The Distraction of Attraction

Lauren knew a lot about Camila. They had spent so much time together over the last few years that she had gathered a catalogue worth of Camila-based facts. The most recent admission to Lauren's inner camilapedia happened two months ago, through a severely bruised. Camila was terrified of turbulence.


They had sat next to each other on a flight when the captain alerted them to the possibility of some slight turbulence. Camila had latched onto her hand so tightly Lauren was worried she fractured a bone or two. The Cuban had remained in her fierce grip until they landed several hours later.


The reason that this memory sprung into the forefront of her mind was due to the fact that the pilot of the plane they were currently on to Miami had just announced that they would be flying through a thunderstorm shortly.


A panic-stricken Camila turned to her just as Lauren jammed her hands under her thighs to keep them from being crushed by Camila's (surprisingly strong) hands.


'Don't freak out.' Lauren said quietly, watching Camila's hand curl over their shared armrest.


'I'm not freaking out.'


Lauren quirked a brow at Camila's high-pitched voice. 'Really, because your eyes have gone, like, really wide.'


'I'm fine, I mean it's not like we're forty thousand feet high in a tin can, flying through wind and rain and lightning!' Her voice rose towards the end of her sentence, ringing out through the cabin. A few people turned to look questioningly. Luckily they were seated on a two-seater row alone.


'Whoa, okay crazy, turn it down a notch, okay?' Lauren said calmly, just as the plane hit the first bout of turbulence. It was only a slight rumble; the aircraft shook and stopped again.


Camila pressed herself back against her seat, gripping both armrests so hard her hands turned white. Lauren watched her worriedly, not knowing how to help without risking a deformed hand.


The plane dipped a few times and Lauren felt her stomach drop at the sensation. She looked at Camila her eyes were shut tightly and she seemed to be gritting her teeth.


'Camz, it's okay. We're okay.' She risked placing her hand on top of Camila's, trying to pry it from the armrest.


The plane jumped again, this time more severely and the fasten seatbelts sign dinged. She turned in her aisle seat to look past Camila and out the window. Although it was morning, the sky had turned a deep black, rain pelted the window.


Another dip and her stomach lurched again. There were some gasps from other passengers as the plane started to shake.


Camila had gone a strange color.


Lauren was concerned, Camila was being way too quiet and ... She attempted to pull Camila's hand free again. Lauren didn't exactly enjoy flying through a storm either, but her own fear took a backseat in lieu of Camila's discomfort. But the younger girl steadfastly hung on, unwilling to loosen her grip.


'Please stop freaking out.' Lauren whispered.


'How?' Camila choked out.


'Just...don't.' Lauren wanted to slap herself at how unhelpful she was being.


'Solid advice, Lo. Thanks.'


'At least we know that in times of stress your sarcasm level remains consistent.'


'It's a coping mechanism.'


Lauren nodded, watching Camila's teeth bite down on her lip after a particularly shaky few seconds. 'Is it working?'


'Nope.' Camila uttered, her voice quivering.


Lauren ran a soothing hand up and down Camila's tense forearm, whispering words of reassurance. Fifteen minutes later, her words were having zero effect and the plane continued to shudder through the storm.


Lauren struggled to know what to do. She sucked at this stuff, comforting and being supportive wasn't up there on her list of special skills.


She had a much more practical approach than an emotional one. All her advice came from books. Suddenly she remembered reading about distraction being used in the management of anxiety. Well, actually she was trying to find out the reason dentists insist on making small talk with you when you have like nine implements shoved in your mouth. Apparently, they do it to distract their patient, which distracts them from pain and anxiety.


Although talking wasn't proving to be much of a distraction to Camila. Lauren considered taking her top off and flashing her boobs or something but she didn't feel like flashing the whole plane.


An idea creeped into her consciousness, she wasn't sure if she should at first but Camila's face was ashen and when she brushed her hand against her girlfriend's cheek, it felt cold and clammy. Lauren hated seeing her in this kind of distress.


'Hey, so I've got an idea.' Lauren said, leaning in closer to the terrified girl.


'Yeah? Is it parachutes? Parachutes seem .like a good idea.' Camila attempted to joke, her voice faltering and tremulous. She kept her eyes screwed shut.


'Actually I was thinking that maybe we should join the mile high club?'


One of Camila's eyes pried open but she squeezed it shut again when the cabin lights flickered.


'Very funny.'


The plane shook again and Camila tensed even more against her seat.


'I'm being serious, we should do it, and it'll be fun.' Lauren smirked, studying Camila's face to see if her distraction technique was working.


'What are you talking about Lauren?!' Camila opened her eyes, turning to look at her girlfriend. She sounded less frightened, a little annoyed, but mainly perplexed. 'You know what that is right?'


'The mile high club?' Lauren said pointedly loudly, 'Yeah I know what it is.'


'Sshhhh!' Camila hushed her, letting go of her death-grip on the chair to look around making sure nobody heard.


Lauren laughed; glad her distraction seemed to be working.


'Stop messing with me.'


'I'm not! I think we should have a quickie in the bathroom.'


Camila's face flashed scarlet, it seemed much more dramatic due to the pallid color it had been moments ago. 'Wha-what are you talking about? Are you high?'


