Something about you (Norminah)

Chapter Seventeen

Beck| 23:49:
Are you guys making sweet precious love yet?

I burst out laughing as I sent him a voice note explaining that I was sleeping alone because Normani's parents insisted. I went on twitter and scrolled through a few hashtags before finally deciding that I was tired enough to sleep.

I was starting to doze off when I heard a knock on the glass doors that led out onto the balcony. It's just the wind and some branches.

I heard the knock a second time around; I felt my heart start to beat faster as the logical side of my brain reminded me that it was completely still outside and the one tree that was close enough to the house wasn't anywhere near the room I was sleeping in.

Don't go and check... this house might be haunted... this is how white people die in horror movies. I stood and picked up the lamp on the bedside table as I tiptoed over to the door. Fuck what if it's Normani's great grandma? Maybe she didn't send lightning because she wanted to off you herself.

I pulled back the curtains and raised the lamp above my head. Normani stood on the balcony, shivering and looking completely unimpressed. She gestured to the door and I unlocked it.

"What took you so long? It's fucking cold out here!"

"Why would you come through the fucking balcony and not the door like a normal person?"

"Because there's creaky floorboards and I know my mom is waiting to hear one them! Why are you holding a fucking lamp?"

I put it down and threw my hands in the air. "I thought you were your great grandma coming to kill me. Shit, at least send a text next time."

"What?" Normani frowned. "Why would I— never mind. I came here because it's weird sleeping in a different room when I know that you're literally in the next one."

"But your parents—"

"–I just want fall asleep with my girlfriend in my arms, I'll set an alarm and sneak back out in the morning. Can we get into bed? I'm cold because some asshole decided she'd attack a suspected poltergeist with a lamp."

"That's what you get for sneaking around in skimpy pajamas."

Normani flipped me off as she got into bed. "What the fuck is a lamp going to do against a ghost? Also my Mamoo was the fucking sweetest. Savage but sweet. The embodiment of a Southern Belle."

"If you're just going to keep making fun of me, I don't want you here."

"Fine, I'll go back."

I moved to block her path. "Where do you think you're going?"

"Back to my room because you don't want me here."

"Yeah but I didn't say leave."

A crease formed in her brow. "It's way too late for this. Either get into bed or let me go back to my room. We can have this fight or whatever in the morning."

"Fine, but I'm getting into bed because I want to get into bed, not because you told me to."

Normani insisted on facing me when we got under the covers. She shivered for a little while, but thanks to the electric blanket, her body soon warmed up and and she struggled to stay awake as she lay facing me.

"Are you sleeping?"

Her eyes fluttered open, "No I'm still up, what were we talking about?"

"How amazing I am."

"You are pretty amazing," she smiled tiredly. "I've always been a fuck up, in one way or another. Except academically and professionally, you can't touch me there. And the only thing I've ever really had going for me is my career."