*ONE MONTH LATER*

"-Ren! Lauren!" huffed Keana in frustration.

"Oh, sorry babe. I'm here," said Lauren. It was a lie, of course. Her heart just wasn't into wedding planning; it was back in thin, white sheets in Havana with a certain art curator.

After coming back from her trip, Keana gave her the tightest hug possible as peppered her face with kisses as soon as she stepped through their New York penthouse. Her fiancée apologized profusely for whatever she did that caused Lauren to run away - again. Keana, of course, never knew what she was apologizing for; she just knew she had to or else.

Lauren wondered this past month if Keana ever she sensed Camila under her skin; if she saw flashes of memories in those green eyes; if she tasted Camila on her lips as she kissed her. If she did, her effort to keep in hidden from Lauren was a successful one.

Currently taste testing for wedding cakes, Lauren felt more guilty about her infidelity than ever. She looked so happy, like she wouldn't trade this moment for any other. Lauren felt Keana's love for her and felt sorry for the girl; she doesn't know when she stopped loving her, she just knows one day she stopped. That's the scary thing about love - you can pour love as hard as concrete and one day, like the ground we walk on, harden in the blink of an eye. Yes, Lauren felt guilty, but not regretful.

"How about this one, baby?"said Keana, bringing a piece of cake to her lips."I know how much you like red velvet."

Lauren sighed, pushing her hand away. "Ke, I don't think one single flavor will do for what, 200 people?"

"You're right!" Keana gasped excitedly. "What if we have our cake layered and each contains a different layer. "What do you think, baby?"

"Anything you want, Ke," The singer tried her best not to roll her eyes for the hundredth time that day, eager to get back to the studio.

"Thanks, baby," said Keana, pressing a chaste kiss to her fiancee's cheek. The couple tried two more cakes before the manager of the bakery, and a good friend of Lauren's, appeared from the back room.

"Ally!" Lauren greeted her with a hug, so did Keana with with a kiss on her cheek. Lauren and Ally have been friends long before the singer's career had taken off. She was there for Lauren through everything, instilling her wisdom through the years. They were best friends and it was not long before Lauren had set the shorter girl up with her backup dancer, Normani. The three of them have been inseparable ever since. "Have you both decided on what you wanted?" Ally asked.

"Yeah. We want a five layered cake with a flavor on each layer.." Keana started with Ally listening intently. "Mocha, Lemon, Red Velvet...."

The green-eyed woman tried her best to look anywhere else other than Ally's coffee colored ones, afraid she'll see right through her. Her efforts were for naught when her eyes drift to her friend and saw that they were slightly squinting at her in suspicion. Before Lauren could go back to admiring the wall or pretend she's listening to her fiancee, she was saved by the bell - literally. "Lauren you said today was our day," Keana whined at the familiar ringtone. "Sorry, babe, I gotta take this," said Lauren, already walking away from Keana and Ally before they could give her an answer.

"Hello? Mani, you are literally a lifesaver. I'm literally going to die of boredom, like how long does it take to pick a fucking cake?" Lauren huffed.

Normani laughed on the other side of the line. "It's part of the process, Laur. But at least Ally's the one baking it. She's such a cutie, especially her butt in those leggings I made her wear today."

"Keep it in your pants, Kordei."

"Okay, okay. Anyway, I called to tell you that Diplo scheduled a session today and you're needed there asap. He's only in town for a few days and today is his only day to produce."

"Okay, I'll be there. See you!"

Upon hanging up the phone, Lauren felt an eagerness to skip the day of wedding planning. Approaching the future bride and baker, she put her hand on Keana's waist "Babe, they need me at the studio." The model sighed, "Okay, please be back before dinner. "

"I'll try my best, " said Lauren, giving her a chaste kiss on the lips. "Bye Ally, I'll call you!"
She gave her one last hug before walking through automatic sliding doors into the streets of New York City. She had parked her newly purchased Cadillac in front of the store; she was about to make her way when she captured a few paparazzi men with cameras in the corner of her eye. Lauren sighed as she got into her car- this was one of the downsides of fame. She hates how her personal life is televised for all the world to see. As if she's a mere puppet whose sole purpose is to entertain.

