Dinah's POV

Walking down the stairs to the basement I hear some music playing, but it's a song I've never heard before. It's probably Jilly's SoundCloud album. That girl knows she can't sing, at least not like I can. I get to the bottom of the stairs to see Jilly trying to show Normani some dance move that just looks like vibrating in place, and Mani laughing at her because of how it looks. I sit down next to Camila and Ally and pull out my phone to open Snapchat, because this is too good not to catch on camera. I need digital evidence that this happened. And to show Guapo and Sean this mess happening in front of me. I start to record Jilly and Mani and post it to my story. Thank god the music is so loud otherwise they would hear the three of us back here laughing at them. Ally starts to post them dancing on her snapchat too and Camila does the same on Mani's snap, they never gave her her phone back, so all three of us are recording them and trying to hold in our laughter at the same time. Normani does this spin move type thing and spots us recording them and stops dancing and goes to cut off the music. Party's over

"What are you three doing?"

(AN: In unison) "Nothing."

"Camila give me my phone."

"Uhhhhhh.........Okay here."

Camila closes out of Snapchat and hands Mani her phone. I know Mila is nervous just off her body language so when she sits back down I let her attach herself to me so she can calm down.

"Why is my phone so warm? Were you using it?"

"Not really just watched youtube videos."

"Oh. Well now that Dinah is down here we can get started."

She puts her phone in her pocket, then her and Jilly go to sit and we begin our meeting.

"Okay so I know it's a little bit away but I think we be should thinking about what we should do for auditions this year."

"If this meeting is for auditions why did you call Ally and I?

"Because I wanted the whole team here and even though you aren't dancers you two are just as important to the team as we are."

Ally and Camila are apart of the behind the scenes of the dance team. They help with costumes, makeup, hair, fund raising for trips, and all a bunch of other stuff. They help our school sponsor(AN: Team coach) keep track of us when we do none school related events and shows. They're actually the ones in charge here not Normani and I. Those two are like the the directors to all of Beyonce's videos on the BEYONCE album, and we, the dancers, are the videos. If that makes any sense.

"Yeah you guys are just as important if not more important than anybody we bring into the fold."

"Aww you guys are so sweet!"

Ally gets up from her spot, that is closer to where Normani is sitting, and hugs her. Camila gives me a good squeeze, since she's already holding me, and then they switch with Ally hugging me and Camila hugging Normani. Ally sits back down in Camila's spot and vice versa. Once Normani pries Mila off her and she sits back down we continue our conversation.

"Okay so back to what I was saying. We really want your input on any new girls that try out this year because we more than just good dancers this year."

"Wait why?"

"Because the judges at the state competitions are looking for more than good dancing. They want a team that has showmanship and personality, so we need to find girls that can show that too."

"Mani is right. We don't just need dancers that can keep up with the dance, we need performers. Girls that can do more than shake they ass and smile."

"Exactly what Dinah said. We need performers!"

"Okay we look for performers. How do we do that?"

"Oh that's easy. We just check for stale face."

As soon as I finish my sentence the rest of the girls laugh and I do too because even I have to admit that was funny. I did always have a knack for diffusing serious situations.

"Stale face DJ? What does that even mean?"

"You know! Stale Face! Someone killing the moves but are dead behind the eyes?"

"Oh! I get what you mean now DJ."

"Well can you explain it to the rest peanut gallery, Mani? Not all of us can speak crazy Tongan."

"I was ABOUT TO before you interrupted me Jilly! ANYWAY, what I was about to say that was we look for people who are full body performers, ones who give face while dancing."

"Thank you for explaining to the simpler ones in the room Normani. That was exactly what I was trying to say."

Jilly sticks her tongue out at me and I laugh at her, because that is our relationship in a nutshell. I make fun of her, she reacts, and I laugh it off. She knows it's all in good fun so I never have to worry about her coming after me.

"Okay now that the official business is done anyone have anything else they want to talk about?"

Mani and Jilly both raise their hands at the same time and I kind of already know what Jilly wants to say so I let her go first.

"Mani this is your house let Jilly go first."

"But if it's my house why do I have to go last?"

"Because Jilly might have to leave soon."

"No I don't"

"Well maybe I just want Jilly to go first."

"Alright fine Jilly go ahead."

"Thank you for being the bigger person Mani. Okay so you remember that song Afterparty I recorded?"

We all give a general yeah in response to her question.

"So Blair and I shot the video last week and as soon as we edit it. It will be up on Youtube for everyone to see!"

I look at the other girls and they have the same expression on their faces as I do, but I think I'm going to have to speak what we're all thinking right now.

"Jilly how can I say this nicely..........You can't sing."

"Yeah not like you four but I can sing enough to be a one hit wonder somewhere."

"Well we can't wait to see the video Jill, and we'll support you every step of the way."

"Thank you Ally."

"Was that all you had to say as far as news Jilly?"

"Yeah that was it."

"Okay Normani go ahead the floor is yours."

"Actually I had something to say too?"

"Can it wait until the end Ally? I can feel how excited Mani is to tell us whatever it is she has to tell us."

"Yeah I can wait."

"Okay Normani go ahead."

