Rivals // Norminah

64

All of us were chilling at my house downstairs in the hangout room. We had a movie on that some of us were watching and some were either socializing or on their phones.

Every now and then Dinah and I would catch one staring at the other from across the room, resulting in the first looking away. It had been like that for the past hour or so. I guess Ally noticed us and decided to immediately break the tension.

"Are y'all two just gonna stare at each other or say something?" She blurts out. The rest of our friend group turns their hands and looks at the both of us. I feel my cheeks heat up in embarrassment.

"I don't know what you're talking about Ally" Dinah answers. She rolls her eyes.

"You both have been playing eye tag for pretty much this whole movie. It's exhausting" Ally retorts.

"Yeah, can't y'all just kiss and make up already?" Zayn jumps in. I roll my eyes.

"You guys are being dramatic. Dinah and I are fine" I share.

"So then you're back together?" Keith questions.

"No"

"No"

We both look at each other after we answer. Silence and more tension fills the room. Dinah and I don't dare to break our eye contact with each other.

"I'm so confused" Zayn groans. I sigh rolling my eyes.

"We're not back together... we're cordial" I explain.

"Cordial, but y'all still fuck?" Zendaya asks. I turn to her confused.

"What?" I look at her.

"Well Dinah told me you guys hooked up at the party" She shares. I look at Dinah raising my eyebrow.

"We're sharing our sex lives now?" I glare at her. She shrugs.

"It slipped out" She says. I look at her unamused.

"I thought Dinah was gonna hook up with Stacy" Vanessa adds. Dinah now looks at her confused.

"Uh what? What are you talking about?" Dinah asks.

"Well Lani said you wanted to get laid at the party so we pretty much assumed it was with Stacy since she was eye fucking you the whole night" Dua explains. Dinah glares at Kehlani.

"Lani what the hell are they talking about?" Lani rubs the back of her neck.

"I may have just said that to get Normani to come to the party" She answers sheepishly. Vanessa throws a pillow at her and Kehlani quickly catches it. "What?! It worked didn't it?"

"That is so not the point" Alessia remarks. A bunch of the group begins arguing and I make my way upstairs into the kitchen to get some air.

I open one of the cabinets and grab a wine glass placing it on the island counter. I open the fridge pulling up the opened bottle of wine. The kitchen door opens and I glance up to see Dinah walking in. I walk around the island towards my glass and pop off the cork, filling my glass.

As I grab the glass to bring it to my lips, Dinah places her hand on my glass over my fingers. She looks deeply into my eyes keeping my glass frozen in mid air.

"You're not supposed to be drinking" She states. I pull the glass away from her taking a sip while not breaking eye contact with her. I bring the glass away from my lips.

"I'm not supposed to do a lot of things" I murmur. I lean against the counter behind me, keeping the glass cupped in my hand. I look at her and she's staring at me deeply contemplating her next move. "You followed me up here for a reason, I know it wasn't to stare at me"

She lightly nods her head leaning against the opposite counter from me. She crosses her arms, looking down at her feet. She sighs before looking up at me.

"Did you..." She bites her lip nervously. "..Did you mean what you said to me at my house?" She asks.

"Which part?" I question.

"All of it" I run my fingers through my hair with my free hand.

"You really want to have the conversation right now?" I ask.

"I do" She answers instantly. I sigh in dread. I down the rest of my drink and place the wine glass beside me on the counter.

While still leaning against the counter, i cross my arms mirroring her position in front of me. She's staring at me as if my answer is going to break her into a thousand pieces.

"Yes and no" I admit. She stares at me confused waiting for me to elaborate. "I regret saying the things that I said to you that day, but some of the things had truth while some didn't" I express.

"Did you really feel like I was treating you like a charity case? Like broken goods?"

"Honestly... yeah" I sigh. "I mean everyone in the group did, but it felt different coming from you. When I was with you Dinah I never really thought about anything else but you. You were the only thing on my mind and the only thing I wanted on my mind. We never had to tiptoe around each other, we could just be ourselves... but after my mom died, there was a switch. Not a switch to where I felt you didn't love me anymore, I knew you always did; but a switch in how you treated me. Instead of being my partner, my girlfriend - it felt like you were treating me like your little sister"

"That wasn't what I was trying to do Mani" Dinah explains. I nod.

"I know, I'm just explaining to you how it felt to me" I say. "It's not your fault at all. I don't think anyone could have done what you did better, it's just not what I need in that moment" Shs nods her head taking in everything I'm saying.

"And..." She bites her lip shaking her head, stopping herself from saying anything elss.

"What?" I ask. She looks at me and I can read the sadness in her eyes. I know what she wants to ask me about. What I had said to her at her house.

"These aren't the answer Princess! There are other things that can give your life meaning!" Dinah argues. I scoff.

"Like what? Like you?" I challenge. Dinah looks at me hurt and offended.

"... Now this is the part where you apologize"

I push off the counter and walk towards Dinah. I stand in front of her lightly placing my hand underneath her chin to make her look me right in the eyes.

"You give my life meaning Dinah Jane. When my mother was here and even more now that she's not. If it wasn't for you, I probably wouldn't still be here. You are my everything. I may be a toxic bitch most of the time and says and does things I shouldn't, but just know that no matter what happens with everything... with us... I do love you with all my heart"

Dinah's eyes water lightly and a small smile forms on her face. She leans forward a bit. I thought she was going to kiss me but she did something instead that honestly, we both needed.

She wraps her arms around my neck pulling me into a tight hug. My arms instantly snake around her waist pulling her closer to me. Her face leans onto the top of my head making a smile from on my face.

"I love you Princess" She whispers.

We stay in the position for what feels like forever. But not a bad forever, a good amount of forever. It was probably the most comforting hug I've had in a long time.

"Are y'all back together now?" We both pull away to see Lauren's nosey ass peaking her head in the kitchen. I roll my eyes.

"Seriously Lauren?" I groan. She shrugs.

"I wanted to see what was happening. I was wishing for more moaning but this'll do" She smiles. She glances at Dinah. "Damn, I don't think I've ever seen your ass cry before. You're a little softie aren't you?" Lauren smirks.

"Okay, time for you to leave" Dinah steps away from me towards Lauren making her instantly retreat from the kitchen door. I let out a small laugh following Dinah out of the kitchen.