i'm only given clues

Chapter 6

They can't, of course; they're obscured by a wall and everyone else is getting something to eat. But she demotes Dinah to the back of the car anyway, intoxicated and heady with the need for release, just looking at her.

/

They spend the entire journey out of Miami catching each other's eyes in the rear view mirror and smiling at each other.

Ryan and Quincy don't notice them, swept up into their own world as they talk to each other on the second row. They're watching some movie and don't seem to remember that anyone else is there, so Normani and Dinah ignore them and get caught up in each other.

It isn't until Normani catches something other than Dinah's smile in the mirror that she even remembers that Ryan and Quincy are still in the car. Her brow furrows and she looks carefully at her friends. Dinah looks too, just as curious, and they catch it at the Same time. Ryan slips her fingers into Quincy's and smirks at what he says before darting her eyes to his lips.

It's so obvious, even though Ryan looks like she thinks no one's noticed, and Normani chokes away her gasp as she re-catches Dinah's eyes in the mirror. Both of their eyes widen and Dinah giggles and it's so familiar that nothing else seems to matter.

/

When they finally hit the Seven Mile Bridge, Normani's nearly shocked at the sudden and confusing relief she feels. For the first time the entire trip, it actually feels like they've gotten somewhere.

The fact that all she can see is the road ahead, the never-ending ocean and the small islands of land either side of her leaves her a little breathless.

It feels like she's reached the end of the world, and she starts to believe that maybe, if she tries hard enough, she'll find some answers.

If not, she figures that, at least she might be able to find some clues, some ideas to what the hell she should do.

That and a lack of fear is all she wants.

/

They finally arrive in Key West mid-afternoon and, after seven days, it's strange how it's no big deal. There's no fuss and she turns off her GPS and cruises through the streets like they're better than any others she knows.

She's glad to be back and the relief that she feels is unfathomable.

/

There's a legend that says that the old lady who lives on the corner has had the same r&b record playing for the past forty years, ever since the only man she ever loved her left her.

Normani giggles at the sudden rush of home that hits her as she rounds the corner and hears it; it's been the soundtrack to her summer since before she can remember.

The need to dance itches at her feet. It gets even worse when she catches Dinah watching her warmly in the mirror.

/

It's incredibly satisfying to watch her friends' faces drop as she pulls up into the driveway and jumps out. They still pause a minute in their cars (like this isn't where they're staying and she's just hear to pick up some keys), before they jump out and stare up at the house that sits in front of them.

She's silent in her smugness.

Dinah's the only one out of the group that doesn't seem so impressed. She jumps out of the car, tugging on the back of Normani's shorts fondly before heading to the trunk and popping it open.

Normani watches her, getting caught up in the memory of the end of summer sleepovers where they would share a sleeping bag and Normani would show her pictures of her grandma's house. She remembers telling her about all the things that she saw, as she made promises that Dinah would get to see it one day too, and smiles when she realizes that Dinah's finally here.