Love Me (Normani)

Chapter 41

"Hi! I heard what happened, how's Normani?" Alejandro asked when Camila came downstairs to get the girl some water. "Terrible Papi, how would you feel if your father just killed himself right in front of you?" "Don't get shirty with me Mila, I'm just trying to help." "What can I even say to her?" Camila sighed, sitting at the table with her father. "There's nothing you can say honey, just be there for her." "She's already sick, she doesn't need this on top of everything else." Camila rubbed her eyes tiredly. "What do you mean by that?" "She's got eating disorders Papi." "Oh, wow. I wouldn't have guessed that." "No one did. Lauren and I didn't." "And what's happening with that?" "We're helping her with it together." "That must be stressful for you." He said, putting a hand on his daughter's arm. "Yeah, but she needs us." "Remember you have exams soon, you need to do well with those." "I know, I'm still studying hard and acing classes. You don't need to worry about that." Camila reassured him. "If you're not careful honey you'll tire yourself out." "I'm managing Papi, just let me handle it." Camila said, getting the water she came down for before heading back upstairs. Normani was laid down on Camila's bed with her head in Lauren's lap sniffling with silent tears rolling down her cheeks as Lauren ran her fingers through her silky hair. "Here, I got you some water." Camila half smiled for a second before she sat down too. Lauren gave a small, sad smile to Camila. "Where are we-" Lauren started. "You're both staying. It should be obvious." Camila insisted. "Mani?" Camila said gently. "Do you want some water? You'll be pretty dehydrated from all the crying.." "You should drink something." Lauren said warmly. "I don't want water, I want my Dad back." She whimpered. Camila put a hand on her arm and looked at Lauren sadly. "We know." Lauren mumbled. "We're really sorry Manibear." Camila said, laying down next to her but facing the girl. Camila reached out and stroked the girl's cheek with her first finger softly and gave a sad smile. "Can we do anything?" Lauren asked. "You're already doing it." Normani whispered. "What're you thinking about? You have your thinking face on." Camila said when she noticed. "I just," Normani sniffed. "keep replaying it over in my head..I was right there, and I couldn't save him." Her voice cracked. "It was my fault, he blamed himself for causing my eating disorder. He, he thought it was his fault I got sick." Lauren stroked the hair out of her girlfriend's face so she could see her properly. "It wasn't your fault baby." "Lauren's right..it wasn't anybody's fault." "You weren't there." Normani said with more tears burning in her eyes. "That doesn't change who's at fault." Camila said. "And it's not you." Lauren lifted Normani's head off her lap and laid down next to her girlfriend, wrapping her arms around her waist and pulling her closer. "It feels like a dream." Normani mumbled. "Do you uh, do either of you mind if I study for a bit? My Dad is on my ass about exams coming up." "I don't mind." Lauren replied. "It's fine." Normani gave a small smile, but it wasn't genuine. She was numb from recent events. "Thanks. Just let me know if you need anything." Camila said, walking over to her desk across the room and putting her earphones in to give the new couple some privacy. "Come here." Lauren whispered in Normani's ear. The dark skinned girl and turned over in her arms to bury her head in the girl's neck. Her familiar scent filling her nose, making her smile a little. "Can I sleep?" "Of course you can sleep." Lauren said and kissed her forehead. "You get some rest, you need it." She's not gonna be eating anything anytime soon, she really won't cope well with this. "I honestly can't believe she's gone through all this." Camila spoke up, making Lauren lift her head a little to look at the Cuban. "I know. She must be extremely emotionally drained." "I'm emotionally drained and it's extreme so I can only imagine it's a fraction of what Mani feels." "She's not gonna cope well with this Camz, she won't eat as much..she's gonna get sicker and what then?" "Calm down Lo, whatever happens we'll deal with it. We'll just take it as it comes." Camila replied. "She looks so cute and carefree when she's sleeping." Lauren smiled softly. "I wish she was that carefree awake too." Camila sighed. "We'll work on it." Lauren half smiled before she nestled her face in the crook of Normani's neck. "I'm gonna sleep too." She mumbled against her skin. "Okay Laur." Camila kissed the top of both her friend's heads before she went back to studying.