But every night she gets up on stage to see the adoring faces of her fans, it's all worth it.
She arrived at the studio right on time to get to work. Every moment after that was a blur; greeting the Epic Records staff, seeing Diplo, and recording the last song for her album.
Lauren tries her best not to seem taken back when Diplo compliments her on her song, 'Get Away.' He asks the green-eyed women if she had written it herself , she says no but refuses to state who co-wrote it with her. Partly because she didn't even know Camila's surname; how could she be so enamored with someone and not know the simplest thing about them?

Time itself stopped in the four walls of the studio and before Lauren knew it, 3 PM turned into 3 AM.

The singer curses profanities flow past her lips as she sped to Fifth Avenue.

The penthouse apartment they have shared for two years, have collected many memories of her and Keana. But as days passed by, those memories became rusted and retreated back into the wall - hidden by surface wallpaper.
Turning the key into the knob, Lauren slowly opened the door. She was met with a sleeping Keana on the couch. Careful not to make any noise, she placed a blanket over her fiancee's body.

That small action was enough to wake the model. "Lauren?" She said groggily. "Go to the room, baby, you sleep better there," said Lauren softly. The green-eyed woman tried to walk to the kitchen because she was starving, but was stopped by Keana's voice. "You said you'd be home by dinner," She said crossing her arms over her chest. "It's three in the morning, Lauren."

"I guess I lost track of time, sorry."

"Sorry? Lauren what is going on with you?" Keana asked , hoping to finally get an answer.

"It's nothing ," said Lauren, eager to get the argument over with.

"No, Lauren," said Keana, grabbing her fiancee's arm. "You don't think I haven't noticed you've been a little checked out lately? First you ditch wedding planning and now, late nights. You've been different since you disappeared for a week...I...do you even love me?"

Lauren's pair of emerald orbs meet Keana's teary-eyed ones and for a moment she wants to tell her about Camila. How she's sure the cure for cancer has been found in Camila's smile; the fascination that is her mind and the re-creation of The Big Bang they call, 'making love.'

But she doesn't.

Instead, Lauren embraces Keana in a hug and buries her head in the woman's hair. She tries not to take note on how her hair fails to smell like lavender and freedom like Camila's. "I'm sorry. I'll try harder," Lauren mutters.

Lauren contemplates how long she can keep lying to Keana as they stand, holding each other.

She still hadn't answered Keana's question.

-

The next day, they act like nothing happened. Keana made Lauren breakfast in bed, they shared a cup of coffee over their dining table and talked about the model's upcoming shoot that day.

"That's great, Ke" said Lauren. "The cover of Cosmopolitan is a pretty big deal."

"Oh, you'd know having been on it twice," She teased. "So will you after this," said Lauren.

"Yeah, I gotta go if I don't want to be late.

Traffic is usually hectic at this time," Keana said, getting up to meet her fiancée and wrapping her arms around her neck. "I'll also need you to dress up tonight, babe. I wanna take you somewhere."

Lauren furrowed her eyebrows. "Where to?"

"It's a surprise," said the fellow green-eyed woman.

Keana placed a kiss on Lauren's lips before closing the door behind her in their apartment. As the door shut, Lauren plopped herself on the couch and closed her eyes. She was doing that more often now.

If she closed her eyes, Lauren was back in Havana. Her name wasn't known to the world and Camila was hers. But, that was in her head - all that it will ever be.

Her thoughts were interrupted with a phone call. "Hey, what's up?" She said. On the line was her manager, Roger Gold. "Lauren, your Public Relations team needs you to discuss the album."

"Why do I need to be there? They never listen to anything I have to say anyway," said Lauren.

"You don't really have a choice here, Lauren," He said.

She sighed and hung up the phone. Roger could be a real ass sometimes, but she knows he's only doing his job.

Getting to Epic Records' New York headquarters was indeed a hassle as the hustle of the city was elevated. Nonetheless, she arrived with exactly a minute to spare to see that her PR team was sitting in a large oval table in conference room.

"Finally she's here," said Roger, patting a seat beside him for Lauren to sit.

In the meeting, she was briefed on how the album was going to be promoted and distributed. They also suggested yet another worldwide tour for her to go on; if there's one thing Lauren has a love-hate relationship with it's touring.

"Okay so what we have for you today isn't too busy," started Roger. "You have an interview with Sirius FM Radio, a sit-down interview with Latina Magazine, and a Q and A session for your fans at Buzzfeed."

"That's it?" Lauren asked. That was pretty soft compared to what she was used to. At least she has time to get ready for whatever Keana was planned for the both of them.

