Say You Won't Let Go

Momentary Peace

"Here we are." Dinah says when we reach her house, pushing open her door to reveal the warm air. It kisses my skin, making a small smile spread across my face.

We get inside quickly, shutting the door to leave out the pounding rain. I slip off my shoes and hang my jacket up as I hear chatting from inside the kitchen. Dinah's family must be home.

"If you want to stay the night, I have clothes in my room." Dinah offers, pointing down the hallway.

"My dad would kill me." I laugh softly, declining her kind offer. Dinah's face falls and I can see how much she misses having someone to spend the night with her as Lauren has been busy.

"Oh, okay." She shrugs. The warm light coming from the lamps attached to her dark walls make everything seem to happy and cozy here. I absolutely love it.

"Dinah?" Dinah's dad, Gordon, calls from the other room. "Is that you?"

"Yes, Dad." Dinah replies, smiling. "Camila is here, too."

"Everyone already knew that. You're so stupid, DJ." A different voice I haven't heard before retorts, groaning.

Dinah laughs for a second before her face goes slack. "Kamila, I'm not talking about you. I'm talking about Walz!"

"Oh." The voice, I'm guessing Dinah's sister, Kamila, says. I laugh softly to myself, feeling the happiest I have in a while.

"Who else is home?" Dinah calls to her sister, looking down into the hallway close to the door.

"Your mother!" Dinah's mom answers, a small chuckle following the sentence. A lazy smile spreads across Dinah's face.

"Mom!" She cries, sprinting into the kitchen. I follow close to her, enjoying and soaking up all the lovely feel of Dinah's house.

"Hi, baby girl." Dinah's mom grins, hugging her daughter tightly. Dinah smiles so widely into her mother's shoulder. I'm guessing they don't see each other a lot.

"How was work?" Dinah asks as her mom pulls away.

"The same as always." Dinah's mom sighs, kissing her daughter's forehead. She then casts her gaze over to me, smiling tenderly. "Go have fun with your friend."

"I will." Dinah assures her mom, skipping back over to me again. She grins widely, her eyes shining. She leads me back to her room.

"So," I drawl, running my fingertips down the frame of her wooden door. "Your mom?"

"Yeah," Dinah sighs, plopping down on her bed. "She's always at work. I think she may be the reason I hate being alone. I miss her all the time."

"Aww, Cheechee." I coo, rubbing her back as I sit down beside her. She smiles at me, showing me that she isn't upset, but overwhelmingly appreciative of her time with her mother.

"It's fine. Nothing is as bad as Lauren, right now." Dinah runs a hand through her hair, her eyes dropping. I cross my legs on her bed, facing my body toward her.

"What's wrong with her?" I ask, keeping my tone light.

"Nothing is wrong with her." Dinah almost growls, her eyes narrowing at me. I'm startled by the anger in her words. But her rage quickly fades. "Sorry..."

"It's fine." I rub my arm sheepishly, dropping my eyes.

"I know what you meant, it's just..." Dinah squeezes her eyes shut and throws her head into her hands. "It's just that her—"

A small rock hits the window.

We both look toward her window, seeing Normani making strange faces at us through her own window. Dinah laughs loudly and sticks her tongue out at the girl, shutting her blinds afterward.