Touched By You

"A lot has changed."

It was apparent to everyone. It was evident in the searching eyes, it was evident in the censored words and the hesitance in actions.

No one wanted to explicitly say it because then the mood of the meeting would be torn to shreds and be replaced with the sombre one it had been the last time they'd all been in the same room together.

No one wanted to explicitly say that it felt weird without Lucy...almost wrong.

No, instead they kept talking about small things like their jobs and the weather and which pizza parlour they considered best in the district.

Those were safe topics. Camila could talk about a tour she would be going on soon and how Lauren had insisted on at least five calls a day because she would miss her that little bit more this time. Lauren could talk about her return to university and how her new classes were making her feel so much more fulfilled than art had.

She could talk about how she would be attending her first protest against the judicial system within the coming week and this was a safe topic because death wasn't mentioned.

Vero spoke about her own job and how a certain client was causing to enduring at least two headaches a day with their persistence to get their way. Alessia told everyone that she was taking a break from music for a couple of months so she could spend some time out of the limelight.

They were all settling into a safe conversation and that meant that every now and then they'd fall into a silence that allowed for unspoken words.

"So you won't be painting anymore?" Ally eyed Lauren as she stirred her coffee absentmindedly, unaware that she'd been doing that for the past five minutes.

"I'll still paint," Lauren leaned back in her seat and put her arm behind Camila's, crossing her outstretched legs. "It just won't be my career focus anymore. I want to get my foot in the door in politics. I wanna make a difference, you know?"

"How bold of you, Jauregui." Dinah cocked a brow, sipping her mimosa and her nails tapping the table. "Hell, maybe you'll be the exact kind of edgy to put some of these men in their place."

"You might have to watch your language though, the media doesn't like a potty mouth." Ally reminded the green-eyed girl.

"Fuck what the media likes and what it doesn't." Lauren shrugged. "I think it's about damn time the media starts to show some real shit. And real shit is a woman swearing. Real shit is listening to everything they have to say and not just cutting pieces of what they want out. I'm not shaping myself into what the media wants me to be."

"You know, I could introduce you to a friend of mine, she'd like you." Alessia scoffed softly. "Hell, she'd love you."

"One of your big time celebrity friends?" Normani cocked a brow. "Because no offence, but I don't think Lauren's all that into fame."

"Neither is Ashley, but she's into her music and the fame kind of came with it."

"Wait, you're talking about Halsey?" Lauren perked up, surprising everyone on the table. "You want to introduce me to Halsey?"

"So you've heard of her then?"

"I heard a few of her songs, I've heard more of her speeches though and I've read her views on equality for women, she's fucking poetic."

"Should I be offended that my wife fangirls more over this Halsey lady than me? I feel like I should be." Camila chimed in.

"I do not fangirl." Lauren clarified. "But I can appreciate an outspoken woman."

And again, one of their little moments of silence fell upon the group. They didn't quite know how to keep a conversation going and no one felt the need to force it. So everyone sipped on their respective drinks or glanced at their phones.

Two in the group were kind of having a conversation with their eyes because they had something to say but didn't quite know how to broach it. Both were scared it would change the dynamic of the group if they did and they figured it had already changed enough for one lifetime.

But they knew their words had to be said, it had to be made public.

"We have something to tell you guys." Dinah spoke up, knowing Normani would struggle to get it out.

The blonde's heart felt heavy as she looked at the woman beside her and was encouraged by a soft smile. It was why she loved Normani, the woman knew exactly what she needed in almost every instance.

"We're-uh-we-" Dinah stuttered over her words because she hadn't ever thought she would have to say the words she was about to.

And then she felt a hand slip into her own and a soft squeeze give her the courage she needed to do just that. She said the words that would change everything.

"Normani and I-" She exhaled softly and looked to Normani one last time. "Look, we've decided to end things."

"What the fuck?" Vero was the one to voice the question immediately after.

"No fucking way." Lauren scoffed, not quite believing them, very aware of the pranks Dinah still loved to pull every now and then.

"A lot has changed," Normani finally spoke up. "I still fucking love Dinah, she's the best person I know, but...there's no romance in it anymore. No spark, I guess. And I mean, we tried. We've tried talking about it, tried working through it...but something's changed and we decided it's best to have a clean break."

"There are no hard feelings," Dinah was quick to add. "Mani is still my best friend and I'm always gonna go to her with just about anything, but I guess sometimes life doesn't pan out how we expected it to and that's okay."

"And you? You're okay, China?" Camila locked eyes with her best friend.

"I am," The Polynesian nodded slowly. "This is a good thing, guys. We're both gonna focus on ourselves and our careers and... who knows? Maybe life will bring us back together again one day, but if it doesn't, that's perfectly fine as well." Dinah turned to Normani with a soft smile. "I wish Mani all the happiness in the world."

"Right back at you." The older girl nudged the blonde.

"Kind of shitty that you guys did this so maturely," Lauren groaned. "At least if it was a messy break up, I could choose to just hang out with you, Mani, and I'd see Hansen less."

"Shut the fuck up, Lauren," Dinah rolled her eyes. "Everyone here knows you fucking love me. Come here, give me a smooch." The Polynesian stood from her seat and puckered up her lips, leaning close to Lauren.

"I'd rather inhale a gallon of gas."

"I kind of ship it," Camila leaned back in her seat and eyed Dinah and her wife with an amused smile. "I think you guys would be cute together."

"You know, Cabello, to this day, you're still not funny." The green-eyed girl sent a glare her wife's way.

"Are you guys sure you're both okay?" Ally cast her concerned gaze between Dinah and Normani. "Like, neither of you need to talk about anything?"

"I'm sure we'll both need a little Smallz love at some point, but we're really okay. You keep focusing on your physical growth, Al." The tallest girl gave the shortest one a pat on the back.

"Your small jokes are getting old."

Their bickering continued on for another hour before all the girls decided that they would be off to do other things. Lauren and Alessia kept discussing the possibility of Lauren meeting Halsey and Alessia promised to sort out a meeting.

And Vero...well Vero managed a soft smile as she came to the realisation that this was what life was now. They were all finding ways to move on.

Together this time.

I promise the next chapters will be more eventful.