"Yes, that's it," Roger confirmed.

"Well, what are we waiting for?"

-

After having somewhat of a relaxed day, Lauren swung by her apartment to dress herself in an unrushed manner. She enjoyed doing her own makeup and picking her dresses; they were something she took for granted before fame had struck her.

She chose a velvet off the-shoulder dress, her black Jimmy Choo pumps, a diamond encrusted silver choker and a black faux- fur jacket.

Currently, the singer was in a black limousine parked outside Keana's photoshoot, waiting for her to step out.

Not even a minute later, the car door opens to reveal her fiancee in a silk black dress with a small v-week. A smile that doesn't quite reach Lauren's ears, appears on her face but compliments the other woman nonetheless."You look beautiful, Keana,"

"Thanks baby, so do you" She said placing a kiss on Lauren's lips. Keana reached forward to the built-in minibar and poured Lauren and herself a glass of wine.

"So are you finally going to tell me where you're taking me?" Lauren asked, taking a small sip off her glass.

"You know how we always attend The Met's fundraisers and donate a shit ton of money?"
Lauren nodded. "Well they mailed an invitation for an exhibit's opening gala, strictly for benefactors and New York's elite. And of course we're invited! i know how much you love art and you know how much I love you so, this is perfect for us!"

The green-eyed woman smiled endearingly at Keana."What's the exhibit called?"

"Mystical Landscapes, I think."

Suddenly, Lauren felt as if a flashbang grenade was thrown inside the small space of their limo. The spacious car felt like it was closing in on Lauren; the past - what she's been wishing for - is somehow within her reach. She'd be lying if she said the thought of seeing Camila again didn't excite her, but she can't be selfish - not anymore.

"Hello? Lauren!" said Keana waving a hand in her face. "We're here."

Lauren snapped of her thoughts and gave Keana a fake smile before heading into The National Metropolitan Museum, their arms securely linked together.

The exhibit pieces were displayed throughout the gala with small, rounded tables in front of each section. Tailor-made suits and elegant dresses crowded the large room. Lauren scanned the room, but the Cuban woman was nowhere to be seen.

Maybe she's not even here, Lauren thought, maybe she was assigned a mm exhibit and I'm freaking out for nothing.

She and Keana weren't five minutes into Claude Monet's 'Water Lilies' when she felt a tap on her shoulder. It was the director of the Museum, Thomas Campbell. "Miss Jauregui! Miss Marie!" He said, giving both women a firm handshake. "Always as lovely as ever."

"It's a pleasure to be here" said Keana. "Of course," He said "How could I not invite The Met's most high profile benefactors? I swear one tweet and the museum is swamped with teenage girls."

"I have someone to introduce to the both of you, will you excuse me?" Thomas excused himself, no doubt to mingle to the other suits at the gala.

With every step she took, memories flashed in Lauren's eyes. Each artwork not only represented her love for art, but moments with a certain brunette. With regards to her fiancée, Lauren knew she was growing weary; she knew the model never liked these things and noticed so every time she tried to surprise an eye roll.

Her ears perked at the sound of Thomas's booming voice behind her. "Ladies," He started. The pair turned their bodies and Lauren's heart stopped. Before her was the woman she'd been dreaming about for the past month. That's all Lauren thought she'll ever be - a dream - and now she's here. Her hair was straightened and her tan skin was wrapped in an an orange dress that hugged her curved in all the right places. In a world of black and white, she was the color. "May I present, the exhibit's lead curator, Miss Camila Cabello."

Camila's lips parted in shock, completely taken aback. She composed herself and held out her hand as if Lauren was just another face she will be passing in a few moments. "Nice to meet the both of you."

"I'm sure you know Lauren Jauregui and her fiancee, Keana Marie," said Thomas, leaving the women to converse.

Determined not to fill it with awkward silence, Camila says "That is a beautiful ring if I must say so myself."

"Thank you so much!" Keana said in response, unbeknownst to the sarcasm in Camila's voice.

"I was totally caught off guard when she proposed, it was so magical." Keana reached for her Lauren but the green-eyed woman played it off as if she had to fix her hair to avoid holding her hand.

