New Beginnings

Chapter Fifteen

<Normani POV>

Winter break was long, but much needed for Normani who endured a particularly stressful and demanding first semester of college. The good news was all her hard work had paid off when she got her grades a few days before Christmas. A 4.0 was the perfect present in her eyes. She had a very relaxed Christmas and New Years with friends and family. She didn't do too much but she was perfectly fine with just hanging out around the house with her parents and her grandmother. A few days after she got home she asked Kevin if they could talk, the way Kevin responded when she said those words made Normani think that he knew what was about to happen.

"Kevin, can we talk?" Normani quietly asked as they sat on the couch at her house.

Kevin sighed before responding, "Yeah, what are you thinking Normani?" He only called her Normani when he was mad, or when he was serious, so she knew he was already expecting it.

Normani took a deep breath before forming her words, she wanted to be thoughtful and not just blurt out 'I'm breaking up with you,' she wanted to make sure he knew she still cared about him. "We've been dating almost four years now, and we have had so many memories and firsts together. You were my first boyfriend, you took me to my first NFL game, you gave me my first New Year's kiss. But I know I can't be the only one thinking these last four months have been extremely hard. We are both so busy there's hardly time to talk and when we do talk it's like we have nothing to say to each other. Distance is hard but besides that I feel like for the first time we are both kind of becoming our own people, you know? Like ever since I can remember we have been Normani and Kevin, Kevin and Normani we were always referred to as a couple hardly ever as individuals."

Kevin was quiet and patient listening to every word Normani said nodding occasionally. "But now you're in Texas doing your thing, and I'm in Evanston doing mine and I feel like for the first time I'm really finding myself. I feel so independent and free for the first time in my life. That's not to say you were dragging me down, I don't want you to think that at all, if anything you are the reason for all of this. You encouraged me to go for my dreams, you stayed up all night helping me study for the SAT, you held me when I cried because I was so happy I got in to my dream school and I am so thankful for that, but everything just feels so different now." Normani paused not really knowing how to say the next few words she wanted to so badly say to Kevin. Now that she was in the moment talking about all the wonderful things he had done and how great of a boyfriend he was she felt like shit for what she was about to do.

"Normani," Kevin sighed, "I get it, you want to end things. It's fine. I mean I'm not going to pretend I'm not sad, of course this hurts, but I kinda feel the same way. If anything, I'm sad this feels like the end of an era."

Normani was kinda blankly staring at this point. She figured he knew but she didn't know he felt the same way. It gave her a bit of relief.

"You're right, we have been through a lot together, and you will always be one of the most important people in my life. I know you're responsible of a lot of my successes and in helping me be the man I am today. But I agree, these last few months have been hard. And I feel like I am learning more about myself too. Of course, I still love you, part of me probably always will, but if the next three and a half years are going to be like the last four months then what is the point?"

Normani was thankful that Kevin was as caring and thoughtful as he was. He completely understood. She knew that part of her would always care for him too, they meant a lot to each other but they could still mean a lot to each other even if they weren't dating. "It's just been exhausting" Normani sighed.