Something about you (Norminah)

Chapter Fifty One

"Can you honestly look me in my eyes and tell me you feel nothing for her?" Aiden stopped me before I could say anything. "Take some time and think about it."

-

"No he obviously has nothing to worry about, I wouldn't be with him if there was a chance—Tia are you even listening?"

Tia squinted up at me as she massaged her temples. "Uh huh, you're mad, he's rightfully insecure and woe unto everyone and fuck my life right now."

"He's rightfully insecure? You're supposed—"

"–Okay you're like up here right now," she held one hand up in the air. "I need you to come all the way down here to my level because I have a headache and I can't do this."

"How is he rightfully insecure?"

Tia sighed. "You really don't see that he has a point that you chumming it up with your most recent ex who happens to be still be in love with you is weird?"

"Well when you put it like that it sounds weird but there's nothing untoward going on."

"That's good because she's coming tonight."

"Then he can see that we're just friends."

"Hmmmm we'll see."

Normani
"We can stay for like two hours, maybe three, but I don't want Noah to get used to not being in his own bed."

"Mani I can count the number of times he's stayed over at Choie's or your parents on one hand. Plus your dad asked and we already said yes." Louis stopped walking abruptly and it took me a few steps to realize that he wasn't by my side anymore. I whirled around to face him, not even attempting to hide my irritation as I stalked back towards him. "You know it's okay to let loose and enjoy not having to worry every now and then? It doesn't make you a bad mother."

"That's not it... I mean I want to spend all the time in the world with Noah obviously but spending time with awesome grandparents should be a thing that every kid gets to experience. "

Louis frowned, "Dinah and Abracadabra?"

"Louis..."

"Merde, that's not his name. It starts with an A."

"I'm walking away."

"Adjective. Adjunct. Adipose Tissue. Acrimony. Mani wait up!"

Tia threw her arms around me as soon as she opened the door. "Hey! Sorry, inside voice. Hey Mani. Hey Louis."

"Hi, you're drunk aren't you?"

"Mhmm, oh FYI, be cool around Dinah cause Aiden's here."

I shook my head, "I'm always cool around Dinah."

"Yeah but be extra cool."

"Uh okay..."

I disappeared into the crowd as soon as she turned her attention to Louis and ended up out back which was empty because of the cold. Despite the moon being out in full force tonight, it was dark, the air so cold that every deep breathe that I took hurt. I stayed outside though, delaying the inevitable awkward conversation with Dinah and Aiden for as long as I could.

"If I didn't know better, I'd say you were a masochist."

"Maybe I am," I answered, blowing out a cloud of warm air as I spoke.

Eli smiled, "Last time you were here, you cried over a paper cut, so I doubt it. The party's in there."

"I know, but I'll go in when I absolutely have to." I leaned back in my chair and accepted the mug of hot chocolate from him, smiling at the memory of us having done this exact thing multiple times at parties. I could see him out of the corner of my eye as he tried to psyche himself up to say something. "Just ask Elijah."