******Lauren's POV******
Everything was really off with us today. I mean, Ally was fine now that Troy was here, but the rest of us were off. Camila and Dinah weren't goofing off together or cracking jokes. They couldn't even look at each other. And Normani.....she definitely wasn't okay.
When I wrapped my arms around her while she was getting dressed, she jumped. "You okay babe?" I asked, laying my head in her neck. "I'm j-just a little nervous about t-today" she stuttered cutely. "Aw baby, don't worry okay?" I moved and stood in front of her, cupping her face in my hands. "I'm gonna do everything in my power to protect you" I said, but the fear still showed through her eyes.
"I-I'm scared Lolo" she said. If I kept looking into her eyes, I've would've started crying. So I pulled her to me and held her in my arms while she cried. "I'm not gonna let them hurt you" I said, one arm wrapped around her waist and running my hands through her hair. "You're gonna be alright. I'll make sure of it" I said, kissing her cheek. She pulled back slightly and looked into my eyes, "I love you Lauren". "I love you too baby, now let's go have a good show" I said while lightly pinching her cheek, making her giggle cutely like she does.
Everything was going pretty well, dancing and vocals were on fleek to be honest. Everyone was nailing their cues and our dancers were perfect, and our beloved harmonizers were feeling it too. But then our "All of Me" cover showed up, and my heart dropped when it was almost my part. I tapped Mani and whispered in her ear "I forgot my lines". "What?" "I said I forgot my damn lines. Help me" I whisper-yelled... but it was too late.
I blushed as I had to mumble the first line, and I swear the whole crowd started to get confused. I looked towards Mani, and then it started coming back a little. "I'm on your magical mystery ride. And I'm so dizzy. Don't know the words but I'll be just fine" I sang. It was still on the rhythm so it was alright. Mani's part came up, and I could just feel the passion as she sang to the crowd. "Man, I love that girl" I sighed contently. We just danced through the rest of the song, and then the lights shut off.
"Normani Kordei Hamilton" the deep voice boomed from the speakers. "Lauren, it's happening" she said with her voice cracking slightly. I knew right then that I had to stop this, but I couldn't do it alone. "Dinah! Troy! Come with me!" I yelled, and they ran over. "What's going on?" Dinah asked. "They're in the control room, that's the only way. We have to go now to find them and we have to do it now". They quickly agreed and we had the other girls go with Big Rob and the other dancers while we were gone.
We ran but we had any idea where the hell the control room was. We ran for a few minutes, and I knew the more time we wasted, the more he could say about Normani. Luckily, we found it. I was about to open the door, but Dinah stopped me. "What if they're armed?" she said. "I have to protect Normani" I said, kicking the door in.
"FREEZE MOTHER FUC-" I stopped. We scanned the room but no one was there. "Is it still playing?" Troy asked as we walked in further. The message was still playing, and I was pressing buttons to turn it off. "It won't turn off, turn it off!" I yelled. "Lo, calm down. It's alright" Dinah said as she hugged me to her. I felt her move her arm behind me and shut it off. "How did you....?" "Just don't question it Lo".
We were about to turn back and leave, but then the door slammed shut. "What the fuck? Let us out!" I yelled. hitting the door. My hands were feeling numb from banging on the door and my throat was coarse from screaming. I felt arms wrap around me and pull me away from the door. "Let me go! I have to go to Mani" I yelled, failing in Troy's arms. "Hey hey, relax. Sit down" he said, sitting on the floor with him and Dinah.
"How are we gonna get out of here?" I asked while Dinah rubbed my back. "I don't know, but we'll figure it out" Troy said as he leaned back against the wall. We sat in the room for a few minutes, but then it slowly kept getting hotter to the point where it was excruciating. The air was too thick and we were all starting to sweat. Something's not right here. "Guys, we gotta get out of here" I said, choking under the heat. One question was racking my mind though.
Where's the girls? And are they okay? "They'll be fine, we need to get out of here. Text one of the girls" Troy said, fanning himself. "None of us have our damn phones. They're in the dressing room" I cried. Dinah stood up and pulled us both to our feet, "It's too hot to stay. We gotta go". "Where?" Troy asked as he started hitting the door again. "The only other way out, the vent" she said. There was no damn way they could fit through that.
"We're not all gonna make it through Dinah, there's no way" I said. I kept looking around the room but we could find any other options. "Oh Lauren" I heard a deep voice say from the speakers of the control room. "You are never getting out". I clenched my fist, "Who the hell are you?!" He just chuckled, "Wouldn't you like to know. Enjoying my little heat wave?" he chuckled evilly."Fuck you! Leave us alone" I said. "I can't, you're my obsession. Let's see if you make it long enough to see who I am".
"Guys, there's a window!" Troy said, pushing a large case over. "How do we open it?" I asked. Dinah started to remove her bra, "Woah woah woah....what the hell are you doing?" I asked. She just rolled her eyes. "Just shut up and watch. I saw it on 'Scandal'". She managed to remove the wiring from her bra, twisting it and using it to unlock the window. Troy and I were stunned, "How the h-". "No time for that, lets get the hell out of here". Dinah went first, then I went up, followed by Troy.
I looked around, seeing we were towards the back of the arena. "We gotta get to the bus and find the girls" I said, an we were back to sprinting around. We had to push our way through the fans, climbing into the bus. "Mani?! Camila!? Ally!?" we yelled together until they ran up from the bunks.
"Oh Lo" Mani said as she pulled me to her. I just rested my head on her shoulder silently, squeezing her a little tighter. "Were you guys okay?" I asked as we all went to sit down together. "We were alright" Camila said from Dinah's lap. "We had to evacuate the arena because of smoke, but that was alright. We got a gift though...." Then the three got quiet. "Who sent it? Who was it from?"
We looked at each other and I knew who sent it...Anon. But how did we do this without telling Dinah and Ally? "It was just from a fan" Camila laughed nervously, and Normani hid her face in my neck. "We can't open it babe" she whispered. "It's not safe Mani. We all know that and that's why no one has opened it". Dinah leaned across the table and eagerly grabbed the package. The whole room got tense.
"Open it DJ!" Ally giggled as she sat with a tense Troy. She slowly pulled the ribbon off the package, and everyone held their breath as she opened it slowly. She pulled the black ribbon off the small golden box, lifting the lid off. She gasped, putting her hand over her mouth. We all moved closer to see, viewing the present. "what is it?" "A hospital bracelet" Ally stated. "But what does this mean?"
I looked towards Dinah and saw how pale she turned. "What's wrong DJ?" "How did they know?" she gasped, dropping the box and moving back. "I didn't tell anybody but....." she paused, turning and glaring at Camila.
"Dinah. Baby, I swear I didn't-". "You're the only one I told! I thought I could trust you!!" She yelled, tears streaming down her face as she ran out of the room and to the bunks, Ally following behind her. "Mila? What is it?" "Dinah's wristband, from when she was in the mental hospital" she said with her head in her hands. "No one knew but me and her parents....that's it" she cried. "Then how did he get this?" All of our phones then vibrated.
"I'm full of surprises, aren't I?"
