you’re up,” he said, rolling his shoulders back. “I’ll make the coffee while you’re getting ready.”

“Awesome.” My voice came husky with suppressed tears. Lauren almost always had coffee waiting for me on days when she’d spent the night, because she got up before me. I missed that little ritual of ours.

Somehow, I’d have to learn to live without it.

Pushing up onto my tiptoes, I kissed my dad’s cheek. “I’m so glad you’re here, Daddy.”

I closed my eyes and clung tightly when he hugged me.

* * *

I stepped out of the small market with my bags of grocery ingredients for dinner and frowned at finding Angus idling at the curb. I’d refused a ride in the morning and again when I’d left the Crossfire, and he was still following and shadowing. It was ridiculous. I couldn’t help but wonder if Lauren didn’t want me as a girlfriend anymore, but her neurotic lust for my body meant that she didn’t want anyone else to have me—namely Brett.

As I walked home, I entertained thoughts of having Brett over for dinner instead, imagining Angus having to make that call to Lauren when Brett came strolling up to my place. It was just a quick vengeful fantasy, since I wouldn’t lead Brett on that way and he was in Florida anyway, but it did the trick. My step lightened and when I entered my apartment, I was in my first really good mood in days.

I dumped all the dinner stuff off in the kitchen, then went to find my dad. He was hanging out in Cary’s room playing a video game. Cary worked a nunchuk one-handed, since his other hand was in a cast.

“Woo!” my dad shouted. “Spanked.”

“You should be ashamed of yourself,” Cary shot back, “taking advantage of an invalid.”

“I’m crying a river here.”

Cary looked at me in the doorway and winked. I loved him so much in that moment I couldn’t stop myself from crossing over to him and pressing a kiss to his bruised forehead.

“Thank you,” I whispered.

“Thank me with dinner. I’m starving.”

I straightened. “I got the goods to make enchiladas.”

My dad looked at me, smiling, knowing I’d need his help. “Yeah?”

“When you’re ready,” I told him. “I’m going to grab a shower.”

Forty-five minutes later, my dad and I were in the kitchen rolling cheese and store-bought rotisserie chicken—my little cheat to save time—into lard-soaked white corn tortillas. In the living room, the CD changer slipped in the next disk and Van Morrison’s soulful voice piped through the surround sound speakers.

“Oh yeah,” my dad said, reaching for my hand and tugging me away from the counter. “Hum-de-rum, hum-de-rum, moondance,” he sang in his deep baritone, twirling me.

I laughed, delighted.

Using the back of his hand against my spine to keep his greasy fingers off me, he swept me into a dance around the island, both of us singing the song and laughing. We were making our second revolution when I noticed the two people standing at the breakfast bar.

My smile fled and I stumbled, forcing my dad to catch me.

“You got two left feet?” he teased, his eyes only on me.

“Camila’s a wonderful dancer,” Lauren interjected, her face arrested in that implacable mask I detested.

My dad turned, his smile fading, too.

Lauren rounded the bar and entered the kitchen. She’d dressed for the occasion in jeans and a Yankees T-shirt. It was a suitably casual choice and a conversation starter, since my dad was a die-hard Padres fan.

“I hadn’t realized she was such a good singer, as well. Lauren Jauregui,” he introduced himself, holding out his hand.

“Victor Cabello.” My dad waved his shiny fingers. “I’m a bit messy.”

“I don’t mind.”

Shrugging, my dad took her hand and sized her up.

I tossed the dish towel to them and made my way over to Ireland, who was positively glowing. Her blue eyes were bright, her cheeks flushed with pleasure.

“I’m so glad you could make it,” I said, hugging her carefully. “You look gorgeous!”

“So do you!”

It was a fib, but I appreciated it anyway. I hadn’t done anything to my face or hair after my shower, because I knew my dad wouldn’t care and I hadn’t expected Lauren to show up. After all, the last time I’d heard from her had been when she’d said she would meet me at Dr. Petersen’s office.

She looked over at the counter where I’d dumped everything. “Can I help?”

“Sure. Just don’t count calories in your head—it’ll explode.” I introduced her to my dad, who was much warmer to her than he was to Lauren, and then I led her to the sink, where she washed up.

In short order, I had her helping to roll the last few enchiladas, while my dad put the already chilled Dos Equis Lauren had brought into the fridge. I didn’t even bother to wonder how Lauren knew I was serving Mexican food for dinner. I only wondered why she’d invest the time to find out when it was very clear she other things to do—like ditch her appointments.

