you make me sick (for being so perfect)

Thirty Six.

           

"Hey, Laur," Normani nudges her, and Lauren tears her gaze away from The Lion King and focuses on her best friend's necklace. "Is it cool if Dinah and Camila come over and hang out with us? DJ just texted and told me that she's with Mila and they're both pretty bored."

"Yes, I would like to see Camz, she is my girlfriend." Lauren announces, turning back to the TV and snuggling closer to Normani. "That way I can cuddle Camzi and you- um, you could cuddle Dinah. If you wanted."

Normani laughs. "Yeah, I don't think Dinah and I will be cuddle buddies any time soon, Lo."

Lauren frowns, because she wants Normani to cuddle Dinah, because she wants them both to be happy together. But she's not allowed to tell Normani that Dinah likes her, so she has to be subtle. "Why not? Cuddling is nice, and I'll be cuddling Camz when she gets here. It's nice to have a cuddle buddy."

Normani shrugs. "I don't think she'd be into that. I'm going to text Ally and see if she's free too, but I think she mentioned she was going out with her family today. Something about going to her grandma's for dinner."

"I used to go to my abuela's for dinner all the time." Lauren smiles to herself. "I bet Ally will have lots of fun if she's busy doing that. If she's not, then she'll have lots of fun with us."

Normani hums in reply, and asks her something completely off topic. "How have things been going with you and Mila? You haven't spoken to me much about her lately."

"Oh, things are wonderful." Lauren beams when she thinks about how Camila had booked Disneyworld. "She's taking me to Disney and we're going to go on all of my favourite rides and see the Lion King show that they have there."

"Are you sure she's doing that?" Normani asks her. "Disneyworld is really expensive. Are you sure she didn't just mention the idea to you?"

"No, she said she's booked it, and- uh, we have a meal plan too. And we're staying in the Animal Kingdom, which is my favourite park." Lauren tells her, turning around and sending her an enthusiastic smile. "You can ask her when she gets here, but we are definitely going for a week. July 4th to July 11th."

"Oh, seriously?" Normani sends her a surprised look. "How'd she get the money for that?"

"She was saving up for a new guitar, but I bought her one on her birthday, so she doesn't need to save up for that anymore." Lauren says. "And I think her mom helped her pay for it too. I am taking some money with me so I can pay for some things for her, though. I want to buy her a Stitch toy, because she really loves Lilo and Stitch. She is going to buy me another Lion King plushie, too."

"I'm glad things are going well for you, Laur," Normani squeezes her around the waist and Lauren nuzzles her face into her best friend's neck. "I know how much she means to you. You don't know how happy I am that you've found someone."

"Yes, Camz is my someone." Lauren smiles to herself. "She loves me and she will always love me, she promised forever. I am happy I have her, because she's one of my soulmates and I love her lots. I was always- I used to be really worried that I would never get to fall in love. But I have now, and I am very happy. I have her and I am happy."

"That's good to hear, Lo. Honestly." Normani smiles at her. "I know that I was a little wary of her at first, but I do think she's good for you now. I've seen how much better you've been since you met her. You were always so quiet around new people but now you'll strike up conversation with the cashier at the grocery store just because."

"Yes, because I can," Lauren says. "I am- um, I can talk to people. If I want. Because I'm just as good as anyone else, and if I do something they don't think is normal and they don't like me for it, it just means that they're closed minded. Not that there's something wrong with me."