Holdin On

Chapter Nineteen

This is bad. This is really bad. Lauren breaks eye contact trying to breathe. Fuck! She needed to get out of there and fast. She quickly gets up to get her shirt on then heads towards the desk to get her phone and sunglasses, putting them in her back pockets before heading towards the door, "Lauren" Normani says trying to get her to stop but Lauren continues to the door, opening it only to have Normani quickly close it before she can get out. "Lo-"

"No Mani. I'm sorry. I-I read it wrong" Lauren quickly says, needing to get out because she could barely breathe. Completely wrong. "I'll text you later" Lauren goes to open the door again but Normani pushes it close once again. She grabs Lauren by the arm and turns her so that they are now face to face. Brown compassionate eyes connect with fearful green eyes as both are trying to figure out what to say to the other while feeling different things. I can't. "Normani please, I really ne-"

"I'm sorry." Normani cuts her off, "Lo. I thought you wanted to go slow" Lauren closes her eyes, regretting her decision of asking. "You told Dinah we were going slow." Lauren drops her head,

"I know I just... I'm sorry but I thought you... I don't know... Just forget it" Lauren feels Normani's hands on her cheeks before pulling her close, pressing a soft kiss on her lips. Lauren grabs her wrist pulling away getting ready to talk but Normani beats her to it,"

Are you sure this is what you want?" Lauren's eyes open to look at Normani, "Don't get me wrong. I want it but I just don't want to pressure you. I don't want you to regret later on because I really like you, Lo." Lauren releases a relieved breath once hearing that Normani wants it to.

"You're not pressuring me at all, Normani. I wouldn't regret it and this is something that I want. I really want this." Lauren licks her lips, trying to make sure she doesn't mess this up. "I know I don't have the best track record but I really... really... really like you." Lauren says, trying to get Normani to understand that she was serious. "From the first day I've struggled with what to do about you. I mean it took me days to even try and say something to you. Like when you were practicing, I was trying to figure out what to say so I just stood there and watched you, do you. Playing beautifully on that piano that day." Normani smiled blushing a little as her hands drop from Lauren's face to fist her shirt, "And then when you stopped I swear I was gonna say something but then Zendaya was there and I freaked out and ran. But not because I was embarrassed that she saw me in my sports-bra on but the fact that I called you my girl in my head" Normani tilts her head a little,

"You're girl, huh"

"Yea." Lauren nodded, "I said, way to meet your girl's family for the first time and that scared the shit out of me." Normani smiled,

"So that's why you ran. You calling me your girl back then." Lauren nodded, "you still could've said something" Normani joked causing Lauren to shake her head with a little smile.

"Not really because when you came over to the table I still choked the next day" Normani giggles,

"You did but it was so cute" Lauren rolled her eyes,

"Sure it was" Normani peck her lips, "I really did try" Normani tilted her head a little confused,

"Try what?"

"Try telling myself that you were just another girl that didn't mean anything" Normani pursed her lips and raised an eyebrow. Lauren shook her head, "It obviously didn't work." Normani started smiling, " I knew that I was liking you more than I should hence me talking to you while I was in the middle of having sex" Normani shakes her head,

"You know you were doing really good until you said that" Lauren laughed, "and don't even say I was thinking about you the whole time" Lauren shrugs her shoulders,