"Normani what is taking so lo-" Karen stopped dead in her tracks when she saw who she was standing in front of, "crap."
"I knew you looked familiar when I ran into you earlier!" Dinah spoke when she saw Karen,
"Wait, you knew she was here for a fact and you didn't tell me?" Normani asked, obviously angry.
"I-"
"Save it," She told Karen, "And you," Normani turned to Dinah, "Stay away from me."
Normani gathered her things and walked back to her and Karen's room.
"Where are y'all staying?" Dinah asked,
Karen hesitated, "I don't think that's a good idea. She just said to stay away from her."
"I don't care, I haven't seen her in months. I am not gonna let her attitude keep me away."
"So what did keep you away?" Karen questioned, becoming defensive of Normani,
"Excuse me?" Dinah was taken back by her question.
"What kept you away from her all this time? You let her walk away and you didn't even try to chase her. You didn't call, or text not even a mention or direct message on Twitter. Come on, you have her on every single social media and not a word from you, so why now? Why don't you wanna leave her alone? She wants to be left alone by you, I suggest you do that. You owe her that."
"Please just tell me where your room is," Dinah pleaded, "I stayed away for all the wrong reasons but I need to tell her that. Please."
Karen studied Normani's ex girlfriend before sighing, "room 432, the top deck."
"Thank you!" Dinah exclaimed before getting her things and running to the elevator.
"I probably should have mentioned the boyfriend," Karen said to herself while watching Dinah run off.
Dinah caught her breath in the elevator, now thinking about what she would say when or if Normani even opened the door. She wasn't even sure if Normani had gone to her room but it never hurt to check, all she knew was that she needed to talk to her.
"Fuck." Dinah said as she stepped off the elevator, she began searching for room number 432.
As she approached Normani's room she took a deep breath before knocking,
"Who is it?" Normani asked through the door,
Dinah's breath hitched, she hadn't expected that. She didn't even know what to say. Dinah heard footsteps approaching the door, she stood, frozen.
Normani opened the door and rolled her eyes when she saw Dinah, " I told you to leave me alone."
She went to shut the door but Dinah put her foot between to stop her, "Please."
"Move your foot Dinah. Now." Normani demanded, a stern look upon her face.
"Not until you talk to me."
"We haven't spoken in months so what's another week right? You've gone this entire time acting like I don't exist, so continue that."
"No! You walked away once and you aren't gonna do that again!" Dinah almost shouted, "let me in!"
Normani pressed harder on the door, "No you hurt me and I hate you!"
Dinah moved her leg, and Normani stopped trying to close the door, she just stood there. Tears filling her eyes, "I hate you Dinah, you cheated on me and then you didn't even fight for me! I walked away? You let me! I hate you because I let you in and did everything you said you wouldn't so I don't wanna talk to you, I trusted you and you let me down."
"I went to the airport Normani! I fought, you still left and I didn't cheat on you, if you would've stayed and listened then you would know that! I never did anything physical with that girl!-"
"Emotional is just as bad." Normani cut her off, "Was it emotional Dinah?"
Dinah looked down, "Somewhat."
"Now will you leave me alone?"
"No. I love you and I'm not gonna stay away this time."
Normani sighed, "Come in."
Dinah stepped into their suite, "Normani I love you, I never stopped and I never will. Yeah we haven't talked in months but it works both ways-"
Normani cut her off once more, "I didn't have an emotional affair with someone else so that doesn't really apply to me!"
"Stop interrupting me! I had an emotional affair, I said it! And I'm sorry! I am so sorry that I hurt you and made you walk away from me and our relationship. It's my fault, it's all on me. I take that and I will apologize every single day and tell you how much I love you if it means that you'll even give me the time of day again, because Normani Kordei Hamilton I am inlove with you and I've thought about you every day, believe it or not and I don't believe that you really hate me. You love me too, youre inlove with me, you're just mad at me and I understand that, but I need to know that you forgive me and you're willing to work this out with me."
"Give me some time Dinah, this is a lot right now."
Dinah nodded, "I understand, room 226 if you wanna talk later."
"Wait, Dinah,"
Dinah turned around, "Yeah?"
"Who did you come with?" Normani asked, meaning the cruise.
"Lauren and Camila," Dinah smiled,
Normani shook her head and smiled back, "I'll be around."
After Dinah left, Normani plopped down onto her bed. So much for a stress free vacation she thought.