This had to be Lauren's worst nightmare. Her fiancée and the woman she had an affair with in the same room actually having a conversation. Having Camila so close to her after yearning for her for what seemed like forever seemed surreal. She almost convinced herself at one point that Camila was a figment of her imagination and yet, she's here. Each time their eyes meet, Lauren can practically taste Camila's lips on her tongue - that's how intoxicating that woman is.

After Keana and Camila finished talking, the art curator parted with them. For the next 15 minutes, Lauren made every excuse possible to leave her fiancée and look for Camila. The younger Latina just seemed to be avoiding her which Lauren can't blame her for.

When a speck of orange catches her eye, it was standing in front of Jansson's Dawn Over Riddarfjarden. Lauren slid right next to her and said "So Cabello huh? Sounds fitting."

Brown orbs never left the painting and clenched her jaw "Leave me alone, Lauren.

Don't you have a fiancée to get back to?"

"Camz, I can expl-" Lauren starts the beginning of an apology when Camila cuts her off. "First of all, don't call me that. Second, I know what you're about to say - that you didn't mean to do what we did but I honestly should've known. You think I didn't know you were engaged? I knew, Lauren. And still, I found myself..." Her voice was angry and trailed off into nostalgia towards the end. "Whatever Lauren, can we just get through tonight and we don't have to see each other ever again."

This saddened Lauren to hear. "Camila, please," She pleaded with her eyes "You can't look me in the eye and say you didn't feel something in the time that we spent together."

"Lauren, I -"

"No, Camila. Look me in the eye and tell me you don't feel the same as I do."

The brown-orbed woman pursed her lips in thought and gained a sudden interest in the shoes on her feet. "I can't. I can't do that," She mumbled. Lauren ran her hand through her hair and used a finger to tilt Camila's head to face her "See?"

The singer's fingers made their way to lightly cup Camila's face and for a moment, they were alone. To the outside world, they were two people having a normal conversation; to the pair, they toyed with the forbidden fruit of each other's presence.

"No," said Camila angrily, slapping her hand away. "I don't want you, Lauren."

Lauren was about to argue back when they were interrupted by a tall, beautiful woman who sensed the tension brewing between the two women. "Is everything okay here?" She asked, rubbing Camila's arm supportively.

"Yes. Everything is alright Dinah," the art curator affirmed. The green-eyed woman clenched her jaw and sized Dinah up - jealousy brewing in her veins. "Miss Cabello and I were actually having a conversation, things are fine. We just get so passionate about art," lied Lauren.

"A conversation that is now over," said Camila in a tone so harsh, one could mistake it for a desert storm. "Let's go, Dinah."

The singer stood in the middle of a crowded room and watched the provider of color to her world, walk away.

Determined not to be deterred by the woman, Lauren pretends to be interested in a conversation with some New York socialite near Camila and Dinah. She was close enough to hear their conversation if she strained her ear.

"Miss Cabello, could you be a dear and get our guests here the special bottle of red wine?"

"Of course, Thomas. One moment, gentlemen."
From the corner of Lauren's eye, she saw Camila huffing and slightly stomping her way through the crowd, no doubt displeased at being ordered like someone's lackey. She looked at one end of the room and saw her fiancée, the center of a group's attention. To her back, walking away was the woman she desired in every way that certainly wasn't the one that Lauren promised to marry. The decision to be, to Lauren, was no-brainer; she chugged a random glass of Moscato and turned her body towards Camila's direction.

Away from the party, Lauren followed Camila into a quiet hallway - the sounds of their heels echoing their movements.

Camila turned her head and saw Lauren, causing her to walk faster. The older woman sped walk, hell bent on talking to her alone. Now Lauren was the one who was frustrated, refusing to acknowledge what happened between them angered her.
She used this anger to catch up to Camila - who she notices has taken smaller steps - and drag them both into the nearest supply closet.

Lauren wastes no time crashing their lips on another. The longing and suffering both women experienced without the other was put into the kiss. Lauren tugged on Camila's hair, making her moan and create an opportunity for the singer's tongue to enter her mouth.
The fight for dominance was abruptly disturbed by Camila pushing away Lauren's body from her own and slapping her cheek for good measure.

Their breaths were heavy and lips, swollen. No words were exchanged through their mouths, but as pleading emerald orbs meet conflicted brown ones, they both knew what was going to happen. Camila surrendered herself into lust - into Lauren Jauregui - and brought their lips together once more.

