The New Girl Next Door

•18•

2 days later...

Normani Kordei

As soon as I walk into school, I can sense something was off."Uh, am I the only one that felt that vibe change?" Camila  asks beside me as we shuffle through the hallways of the school.

"Yea, I felt it..." I say, looking around. Nothing seemed out of place to me. It seems like regular old Panorama High School.I walk to my locker and twist the combination lock on it.

As I do, my phone dings in my hands, signaling a text.I look at the message and see it's from Dinah.

Finah 💜👅💦: Call me. I wanna hear ya voice.

I shake my head, smiling, and do as she says.She answers on the first ring,"aye, baybeh girl."I can feel my body reacting to her accent as it always does. I shake my head and ignore the sensation that ignited in me.

"Hey, wassup? Are you feeling better?" I ask, searching for my chemistry book."Nah, but it'll 'appen soon," she says, a dry chuckle coming from her.I smile, finding my book and tucking it under my arm,"do you not know how to pronounce your h's?""Wha' ya mean?" She asks.

"Say hey," I order, closing my locker."Aye," she replies."H-ey. Push you breath out, like you huffing," I instruct, making my way through the hallways once again."Huh-aye," she says, struggling.

I burst out laughing at her struggles. She makes the simplest things cute."Tha's nah funny," she says, a pout evident in her voice."Yes it- tr-try it again," I say, smiling.

"No, I call to tell ya some important, but ya makin' fun of meh.""Awe, did I huwt the babwy fwewwings?" I ask in a baby voice, walking into my chemistry class."Shut up, Mani," Dinah grumbles.

"Okay, I'm done. What'd you want to say?" I ask, sitting in my seat towards the back of the room."Ya gon' come when ya finish school?""After dance practice, yea. What you need?" I ask, checking the time.

3 minutes until the bell rings..."Can ya bring meh suh real food?""This one time. But you can't make it a habit, because all you doing is laying down in that bed. And if I keep bringing you food, you gone sit there and get fat.""Me? Fat? Psh. I still pull girls though if I do," Dinah comments, laughing.

I watch as the teacher walks into the room, a smile on her face as always."Hey, I gotta go. I'll call you later," I tell Dinah.

"Okay, mama. Make sure ya bring food.""Alright. Bye," I say, ending the callThe bell rings and the teacher begins teaching.

As I begin to drown her out, my mind goes to Dinah and Lo. Lo still hasn't awaken after the surgery, but the doctors said everything seems to be fine with her.

Her heart rate is stable, all signs point to positive, but she still hasn't awaken. As for Dinah and I, I really don't know what we are.

She makes me feel some type of way, but every time I bring up a relationship, she will shy away from me.

A note flies towards me and lambs on the middle of my desk, snapping me out of my thoughts.I turn my head and glare at Camila, who tossed the note.She mouths ' read it '. I nod and unfold the note, reading Camila's handwriting.

Someone told me that people are after Dinah and you.

My mouth drops open. People after me and Dinah? What did I do to them?I frantically write out 'who told you that? And what do you mean?' Then I flick the note unto her desk.As soon as I do, my phone vibrates multiple times.

I pull it out and check my messages.

Unknown: Does your girl mind if I pay her a visit? (8:15 a.m)