Find The Beauty Within: The Pain and The Struggle

Let The Games Begin

"photography is a small voice, at best, but sometimes one photograph, or a group of them, can lure our sense of awareness." -W. Eugene Smith

Dinah pov

I just confessed to zendaya that I love normani but I couldn't ruin anything between them . she's happier with zendaya than she ever was with me . I can see how much she loves her and even if she said all those things to me when you had the room to ourselves, I could tell that she didn't mean half the stuff she said . she's in love with zendaya and I'm just going to be her best friend. if I wasn't going to be her girlfriend then I might as well be her friend. I really don't want to keep fighting . I want us to have a friendship because I want to be in her life and she be in mine . I gotta lock away what I feel for normani and not let it show .

zendaya tried to give me sympathy but I waved it off . I wasn't about to receive that from mani's girlfriend . I don't want that . I don't want it at all . I don't want it from normani , zendaya, or anyone in general . just getting sympathy from other people makes me feel like I'm weak. that's something I refuse to believe . I might have thought of it before but now I'm going to be strong . I have to be happy from normani . she needs me there .

"Dinah, which one looks better ? the blue dress or the black one?" normani asked, holding up two different dresses up to her.

"the black suits you more . you look beautiful in that color." I admitted honestly, giving her a small smile.

"thank you, I like when you come to the mall with me. you always tell me the truth ."

"I couldn't lie to you even if I tried. the truth spills out instead of lies because when I see you, I know I can't lie."

"nice to know that you'll never lie to me ."

she gives me a small smile and I reciprocated it. she buys the black dress but after that , she drags me into other stores . I didn't mind because I loved spending time with her when it's just me and her. zendaya didn't like the thought of me and normani alone together but she got over it . she knows I won't do anything to steal mani away from her. I couldn't do it. I can't ruin a perfect happy relationship for my own benefits . normani deserves to be happy and not to continue getting heartbroken from me . she has a family now and they love her. just as much as I love her .

"hey dreamer, do you want something to eat ?" Normani's voice brings me back to reality.

I give her an apologetic smile which she returned with a genuine one before wrapping her arms around my waist .

"I'm sorry , I think a lot."

"I know you do, but what do you want to eat? we can get anything you want."

"wingstop? we haven't been there in awhile . well I haven't . I don't know about you. I kinda missed their wings ."

"I wanted to go to wingstop and zendaya suggested it one day but I said no , that we should get something else."

"why ?"

"it just felt wrong for me to bring her there when I always came to wingstop with you. it's been like a habit and I don't want to break that. I just like to have a place that we can always go to when we're out together as friends. plus this is somewhere we both liked and where no one treats you unfairly ."

"don't remind me ! I hated that because it was our first date and that ended up in a disaster ."

"the memories we had were bad but also good ."

"I guess so . now we'll have happy memories because we're best friends and you love zendaya."

"I do and yes we will. the memories I have with you will always be in my mind. I will never forget them ."

"I won't either."

"how's work?"

"it's okay . it gets tiring but taking time off on the busiest days for you, makes it worth it. I like sacrificing some time away from my job just to spend it with you."

"I'm glad you think that way because I'd sacrifice everything just to spend time with you."

"you're not taking care of little kids that like to cause trouble." I said, with a long groan.

"you cause trouble and you're a little kid."

normani smiles at me before getting out of the car and rushing into wingstop. I followed , locking the door behind me. imma get her back. when she's not expecting it, imma make her scream when I scare her somehow. it may not be now or it may be. she'll never know. if she wants to play this game then so be it. let the games begin.

I didn't see normani when I walked in but I know she was trying to hide . I decided to order our food but just before I got to the counter, she came up behind me and scared me . I screamed and gave her a glare . everyone in the restaurant was dead silent and I felt embarrassed . normani was laughing her ass off . I pushed her out the way and apologized to the person taking my order. he said it was okay and then I took my order . after I was done, I sat down at the table that mani was sitting at. I crossed my arms over my chest and gave her a menacing look.

"Dinah , you're an adorable little trouble maker ."

"mani, imma get you."

"I'll be waiting ."

"you don't know what you got yourself into ms. Hamilton ."

"oh I don't ?"

"no ma'am but be prepared to lose."

"I'm not going to lose." normani said, smirking as she got up .

the food was done already and we just gave each other glares as we ate. neither one of us trusting one another. if I let my guard down, normani could do something to me. I'm not letting her win this battle. this is war . if she wants to fight then let us fight. this isn't going to end well but I am not giving up until I win. I will have normani begging for mercy . I wouldn't be able to give it to her because she got herself into the mess and there's no way out of it.

A/N: double update ! I know it's shorter than the rest of my chapters but I apologize . I'm getting really sleepy but my one month anniversary with simba and Laniece is tomorrow and I'm excited . thenotsocoolweirdo , she is someone that I connected well with. if you put the two of us together then we'll end up with ideas for books . like we are just so amazing . I love you gabby💜 laniece23 , even if she doesn't go on as much , this is my other friend I met on here. I just love our talks and I wouldn't want them with anyone else. we fight but we overcome it like usual because I can't be without this girl for long. anyway, I love you Laniece💙