Dinah took a deep breath before entering her room, not knowing if Camila and Lauren were there.
Dinah poked her head into the room, looking around before she fully stepped in, "Hey guys."
Lauren turned her head towards the door, "Hey. Camz is in the shower, we're about to go explore some more. Wanna come?"
"I actually wanna take a nap." Dinah declined, "Wake me up before we pull off though, okay?"
"Yeah, sure. You okay?" Lauren asked.
" 'M fine."
Dinah decided against telling her friends about the whole Normani ordeal. It was too draining and she just wanted a nap.
Camila came out of the bathroom, "Hey are you coming with?"
"No, I need a nap. We've only been on this boat for a couple of hours but I'm exhausted."
"Well it's about four o'clock," Camila observed, "We're about to pull off."
Dinah got out of her bed, "That's the part I wanna see!"
"Well let's go!" Camila held out her arm.
"I think that's for me." Lauren said.
"No it's for Dinah," Camila laughed,
Lauren began pouting.
"Uh oh, somebody's mad now." Dinah took a look at Lauren, "I guess I will be the awkward third wheel."
"It's what you're best at!" Lauren said as she stuck her tongue out.
Dinah scoffed, "Bitch."
***
Karen slowly stepped into the room she was sharing with Normani, she noticed that Normani was laying down. Probably asleep. She closed the door lightly, not wanting to wake her bestfriend.
"So how did Dinah know what our room number was?" Normani asked when Karen turned around.
Karen nearly jumped out of her skin, "Shit! I thought you were asleep."
"Karen." Normani glared at her.
"Hey she was pretty persistent on talking to you. I even told her to stay away and she fought me on it. So what happened?"
Normani sighed deeply, "I don't even wanna talk about it. It's so draining."
"Come on. You're gonna have to tell me sooner or later. I choose sooner."
Sighing once again, Normani decided to tell her bestfriend the events that happened after Dinah showed up at their door.
"Jesus. You'd be stupid to not go back to her." Karen said after Normani finished telling her what Dinah said.
Normani rolled her eyes.
"Okay, okay. I understand that emotional affairs hurt much more than physical ones but consider things from her point of view Mani. From what you told me, you weren't exactly giving her the comfort that she needed to know that you guys would survive long distance."
"This is not my fault. I was just as insecure as she was and I didn't form any kind of attachment to anybody else!" Normani spat, getting up from her bed, "And I'm gonna give her a piece of my mind."
Karen hopped up just as quickly as Normani did, "Hey! Let's not make any rash decisions. It wouldn't be the best idea to give her a 'piece of your mind' when you're angry. How about you calm down and have another conversation with her."
"Why are you defending her? You're MY best friend."
"Yes I am your best friend but Normani, you're being a child and handling this completely wrong. She loves you. A blind person can see that!"
"Just shut up Karen." Normani said before leaving their room.
She knew that Karen was right. She was being childish and handling things in such manner but Normani just wanted Karen to be on her side for a little.
Normani didn't know where she was going, she still hadn't had time to explore the ship the way she wanted too so she went to the only place she knew, the Lido deck.
Arriving, she went all the way to the top, away from everyone.
Their was a light breeze, Normani leaned over the rail staring at the water, slighting jumping when she heard a long horn go off signaling that the boat was pulling off. She smiled big as she saw the waves forming due to the boat moving.
It was such a calm feeling, serene.
"Hey," A familiar voice spoke.
"Jauregui." Normani realized without turning around. She knew that raspy old voice from anywhere.
"Way to make an appearance, Hamilton. Get over here."
Normani fell into Lauren's arms, a tear falling down her cheek, she didn't even realize how much she had missed her former best friend.
"Don't go all soft on me, Hamilton." Lauren joked.
"Where's Camila?" Normani asked as she pulled away to wipe her tears.
"Down there," Lauren pointed to her girlfriend who was still staring out at the ocean.
"She didn't wanna see me?" Normani joked,
"She doesn't know you're here. I saw you and decided to come up myself. Dinah's gonna freak out! She thought she saw you earlier but I told her she was crazy."
Normani raised her eyebrow, "I talked to Dinah already.. She didn't tell you?"
"What do you mean you talked to Dinah? She knows you're here?"
Normani nodded, "Of course she does. She rain into me while I was getting food and then she chased me to my room where we had a big blow out of a conversation."
Lauren was genuinely shocked, "She didn't even tell us."