My dad went to his room to wash up. Lauren came up behind me and put her hands on my waist, her lips brushing over my temple. “Camila.”

I tensed against the nearly irresistible urge to lean into her. “Don’t,” I whispered. “I’d rather we didn’t pretend.”

Her breath left her in a rush that ruffled my hair. Her fingers tightened on my hips, kneading for a moment. Then I felt her phone vibrate and she released me, backing away to look at the screen.

“Excuse me,” she said gruffly, leaving the kitchen before answering.

Ireland sidled over and whispered, “Thank you. I know you made her bring me along.”

I managed a smile for her. “Nobody can make Lauren do anything she doesn’t want to.”

“You could.” She tossed her head, throwing her sleek waist-length black hair over her shoulder. “You didn’t see her watching you dance with your dad. Her eyes got all shiny. I thought she was going to cry. And on the way up here, in the elevator, she tried to play it off, but I could totally tell she was nervous.”

I stared down at the can of enchilada sauce in my hands, feeling my heart break a little more.

“You’re mad at her, aren’t you?” Ireland asked.

I cleared my throat. “Some people are just better off as friends.”

“But you said you love her.”

“That’s not always enough.” I turned around to reach the can opener and found Lauren standing at the other end of the island, staring at me. I froze.

A muscle in her jaw twitched before she unclenched it. “Would you like a beer?” she asked gruffly.

I nodded. I could’ve used a shot, too. Maybe a few.

“Want a glass?”

“No.”

She looked at Ireland. “You thirsty? There’s soda, water, milk.”

“How about one of those beers?” she shot back, flashing a winsome smile.

“Try again,” she said wryly.

I watched Ireland, noting how she sparkled when Lauren focused on her. I couldn’t believe she didn’t see how she loved her. Maybe right now it was based on superficial things, but it was there and it would grow with a little encouragement. I hoped she’d work on that.

When Lauren handed me the chilled beer, her fingers brushed mine. She held on for a minute, looking into my eyes. I knew she was thinking about the other night.

It seemed like a dream now, as if her visit never really happened. I could almost believe that I’d made it up in a desperate delusion, so hungry for her touch and her love that I couldn’t go another minute without giving my mind relief from the madness of wanting and craving. If it weren’t for the lingering soreness deep inside me, I wouldn’t know what was real and what was nothing but false hope.

I pulled the beer out of her grasp and turned away. I didn’t want to say we were done and over, but it was certain now that we needed a break from each other. Lauren needed to figure out what she was doing, what she was looking for, and whether I had any meaningful place in her life. Because this roller-coaster ride we were on was going to break me, and I couldn’t let that happen. I wouldn’t.

“Can I help with anything?” she asked.

I answered without looking at her, because doing so was too painful. “Can you see if we can get Cary out here? He’s got a wheelchair.”

“All right.”

She left the room, and I could suddenly breathe deeply again.

Ireland hurried over. “What happened to Cary?”

“I’ll tell you about it while we set the table.”

* * *

I was surprised I could eat. I think I was too fascinated by the silent showdown between my dad and Lauren to notice that I was stuffing food into my mouth. At one end of the table, Cary was charming Ireland into peals of laughter that kept making me smile. At the other end, my dad sat at the head of the table, with Lauren on his left and me on his right.

They were talking. The conversation had opened with baseball, as I’d expected, then migrated into golf. On the surface, both seemed relaxed, but the air around them was highly charged. I noticed that Lauren wasn’t wearing her expensive watch. She’d planned carefully to appear as “normal” as possible.

But nothing Lauren did on the outside could change who she was on the inside. It was impossible to hide what she was—a dominant person, a captain of industry, a woman of privilege. It was in every gesture she made, every word she spoke, every look she gave.

So she and my father were in the position of struggling to find who would be the alpha, and I suspected I hung in the balance. As if anyone were in control of my life but me.

Still, I understood that my father had only really been allowed to be a dad in the last four years, and he wasn’t ready to give it up. Lauren, however, was jockeying for a position I was no longer prepared to give her.

But she was wearing the ring I’d given her. I tried not to read anything into it, but I wanted to hope. I wanted to believe.

We’d all finished the main course and I was pushing to my feet to clear the table for dessert when the intercom buzzed. I answered.

“Camila? NYPD detectives Graves and Michna are here,” the gal at the front desk said.

I glanced at Cary, wondering if the detectives had found out who’d attacked him. I gave the go-ahead for them to come up and hurried back to the dining table.

