By My Side // Dinah x You

Steps

She put her Ray-Bans back on. "Yeah? Well my shades disagree with that."

You shook your head and chuckled, then turn your attention to a very bored looking and uncharacteristically quiet Dinah.

"How's your day been, DJ?"

She yawned. "Pretty decent. Except I'm tired, I can't focus, and I have no clue what's going on in chemistry."

"So... Not pretty decent?"

"Not at all."

You frowned. "I'm sorry. But you still have half a day to turn it around."

"Very true," Dinah nodded, her expression brightening slightly.

"So," you called to the whole table, turning Ally and Lauren's attention to you. "Dinah and I have been talking, and we want to hang out with Camila and Normani- you know, as a group."

Lauren shrugged. "Cool. When are you guys thinking?"

You glanced at Dinah. "Maybe Friday after the game? We could go mini golfing or bowling or something."

Dinah and Ally nodded in approval, and Lauren gave a thumbs up as she leaned back in her seat. Dinah sighed and kept eating her sandwich. The Polynesian was not in a good mood, and you knew just the thing to take her out of it.

-

Later, in art, you sat next to Dinah in the back of the studio, Ally and Lauren at the table next to you. You were silently sketching a tree, trying to come up with a way to ask your friend to the dance. Lauren was in on your plan, and kept giving you knowing looks from her chair.

"Do it," the green eyed Latina mouthed.

You shook your head vigorously. It's not that you were scared to ask Dinah (okay, you were a little scared), it's just that you didn't want to ruin what you two had. Your friendship with her was something you valued highly, and you didn't want to screw it up or make things awkward because she didn't feel the same way about you. But on the other hand, you were really into Dinah and, though you were no expert, thought she was into you as well.

"Hey, Y/N," Dinah said, taking you out of your thoughts. "Can you help me think of ideas for that project we have coming up?"

"The one about what inspires you?"

"Yeah."

"Okay, well, you gotta think about a time when you were down, or in a bad place. What helped you out of it? What helped you move on?"

She tapped her chin with her pencil. "Well, when I got expelled, my family was always there. They never doubted me or thought less of me. They loved me."

You smiled. "I think you have a solid idea there, Dinah Jane."

She grinned. "Yeah, I do. Thanks,
Y/N." She bit her lip. "What inspires you?"

"You know, I thought about this all night after our little road trip..."

"And?"

You leaned back in your chair and closed your sketchbook. "This is gonna sound weird, but people inspire me."

Dinah eyed you curiously. "People?"

"Mhm. Well, not all people," your eyebrows creased in thought. "I guess a better way to say it is the human spirit. The way people can get knocked down so hard over and over and still get back up and fight."

"Wow, Y/N. You're making my project seem stupid."

Dinah smiled at you adoringly, her head resting on her fist. She was so beautiful. Her hair fell over her shoulders in blonde waves, and her eyes were so warm and welcoming that it felt like home. Feeling unusually courageous, you turned in your seat to face Dinah fully, your eyes downcast and your thumbs twiddling.

"Dinah? I-I need to, uh, ask you something."

Her expression went from loving to confused. "What is it, Y/N?"

"I, uh, well, you see.. There's uh, this dance thing called homecoming in a week or so and..." You took a deep breath. "And I would really, really like it if you were my date."

Dinah's face broke out into the biggest smile you'd ever seen, and all your worries melted away like snow in the spring.

"Y/N," she grabbed both of your hands, "I would love to be your date."

You could only smile in response, too overtaken by happiness to say anything. Dinah laughed softly and pressed a kiss to your cheek, making them go red.

"You're adorable when you blush," she told you, letting go of one of your hands to continue her work.

"Well, you're adorable all the time."

Dinah only grinned, squeezing the hand she still held. "And you wanna know something else?"

"What?"

She looked at you with caring eyes and a gentle smile, making your heart flutter. "You inspire me, Y/N."

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A loooot happened in this chapter. Tell me what you think.

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