Worth The Risk

17

A/n: Anything bad that occurs in this chapter or the subsequent is not Dinah's fault, just saying.
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'Technically, if you want to be correct about it then I am an American of Polynesian,Tongan, Samoan, Danish and Fijian descent. Hey did you fall asleep on me?'

'No I'm still here,' she said slowly and her voice was just a little raspier. 'So what did you do after school?'

'I was going to spend the afternoon with Naki and Mila but Sam surprised me with a date. I missed the movie so now I have to go and see it alone. Then I caught up on homework and now I'm talking to you. What did you do?'

Normani stifled a yawn. 'I FaceTimed Ashlee whilst I did my homework. Then dad and I taught mom and Elle how to play call of duty. And now I am in bed with Lola, talking to you.'

'She's in bed with you?'

'Uh huh,' Normani moved the camera, Lola looked completely comfortable snuggled up against her side. 'She's been sleeping in bed with me every night since I started school. She's getting used to not having me around all the time.'

'She misses you,' I murmured. 'What happens when you go to college?'

Normani looked so sad that I regretted asking. 'I don't know. I hope she can come with me.'

'Okay well I'm a jerk for bringing that up.'

Normani made a face, 'it's okay, sing me a song Mufasa.'

'What song should I sing?'

'It's almost Christmas. Sing me a Christmas carol.'

'Mani it's not Christmas until after Thanksgiving.'

Normani's soft lips stretched into a sleepy smile, I took a screenshot. 'Okay sing me a song in Tongan.'

'I mostly just know hymns. Okay I'll sing the one I sang earlier today, you might know it. It's called Love at home in English.'

'Oku masani 'a e me'a kotoa
Ka ai 'a e 'ofa 'i 'api
Fiefia 'a e me'a kotoa
Ka ai 'a e 'ofa 'i 'api
Mahu melino 'a e famili
Haa mai 'a e fe'ofo'ofa ni
Hanga 'alu pe 'a e taimi
Ka ai 'a e 'ofa 'i 'api

'Ofa 'i 'api
'Ofa 'i 'api
Hanga 'alu pe 'a e taimi
Ka ai 'a e 'ofa 'i 'api

Normani gave me one of those genuinely sweet and happy smiles with just the right touch of shyness; odd since I was the one that had to sing. I felt my chest do something that it had never done before. It was like being full, almost to the point of bursting and my cheeks hurt from smiling so much.

I had expected her to fall asleep; she called as soon as I got comfortable in bed and we had been talking ever since. In a matter of hours, we would have to get up for school and both of us would undoubtedly be tired.

'That was beautiful, I know I tell you all the time but you are truly talented Dinah Jane.'

'So are you Normani. If we don't go to sleep soon, I'm not going to make it to school tomorrow.'

'Okay you can go to sleep I guess. See you tomorrow morning?'

'See you tomorrow morning.'

I wasn't sure what it was, maybe it was mom making my favorite breakfast, maybe it was the cute text that I woke up to from Zendaya, maybe it was spending half the night talking to Normani. Whatever it was, I was thankful for waking up in a good mood.