Kiss at Midnight(Carmen)

Chapter 1

Note: Happy New Year everyone!
Note 2: MY GOD! Camila's performamce of Havana last night was sooo good! :D

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Putting the finishing touches to her make-up, Normani Kordei scrutinizes her reflection one last time before picking up her phone from the dressing table. Her best friend's voice drifts from the speaker, making half-hearted protests about their plans for the evening.

"Lauren," Normani interrupts. "We're going. And that's all there is to it."

"I'll be your third wheel," Lauren whines. "Is there anything worse on New Year's Eve?"

"You could lie in bed all night on your own," Normani points out. "That would be a pretty pathetic way to spend the final night of the year. Everyone is going and last year's party was amazing."

"A couple of years ago, you would have been the last person I'd have imagined having an 'amazing' time at Cabello's house on New Year's Eve," Lauren scoffs.

"Hey, Sinu and Alejandro are no slouches when it comes to putting on a shindig," Normani counters. A knock on her door draws her attention and she turns to find her girlfriend leaning against the doorframe, tapping her watch. Normani holds up a finger and makes an apologetic face.

"Did you seriously just say shindig?" Lauren asks.

"Whatever," Normani rolls her eyes. "Look, we're heading over there now so that gives you approximately nine minutes to get ready. Dinah is driving."

Lauren sighs and Normani knows she won.

"Fine, but I'll make my own way there," Lauren says resignedly.

"I'll be calling every half hour until you show," Normani warns. "You can't spend your entire vacation hiding out at your mom's house."

Lauren starts to grumble but Normani cuts her off.

"Bye Lauren!"

She hangs up and tosses her phone into her bag.

"Done, let's go!"

Dinah catches her by the waist as she walks out of the room.

"You shouldn't force people into doing things they don't want to do," Dinah chastises her, pulling her in close. "If Lauren doesn't want to go, then maybe we should just leave her alone to mope."

They share a quick kiss before heading down the stairs.

"I don't know what her problem is," Normani shrugs. "She was totally on-board until I said that it was at Camila's house then she started making excuses. She hasn't even seen Camila since last year."

She catches the look Dinah shoots her as they wrap up for leaving the house and laughs, shaking her head.

"Camila and Lauren?" Normani stutters. "No. Not possible. No way, not even in a million years."

Dinah raises her eyebrows and grins.

"Shut up," Normani says, fastening the final button on her coat and pushing Dinah towards the front door.

"I didn't say a thing," her girlfriend protests. "Not a single word."

Normani yells a farewell to her parents and whatever siblings are in the house and the pair hurries to the car amidst a flurry of snow. Once they're inside, Normani pulls her hood down and glares at her girlfriend.

"Now my brain hurts with the mental image of my two best friends..." she trails off and punches Dinah's shoulder. "Gross."

"You're probably the only person in the world who thinks that," Dinah chuckles, starting the car and heading across town to the Cabello household.