Broken, Honest, Beautiful

Nightmares

"Normani!" Dinah and Ally shook her awake as she screamed loudly

"Wha-" Normani sat up gasping in shock with sweat dripping literally all over her body

"You had a nightmare, you were screaming bloody murder, are you okay?!" Camila asked worriedly

"Wh-where's Lauren?!" Normani shot up searching the bus

"I'm right here, what the fuck is going on?" Lauren asked shocked as Normani launched herself into her arms as soon as she saw her

Normani held her tightly for a few minutes before grabbing her wrists and checking them for indication the dream was real.

"Normani calm the fuck down, what are you looking for? I haven't even done anything in 8 months, you know that." Lauren asked grabbing her wrists to stop her frantic search and looking into her eyes

"I-I had a bad dream. You-you attempted again and this time you died. Am I dreaming this? Are you alive?" Normani asked touching her arms tentatively as if they were made of thin, breakable glass.

"Mani I'm alive, I'm alive, look at me, it's okay." Lauren hushed her bring her back into her arms hurriedly

"I'm okay, it was just a dream babe it was just a dream." Lauren soothed the gasping shocked girl in her arms

"I thought we lost you!" Normani burst into tears holding Lauren tightly, almost as if her own life depended on it

"I'm right here, you haven't lost me." Lauren promised Normani, holding the girl tightly

"Is she okay?" Dinah asked Ally as the girls observed from a distance

"I think we should give them both some privacy, shall we get some tacos?" Ally offered Dinah and Camila

"TACOS!!" Camila was already bolting out the bus makings Dinah and Ally laugh following behind her

"We're going out Lo! We'll see you and Mani later!" Ally called as they left

"Okay!" Lauren shouted before turning her attention back to her best friend

"Deep breaths okay? Breathe with me." Lauren instructed calming her down till she returned to a relatively calmer state than before

"I'm not going anywhere, alright? It's been what, nearly 2 years since what happened? I promise that's not gonna happen again, you know I won't let it get that far. You know that." Lauren reassured her as the girls sat down

"I'm sorry, I know it just happens sometimes. I can't help it." Normani looked down into her lap sadly

"The PTSD." Lauren figured and Normani nodded clarifying the meaning to her words

"Okay. Have you still been taking your medication?" Lauren asked

"Yeah I have. It's just, really difficult, sometimes. Like it can be anytime I remember parts of that night. It scares me and I'll never forget it." Normani said on the verge of tears

"I know, I feel it too sometimes but you can always come to me about it. Just because it was a particularly bad night for me doesn't mean you can't talk to me about it..You don't need to keep bottling this stuff up." Lauren told Normani as she wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her into her side.

"I didn't want to be a problem for you." Normani sniffed wrapping her arms around Lauren gratefully

"You're not a problem! You're my best friend, nothing will change that. Would it make you feel better to sleep in my bunk with me for a little while?" Lauren suggested looking at Normani