A Lesson of Love

Chapter 7: Closet Confessions

Flashback

"What about you? Anything interesting going on with you?"

Normani looks at her friend thoughtfully. This was one of those times where such a question resonates with her.

"Yeah, actually." Normani stirs a white plastic spoon in the decreasing remnants of her peach yogurt. She hums a light chuckle at Desiree's 'ooooh.' "I think I'm gonna make a move."

Desiree checks their surroundings, which amuses Normani. The two Business Administration majors are enjoying the nice weather outside at one of the campus's tables.

"It's fine, Des. Zuri's in class right now."

"But what if someone she knows overhears?"

"Then even better. She's going to know either way."

"Ooh, look at you! Okay, confidence!"

"I'm just over feeling like I'm wasting time when I could be going after what I want, you know?"

Desiree nods with a fire in her eyes.

"What's the worst that can happen? She says no?" Normani rolls her eyes with a smile.

While Normani knows it won't be the end of the world if Zuri doesn't feel the same, she is hoping that things will go her way.

"The only reason I could understand her rejecting you is if she doesn't like girls like that."

Normani smiles at the compliment.

"Does she?" Desiree asks.

"That's the thing...I see her checking out other girls and she has this fixation with Janelle Monáe. And...what's so funny?" At this point, her friend has turned red with giggles.

"What else were you going to say first?" Desiree swallows back another laugh.

Normani side-eyes her with a smirk before responding. "I kissed her cheek and she got nervous. She was blushing and literally tensed up."

"Huh. Interesting." Desiree tilts her head, thoughtfully.

"Mhm, now what was so funny before?"

The giggle returns. "Well, at first I was gonna say looking at other female's bodies doesn't mean anything. We all do it. And maybe she just likes Janelle Monáe's music. BUT, when you described how she reacted to you kissing her cheek, you might have something."

Whether Normani was just wishfully thinking and reading into things to appease her attraction, she wasn't going to know unless she made a move and confessed what was in her heart.

•

All the lights are off when Zuri returns to the dorm, so it's safe to assume that Normani is asleep.

Zuri flicks on the light and stores the chicken potpie from KFC in the refrigerator. Quietly, the tall beauty goes in the room she shares with Normani. Sure enough, her roommate is sleeping softly. After getting her pajamas for the night, Zuri quietly readies herself in the bathroom and washes the day off.

Freshly washed and clad in a matching tank and shorts set, Zuri gets on her bed and checks her phone.

She doesn't know if the light from her screen is the reason Normani has awakened. Without a word, the shorter girl leaves the room. Zuri knows that Normani can see she is awake, but she leaves it alone. A moment later, Zuri hears the toilet flush and then Normani is back.