Arranged Marriage

chapter 12

Dinah pov

all i remember was everything going in slow motion. i felt my hands clutch to my side as i fell to the floor. Normani screamed at me to stay awake but i couldn't. my eyes were growing heavy and it was getting harder to stay awake.

"we're losing her!"

"Dinah, please don't leave now."

"drive faster! we need to get her through surgery. it doesn't seem like she'll have long to live if you keep driving as slow as you are right now!"

"i'm driving as fast as i can! you act like ambulances can move fast!"

"shit, she's closing her eyes. stay with us ma'am. we're almost there. we're going to save you, that's a promise."

xxxx

Normani pov

i watched as the doctors rushed Dinah into the hospital. i cried when they told me that i couldn't come in. this is all my fault.

"Mani!" my dad screamed, as everyone piled in.

"dad!" i said, breaking down in his arms.

"it's going to be okay. she'll be okay."

"i don't think she will, she lost a lot of blood on the way here."

"she's strong. i have faith that she'll make it."

i continued to cry in his arms and heard other people crying as well. i pulled away from my dad to see Lauren and Kehlani hugging each other as they cried.

"i'm sorry." was all i could say.

"it's not your fault. you didn't shoot our sister." Kehlani said, half smiling at me.

"i know who did. it was dangerous for Dinah to be with me but i wanted her. i wanted her to be mine and we were going to be happy. we were going to move but now.. now we can't. i won't forgive myself if she dies."

"Mani, this isn't your fault. you didn't know that your grandfather was going to ruin the wedding and shoot Dinah."

"i had a feeling, Kehlani. Dinah noticed but i told her i was fine because i didn't want her to worry. now she's the one in there fighting for her life. wait, how did you know about my grandfather?"

"your dad told our dad about your grandfather and our dad wanted us to know. we were supposed to protect Dinah but we couldn't. so if you blame yourself, we blame ourselves as well because we didn't save our little sister."

Kehlani opened up her arms, inviting me into the hug. i hugged her and Lauren as i began to cry again. they would be my sister in laws if Dinah and i got married. i really hope Dinah gets through this because i don't know what i'd do without her. if he really did do this, i'm going after him. he's going to pay for this. he will be going down for the murder of Dinah Jane Hansen.

a few minutes turned to a few hours and i didn't know what i was going to do. Zendaya and Ally hugged me as my legs bounced up and down, waiting for someone to come out. i looked around at everyone there. my dad was holding my mom in his arms, Sinu was being held by her boyfriend or something, Dinah's dad was holding his daughters as they wept, and Camila was hugging her mom.

the waiting felt like it was never going to end. i just wanted to see Dinah. why did it have to be on our wedding day? why couldn't it have been me? why was Dinah the one in surgery? she doesn't deserve any of this and it's my fault she got hurt. if she dies, i'm getting married to a guy. if that's what he wants, i'll do it because he killed the only girl ill ever love.

i saw the doctor come out and i quickly stood up along with everyone else. he took off the bloody gloves and he had a solemn face. i knew exactly what he was about to say.

"we did everything we could. i'm sorry."

Gordon finally broke into tears and his daughters cried. my heart was breaking because now i would have to marry a guy that my grandfather wants and no one can save me.

"where's grandpa?"

"Normani, please tell me you aren't about to do what i think you are."

"i have no choice and no one can save me. this is inevitable and he knew it from the moment, he killed Dinah. he waited until we were going to get married to sabotage the wedding and kill Dinah. it's my fault she died."

"it was not your fault. we didn't know what he was capable of."

"that doesn't matter anymore. i'm going to have to marry whoever he chooses."

"Mani, please. is this what Dinah would've wanted?"

"i wouldn't know considering she's dead."

"baby, don't be like this."

"be like what, dad? i'm going to have to marry that guy because lord knows what'll happen if i don't. i need to find him and i don't want any of you guys coming after me."

"he's at your uncle's cabin. you should know where that is considering you've been there."

"let's not bring up memories about that. i don't want to stay long because ill hate myself more and more."

"i still love you, Normani. i'm proud of you for telling me about it."

"don't be proud of me because i'm disgusted of myself every time i close my eyes. it haunts me every single day and Dinah helped stop those memories. her sleeping beside me made me feel at ease because she was there to protect me. i don't have her anymore. so now i'm going to have to relive those moments all over again. until the day i die."

i started to walk away but someone grabbed my arm. i looked back to see Ally with a tear stained face.

"please don't leave."

"i have to. i don't want him coming after you and everyone i love. this is the only way to make sure he doesn't harm anyone i love."

"you'll just be going through hell."

"i've been in hell the moment she got shot." i said, kissing her head before leaving.