Lauren's hands snaked their way to Camila's back and roughly tugged the zipper of her dress down - leaving her thong clad body exposed. "As beautiful as you look in this dress, I'd rather see it on the floor," Lauren mumbled against her lips. The younger Latina smirked into their kiss and broke it apart to whisper in her lover's ear "You're wearing too much baby."

The singer stripped of her dress and quickly attached her lips to the younger woman's neck and her hand on wet folds. Camila moaned in pleasure and tried her best to make a coherent sentence "Lo, no marks. Can't go to....ugh fuck..work with tha - FUCKING SHIT!" She was cut off by three fingers entering her without warning. "Oh god. Yes, Lauren!" She groaned, her hands also finding Lauren's center; two fingers entered the singer and matched her pace.

Both their fingers were around velvety goodness and rocked against one another. Lauren cried out at the feeling of Camila hitting her g-spot "Right fucking there, Camz."

Although having the hottest quickie in her life, Lauren was still biting her lip to keep most sounds from spilling. The same cannot be said for Camila. The art curator was putting her vocal chords to use in the form of filthy groaning. "Yes! Oh, Lauren fuck me!"

"Camila shh," said Lauren burying her face in the woman's hair. It seemed that Camila didn't hear her because her moans increased in volume. "Baby you have to be quiet."

"Laur, your pussy feels so much better than I remember and oh fuck, yes! FUCK ME, LAUREN!" She screamed at the quickening of the green eyed woman's thrusts.
Afraid of being caught, Lauren withdrew her fingers, making the younger woman whine. Camila's thong was pulled past her ankles and balled into Lauren's fists in record time. "What are you - oh!" Her right hand went back to work on Camila's pussy while her left, shoved the piece of garment into the younger woman's mouth. "Now are you going to keep quiet?" Lauren asked seductively.
Camila nodded. This wasn't enough of Lauren who delivered a hard blow on that delicious Cuban ass. "You better be, or else."

Her eyes rolled to the back of her head at Lauren's sudden roughness. Wanting to step over the edge, Camila added a third finger and moved her thumb to rub Lauren's clit. Her hand was now starting to cramp, but she didn't let up and rammed into Lauren's core in an animalistic pace.

"Harder! Camz, I'm gonna come. Come with me, babe."

"Come for me," Camila muffled.

Mouths opened in perfect 'O' to scream in pleasure, but no sound came - caught up in the base of their throats.

The two women slowed her thrusts and rode out their orgasms together. Lauren removed the panties from her mouth and plants her lips on Camila, kissing her softly.

"I missed you."

"Don't think we're done yet, Jauregui."

Camila placed her hands on Lauren's shoulders, pushing her to lay down on the floor. "Spread your legs, babe," She said. Lauren smirked and did as she was told "Here for the taking, baby."

Lauren was expecting to be eaten out, but instead Camila lifts one of her knees to stand. She then straddles her lover and presses their cores against each other. "Fuck, Camila. You look so hot right now. Look at you, rubbing your pussy on me." Lauren would never forget the sight above her; beautiful, Latin featured scrunched in pleasure as her body shook from grinding her sensitive bundle of nerves.

The older Latina gripped Camila's thighs to guide her, but Camila was not having it. She forcefully removes her hands and pins them above her head, also bribing their bodies together. Swollen lips were near enough to close the gap between them; Camila sucked on Lauren's tongue as she moaned in her mouth. She went back to roughly taking Lauren's lips, grinding her center faster - chasing her orgasm.

Sensing Camila was about to scream and come, Lauren silenced her with one last, bruising kiss as they both reached their highs.

Camila slumped on Lauren's collarbone, completely spent. Once again, their bodies had created a cosmic explosion that defied all laws of man. They didn't care that there were 200 people two corridors away from them and one of whom happened to be Lauren's fiancée.
After a moment of silence, Camila spoke. "Lauren?"

"Hm?"

"Will you...I mean, do you want to go somewhere with me? "

"Where?"

"My hotel room."

-

Thankfully, Camila's hotel was only a block away from the museum. The two women practically ran through traffic in order to get there as quickly as possible.

Needlessly to say, Lauren and Camila were the reasons neither had any sleep. The rounds of making love lasted till the Moon said hello to the Sun - painting tiny, blue specks in the sky that the pair of lovers retreated into unconsciousness.

