Teach Me To Love Again

13

Lauren pov

I was in Normani's hospital room playing her in a game of chess, I was actually pretty skillful in this game "check" I smiled cockily at my girlfriend. She looked stunned for a second before quickly masking it with a competitive look, "wow Lo I didn't think you'd do this well in chess" she said impressed. After moving her bishop to block my queen from taking her queen I heard her chuckle, "honestly I thought I was going to blow you out of the water"

After she made that move a smirk tugged on my lips, "seems like your mistake was underestimating me. My grandmother taught me how to play at a young age." I said taking her bishop with my rook, "I'd always play with her every chance I got when she was alive.. check." The older woman stared at the chess board, before looking me in the eyes with a soft smile "well I bet she's smiling down on you as you're kicking my ass"

Normani puckered her lips wanting me to kiss her, I was hesitant at first but I obliged eventually. I leaned over the chess board and pressed my lips to hers, I pulled away and smiled at her. The smile quickly faded as I looked at the board again, "did you move the pieces around?!" I laughed surprised that she would try to cheat. Normani had bit her lip trying to contain her laughter, "n- no" a giggle had escaped her lips.

"Well it doesn't matter anyway I memorized the board" I laughed while putting the pieces back to where they were. Normani is such a sore loser, yesterday I had brought some cards so we could play goldfish with King. Out of all the times she won a game she'd gloat like a child but as soon as I won a game she'd pout and say I cheated.. It's probably the cutest thing ever though.

"No... No! that wasn't on the board!" Normani said trying to take my queen, I couldn't help but laugh as I kept smacking her hand out of the way to keep her from taking away my queen. The older woman then grabbed my hoodie and pulled me towards her, our faces were just a few inches away. The playful mood had suddenly changed, it was more serious now.

I couldn't help but let my eyes drift down to her bruised lip. Sometimes I'm afraid to kiss her because I don't want to be the cause of her hurting physically. I know she's in pain, but she doesn't know that I know. She doesn't want me to know because she doesn't want me to worry about her but I do.

"How much pain are you in?" I asked softly with concern laced in my voice,  "I'm not in pain" that was a lie. I brought my hand up to her face and started caressing it, "you don't have to lie mani.. I am your girlfriend after all" I gave her a slight smile. My girlfriend. Yes MY girlfriend. I still can't believe she's my fucking girlfriend. The hottest, most kind hearted, funniest, genuine teacher is my girlfriend. "I'm telling you the truth! I'm high as fuck right now" Normani giggled, my mouth dropped before I pouted "luuuuucky"

We had continued our chess game and I had won as expected, now we're just talking about life "I really missed you at school" I said cuddled up next to her. "I missed you too, as a matter of fact I missed going to work" she said looking at the tv, "speaking of work.. I gotta go" I pouted not exactly getting up. Normani playfully smiled and started surfing through the channels, "good. I could use some rest." I got off of the hospital bed and scoffed at my girlfriend's response, "rude"