"She basically asked to work things out with me and begged me to even give her the time of day again."
Lauren gave a knowing look, "So are y'all working things out?"
Normani shook her head, "I told her to give me some space and I'll think about it. Lauren, I need you to keep a secret."
"Yeah, anything. Tell me."
"I have a boyfriend."
Lauren's eyes widened, "You have a what?"
"A boyfriend." Normani repeated.
"And Dinah doesn't know?"
Normani shook her head.
"You didn't tell Dinah?" Lauren asked,
Normani shook her head once more.
"Why not?"
"It didn't come up! She wouldn't even let me tell her, but truth is, I've been missing Dinah so much lately that I've considered breaking up with him numerous times and the fact that we've run into each other on a freaking cruise. That means something, right?"
Lauren took a deep breath, "Honestly if it were Camz and I, I would think so, so yes. This means something but don't you dare move forward with anything relating to Dinah or rekindling a relationship before she knows the whole truth. You two have a lot to discuss."
"Laur?"
"Yeah?"
"Has she talked to that girl ever since I left?" Normani asked timidly, not sure if she really wanted to know.
Lauren smiled softly, "Not a single word. Hell to any of us really, it was Camila who got her out of her funk."
"Was it really that bad?"
"Pretty bad," Lauren answered, "She had completely shut down after the two of you split."
"Why didn't she try to talk to me?" Normani asked again,
"Your guess is as good as mine. We asked her repeatedly and tried numerous things but all she ever said was she had her reasons but that's something you should really talk to her about."
"I know. I guess now is as good time as any to go talk to her right. Do you have any idea where she is?"
"She was with us until we pulled off, probably went back to our room."
"Tell Camila I say hi, okay? I'll catch up later. Missed you Jauregui!"
"Missed you too Hamilton."
Normani made her way to her old friends' stateroom in no time. She had mentally prepared herself for what could happen after she told Dinah about her boyfriend but that didn't mean she wasn't nervous. Her anxiety was through the roof as she knocked on the door.
"What does a girl have to do to get in a decent nap around here!" Dinah exclaimed as she got up from her bed. Her mood changed when she saw it was Normani, she moved aside so the older girl could come in.
"Hey. What's up?"
Normani took a deep breath, "We have a lot to talk about."
Dinah nodded signaling for her to go on.
"I wanted to start off by saying that I'm still angry and hurt by what happened between us, Dinah. Their's a lot of turmoil now and I don't know if it can be fixed because I no longer trust you. You should have taken responsibility for certain things back then but instead you just let it go. You let me go, that's what hurt me. It hurt me to think that you were completely fine while I was broken. I flew back home, yes, and that was my bad. I should have given you more than five minutes to explain but my emotions were at an all time high so I ran, but you didn't chase me," Tears filled her eyes, "Why? Dinah you didn't call me or text me ever again after that. The only person I heard from was Lauren and even that stopped for a while. That's what makes me angry. The fact that you watched me walk away and that was it for you and I honestly don't think you have a good enough excuse or reason for doing that. I think that you just quit. You quit on me and you quit on our relationship. Now you just expect me to allow you back in? After all of this? Several months of not talking to each other, you see me on a cruise and now you want to work things out. You want another chance. Dinah I don't believe that if we hadn't been on this boat together that I would've heard from you. I genuinely think that if this had not happened then you would have stayed away."
Dinah opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out.
"I guess I'm right." Normani wiped at her tears, "Would I be wrong if I didn't give you another chance?"
Dinah shook her head, using the back of her hands to get rid of the tears that had fallen while Normani was speaking.
"I love you," Dinah got up from where she was seated, "I have made some mistakes. Believe me, I know but all I have to give you is my love to the fullest extent. I give you all of my apologies and my word which is to never and I mean, never hurt you again in the way that I have."
Dinah was inches away from her ex girlfriends face, making sure that Normani knew she was being genuine. She grabbed her hand, "Normani, please let me make this right," Dinah whispered while leaning in.
Normani was frozen when Dinah connected their lips. It had been so long. A feeling she'd honestly forgotten but missed. Nothing felt as right as this.
Normani pulled back, tears streaming down her face, "You're gonna hate me."
"I could never." Dinah told her, stroking her face.
"I have a boyfriend."
A/N: ANOTHER CLIFFHANGER. honestly i don't know why i'm like this. hope you enjoy and as always, have a great day/night!