Who Am I Without Him? (Laurmani)

thirteen.

Lauren's POV

I awoke the next morning at about 10 am with a huge headache. It wasn't really a hangover, as I only had one shot and 2 beers the previous night, but I think it was due to stress and an overtaxed mind. No one was around and Normani's door was closed so I knew she was still asleep.

It was Saturday and at least I didn't have to work. As I made my coffee in an attempt to wake up, I again vainly tried to make sense of what happened the previous night. Doing so only seemed to make my headache worse. Once I had my coffee, I sat down on the couch and turned on the TV.

For about 5 minutes or so, I aimlessly scrolled through the TV guide, in hopes of finding something. Thankfully, just when I was about to give up and turn on an early showing of Dora The Explorer, I found Pitch Perfect, it was already halfway through the film and on commercial, but it was just what I needed.

I knew I had asked Mani to do something today, but I was 96 percent sure that she'd changed her mind by the crack of dawn. Sipping my scalding coffee and nearly disintegrating every one of my tastebuds, I sighed and leaned back to watch the movie. I loved both Anna Kendrick and Rebel Wilson and the two together to me was like having a two for one deal at my favorite store.

By the time Normani came into the living room, an hour later, the end credits were rolling through and I was finishing my second cup of coffee. She smirked at me, the corners of her lips tilting upward as she walked past with a sports bra and basketball shorts, a head wrap that was tied in the front sort of like a bow covered most of her head aside from the bun that sat neatly on top. How could someone be so gorgeous when they first woke up?

I could imagine what I looked like, scavenging through the cupboards for a mug so that I could at least keep my eyes open with a decent cup of coffee. I watched her, out of the corner of my eye as she walked into the kitchen, her belly button ring gleaming as she opened the blinds. After a few moments of getting my creep on, I swallowed the remnants of what was left in my mug and walked into the kitchen, just as Normani sat down to eat a bowl of pineapples and peaches.

"Lauren?" I snapped my head in her direction and raised an eyebrow, humming to let her know I was listening, "You still want to go the mall and to lunch?"

I swallowed hard, so hard in fact, I thought I was choking on my own tongue. I cleared my throat and put the mug in the dishwasher and nodded my head quickly.

"Uhh, yeah," I nodded again and rubbed at the nape of my neck. Then I spoke again, trying to act cool, "I mean, yeah, of course. I just need to get ready for the day. What do you say if we left in an hour?"

"Sounds good," Normani said, shaking her head slightly as she licked her lips. On another creepy note, I sort of wished I were her tongue, "Get to it then, as I recall you always used to rush me and say I took too long. I'll let you shower first, and I'll still be ready before you."

"Is that a challenge?" I asked and raised my eyebrows. If there was one thing I loved more than singing, it would be being challenged. I loved the thrill of proving people wrong, "Oh it is on. You're gonna eat my dust."

"Yeah, sure. Pigs will fly when that happens," Normani said, rolling her beautiful brown eyes. I just shook my head watching the trickles of juice roll down her skin, as she ate another cube of pineapple. I stuck my tongue out like a defiant child and rushed off to the bathroom.

An hour later, we were both finished getting dressed and although she'd beaten me somehow, I was being a good sport about it. She looked gorgeous and honestly, I was sick of choking when I saw her. Normani was dressed like someone straight out of a magazine with her white faux fur off the shoulder top, leggings that hugged her curves perfectly and some wedged heels. She didn't have much makeup on, she didn't need it (and I preferred her natural beauty) and every time she lifted her arms, her defined abs showed.