New Beginnings

Chapter Seven

Normani woke up the next morning to a buzzing cellphone indicating she was getting a phone call. She went to get out of bed only to find she was trapped in her spot by a pale arm holding her in place. It turns out after her and Lauren's heart-to-heart they put on a movie and somehow fell asleep on Lauren's bed cuddled closely to one another. Normani smiled at the memory of their childhood sleepovers where they often both fell asleep well before the movie was over in each other's arms and one of their mothers would have to turn off the television so they wouldn't wake up. She then remembered the buzzing phone and started frantically searching for the missing device.

Her movement cause Lauren to stir and slowly open her eyes questioning the slight panic on the older girls face.

"Um....watcha doin?" Lauren asked Normani in a groggy morning voice.

"I'm trying to find my phone, I woke up because it was buzzing," Normani said lifting up the pillow from under Lauren but having no luck finding the phone, "it's probably my mom trying to call me, she hates when I don't answer."

Lauren watched in amusement for a minute while Normani continued to search the bed because out of the corner of her eye she spotted the iPhone sitting right next to them on the nightstand. Finally, Lauren figured she should end the girl's panic and reached over her body picking up the phone from the nightstand and handing it to Normani.

"Wow, don't I look dumb." Normani responded and Lauren giggled before getting off the bed and heading toward the community bathroom with her towel and fresh clothes so she could shower.

As she left the room Normani looked down at her phone to see 3 missed calls from Kevin. Kevin, shit. She totally forgot to call him back yesterday, or wait was that two days ago now? Holy shit she hadn't talked to Kevin in 2 days he was probably worried about her. She immediately dialed his number and the phone barely even rang once before he picked up the phone.

Kevin: MANI, thank god, is everything okay?? You haven't even texted me in two days and I saw you read my messages, I was kind of getting worried.

Normani: Kevy I am sooooo sorry, I meant to call you the other day when I got back to my dorm but the craziest thing happened and I've kinda been occupied with it ever since. I didn't mean to scare you.

Kevin: That's okay babe, I'm just glad you're alright...what kind of crazy thing?

Normani: Nothing bad, don't worry. But I met my roommate.

Kevin: Oh, please don't tell me she's crazy.

Normani: No, she's definitely not crazy, but the circumstances of us being roommates is.

Kevin: Mani what the hell are you talking about? Get to the point.

Normani: okay well you know how I didn't really talk much about when I lived in Florida, right?

Kevin: Um...yeah? But what does that have to do--

Normani: I only lived there for 3 years and my family had to move because my dad's coworkers were threatening us because my dad was going to get a promotion.

Kevin: What the fuck? Mani why didn't you tell me this?

Normani: I don't know I didn't think it was that important...anyway that's why we moved to Texas. But even though living in Kerrigan was a shit show, I left my best friend there when we moved and I hadn't talked to her in 10 years.

Kevin: Okay but what does this have to do with anything. Normani you are just rambling right now.

Normani: The girl I left in Florida, my best friend...she's my roommate Kev. I haven't even seen her in 10 years and she happens to be my roommate. What are the odds?? I can't help but feel like this is some kind of sign.