'Mile high.' Lauren answered, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.


Camila leant in conspiratorially, 'You're saying you want our first time to be in an airplane restroom?' She whisper-yelled. Her words were soaked in suspicion and she rubbed the back of her neck nervously.


Lauren had to bite down on her lip to stop her smile. Camila was so flustered she was barely paying attention to the turbulence anymore and Lauren took that as a good sign even if she felt kinda shitty for playing with her like this.


'Come on Camz, it'll be a good story for the grandkids.'


'Why would we ever tell our grandkids th- wait, grandkids?!'


'Or a good wedding speech story, don't you think?'


'Wedding...what? What's happening?'


Camila's yes were like saucers, her face a now bright red. The plane bounced and shuddered but Camila didn't even notice. She was looking at Lauren incredulously, like she didn't know how to process any of what was being said.


'Should I be offended that the idea of kids and weddings is so mortifying to you?' Lauren asked, she reached down to pick up her hand luggage.


'I...we...you...what?' Camila seemed to be having some kind of meltdown; Lauren noticed that the turbulence seemed to be easing off so she decided to cut the girl some slack. Pulling a bottle of water from her bag she noticed the bright light of sunshine peeking out through the dark clouds.


Lauren passed her water to Camila with a smirk, watching as Camila looked at her sceptically as she chugged some of the water.


The fasten seatbelt sign turned off and the ding noise must've alerted Camila to the reason it was on in the first place. She looked around, obviously confused to how she had forgotten about the turbulence.


The little frown on Camila's face was adorable and Lauren itched to kiss the out she was wearing. Suddenly Camila looked at Lauren accusatorily, realising she had been played.


'Oh my God, did you just say all that stuff so I'd forget about the turbulence?'


Lauren couldn't contain her laughter; she cracked up doubling over at Camila's outraged expression.


'You jerk!'


'Hey!' Lauren giggled, 'It worked didn't it?'


'Yes, but you just substituted my terror for humiliation.'


'Well, would you rather be terrified or embarrassed?'


'Neither!' Camila intoned, still feigning anger but Lauren could see the glint of humour in her eyes.


Camila sat back in her seat, relief seemed to swim through her limbs. Lauren smiled sincerely; happy Camila was no longer petrified.


'I'm sorry for messing with you; I just didn't like seeing you like that.'


'It's okay,' Camila said honestly, 'You were right, it did work.' Camila removed their shared armrest and moved in to rest against Lauren's side. Lauren slipped an arm around her shoulder to pull her close. 'It was a risky tactic though Jauregui.'


'What do you mean?' Lauren asked, looking down at the top of Camila's head.


'Well, what would you have done if I'd said yes?'


'You wouldn't have.'


Camila moved closer, her fingers playing with the hem of Lauren's Metallica T-shirt. 'I don't know, I mean you're right it would make a cool story.' Her warm fingers slipped under the material, brushing across Lauren's stomach. She breathed in sharply and felt her cheeks burn.


Camila's fingers travelled upwards and grazed over her abs until finally stopping when they bumped into Lauren's bra.


'Camila, what are yo-'Lauren practically choked on her words when Camila forcefully dragged her fingers back down, scraping blunt nails down sensitive skin. 'Fuck.' Lauren hissed.


'We've still got time.' Camila nodded towards the bathroom. Laurens jaw dropped, her ears burned and her mouth was dry. All the blood in her body seemed to rush to her cheeks and...one other place.


'I-I wh-wha..?' Came Lauren's ineloquent response, she was so baffled how the tables had turned so dramatically.


The fits of laughter next to her cut off Lauren's internal freak-out. When she looked down at her girlfriend, Camila was wiping tears from her eye through laughing so much.


Laure just looked at her blankly, willing the heat in her face to dissipate.


'Not so funny when it's the other way round, huh?' Camila mocked, turning back in her seat as the air steward announced their decent. Lauren just shook her head, impressed at Camila's cunning and trying to stop imagining different bathroom sex scenarios.


Lauren and Camila stood outside Miami International Airport in the deep, sweltering midday heat. They were signing autographs and taking selfies with fans as they made their way to their waiting cars.


They had a car and a driver each to take them to their respective homes. Lauren knew this would be the last time they would see each other for a few days and suddenly she regretted not saying goodbye Camila in the privacy of the baggage claim.


Lauren reached her car first; she pulled Camila away from a fan apologetically. She tugged Camila into a hug, wrapping an arm over Camila's shoulders as her girlfriend tucked her face into the crook of Lauren's neck.


'Bye.' Lauren whispered in her ear, it was a quiet utterance in the commotion that surrounded them but she knew Camila heard her.


'I'll miss you.' The words were a vibration into her neck, she squeezed Camila in response.


'We'll see each other soon. I'm coming to stay at yours, remember?'


Camila nodded against her neck.


The embrace they shared was teetering on the precipice of being more than friendly, their fans were no doubt filming and taking pictures of their interaction, she could see it now, Camren memes galore. So, Lauren pulled back from the hug.


The driver put her case in the trunk and opened the door for her. 'Bye' she mouthed to Camila as she got in her car and the driver set off. With a final wave to her fans Lauren was on her way home.


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