The Hidden World of Norminah

Chapter 7: Champion

Normani is getting ready for another Dancing with the Stars performance with Val. They have been rehearsing for hours and Normani is starting to feel her body straining. She stretches her back and rolls her shoulders. Val walks in with a bottle of water for them to share.

"We're down to the last water, so take your time with this one," he jokes.

"That's okay," Normani says, stretching her back muscles again.

"Stretch that back, girl. You ready to go again?"

"Uhh, it's kinda bothering me."

"But are you good?"

"Yeah, yeah. I'm good."

"Okay, let's go."

He takes her hand and they start their routine again. Twenty minutes in, Normani feels a sharp pain. She stops abruptly, and Val throws his hands up in confusion.

"Ahh, my side kinda hurts," she groans.

"Well, let's pretend like I care and then just keep moving."

Normani sighs and they go back into their routine again. She pushes through the pain and tries her hardest to hide it from showing on her face.

"One, two, three... one, two, three... move your feet!" Val shouts. "Stop. Stop. This is the Argentine Tango. I need more passion from you. I need drama!"

"Okay."

"Passion is not just a fruit."

"Wow, that was really cheesy."

"That's okay. I need you to feel it as you do this move..."

Normani winces from the pain in her back.

"Yes! That's what a need! That expression right there," Val continued.

Normani looks at him like he's crazy.

"Whatever you just did, whatever you were just feeling, I need that again," he says.

"Okay," Normani replies as she prepared to embrace the pain that is now starting in her hip.

"Let's go again... One, two, three! One, two, three! Extend the arms! Yesss! Emotions! Yes!"

Normani pushes through their routine for the next couple of hours. At the end of rehearsal, she goes home more sore than usual, but she keeps her complaints to herself. She runs herself a hot bath and adds some Epson salt in hopes that it will make her feel better. She uses baby oil to massage her hips and her back, as much as she is able to reach. In the morning, she hears her alarm going off but she can't get up to reach her phone that was sitting on the charger. Her back is in extreme pain. Whenever she tries to apply pressure to sit up, she feels like her back is on fire. Mama Drea comes into the room to see why the alarm has been going off for so long.

"Child, you don't hear that alarm going off?" Mama Drea asks.

"Mommy," Normani cries.

"What's wrong, baby?" Mama Drea rushes over to Normani.

"My back really hurts, like, a lot."

"Sit up, baby."

"I can'tttt."

"You can't?"

"It hurts really bad."

"Where? Here?" Mama Drea asks, gently touching Normani's lower back.

"It's more at the top."

Mama Drea starts to massage Normani's back, "How does that feel?"

Normani winces and takes a deep breath.