It was not until 8 AM that Lauren groggily checked her phone out of habit - which she programmed to silence - that she knew she was in for a shit load of trouble. There were 30 missed calls and 50 text messages from Keana and an additional 20 from Roger, Normani and Ally combined. "Shit," She muttered, dialing Roger's number.

It only rang once for him to answer. "Lauren! Where the hell have you been? Keana's here and she told us you disappeared last night!"
Lauren glanced at Camila's sleeping form, a sense of endearment forming in her chest. "I...had to go. It's hard to explain."

"Well you've got a lot of explaining to do once you get here and not just about last night."

"Why?"

"Just get here. Now." He hung up without giving Lauren another word.

The green-eyed woman felt the bed move and figured Camila was stirring from her slumber. She turned to look at her in all her morning glory; slightly disheveled hair, jutting out collarbones and sheets wrapped around her torso to hide the countless marks she made. Lauren was reminded of Havana, she had gotten to see that side of Camila every single day.

Lauren was freed of Camila's hypnotizing trance when the younger woman uttered four words that gutted Lauren to the core: "This was a mistake."

"Camila, please don't say that," Lauren sighed.

"You don't mean that."

The other woman furrowed her eyebrows and raised her voice. "Yes I do, Lauren! You're fucking engaged! The whole world is counting the days till you get married, you can be out fucking people like me."

"I don't care! You're so much more than just that to me, Camila. Do you think I wanna cheat on Keana, do you not think I want to love her?"
Camila got up from the bed, sheets held up by her fist, covering her body. "Then why are you here?!"

"Because of you! I can't sleep, I can't eat, I can't breathe without thinking about you and your art and Havana and just...I can't stop thinking about you."

"So what, you're gonna leave Keana for who, me? You can't do that and certainly not for me!"
It was Lauren's turn to raise her voice now, "And why the hell not? You can't tell me that you don't feel as strongly as I do for you, otherwise last night wouldn't have happened."

"That doesn't matter. Yes, I admit you make me feel like I'm fucking flying and I've never felt this way about anyone. But the fact of the matter is that you're with someone else, someone you promised to spend the rest of your life with."

"I stopped loving her before I met you."

"Please, Lauren," Camila pleaded and defeated, now with tears streaming down her eyes. "Just go."

Lauren's porcelain body made it's way to press itself against Camila's tan skin, taking deep breaths and connecting their foreheads together. Breathing in when the other breaths in, they fade into each other for what seems like the last time. "I choose you, Camila," said Lauren, "Tell me to stay. Tell me to stay."

They stayed in that position for a while, Lauren softly repeating "Tell me to stay," as her mantra. Camila pulled away first and looked into those emerald eyes that she had come to see herself never parting from. The older Latina saw the internal conflict her lover was having and she understood why; she just hopes that Camila chooses her too.

"I think you should go. Be with Keana." said Camila with a quivering lip. She closed her eyes, knowing that if she stared into those jade colored eyes, she'd ask her to stay.

Lauren didn't say a word; she simply dressed herself with the spare clothes Camila gave her, avoiding eye contact with the woman that just broke her heart. She shot a quick text to Roger saying she will be along and made her way to the door.

Her hand was on the knob for a minute, contemplating whether to try to convince Camila once more, before deciding against it and exiting the hotel room.

Once out, it was then no longer held back the river and let sorrow overtake her body in the form of tears.

-

Hailing one of New York's endless amount of yellow taxis, Lauren got to Epic Records in less than 10 minutes. The driver recognized her, but refused to say anything out of her respect for her emotional state.

She took an elevator to the conference floor and made her way to the large room at the end of the hall. The room was surrounded by glass walls so as she got closer Lauren noticed Roger, her entire PR team and a tear-stained Keana all looking at her with disappointment and anger - some were....blushing?

"I thought it was my day off today?" Lauren said, entering the room; she tried to meet Keana's eyes but all she was looking at was the floor.

"Show her," said Roger.

One of her PR members shuffled their feet to Lauren with a large tablet in their hands.

"What's this?"

"Just press play, m'am."

Lauren unlocked the tablet to find a black screen and a small 'play' button the in the middle. She clicked on it and the video was all static at first, but turned into a surveillance camera footage from a corner of a room. She quickly recognized it as the National Museum of Fine Arts in Havana.

Oh shit, Lauren thought.

She fast forwarded the video and moans of pleasure echoed through the quiet, conference room.