Normani slightly turned her head and puckered her plump lips, and me being the already whipped girlfriend I am (but I definitely won't tell her that)  I obliged and placed a kiss on her lips. I pulled away and grabbed my jacket off of the hospital chair, "I'll text you later ok?" I gave her another chaste kiss and left.

~~~

Ugh my job is the worst! I hate this "the customer is ALWAYS right" policy. This grown man had to have been about 38 years old, tried to get a refund after eating all of his food. He said it wasn't "fresh" BUT YET YOU STILL ATE IT?! I just let my manager deal with it and waited the next table. I walked over to the podium and grabbed 3 regular menus, and 2 kid menus "Payne party of 5 " I then heard a gasp, "waureeeeen!!"

King hugged my leg very tightly, usually I'd pick him up but I have to be professional right now so I just left it as a hug "hey king!" I looked up and saw Dinah, her fianceè, Chloe and a little boy that looks like Dinah. I mentally rolled my eyes at the woman I used to call my friend, before grabbing 3 bendy straws at the bottom of the podium, "follow me and I'll show you to your table." Once I had set up their table and grabbed the children's booster seats, I had took out my pen and notepad "My name is Lauren and I'll be your sever today. Can I start you off with any drinks?"

"Sprite!" king blurted out and I just shook my head no, "I'm sorry king but you're bedtime is coming up in a few hours so you're getting juice." I said while writing down apple juice, "apple juice?" I nodded and smiled at how well I knew my girlfriend's son. "If he wants soda then let the kid get some soda" I heard the british man put in his 2 cents, "soda will mess up his sleeping schedule sir" I said with gritted teeth. The brown haired man shrugged his shoulders, "he's MY nephew and whatever he wants I'll provide." a humorless chuckle escaped my mouth, "king do you want soda or apple juice" I asked the confused boy looking between me and his "uncle"

the mixed boy was tapping his finger on his chin in thought,  "pwease tan I have soda wauren?" I sighed in defeat and scratched off what I previously wrote down. The british man raised his eyebrow, "she's just a waitress Zach attack she HAVE to attend to your every need. You don't need to beg" King widened his eyes and his jaw fell open like he couldn't believe his uncle just said that. "You know who attended to your wife's every need? C- OUCH!!" I yelped in pain feeling my foot throbbing, "yes the couch after a long day of work, I'll have the iced tea" Dinah chuckled nervously looking through the menu acting like she didn't just stomp on my foot.

After I took their orders I gave the piece of paper to Ty the chef, "Lauren on break you wanna.." Ty put his thumb and index finger together and brought it up to his mouth, "I actually haven't smoked or had the urge to smoke in like 6 weeks." My coworker covered in tattoos slowly clapped his hands, "sheit I don't know what I'd do without my loud.. I'd probably go insane."  I shook my head at my co worker with a smile on my face, "call me when you get my orders"

My phone began to vibrate so I looked at the caller id and it was Camila. I decided to ignore it because my manager was staring at me, with that being said I'm going to make myself look productive. After giving Payne's party their drinks, I started wiping down the table and taking my tips, before I heard King call "WAUREN!" TAN I HELP YOU!" this boy is just too sweet. I had waved the light skinned boy over to me but Liam had stopped him from getting up, and sternly pointed back to his seat. I'd be lying if I said that didn't piss me off, uncle or not he didn't have to be so mean to my fragile baby. I'm at a 10 feet radius and I can still see his bottom lip quiver. I continued to wipe down tables, until ty told me Payne's food was ready. After grabbing the tray of food, I felt a tug at the bottom of my apron "King weporting for duty wauren!"

"I tan tarry that for you. I'm strong!" I smiled at his enthusiasm, he started flexing his nonexistent muscles "how strong are you?" I said walking towards the table with king staying beside me "very strong! I tan pick up Chloe, and auntie Ally." we started getting close to the table and all I could hear was the engaged couple going at it, "look. All I'm saying is you don't have to be so mean to my nephew" Dinah said with her hands on her each side of her temples. "You, Ally and his mother is making him soft as hell! Don't come running to me when he turns out to be gay in the future." Dinah sat back with disbelief on her face, "wow Liam go awf, I mean tell me how you really feel. Because we've done everything we could to make him the sweetest, most loving boy in the world! and if he just happens to become gay on the way then so be it."

I looked at king and saw that his enthusiasm left, he had his lips pressed in a line and a blank stare. King is a smart boy he knows for a fact that they're arguing about him, "wauren tan I put the food on the table. I had passed King the plates and helped him put them on the table, I can see him side eyeing liam's steak and potatoes. Once I handed king the steak and potatoes he smirked, "mm uncle wiam your food wooks weally goo-" I wasn't expecting it to happen, I don't even know how it happened but all I know is Liam's food is spreaded across the floor. "Oops I guess I wasn't strong enough.. But now you have a weason to talk badly about me" I've never met such a savage kid before!

A/N: eh the chapter was too long so I shortened it, TORI POV NEXT CHAPTER GET READY FOR SOME TALLY. Sweet King or Savage King? Sorry if it doesn't make any sense, sorry for any mistakes, comment/favorite/share this if you like it☺👍 this storyline is helping the caminah storyline so bare with me on that one. Thanks for reading ~ Sandra