The Road Trip

16

2 months later

"I'm just glad I can walk better now. I have a permanent limp though. So not sexy." Lisa said, typing on her laptop, wearing her glasses. School had been back in session for about a month now and all the women were trying to forget about the "road trip" they took where they were robbed, shot at, discriminated against, amongst other things. China was laying on the couch, practicing her falsetto. She wanted to sing and she wrote a song that she had to present in front of class. Lauren wanted to be a music producer, so she created a beat for China's song. Zendaya was sitting next to Lisa at the table, sculpting a females body from clay.

"Thats really gay Z." Lisa said, half smiling.

"The female body is gorgeous, Lisa."

"Yeah. That's extremely gay." She said, chuckling. Normani came downstairs after a workout session, clad in a black sports bra and tight spandex short shorts. China didn't even look at the woman, just kept staring at the ceiling. Over the passed two months, China had met a girl named Dinah who she'd started talking to. They started dating a week ago. Normani was a little jealous, but knew she had no right to be. Her and China's relationship had been suffering, they barely spoke anymore. Lauren put herself in a psychiatric facility when they got home, staying for a week and a half. She came home happier, stable on her medicine, and stopped selling drugs. China got her a job as a waitress at the restaurant she works at. They'd gotten close after they got home, thank God cause Lauren couldn't stand China over Normani. Lisa started trying to become closer to her sisters, who she hadn't had the best relationship with. Sunday became their day, where they went out to eat or to a movie or anything like that, just to hang out. Zendaya decided to get more into poetry, and went to a poetry club on campus once a week. She even wrote her own spoken word and got a standing ovation when she performed it. Normani was... Normani, still working at the studio. What the girls didn't know was that Normani still received money from a slip and fall incident that happened at her old fast food job.

"Hey China, what are you humming?" Normani asked the younger girl.

"A song." China said, then continued to hum. Lisa and Zendaya snickered, making Normani angry.

"China, can we talk?" Normani asked her sternly. China shrugged.

"You're already talking so.." she said. Mani sat down next to the girl. China scooted over, all the way to the other end of the couch.

"Whats wrong China?" Mani asked in that soft voice she only did when she spoke to the younger girl.

"Stop talking to me like I'm a baby Mani." China said, looking forward at the blank t.v.

"You are." Lisa whispered, making Z chuckle. China glared at the older girl and flipped her off.

"Whats your problem with me all of a sudden?"
Normani asked. China rolled her eyes and faced the older woman.

"Ever since I met Dinah, you started acting jealous. You didn't even give Dinah a chance. And you knew our friendship wouldn't be the same after I told you what I told you, I knew that too. It's cool Normani. Sometimes people grow apart." China said.

"No, I don't want this! I'll admit I got jealous, and I know I had no right, but Chi... I miss us. Why can't we work on it?" Normani asked.

"Because, I'm over it. And I'm over you." China said, getting up and going upstairs, her bedroom door slamming soon after.

"Uhm, damn." Lisa said, making Normani and Zendaya glare at her.
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It was a rainy day and all the women were home, sitting in the living room doing different things, not speaking. Zendaya was meditating as usual, China was humming to herself, the same song she'd been practicing, staring at the ceiling, Lisa was typing away on her laptop, Normani was watching tv, and Lauren was writing quickly, talking to herself.

"Lauren, can you stop talking? I'm trying to watch tv." Normani said. Lauren smacked her lips.

"China is over there singing and shit, you didn't say shit to her!" Lauren yelled.

"Do NOT put me in this!" China said.

"Oh my God, I'm meditating! Shut up!" Zendaya said angrily, opening her eyes.

"You shut up! Mind your business!" Lauren said to Z.

"I would've been minding my business if you three were fucking quiet!" Z yelled.

"Lauren started it, talking to herself and shit!" Normani yelled.

"Well now I'm finishing it! Be quiet you four!" Lisa yelled, making everyone look at her.

"Girl who you talkin to?" Normani said.

"You." China said, snickering.

"Aaaand I wasn't fuckin talkin to you, Korea." Normani spat.

"I was just lettin you know, WHOREMani." China shot back.

"Okay guys stop it! This is stupid!" Lauren said, getting up from her spot. The house grew quiet again and all the women started doing what they had been doing, except for Lisa.

"Oh my God! The tension! I can't take it!" Lisa yelled.

"I know! This is all so dumb!" Zendaya said, opening her eyes.

"I just want my friends back. ALL of them." Normani said, looking at China.

"Yeah, me too.." China said softly.

"Group hug!" Yelled Lauren, jumping on Zendaya. Soon all the women had jumped on each other, laughing and yelling for the other one to get off of them.

"Guys. We need to do something." Lisa said.

"Like what?" China asked.

"To like, bond again." Lisa said.

"Ooooo! I have an idea!" Lauren said, raising her hand like they were in school.

"What?" Normani asked her, her eyebrow raised.

"How about a vacation this time?"

"NO!"
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