Losers In Love ❁ d.j.h

• chapter thirty seven •

At the tail end of December, nothing could really break Normani's shine. Namely because Christmas came and gone with a slew of presents including a new pair of fur boots she wanted. But more than that, because today was December 28th.

Normani was officially twenty one.

"Happy birthday!" Sinead chimed with a huge smile, showing up at the brunette's doorstep with a sage green gift box wrapped in white ribbon. She was bundled in a brown puffy coat with a matching brown plaid scarf. But her best friend was more focused on her eye makeup. She had on lashes, silver inner creases, and pink hearts drawn around her eyes. Normani was so zeroed on her face that she forgot the shivering woman in front of her.

"Mani...? Can you let me in now? It's cold."

"Sorry!" The black woman giggled, pulling her best friend inside by the puffy bicep. "Thank you so much, I'm so excited. Let me guess, is that for me?" She pointed at the box.

The apples of Sinead's cheeks were round as she pushed the box into her best friend's arms. "Open it! Actually, wait, let's open it in your room. You might scream."

"I might scream?" The brunette raised an eyebrow, taking the box and turning on her heel. "What is it? It doesn't feel that heavy."

"It's not a million dollars."

"Then take it back." Kordei joked, reaching the top step and turning for her room.

"Whatever." The pudgy black woman snorted, crashing into the younger woman's room and sailing onto her bed. She moved to take off her coat and scarf before grabbing a throw pillow nearby. "Open it!"

"Okay, okay."

Her hands were ravenous as they tore at the ribbon and unwound the box with white crinkly paper inside. She came upon a necklace with her name in gold cursive first.

"This is so pretty! What is this? It's a stone, right?" Normani's hands ran over the emerald nestled in between the metal.

"It's turquoise." Sinead nodded. "I read that it's the birthstone for December, Capricorns specifically. It's supposed to help you live your truth and bring you peace and stuff. I thought it would be nice since you always look pretty in blue and I remember you saying you wanted a name chain."

"Aw, this is so sweet!" The brunette crooned, pouting and going to tackle hug her best friend. Sinead pushed her away in an effort to protect her hair, which was out in its coily afro and could be smushed from even the slightest lean. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." She mumbled with a warm face. "Look at the rest!"

Kordei walked over to the box to search for whatever else the woman got her. Then she found a pair of trimming scissors, a barbie emblem, and... A handheld sewing kit?

"Um... Scissors, a barbie sticker, and a sewing kit?"

"Mmhmm." The other black woman nodded confidently. "You always talk about how you never have hair scissors, and the sticker is to go on your car because it just looked like something you'd like - and you'd have an easier time telling it apart - and then I got the sewing kit in case you ever rip your pants or something when you're outside."