Cary looked at me with raised brows, curious.

“It’s the detectives,” I explained. “Maybe they have news.”

My dad’s focus immediately shifted. Honed. “I’ll let them in.”

Ireland helped me clear up. We’d just dumped the cups into the sink when the doorbell rang. I wiped my hands with a dish towel and went out to the living room.

The two detectives who entered weren’t the ones I expected, because they weren’t the ones who’d questioned Cary at the hospital on Monday.

Lauren appeared out of the hallway, shoving her phone into her pocket.

I wondered who’d been calling her all night.

“Camila Cabello,” the female detective said, stepping deeper into my apartment. She was a thin woman with a severe face and sharply intelligent blue eyes, which were her best feature. Her hair was brown and curly, her face clean of makeup. She wore slacks over dark flats, a poplin shirt, and a lightweight jacket that didn’t hide the badge and gun clipped to her belt. “I’m Detective Shelley Graves of the NYPD. This is my partner Detective Richard Michna. We’re sorry to disturb you on a Friday night.”

Michna was older, taller, and portly. His hair was graying at the temples and receding at the top, but he had a strong face and dark eyes that raked the room while Graves focused on me.

“Hello,” I greeted them.

My father shut the door, and something about the way he moved or carried himself caught Michna’s attention. “You on the job?”

“In California,” my dad confirmed. “I’m visiting Camila, my daughter. What’s this about?”

“We’d just like to ask you a few questions, Miss Cabello,” Graves said. She looked at Lauren. “And you, too, Miss. Jauregui.”

“Does this have something to do with the attack on Cary?” I asked.

She glanced at him. “Why don’t we sit down.”

We all moved into the living room, but only Ireland and I ended up taking a seat. Everyone else remained on their feet, with my dad pushing Cary’s wheelchair.

“Nice place you’ve got here,” Michna said.

“Thank you.” I looked at Cary, wondering what the hell was going on.

“How long are you in town?” the detective asked my dad.

“Just for the weekend.”

Graves smiled at me. “You go out to California a lot to see your dad?”

“I just moved from there a couple months ago.”

“I went to Disneyland once when I was a kid,” she said. “That was a while ago, obviously. I’ve been meaning to get back out there.”

I frowned, not understanding why we were making small talk.

“We just need to ask you a couple of questions,” Michna said, pulling a notepad out of the interior pocket of his jacket. “We don’t want to hold you up any longer than we have to.”

Graves nodded, her eyes still on me. “Can you tell us if you’re familiar with a man named Nathan Barker, Miss Cabello?”

The room spun. Cary cursed and pushed unsteadily to his feet, taking the few steps to reach the seat beside me. He caught up my hand.

“Miss Cabello?” Graves took a seat on the other end of the sectional.

“He’s her former stepbrother,” Cary snapped. “What’s this about?”

“When’s the last time you saw Barker?” Michna asked.

In a courtroom . . . I tried to swallow, but my mouth was dry as sawdust. “Eight years ago,” I said hoarsely.

“Did you know he was here in New York?”

Oh God. I shook my head violently.

“Where’s this going?” my dad asked.

I looked helplessly at Cary, then at Lauren. My dad didn’t know about Nathan. I didn’t want him to know.

Cary squeezed my hand. Lauren wouldn’t even look at me.

“Miss. Jauregui,” Graves said. “What about you?”

“What about me?”

“Do you know Nathan Barker?”

My eyes pleaded with Lauren not to say anything in front of my dad, but she never once glanced my way.

“You wouldn’t be asking that question,” she answered, “if you didn’t already know the answer.”

My stomach dropped. A violent shiver moved through me. Still, Lauren wouldn’t look at me. My brain was trying to process what was happening . . . what it meant . . . what was going on . . .

“Is there a point to these questions?” my father asked.

The blood was roaring in my ears. My heart was pounding with something like terror. The mere thought of Nathan being so close was enough to send me into a panic. I was panting. The room was swimming before my eyes. I thought I might pass out.

Graves was watching me like a hawk. “Can you just tell us where you were yesterday, Miss Cabello?”

“Where I was?” I repeated. “Yesterday?”

“Don’t answer that,” my dad ordered. “This interview isn’t going any further until we know what this is about.”

Michna nodded, as if he’d expected the interruption. “Nathan Barker was found dead this morning.”

#lauren jauregui #camila cabello #lauren jauregay #camila and lauren #laurengip #camren gip #lauren and camila

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