The Backup

Chapter 22

Feeling in the Stomach

"Are you ready to go?" Dinah asked the smaller girl after she had left her room.

She had only been waiting outside her door for a couple of minutes but there was no one inside which made Dinah realize that Normani had dressed herself. As soon as the door opened, the smell of strawberries had instantly clouded her sense of smell.

"Yep." Normani responded to the previous question, not portraying much emotion.

"Psst, big sis." They hear and turn to see the little lightskin boy peaking his head from behind Rihanna's room door.

"Yes Rocco?" Normani bends down to his height and he slowly sneaks out before running up to her.

"Choco?" Rocky requests and Normani frowns slightly since his request meant her giving up her last bar because Rihanna did not buy her anymore.

"...Here." Normani gave him the treat.

"Tank you big sis." He happily smiled then snuck back into the room.

Standing back up, Normani turns to Dinah who was on her phone. But a thought popped into her head that she'll get Dinah to buy her more. Yes, a masterplan indeed although she was fully capable of buying her own, she just prefer free chocolate.

"The ride is outside." Dinah ushered and Normani gives her a nod, following her outside.

When they reached their ride, Dinah gets in first with Normani still following in pursuit. They were taken to a place that they both wanted to go to when they were younger but couldn't since they had no money, now things were different and Dinah felt pride everytime she walked through the doors of the place. She never eaten anything, only scouted the place out for when she could take the smaller girl with her to finally try the place out. It was an internal promise to take Normani to the destination, the food had instantly hit their nostrils causing their stomachs to growl.

"Excuse me, do you want to be seated?" The HoH questions and Dinah gives her a nod before handing over her ID to confirm that she has a reservation for the two dancers scheduled. "Well, Dinah Jane. Follow me please." She ushered and began to walk through the back doors which led to the beach and everything was already set up for them.

The HoH gives them one last nod before making her way back into the restaurant. Soon enough, after they are seated of course, a waiter takes an order for their drink and left, leaving the two dancers alone.

"I'll be honest, I forgot about this place." Normani admitted and Dinah jaw drops.

"What? Literally where we stole the most scraps from. Allegedly." Her eyes widened and they both began to laugh.

"Life has changed so much from then." Normani closed her eyes, letting the sound of the ocean carry her into a dreamlike state.

"Thankfully, kinda glad you ended up joining the facility." Dinah reveals.

"Why? Did you miss me?" Normani teases.

"I don't miss the teasing." Dinah rolled her eyes.

"It's always been in my cha- oh I'm ordering this." Normani had scanned the menu to found what she wanted to eat causing Dinah to do the same.

"Something that isn't chocolate. Wow." Dinah playfully says and Normani scoffs.

"Chocolate is underrated." Normani squints her eyes and Dinah laughs.

"Said no one ever." She tells her which caused Normani to jaw drop, offended. They continued to chat then ordered their food to then continue to chat. It was nice to finally catch up with no interruptions, that thought had crossed both of their minds. When their food arrived, they quickly finished and Dinah paid so they could enjoy the beach. "So what do you and Ella, when you two are on the beach, do?" Dinah asked and Normani turned around with a smirk.

"Why do you wanna know? Want me to tell you that we make out or something?" Normani pushed off of Dinah and twirled back towards where she was walking.

Dinah clicked her tongue and followed the smaller girl.

"So you two aren't dating...or you're unfaithful or you're just playing with me." Dinah assumed and Normani spun back around.

"Did you just accuse me of being unfaithful?" Normani rose an eyebrow in disbelief.

"I mean. You did kiss me- fuck." Dinah cursed under her breath for revealing the piece of information she tried to bury deep depths of her mind.

"Did I?" Normani pulled one of her many facial expressions.

"Shit." Dinah turned around quickly and began to walk the other way.

"When? Oh was it at the party?" Normani gasped and Dinah just blocked her eats from already revealing too much. "Dinah." Normani stopped Dinah from moving by getting in front of her. They almost collided but Dinah stopped just before. "Ella has a sorta girlfriend, she's from London and went back to London so her and I are nothing but friends. Also I have no romantic feelings for her." Normani reveals and Dinah unblocks her ears.

"What?" She furrowed her eyebrows.

"Yup. But I'm more interested in what you have to say about this kiss?" Normani eyebrow rose, inching closer.

"It was nothing, we were drunk and playing a stupid liar." Dinah quickly turned around once again.

"You're such a bad liar, but if you don't want to tell me then that's okay." Normani poked Dinah's back and walked before once again. "Come along." Normani grabbed Dinah hand and tugged her along as they ran across the shore.

When Normani finally stopped, they were out of breath but she saw what she once saw before as a youngster. It was like a light show but for the sea, many fireflies danced over the ocean causing the sea to glow and the dolphins to fly, it was like dream, a movie even. Dinah was so fascinated that she didn't even realize her and Normani hands were still in a hold. She felt Normani's grip tightened is when she realized but Normani was still in a trance, a feeling did stir in her, a feeling that she tried to suppress before but failed each time has began to resurface and that realization made Dinah want to remove her hand but Normani's grip prevented her from doing so. With that in mind, her brain had began to spiral.