Not Weak, Just Stronger

Chapter 1: Saying Less is Saying More

A/N: Play "Words" by Skylar Grey at the start of this chapter to make the sadness worse but beautiful.

IMPORTANT 2024 A/N: The first book is missing because it has already been published. This sequel to "We Don't Talk Enough" hasn't been officially published yet, and unfortunately I don't know if I'll still have that chance because of my current circumstances, so I'm uploading my works now just in case I'm not able to ever again. Explanation is written on my message board.
PLEASE NOTE that these chapters are first drafts and have been significantly edited in the official version with new scenes and better writing. I was supposed to publish this year, so what you're reading is still the old version and not the new, more refined version.

I hold this book very dear to my heart, my entire soul is in this, so take it in with compassion and enjoy. Writing this all has been the biggest highlight of my life. Thank you.♥️

*

Exactly a year went by since the day of their graduation; where the students of Arcadia High moved on...one more than the rest of them. Two girls were left alone in the pouring rain, screaming at the sight of their dead friend—with her eyes closed and her head resting against the steering wheel. Blood leaked through her white top, and some streamed down her ear and onto her neck. It was rather painful but she seemed so peaceful for the first time in a long time, none of them wanted to bother trying to wake her up; they knew she was already gone. The cop panicked and drove away with his partner, leaving them to make the call and report the one thing they never thought they'd have to report in their entire lives.

A shaky hand was brought to Gigi's lips as the other went to hold Normani's limp body. She sobbed hysterically and buried her face into Normani's hair, hyperventilating as Kehlani sat on the floor in complete and utter shock. The gun shots sounded in her ear and replayed over and over in her head. How her friend died instantly and how Kehlani failed to push the gun away in time. Tears streamed silently down her cheeks and blended in with the rain. Her curly hair stuck to her face as she hugged her knees and stared blanky at her car...her car that she would never get into again. They waited twenty minutes for anyone to show up and take the body and ask questions. Gigi, covered in her best friend's blood spatter, couldn't speak without stuttering over her cries and choking. Kehlani couldn't even open her mouth or move, they had to put her in a wheelchair when they reached the hospital.

By the time their other friends arrived, they were bound to the waiting room until both girls were deemed "stable enough" to leave; they'd be questioned about the murder tomorrow. After that night, after the funeral, the burial and the celebrating of Normani's life, nobody wanted to talk about it or revisit it except for four people: Gigi, Kehlani, Simon, and Lauren. This wasn't to say the others didn't hurt over it, they just weren't as furious as the four were about gun violence and how the cop got to walk away with a paid suspension—pretty much a slap on the wrist. His reason for shooting was justified; he feared for his life and claimed to have seen Normani reaching in her pocket for what looked like a gun. And since she was surrounded so much by criminal activity, he had every right to believe she was armed and he was in danger.

'Always in a rush,
Never stay on the phone long enough.
Why am I so self important?
Said I'd see you soon,
But that was oh maybe a year ago.
Didn't know time was of the essence.'

It was big in the media, half of the country was outraged and the other half defended the cop. The justice system failed her, her death was in vain, and she ended up being just another statistic. The majority would soon forget about her and find the next death of a black person to be angry about, add #BlackLivesMatter in their bios for aesthetic purposes, show support with a retweet repost or like instead of going out to protest or meet people fighting for the same cause, and carry on with their lives because they weren't the ones affected by it. Gigi and Kehlani didn't have that luxury. Lauren listened to Normani at prom and offered to help her, now she couldn't even do that. All that was left was to honour her and fight for the justice that wasn't getting served to those who needed it.