"You taste so good, Camila," said Lauren in the video.

"Oh! That's it baby, you're eating my pussy so good!"

The singer immediately stopped the video and threw the tablet on the table. "Where the fuck did you get that?" She asked angrily.

"Does that matter, Lauren?" Roger said. "It shouldn't exist in the first place! Do you know how much we had pay the man to have him hand over Lauren Jauregui's sex tape and make sure he didn't make copies?"

"I can explain," She said not to her management team but to Keana, who still had yet to look at her.

"You better have one! This could ruin your career, your album is coming out in two weeks. You'd be branded a liar, a cheater and much less one who's a woman. Unfortunately, women don't get away with shit like this in the industry."

"Everybody, leave the room right now," said Keana quietly. Lauren's team obeyed without question - everyone knew not to mess with the woman who just got cheated on.

Although they exited the conference room, the walls were still glass making it very hard for everyone to pretend they weren't curious to see how the couple was gonna handle it.

"Keana," said Lauren. "I didn't want you to find out this way. I'm sorry."

The model released herself from her chair and stepped towards the green-eyed woman, their faces inches away from one another. "It was that woman from the gala isn't it...the curator?" She asked surprisingly calm. Lauren nodded.

Keana raises her palm and connects it with Lauren's right cheek, all the hurt and fervor behind her. The singer stretched her jaw and began to say something along the lines of "Okay, I deserved that but I -" before Keana delivered another blow to her left cheek. "I love you, Lauren!" She cried out with tears streaming down her face "I love you and you go and do....this...her!"

"I didn't mean for it to happen this way, it just did. But the fact of the matter is that, Keana, I....don't love you anymore," sighed Lauren. She reached into the pocket of her sweatpants and pulled out the diamond ring Keana had given her the week after Lauren proposed.
"No, you don't mean that, Lauren," said Keana, shaking her head. "No! You don't mean that!"
"Yes. Yes I do..."

Hearing that, changed something in Keana; all she felt was anger and disdain for the woman in front of her. She held up a finger and pointed it to Lauren "I will ruin you, Lauren. I have a live interview with Victoria Secret today and I will make sure no one buys another Lauren Jauregui album again!"

"Would you really do that?" Lauren asked, hurt. The singer knew she wasn't in the best place to be one hurting, but the Keana in front of her wasn't the same Keana she knew four years ago. Despite falling out of love with her, Lauren still hoped that at the end of the day, they could be friends.

"I wouldn't have to if you just came back to me. I know we've had our share of problems but, I can give you everything. And what can she do, a good fuck? Please, Lauren."

Lauren opened her mouth to say something but Keana just continued. "The interview is in an hour," said Keana, taking the ring from Lauren. "I don't wanna see you till then, till you've made your decision."

And with that Keana walked away, leaving Lauren speechless. Keana was giving her an out.

She figured what she must've looked like to the people that were observing: a liar, a cheater, an asshole, but she didn't care.
For the first time since fame had taken over her life, Lauren was finally making a choice of her own: Love.

-

The green-eyed woman practically ran down the hallway and into the elevator. Blood was pumping through her veins at a record pace, but the world around her failed to match it.
Everything was just going so slow.

"C'mon, C'mon," She muttered, continously pressing the first floor button of the elevator, as if it would make it down fast enough.
She heard the security guard call after her when she got into the lobby, but didn't waste her time. Getting into a cab, and mumbled the directions for The Met.

The short drive wasn't short enough because when the can pulled up to the curb, Lauren was pretty sure she threw him a hundred dollar bill.
Entering the museum was like walking on stage in her own concert, everybody instantly recognized her. A small crowd of 5 had gathered around her and she knew there were more to come if she didn't handle he situation.
"Guys, I'd hate to do this because because I love you all, but I have someone really important to see. Do you know where I can find the Mystical Landscapes Exhibit?" asked Lauren, knowing they had changed locations from the gala.

"Up the stairs and down the hallway."

All the rush and adrenaline left her body and was replaced by love and affection, the minute she saw Camila. The younger Latina was wearing an off-shoulder black dress that hugged her curved in all the right places.

Her hair was in its natural wave the joy of her occupation was evident in her face as she talked to an elderly woman about an Emily Carr painting. Camila glanced upwards, eyes bulging out at the sight of the singer,
"What are you doing here, Lo?" Camila asked her voice laced with sadness.

