You Need Me (Laurmani)

Twenty-Three

Normani's POV:

"We really don't have to stay the whole time Z, it's no big deal" I say shrugging.

"But I want to Mani, I would really like to hear what you have so far for your album" she says to me with the sweetest of smiles "Please just sit for a minute"

I smile and shrug "We could stay for like thirty minutes I guess, but then I have to get back to Lauren" I say and take a spot on the leather chair.

"She's expecting you?"

I raise a brow "Of course she's expecting me Zen"

"No.. I'm saying like do you ever go home. You seem to always be there"

I chuckle slightly baffled "Why is that any of your concern?"

She laughs "Forget it.."

"No tell me" I raise a brow.

"You're my concern, I worry about you.." She murmurs "I think she's a nice girl and all, I don't think she's right for you however. I know you Mani"

"What? You don't know enough about her to make those assumptions"

"I know enough about you" she smiles softly "I know you're perfect for one. Never in my life have I seen someone so perfect, all around. Inside and out. It's quite addicting -"

"Zendaya.." I murmur trying to cut her off.

"You're so addicting Normani. I honestly don't think I can fall in love with anyone else the way I happen to be with you" she reaches inside of her wallet and pulls something out.

"Remember this?" She holds the picture out to me.

It's a picture of me holding on to her waist and laughing. I remember that picture. Right before we took it she said 'Here I'll hold my neck back so you can kiss it' and her adorableness is why I laughed.

"I remember.." I murmur quietly.

"Don't you miss this? Us?" She questions with a frown.

"I missed us. Yes. But I'm over it now Z, how could I miss you when you're right here. This is enough for me"

"So you're saying you don't miss what we had?"

I sigh "Z, I really want you in my life. But the only way you're staying is if you accept your role as a friend. I really want to be friends with you but you are making this so hard. Just when I was finally able to push all of those feelings away so that we could be friends, you're trying to bring them back out. It's not fair"

"What's wrong with that?" She pouts.

"There's so much fucking wrong with that Zendaya. I love Lauren with all of my heart & I see myself growing far into the future with her" I shake my head "What we had was the past. A good past yeah. A past that I'm so sorry for ruining. But I'm so fucking happy with her, there's no way in hell past memories of us will change that. Even pictures as cute a this"

She looks up at the ceiling for a second and then looks me back into the eyes with a forced smile "Well where are these songs of yours?"