The Dancing Girl in The Painting ** (Camren)

Chapter 24: She Intrigued Me

Narrator's POV

Normani picked Lauren up at eight as agreed.

"Mani, where is it?" Lauren asked Normani as they were heading to the destination.

"You'll see," Normani said.

"It's not Black Widow, right?" Lauren did not have an issue with Scarlett, but she did not want to get attached to Scarlett. 

"No, Lauser. Don't worry. She actually offered her place at a good rate but I don't want to put you in that position.

"Thank you, Mani. You know me well."

"Hell yeah, I am your best friend." Normani smiled.

"You are..." Lauren smiled happily.

"But I invited her, tho."

"Oh, okay." Lauren did not mind at all.

"I don't want to but she knows it."

"It's okay, Mani. She's quite nice to us since the beginning."

"Yeah, to you specifically. Did you invite our lady boss?" Normani wondered. 

"Yes, I invited her. I told her that I can pick her up, or she can ask Hailee. She did not contact me so far, but I don't think she will show up." Lauren said.

"I think so, too. Hardly can ask her to go out for lunch right?" they both knew Camila did not socialize much in general. 

"Yes, she also doesn't like being in the crowd full of strangers."

"Yeah!"

Normani organized Lauren's birthday party at their other favorite place Habit belonged to Louis. Normani did not want to use the privilege that Scarlett offered as she did not want to owe her anything and put Lauren in a position where she could not reject her easily. Normani knew her best friend who could be too nice, too kind to reject people. However, Scarlett knew Lauren's birthday as they celebrated it last year at her place or she just still remembered it. It was the time when Lauren and Normani first met Scarlett. Normani invited her even though she decided to have it at Habit. Normani told Scarlett that she had reconfirmed to them and made the full payment. Scarlett understood.

It was not a big party anyway. They only invited a few friends. Normani booked VIP tables. Those who were invited were Lucy, Hailee, Emma, Will, Scarlett, two guys from Lauren's racing team, Zayn and Liam, and Louis himself. Louis and Lauren met at a seminar three years ago when Louis was searching for an answer to her financial problem and Lauren was learning new things.  Lauren had helped Louis with his business. She helped Louis with knowledge and advice. Louis appreciated Lauren's help and they became good friends ever since. That was one of the reasons Normani got a very good price at Habit. The habit was smaller than Black Widow but both had a good reputation. The habit was more elegant and Black Widow was more extravagant, but both were high-end nightclubs.

In front of the club, Lauren saw Hailee and a girl. Unfortunately, it was not Camila. It was Hailee's sister. She wanted to meet Lauren. She was Lauren's fan. Hailee asked Normani and Normani told her that she could bring her sister considering Ally was not coming anyway as she was still in Texas.

"Hi, Haiz!" Lauren called her.

"Hi, Haiz!" Normani greeted Hailee as well.

"Hi, Lauren, Normani." Lauren looked at the girl next to Hailee. "I hope you don't mind I bring my sister."