(CAMREN) Falling For You

49

After Camila went inside they all continued talking. About 10 minutes into the conversation Lauren's phone rings. After checking to see who it was, she excuses herself and walks toward the drive way.

"Hello?"

"Hey Lauren! It's me Maria. I'm calling because Charles just told me that his uncle would like to set up a video chat with you tomorrow,"

"Really? I thought you said they wanted to see my portfolio first?"

"They still want you to send it. But he said he would like to speak with you one on one to get more of a feel for you and to discuss what he's looking for."

"Oh, OK. Yeah. Give me a second let me check my calendar real quick."

"Okay."

Lauren removes the phone from her ear and goes to her calendar app to check and see what she has scheduled for tomorrow. Once she finds the time slot she has available, she glances over toward Normani and Dinah to see if everything was okay.

The last thing she expected to see was how close Normani and Dinah have gotten. Then she saw Dinah subtly put her hand on Normani's knee. She expected Normani to push it off or say something but she didn't. Lauren shook her head and put the phone back to her ear.

"Hello Maria?" Lauren said hoping she didn't hang up.

"Yes, I'm still here. Did you figure out what time you'd be available."

"Yes. I'll be free tomorrow at noon if that time doesn't work I'll also have time at 3pm."

"Ok. I'll let them know. I'll text you the time he chooses."

"Ok thanks again Maria."

"My pleasure. Goodbye Lauren and good luck."

"Thank you! Goodbye."

Lauren hangs up the phone and looks back over and Normani and Dinah. She sees them in some heated hushed argument and she doesn't know whether to stay where she is or go and interrupt.

She glances back at the house and she can't help but feel bad for Frankie. He's been nothing but kind, attentive, loyal, and loving. She looks back at the girls and sees that they're no longer arguing. Now Normani is holding Dinah's hands telling her something as Dinah cries. She thinks now is the best time to intervene because there's been too much touching for her not to.

The girls are too wrapped up in their conversation that they couldn't hear Lauren as she approaches them.

"Dinah you have to understand, you hurt me, badly. And I fell into this kind of black abyss, and I understand that you didn't intend to do that to me but what could you have possibly expected when you left without a goodbye or an explanation?"

Dinah nods her head. "I'm so sorry Mani, I am. But... I didn't think you'd move on, I'd thought you wait for me. I thought you loved me?"

Normani released Dinah's hand. "Dinah that's a bitch thing to say. Of course I loved you. YOU left me. You caused all this drama between everyone because you couldn't simply talk to me. I forgive you but do not think for one second you can guilt me into feeling sorry for the fact that I'm dating someone else when you left me. Not to mention when you left you had me believing that you were in love with Lauren and never in love with me. So don't you do that, don't you dare say that shit to me."

"I'm sorry. You're right. I'm sorry for everything."

"I forgive you Dinah. But we all still need time. Just because you apologize it doesn't mean it erases all the shit that has happened."

Lauren decides now was probably the best time to make her presence known. She cleared her through and walked on the side of Normani back to the step she was sitting on. Dinah quickly wipes her eyes and they both looked at Lauren when she sits down.

"Sorry about that. What did I miss?"

Normani looked over at Dinah. "Nothing just clearing things up. Look I need to go inside, Frankie and I we're only supposed to come pick some things up and then head back to my parents." Normani said as she stood up from where she was sitting.

Dinah reaches for her hand and Normani looks back at her. "Do.. you love him? Does he make you happy?"

Normani doesn't move her hand away and Lauren couldn't help but wonder why. Does this mean that Normani still loves Dinah? And if so does that mean she'd take Dinah back? Because what other reason is there to why she'd allow Dinah to place a hand on her knee, why she'd allow themselves to sit so close to each other or hold hands.

"He makes me happy. He's an amazing man I believe he's more amazing then I actually deserve." Normani takes a deep breath and then releases it.

"But do I love him?" Normani says as she looks toward the front door of the house. She stars at the door from a few more seconds and then looks back down at Dinah. "Yes." She slowly pulls her hand away from Dinah's and walks up to the front door.

Normani reaches for the door handle but before she turns it she turns back toward Lauren and Dinah.

"Falling for him wasn't something I ever expected to happen but it did. And Dinah if you've ever loved me I hope you could be happy for me. Because I truly am happy with my life right now, it's a very unexpected one but I love it. I'm not telling you this because I want to hurt you but because I need you to understand that I did love you, I still have love for you, and a part of me will always have love for you but Frankie, he understands me, and he loves me, and I know he does because... because I feel it in my bones that he does. He's the love of my life Dinah."

With that Normani turns back around and opens the door. "Good bye Dinah." Normani says as she walks through the door and closes it behind her.

Lauren looks at Dinah who's still staring at the door with a few tears falling from her eyes.

"Dinah..."

"Dinah....."

Lauren places her hand on Dinah's shoulder to get her attention.

"Dinah.."

Dinah looks at Lauren now and her hands immediately shoot to her face as she starts to sob into them.

"I.... I fucked up.. So fucking much..."

Lauren doesn't say anything she just squeezes Dinah's shoulder. Dinah shakes her head and wipes her tears.

"I, I know I can win her back." Dinah's says with determination in her voice.