Aeipathy ➳ Normani ✓

two

C H A P T E R T W O
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Normani wasn't aware of time or location. She was only aware of the blinding light that stung her closed eyelids and the feeling of her brain pounding agasint her skull like an overhyped drummer. She woke with a groan and rolled over from her stomach to her side. Her eyes fluttered open but a searing pain originating from her eyes reacting to the direct light that fell on them.

"Shit." She grumbled and closed her eyes again.

After twenty minutes, Normani managed to sit up. Her head felt heavy and the headache from hell continued to pound on. Her door opened and Anika stepped in, holding a tray.

"Hey, you're finally up. Good Morning Sunshine." Anika said.

"Ugh. My head is killing me." Normani complained.

"Well, that is expected. You were fucking trashed last night, it was quite funny."

"I don't remember drinking that much, though."

"Your annoying dance friend said otherwise." Anika said teasingly. "Plus, I had to help you to bed last night. You were so gone but it was funny and you needed it. Anyways, I brought you coffee and some asprin to help with that hangover."

Anika lowered the tray on the sheet over Normani's lap and sat across her on the bed. Normani smiled at her. She took a couple of sips of the coffee. Anika had used her favourite mug and had made the coffee just how she liked it.

"Ugh, I'm so lucky to have you as a friend." Normani said with a little pout.

"You best believe. You'll never find anyone like me."

"Not that I'd even try to replace you, hoe." Normani tutted.

Normani and Anika had been best friends since the tenth grade and although Anika hadn't been the longest-standing friend, she was the one who had stayed. Anika was the kind of person she had instantly connected with and as time went by, their bond just grew stronger and stronger. The trials that had been thrown at them hadn't repelled them from one another but had instead brought them even closer.

When Anika had lost her father in eleventh grade and fell into a hole of depression so deep and dark that she had lost herself -- her other 'friends' had deserted her, unable to deal with her despondency and mood swings but Normani had stayed firmly rooted in her life. She was there for her through her grieving process. Normani's family had a strong belief in God and her mother had always taught her that she could never abandon a friend in need. Normani had spent many nights praying for Anika, when her heart could no longer handle to see her friend in such great misery. Anika had pulled through eventually, with a heavier heart that would never heal over losing her beloved father and great appreciation for Normani. Her loyalty to her grew into a fierce tsunami and after that experience, Anika was down for her for better and for worse.

Anika had been there for Normani for the darkest period in her life. The past six months had been absolutely nightmarish but Normani was in the last hour before dawn and she could see the sun coming. She could feel it in her bones that the worst was over and she was finally healing.

"So, how did last night go?" Anika asked.

Normani took a sip and took a moment to contemplate, some of the previous night's details were a bit fuzzy. Anika simply watched and waited. She was dressed homely, in blue cotton shorts and a red tank top. Anika had glorious honey-brown skin, with a sharp jawline, large dark eyes, full eyebrows, perfectly pouted pink lips and a petite stature. She was exquisitely beautiful and Normani had often times felt a bit like a potato in her presence, though she was far from it. Normani was also strikingly beautiful, with skin like brown sugar, and soft, plump brown lips, earthy brown eyes and a body sculpted by gold and magic.