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Tip of My Tongue

First section of Italics - Y/n's memory (your POV)
Second section of Italics - Normani's memory (her POV)

2 weeks later, in LA...

Y/n sits on the couch with Luna as they watch Orange is the New Black - the beauty of amnesia is not remembering having seen the previous seasons. They'd taken to watching a little at the time, stretching the episodes out over the past 11 days. It was an activity that was almost mindless, in a way. She didn't have to really think, didn't have to worry. She could just sit and watch - indulge in the humor, the smut, and cry about someone else's pain. It felt good. Therapeutic, even.

After the truth had come out that night, she'd taken off. Running down the beach, barefoot in the sand and barely dressed in her tank and pajama shorts, pushing herself to put more distance between her and all of them. She ran until her legs gave out and the sand dune broke her fall. She stayed there until she felt like she was capable of doing what she needed to do - calmly, without make much of a scene - and then she returned back to the house, back to her room, and packed her things.

She felt bad, sure. It broke her heart to listen to Normani crying and promising she'd still be there when she got back. The last thing she wanted was to leave - to be away from her, away from everything she loved. But the decision was less about what she wanted and more what she needed. She needed space. And time.

The only way to get both was to return to L.A. with Luna. But she never stopped thinking about it. She never stopped thinking about Normani.

Rewind back to the night of Normani's birthday party...

"Y/n," Normani's voice was calm, "Can you sit? Please? I'll tell you everything..just...sit down okay?"

No, I didn't want to sit but I wanted to know the truth - I wanted to know 'everything' - so I eased my way closer to her. Her hand started to reach out for mine, but I jerked away from her touch.

"Don't touch me," I warned "I don't....trust myself no to get distracted...I need answers..."

"Hey...It's okay," she said. "I won't touch you."

"Thank you." I offered her, though I'm not sure what I was thanking her for - For obeying my request for no contact or for agreeing to tell me the truth.

"Of cours-"

"I remember you," my thoughts just seemed to tumble out and I had to follow them up with more of an explanation. "I remember you....from the hospital. I saw you. You were in my room. You-You called my name..."

"Y/n-" she tried, but I interrupted quickly because I wanted her to know just how fucking serious I was.

"I'm not crazy, Normani. Don't try to make me out to be crazy.." I growled at her. "It was fucking real....I know it-"

"You're not crazy, Y/n," she agreed, shaking her head. "I was there. I was at the hospital. And I did call your name."

"You knew me. Before the accident." It was not a question. It was gruff sounding - like an accusation, almost - but it was honestly just a simple statement.

"Yes, I knew you..."

She looked like she wanted to cry and my heart sunk because I could tell that there was about a billion memories she was reliving in that moment and I felt like a fucking asshole for bringing it up. But I was hurting, too. They all lied to me - Daya, Rafael, Layne, Dinah..........and her. They all lied to me. And I think I deserved to be just the slightest bit upset....