i'm only given clues

Chapter 4

"We shouldn't be doing this," Dinah mumbles against her lips.

They're back in their room and laying over the couch. They're both just tipsy enough to keep their wits about them, but careless enough to be sloppily making out on the couch. The voice in the back of Normani's head is silent and she imagines it's probably just rolling any eyes it might have or burying it's face in its hand.

Normani giggles. "We're just kissing. Friends kiss all the time."

Dinah lets her body fall back into the pillows, taking all the kisses Normani gives her. "Not like this," she says and she pulls her lips away, so she can look into Normani's eyes. "You're meant to be figuring out everything first."

Normani rolls her eyes and sits up straight. "I don't even know where to begin."

Dinah wraps her arms around her and sighs, resting her head on Normani's shoulder. "Why don't we start by getting some sleep. We have a big day tomorrow."

Normani nods. "Disney World."

Dinah grins. "Fireworks."

/

Around 1am, Normani rolls over and finds that Ryan's side is still empty.

She leans up on her elbows and sighs, brow furrowed as she checks her phone to see if Ryan's left any messages.

When there's none, it takes her less than thirty seconds to jump out of bed, slip on some hotel slippers and a robe, and go searching.

She leans down to Dinah first and presses a kiss to her temple. "I'm going to look for Ryan," she whispers gentle. Dinah nods sleepily in response.

/

She heads downstairs and finds that it's still bustling with people. When she wanders into the lounge bar, she's shocked when she sees Ryan sitting at the bar with some guy in a suit.

Her body falls to one side, into the guy, and his hand rests too low on her back, almost on her ass. Normani sees red immediately and steps closer, preying on them like a lion as she listens and watches what he's doing. The guy keeps giving Ryan drinks and the barman looks unsure, but he doesn't argue.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Normani says, when he practically bends back Ryan's head and pours drink down her throat. "Look at her..."

The guy wraps his arm around Ryan's shoulders and pulls Ryan to his chest. Her feet hover off the floor and she reaches out for Normani as her eyes roll back into her head. She doesn't look just drunk. She looks like she's been paralyzed, almost.

The guy pulls Ryan out of Normani's reach. "Uh, excuse me, that's my fiancee and the state of her is none of your business."

The guy has slicked back hair, curved to the shape of his skull and his eyes are a piercing green that cuts through Normani with worry. She acts entirely on instinct.

"Uh, actually, she's my best friend," she says even though her body is rushing with panic. She tugs Ryan from his grasp. "Leave."

"No."

"Leave, now, or I'll call the cops and get you arrested."

He scoffs and shrugs. "I hardly think that'll do anything," he says trying to pull her back, "The gal's more willing than anyone here."

Normani nearly drops Ryan as she rounds on him. "Do you really think that matters when the gal is seventeen years-old?"

His face falls and his eyes widen. He's gone before Normani's even turned around and darts from the bar.