Calamity

Chapter 16

"Are you sure about this?"

"I don't really have any other choice,"

Camila shut her eyes and took a deep breath for the millionth time that night. "Your mom is going to lose her shit,"

"Since when did you care about what Clara has to say?" Lauren sat upright against the headboard. "Don't tell me you're going soft all of the sudden now..."

"Princess, your family's company is already hanging on by a thread. Do you really want to be the one putting the nail in the coffin?"

"It'll get people's attention,"

"The school already has their attention," Camila argued. "You don't need to get your mom involved. Especially when she doesn't even know what your plan is."

"Look at it like this. If I just send the letter out to a few blogs saying my mother is getting involved, the university is going to feel inclined to hit the gas on figuring out who the hell did it. And obviously, the murderer wouldn't be hanging out with the one helping lead the investigation."

"Until they spin the story and say the only reason why you're helping the investigation is so that your secret lover won't go to jail,"

Lauren huffed. "Where do you think we should go from here then?"

"I thought you were the brains of the operation," Camila said with a mouthful of chocolate chip cookie. On the coffee table, her phone began ringing loudly—her mother's contact photo flashing up on the screen.

"Jesus," Camila extended her arm to mute the notification. "Ever since she found out about Cowell, she's been calling me every day."

"That's because she's worried about you, dumbass. Pick up the phone." Lauren scolded her.

Begrudgingly, Camila swiped right and answered the call, holding the device up to her ear. "Hi, mom,"

Lauren leaned back on the couch, watching the interaction with an amused expression on her face. She mouthed for Camila to ask how her mother was doing.

"Yeah, I'm alright," Camila flicked off the raven-haired woman. "How are you holding up lately, ma? V-Visiting?" She choked on her own spit. "You want to come and visit me? No... No, I just think it would be a waste of your time considering I have some important exams coming up soon. I usually just spend all day studying."

Lauren moved a seat closer to Camila, rubbing the inside of the younger woman's thigh. Her lips curled up into a grin when she noticed a bulge forming in her jeans. Camila clasped her hand on top of Lauren's to stop it from moving any further.

"I love you too. I know, I'm sorry. I just think that maybe it's best if we hold off until winter break. You can stay at my place and I'll show you around some of my favorite spots here... Yeah, I know. I'll call you tomorrow, I promise. Bye, ma."

"So?" Lauren settled herself in Camila's lap. "Everything okay?"

"She wants to visit," Camila muttered dryly. "She thinks I can't take care of myself up here,"

Lauren fiddled with the gold necklace around the dark-haired woman's neck. "I'm taking care of you up here,"

"Are you now?"

"I like to think I do a great job at it too, actually,"

"We're supposed to be figuring out a plan,"

Lauren tilted her head to the side before grinning mischievously. "You have a hot girl in your lap and you're worried about some criminal on the loose? Way to hurt a person's ego, Cabello."