When Petals Turn In To Roses • Laurmani

Eighteen

"I love you Mani."

Running her fingers through her hair Lauren tried to shake the horrible memory from her mind. Telling Normani that she loves her was something that she wanted to plan out and make perfect, unfortunately that's not how it happened. Tears slowly ran down her face because she honestly thought that she ruined everything between her and Normani. She ruined everything!

"I thought I'd find you up here."

Lauren rolled her eyes at the husky voice of Dinah Jane. "Go away." She mumbled coldly. Dinah scuffs amusingly "yeah I'm not leaving until we talk." She said as she sat down next to her green eyed friend. "Now talk." She demanded. Lauren rolled her eyes "what's there to talk about?" She asked coldly. "Oh I don't know...maybe the fact that you told my best friend that you love her and then ran away. That might be something." Dinah said sarcastically.

Lauren stood up and shook her head. "I'm not talking about this. Goodbye Dinah Jane." She snaps as she turned to walk away. Dinah huffed "why wouldn't you talk about this Lo? You need to talk about this." She said. "No I don't! You can't make me do something that I don't want to do Dinah!" She yells. Dinah glares at her "well maybe I should because you're out here breaking hearts and pretending like you don't care when we both know that you do. So stop fighting it Lauren!" She argues.

"Why do you care so much Dinah? This has nothing to do with you!" Lauren screams.

Dinah ran her fingers through her hair. "Yeah it doesn't, but Lo you're one of my best friends and I'm not letting you end something that makes you happy just because you're scared. You don't deserve that Lo." She says softly. Lauren rolls her eyes "it's already been ruined." She muttered. Dinah looked at her friend and saw nothing but fear and hurt in her sad grey eyes. "Lo  did you know for the first five months of our relationship I couldn't tell Ally that I loved her." She said.

Lauren shakes her head "no you've never told me that." She voiced. Dinah chuckled "every time Ally told me that she loves me I would always just smile and nod because I was so scared that once I told Ally that I loved her and break down my walls that she would see who I really was, she would leave me." She paused. "One night after a date we had Ally told me three different times that she loves me and on the last one I just broke down. I cried and told her that as badly as I wanted to say it back, I couldn't because I was scared. I was scared that she would leave me once she sees the real me. Ally laughed and told me that she didn't care if I said it back because she could see through everything I did that I loved her." She sighs. "Lo I'm saying all of this to tell you that you need to talk to Mani. Tell her how you feel and what's going on. She's very understanding Lo." She finished.

Lauren sighs as she hugged her knees to her chest. "But you and Ally are perfect together. What if I take too long to open up and Mani just up and leaves. That would destroy me Dinah." She says. Dinah sat next to her and held the girl in her arms. "You'll never know if you don't talk to her."

Normani was sitting on her bed next to Ally as she thought about what the green eyed girl told her right before she ran away. "Ally do you think I lost Lauren for good?" She asked sadly. Ally shakes her head. "No. I just think she's scared. I mean Mani she's never let her guard down as fast as she has for you. This is scary for her." She explained. "But why would she be scared? I'm not like the other people in her life. I actually love her." Normani argued.

Ally sighs softly "Dinah was the same way as Lauren. For months DJ couldn't tell me that she loved me back because she was scared that I would leave her. So I told her I didn't care if she said it back because I knew that she loved me." She explains. "So what do I do about Lauren?" Normani asked.

Ally giggles "talk to her Mani. You have to let her know that there's nothing to be afraid of." She said. Normani nodded "would it be too late to say I love you back?" She asked. Ally shook her head. "Nope. It's not too late."

---X---

Lauren spent the last forty-eight hours avoiding Normani at all costs. She was still trying to find a way to apologize to the girl for running away. For the pass few days she has thought about what she did and honestly she did overreact about the whole thing. Lauren figured that it was ok to tell Normani that she loves her because honestly that's how she feels and she wouldn't change that for anything in the world.

With her head held high Lauren walked up the stairs and headed straight to her dorm where Normani would probably be. Unlocking the door and pushing it open Lauren's heart sank to her stomach when she saw who was in her room. "Lucy what are you doing here?" She asked.

Lucy smirked as she stood up and walked towards the green eyed girl. "Well since you and that girl are having issues. I figured that I could take you out and get your mind off of her." She suggest. Lauren shakes her head. "I would rather not. I need to talk to Mani." She said as she turned to leave. "Lauren you walk out of this room and we are no longer friends!" Lucy yells. Lauren sighed softly before opening the door and leaving the room. Talking to Normani was way more important than staying with Lucy.

Arriving at Clara's apartment Normani walked inside. "Miss Clara can we talk?" She asked softly. Clara nodded "of course dear. What's on your mind?" Normani frowns "it's Lauren." She started. "She told me that she loved me two days ago and ran away. She's been avoiding me since. Have I done something wrong?" She asked sadly.

Clara shakes her head. "This has nothing to do with you. This is my fault. I was such a bad mother to her growing up that I've left her with trust issues," she sighed. "Normani, she's very scared to love because of what me and my asshole ex boyfriend put her through. Lauren loves you Mani, so much, but she's terrified that you'll turn out like me. Everyone else she's dated has." She explained sadly. Normani took everything in that Clara has told her and honestly it was all making sense. It was time to find Lauren.