Better Than He Can (Camren)

Page V

The next few days went by in a blur of sight-seeing, art museums, fancy restaurants, and Christmas shopping, just like two friends had planned.
But what they hadn’t planned for was the tension between them which had been growing with each passing day, simmering away, ready to explode at any moment.

As Camila continued with her advances. Lauren’s hopes had started to grow again, only slightly, but they were there, nagging at the back of her head every time
Camila’s hand so much as brushed hers as they walked. But as the week went on, this new found hope began to fade as Lauren became more and more convinced that her younger friend was fucking with her on purpose, which was as good as confirmed to her on the third day of the trip.

The two friends were visiting Notre Dame when Camila stopped at a caricature artist on the steps leading down from the cathedral.

“Lo, can we get him to do a picture of us, please?” The younger girl had pleaded, fluttering her eyelashes in a way she knew Lauren couldn’t refuse, she didn’t even stand a chance.

“Are you, a uh, a couple?” The artist asked in slightly broken English once the two girls finally approached him.

Lauren was about to open her mouth to correct him, when the younger girl jumped in first.

“Yes.” Camila beamed.
A very confused Lauren whipped her head in the younger girl’s direction just in time to see her subtly shifting her arms behind her back.
“We just got engaged.” The younger girl added a few seconds later as she lifted up her left hand, wiggling her fingers for the artist to see the pearl ring Lauren had given her for Christmas the year before, now placed proudly on her wedding finger.

Lauren’s heart stopped.

A grin took over the man’s face. “Congratulation’s. You make a beautiful couple. ”

“Merci beaucoup.” Camila replied, thanking him.
Lauren couldn’t breathe, out of all the strange things Camila had done over the past few days, this had to be the strangest.

“What the hell are you doing?” The green eyed girl hissed once the artist was deep in concentration working on their drawing.

Camila rolled her eyes in return. “I’m just having a bit of fun, chill the fuck out would you?”

That shut Lauren up.
She wasn’t sure if she could have spoken even if she wanted to, she was too busy trying to wrap her head around yet another thing that Camila had done this week that made no fucking sense.
This wasn’t a sexual advance like the others though, it was a romantic one, which seemed to hit the older girl harder and as much as Lauren tried to tell herself it was nothing, she couldn’t stop her heart from the somersaults it was currently doing in her chest.

Only a few minutes later the two girls were being handed their finished picture.

“Wow, this is so great. Look baby, isn’t it good.” Camila gushed before leaning over to pace a soft kiss on her friend’s cheek. Lauren could have sworn all the blood in her body had run to her face she was blushing so hard.

“Yeah, great.” She just about managed to stutter out.

“How much Monsieur?” Camila asked chirpily, looking back up at the artist, her arm still draped possessively around Lauren’s waste

The man considered his answer for a moment before speaking. “For the happy couple, today I do it for free.” He finally replied.

“That’s so kind of you. Thank you Monsieur.” Camila beamed. “Have a nice day.”

The two girls walked in silence for a minute, Lauren occasionally glancing over in the younger Latina’s direction as she tried to work out what the hell was going on in her brain.