Retrying Love

nine

Normani sat on her bed with her dogs going over everything that happened today. Maybe she was a little too harsh on Dinah. She was just trying to help. Plus, she was right. Normani did need to rat out Arin. He was a dangerous man, and he needed to be in jail. She couldn't bring herself to rat him out.

When she said, 'I can't believe they let him go.' the other day, she meant she couldn't believe that they let him out of questioning. He was acting suspicious the whole time. At least, that's what she was told.

There was a knock on her room door.

"Come in," she said.

Camila walked in holding a plate. "I made you a grilled cheese." She said, handing it out to her friend.

"Thank you, Camila," the brunette grabbed the plate. 

The Cuban-Mexican sat down beside her and wrapped an arm around her. "You good?" she asked.

Normani sighed and sat her head on her friend's shoulder as tears sprung to her eyes.

"I'm hurting," she said, "almost as much as I was when he first died."

"I know, babe," Camila said, "demons from your past have come back just as you were healing. Now, they brought you back to the start."

"I miss him," the younger girl shut her eyes.

"I know you do," the shorter girl said. "We all do."

Normani let out a shaky sigh as her phone buzzed. She picked it up and checked the text.

Dinah Jane💕: are you asleep yet?

Normani😚: yes. stop texting me.

Dinah Jane💕: you know you could've simply ignored the text, and i would have left you alone.

Normani😚: what do you want?

Dinah Jane💕: i wanted to apologize.

Normani😚: go ahead.

Dinah Jane💕: look, i'm sorry for trying to get you to rat him out. you obviously have a reason that you're not ready to tell anyone and i'm sorry.

Normani😚: thanks! goodnight! 🤗❤️

The brunette put her phone down and dug her nail into the now cold grilled cheese.

"That was rude, Mani," Camila said.

Normani shrugged. "Oh, well."

The Cuban-Mexican sighed. "Do you want me to stay with you tonight?" she asked.

The younger girl nodded. "Please," she said.

-

Normani woke up in the afternoon the next day.  She rolled on her side only to breathe in fur. She lifted her head up and looked at the two dogs in her bed.

"Okay," she said before getting up and walking down the stairs.

"Manibear," Lauren smiled as her friend walked down the stairs.

"When did you get here?" Normani asked.

"Five minutes ago," Camila said.

"Have I told you how much I love you?" the Cuban-American batted her eyelashes.

"What do you want, Lauren?"

"You're going to the club with Mila and I tonight," Lauren said. "Before you say no, I wasn't asking. It was a statement. Also, I brought you an old friend."

The taller girl tilted her head to the side. "Who may that old friend be?" She asked. She didn't even bother arguing with her friend. She knew it was best not to.

Lauren reached behind the couch and held up the black lace dress she tried to get the girl to wear at her party.

Normani sighed. "Whatever."

"I just want you to get out of the house, mija."

"I understand," the youngest girl nodded, walking into the kitchen.

Camila pursed her lips together. "You know you wasted my grilled cheese last night," she said.

"Sorry, Mila. If you make me another one, I promise I'll eat it," Normani chucked.

"You better," the Cuban-Mexican said.

The taller girl grabbed a bag of chips and walked back into the living room, sitting down. "Well, until we go out," she said, "lets be boring and do nothing all day."

Which is exactly what they did. They watched TV, slept, and played Wii Sports, specifically tennis. Normani beat their asses.

Lauren checked her phone.

8:30 PM

"Let's start getting ready, ladies," she said.

And so they did. Normani put on the lace dress Lauren forced her to wear, and the other two girls left to quickly put on their outfits. Once they were outside Camila honked the horn. The brunette walked outside and got into the car.

"Goddamn, you look good as hell," Lauren said.

"What'd you do with the dogs?" Camila asked.

"I left them there. They'll be fine," she said. "Now, stop asking me questions."

"Yeah, let's get her to the club," Camila said.

The two Cubans looked at each other and smirked.

"Yeah," Lauren said, "let's do that."

-

A/N: I'm so tired😪