New Beginnings (MegMani)

3

Normani~

"Chance! Dinner is ready!"

"Finally I'm starving!" Chance came into the kitchen playing her Nintendoswitch. "Put that thing away. You know there are no electronics at the table."

"Sorry," Chance paused her game and went over to her mother, kissing her cheek. "How was work?" She grabbed utensils from the drawer to set the table.

"Stressful as always, but you won't believe who I met today."

"Who?"

"Guess."

"Mama, please! Just tell me." Chance spoke excitedly.

"Janet Jackson."

"WHAT!?" Chance found her moms job to be quite interesting. She loved hearing about the famous people that she was able to meet on a daily basis. It was cool to her, but also seemed very overwhelming. She had to execute their visions exactly the way they wanted it and Chance knew that if it were her, her anxiety would be through the roof.

"But don't go telling your friends. She doesn't want anyone knowing about this location."

"You know I don't have any friends to tell." Chance shook her head, "but that's really cool! You should've gotten her autograph."

"Maybe next time." Normani took pride in the fact that her daughter loved hearing about her job. It made her glad about her chosen career choice and she only hoped that maybe one day Chance would follow in her footsteps. "How was school today? Did you talk to the girl?"

"I did! It went Really great actually! Her name is Akira. I think I may have came off too strong but I don't know, she was fine the whole day. We sat together at lunch and even walked home together! I got her number and I invited her and her mom over for dinner tomorrow night to welcome them."

"Tomorrow?" Normani asked as she got dinner plates out for them. "I may be stuck with a client baby."

"Nooo!" Chance groaned. The only downside to her mothers job was that she was often going overtime at the office with her clients.

"I'm sorry that people want my help?" Normani questioned more than stated.

"Can you at least try to make it home? This may be my first real friend and I know it would mean a lot to them to feel like they belong in this neighborhood. We're probably the only other black people here!"

"You're so dramatic. The Howard's next door are black."

"Uh-uh," Chance protested, "they're half Asian so it doesn't count."

"Chance." Normani gave her daughter a knowing look and she sighed. "Please? Just try and make it home by at least 6?"

"I will try, I promise." Normani kissed her cheek, "you must've hit it off well with her?" She placed the last dinner dish on the table and sat down.

"She's so cool and funny and it makes it better that she doesn't actually know me! There's no one putting weird things in her ear about me either."

Normani was proud of her daughter stepping out of her comfort zone. She was a little bit worried for her though. Chance was excited about making a new friend, which was absolutely perfect, but Normani didn't trust it. She let her guard down once and allowed Chance the free liberty of being around other kids, hanging out with them whenever it was convenient, but it didn't end so well. She just didn't want a repeat of what happened nor did she want to see her daughter unhappy. It was just as heartbreaking watching her go through that as it was being the one taking it.

"Are you sure you're ready Chance? I know making a friend may not seem like a big deal, but giving what you've been through it's big to me. Plus your anxiety and—