Find The Beauty Within

Chasing Her

   Normani's POV

    "Photography helps people to see." -Berenice Abbott

    "You don't understand how much I'm already invested in you," I whispered as I watched Dinah climb into Camila's car. Our date probably lasted a total of a half hour, and she was already running from me. I understood that she had her insecurities, but I had mine as well — her's were just a bit more severe.

But when it came to Dinah, I was an insecure mess. Her flaws made her more beautiful than I could ever hope to be, but she didn't see that, and she didn't give me the chance to show her. All I wanted to do, was value a beautiful girl. I mean, after all, my parents had always told me that if I ever found something beautiful, to appreciate it — to value it. Dinah was my something beautiful, but I wasn't getting my chance to appreciate her natural beauty. The girl was divine, angelic, heavenly, and any other synonym I could possibly think of, but it seemed that I'd have to value her in my mind and heart only.

With glassy eyes, I drove back home, feeling my chest get tighter and tighter the closer I got. I stepped out of the car shakily, making my way into the building and upstairs. The minute I stepped through the door, Ally was at my side. At first, she was excited, but after seeing the look on my face, her excitement died down completely, and she went into mother-mode.

"What happened, ManiBear?" my best friend asked quietly, stroking my hair as she pulled me into her arms and onto the couch.

"S-she l-left m-me," I hiccuped. "The d-date didn't e-even l-last th-thirty minutes."

"Oh, Mani," she cooed, pulling me even further into her embrace. Her small arms wrapped around my body, her hands moving up and down my arms as an attempt to calm me down.

I sniffed, feeling as if I was overreacting, but I knew I wasn't. I wanted Dinah, that was for sure, but I knew that she would only turn me down. It was inevitable. In comparison, I was nothing while she was everything. She could've found so much better, and I knew that, but I wanted to be the only one for her.

"I don't really know what happened, Ally," I breathed, calming myself down a bit. "She said the waitress was being rude, and I saw that, but I would've taken her anywhere else had she not ran away from me."

"What did she say?"

"Something along the lines of how she was damaged and if I knew her past, I would leave her anyway. I couldn't really hear what she was saying because it was like she was breaking up with me before we even got together, and I couldn't bear to listen to it."

Ally took a deep breath, her eyes searching mine for something I didn't know of. "You really like her don't you?"

    "I know it's too soon to say that," I whispered. "But I do. I really do, Ally. She's the only thing that's on my mind and I want to get to know her — all of her."

My best friend gave me a sad smile, her hands cupping my face and stroking my cheeks with her thumbs. "Then what are you still doing here? Go get her. You know where she lives now, after all."

I scrambled to my feet when the realization dawned on me. Ally was right, why sit around and wait for Dinah, when I could've just gone to her. I wanted her, so I should be the one to prove that; not sit there whining about how she left me when all I wanted to do was give her a nice evening.

"Thanks, AllyCat," I said, giving her a peck on her forehead before fleeting to my car.

The only thing on my mind the entire ride, was what I was going to say to Dinah. I didn't know how I should've started, or how I should've gotten to the point considering I had a tendency to ramble, but I knew whatever I said would be the truth. I just hoped she'd give me the time of day to say it.