"I need you to come with me," said Lauren, taking Camila's hand and dragging her out the museum.

"I'm working, Lauren! Where are you taking me?" She whined.

The older woman did not say a word until she dragged them both outside to the steps of the Met. Thankfully, there weren't as much civilians as usual.

"Keana found out," said Lauren as they down on the steps. "What? How?" Camila said in panic. "And she said she'll ruin my career by telling the whole world in her live interview. It starts at 10"

Camila punched the green-eyed woman on the arm, looking at her wristwatch: 9:40 AM.
"That's 20 minutes from now! You should already be halfway down Fifth Avenue right now. I'm not going to let you throw away your career! You should be doing something to repair your engagement."

The younger Latina was in a state of panic, but Lauren was completely calm as she spoke "That's my problem to worry about. And frankly I don't care."

"I don't understand what you're trying to say," said Camila.

"I'm done caring about what people are going to say. I'm here, asking you if you you'll take me."

Camila was speechless, this can't be happening...right?

"Do you want me Camila...or don't you?"

Lauren asked in all seriousness, boring her soul into brown orbs. Camila wanted to scream 'Yes' from the top of her lungs, but what came out was: "Don't you care that time is running out?"
A chuckle espaced Lauren's lips. "I'm gonna sit here and run out of time with you," She said "You can't fix the fact that I want you more than a number one album."

"But you can't give it all up!" burst Camila.

"Keana, your career, they can give you something that I never can."

"I already chose you, Camila" said Lauren, nonchalantly. "And you know what I think? I think you don't believe me. So we're gonna sit here for the next 20 minutes while the clock on my engagement runs out and we're gonna run it out together..."

"You wouldn't," Camila said in disbelief. No one had ever fought for her like this before; no one was ever willing to choose her over the world.

"Oh, I would. You're gonna sit here and watch me choose you."

And so they sat.

They sat on the steps of The Met as the seconds ticked by. The world, Keana, her career, faded around the two of them. Camila sat with her hands folded together under her chin, unable to comprehend that it was really happening - that Lauren Jauregui is giving up everything to be with her. She was honestly expecting the older woman to get up and change her mind, but she didn't. Instead, Lauren smiled at her with all the love and adoration in the world. Lauren never took her eyes off of Camila, simply drinking her all in.

No one had ever looked at Camila the way Lauren did and that scares the living shit out of her. She had gotten use to sleeping on one side of the bed, to making one cup of coffee in the morning, never giving anyone a goodbye kiss in the morning. And now, she wonders if that's all about to change.

The minutes die down into seconds and the seconds into milliseconds an those, into microseconds. Before they knew it the clock had struck 10 AM.

"Time's up," said Lauren. "Unless you don't want me."

It was in that moment that Camila finally gave into the love she was deprived of all her life. She threw her hands around Lauren's neck and pulled her in for a passionate kiss, not caring that there were people around them possibly recognizing Lauren. Lauren had chosen her.

The two lovers could barely kiss properly from the tremble in their lips. "I want you, Lauren" Camila mumbled into the kiss, tasting the salt from her fallen tears. "I'll always want you."

After pulling away from the kiss, not wanting to further something they can't continue, Lauren spoke. "So I guess I better let you back back to work huh?" She placed a tender kiss on Camila's lips, the younger Latina smiled into it and reciprocated.

"No, I'll call and say I wasn't feeling too well. Besides," She started "I have more pressing matters to attend to." Camila stood up and held out her hand for Lauren as they walked down the steps in into the streets of New York.
Lauren sighed in relief; she could finally breathe again. "So what now?"

"Well Thomas Campbell offered me a job."

"Here? At The Met? That's incredible, Camz!" Lauren cheered and kissed her lips lovingly.

"What about Paris?"

"This is the last stop for the exhibit. They'll go back to Paris...but I won't be going with them."

"Babe, I'm still worried about your album, it's coming soon right?"

"Yeah, but I wouldn't think about it too much. Right now I just wanna be with you."
The younger brunette could not stop the ear spitting grin that washed over her face when she was with Lauren. She gave her a kiss on her cheek before swinging their intertwined hands out of joy.

Lauren and Camila walked hand in hand into an unknown future that lay ahead of them. The only sure thing they knew they'd have is each other.

They were free, but not in love. The two lovers were not in love yet but, it's pretty damn near close.