Three Is A Crowd

Chapter 46: A Half-Chewed Fry

AN: Just a short filler for y'all, before I go back to work and have to put on hold any more posting of new chapters.

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The next day, Lauren walks into a cottage-style restaurant to meet with Dinah and Normani (who have become quite the inseparable duo, which makes Lauren feel like a third wheel sometimes), and the first thing Dinah notices are Lauren's poorly painted nails -- almost blinding bright pink with little yellow hearts (or they could be yellow poop, she's not sure) all over.

"What the hell is that, Lauser?"

"What?" Lauren asks as she sits down with a plop.

"Who painted your fingernails? Stevie Wonder?"

"But they're so cute." Lauren says in an uncharacteristic (but totally adorable) baby voice.

Dinah and Normani share an amused look, but Lauren doesn't notice them because she's busy posting an IG story of her nails as the sunlight is reflected perfectly on the little hearts as if they're glowing.

"Were you in a moving car while you had your nails done?" Normani asks.

"There might have been a minor scuffle when Camz was painting my nails coz y'know I hate pink -- but now I sort of like it."

"If you tell people it's done by your five year-old niece, then okay it's kinda cute." Dinah laughs.

Lauren shrugs as she steals Normani's fries -- which is something no one is allowed to do, not even Lauren. The result is a hard smack at the back of her head which causes her to spit the half-chewed fries onto the table.

"Jesus Christ, Mani!" she grumbles petulantly. "Am I not your friend!?"

"I am. What I'm not is your mother, Lauren. Feeding you is not my responsibility," Normani sasses.

"It's just fries!"

"They're my fries!"

"You do know there's a thing that Jesus does, it's called sharing!"

"You know what else Jesus did?" Normani replies, "he got himself crucified!"

"Mani, why do you get so protective of your food, and yet if it was my food I share it with you?!"

"Guys, guys! Chill!" Dinah shushes them. "It feels weird when I'm the responsible adult in here."

Lauren glares at the two of them as she hails a waitress, ordering bacon cheeseburger and a large plate of fries (all for herself), and glowering at Dinah when the waitress notices her fingernails and Dinah says it was done by a toddler. The waitress giggles and bats her eyelashes and gives Lauren a major case of tantalizing eyes as she gushes over how sweet Lauren is for allowing a child to paint her nails and be proud of it.

Once the waitress leaves, Lauren rolls her eyes as she crosses her arms against her chest, hiding her hands under her armpits.

"So, how's Keana?" Normani asks.

"She's fine. Oh, by the way, she asks me to tell you guys that you're invited to her gig this weekend -- she got you tickets if you want them."

"I like their music, so hell yeah," Normani confirms.

"Dinah?" Lauren asks.

"Where Mani goes, I go." Dinah says as if it's plain common sense. "By the way, is it working?"

"Is what working?"

"Keana and Mila."

"You mean is it making Camila jealous?" Lauren raises an eyebrow. "Definitely."