"OKAY! So you know how I've been hanging with Sean a lot since he's been back home?"

We all give her a general 'yes', so she can continue her story.

"Well the reason I've been hanging with him is because he wanted to choreograph a dance video and he wanted me to be in it!"

Sean is one of our good friends who works at the dance studio we use to practice during the summer. He's a really well known choreographer and has danced in a few videos for professional musicians. Whenever he's home he makes these concept videos with a bunch of the local dancers, where he picks a song and imagines the choreography for it if he were hired by the actual musician. This is great news because if the videos go over well Normani could get noticed and start a career as a professional dancer.

"Oh my god that's great news Mani!"

"He wants to do two different videos, and he said he needs a few more dancers for both of them, but he told me I'll be the star of both of them."

"No wonder you've been so secretive in our texts recently."

"I know but I promised Sean that I wouldn't tell anyone until he knew what songs he wanted to use. He just text me what the songs were going to be five minutes ago."

"Well what are the songs?"

"COMMAS by Future and DO NOT DISTURB by Teyana Taylor."

"Ooh I love both of those songs."

"He even said I could put them on my youtube page with my old covers, since I am the lead dancer."

"This is great news Manz I'm so proud of you! Mani you are gon kill these videos girl!"

We give Normani a huge group hug and stay there for a while. When we let go of her and start to calm down I turn to Ally so she can tell us her news. In hindsight she probably should have went before Mani because whatever she says is gonna be a huge turndown in comparison.

"Okay Ally your turn. You have the floor."

"Oh I almost forgot I had news. Well this girl from our neighborhood is having a huge party for her birthday and she wanted me to invite you guys."

"Wait a girl we don't know wants to invite us to her birthday party?"

"Yeah because Mila and I talk about you guys all the time so she wants to meet you all."

"She also auditioned to get in the school so she wants to meet you so she has friends before she gets in."

"How do you know she's gonna get in?"

"Because she sings all the time with us and she's a great singer, so unless she froze up I'm sure she got in."

"Okay well what's her name?"

"Her name is Lauren-"

"Wait the Lauren Camila had a crush on when she first met her?"

"Yup that Lauren."

"Ooh I remember the pictures Mila showed me of her. She is FINE!"

"Calm down DJ you still got Jasmine to deal with."

"Mani shut up! Let me live!"

"Wait why would she have to deal with Jasmine?"

"No reason." Ho don't do it

I stare Normani down begging that she doesn't say that I slept with Jasmine in front of them.

"She slept with Jasmine last night."

Oh my God!

"Wait Dinah is she serious?"

"Yeah....."

"Why?"

"Because I am a very weak individual who is easily blinded by lust."

"Dinah you said you weren't gonna sleep with anyone last night!"

"I know, but she backed me into a corner and I had nowhere to go."

"Wait literally or figuratively?"

"Both actually."

"How did it feel like both?"

"I don't know but it felt like I was trapped and I was standing on the wall when she came up to me."

"What exactly happened? You never told me."

"Well it was almost the end of the party when she came up to me. At first she just asked me to dance because it was her favorite song playing so I said yeah, thinking it was just gonna be a dance. I started to move closer to the floor but she pushed me backed into the wall and started dancing on me. She had me up against the wall so I couldn't really move. At the end of the song she turned around and I thought she was done, but she put her hand on my chest and pushed me back into the wall leaned into me and started to nibble on my ear which turned me on more than I already was from the dancing. I felt like I was stuck because I couldn't move, it was like I had no control over my body at that point, and she controlled everything I did like I was under her spell. She leaned back and just looked me dead in the eye and she kissed me. I couldn't push her off me if I tried. When she pulled back I was too far gone to say no to anything she asked me."

"Damn you didn't tell me all that."

"Do you regret having sex with her DJ?"

"Yes and no."

"What do you mean?"

"Yes I regret being with her in that way because now she wants more and I have no idea what I want. And no because this is Jasmine we're talking about, I've wanted to be with her for a while."

"Wait what do you mean by she wants more?"

"She said she wants to be in a relationship with me."

"Really? What happened to all that Ronnie mess that happened last year?"

"That's what I asked too but she just said don't worry about it because she only wants to be with me now."

"That doesn't sound good D. She sounds like she's talking to a side chick who puts it down way better than her main boo."

"I agree with Jilly Dinah. She sounds like she about to change your contact name in her phone to the taco place down the street from her house."

"I know you guys are right which is why I didn't give her an answer I told her I would think about it and talk to her later."

"Well what are you gonna do about this? You can't string her along forever."

"Oh so I can't string her along while I figure things out but I can become La taqueria express? What am I supposed to do?!"

"Dinah calm down. Look no one is telling you to become her side piece of anything. We just want you do what's best for you."

The girls can clearly see how this is stressing me so they crowd around me and give me a group hug. I don't know what I would do without these girls they have helped me so much through the years.

"Thanks guys I really needed to talk this out with someone."

"Girl you know we got your back because I'm your girl you're my girl Don't you know that we love you."

I laugh at Normani's Destiny's Child reference and hug them all again.

"So Ally when is this party?"

"Oh it's the 27th."

"Cool tell Lauren we'll be there and that we can't wait to meet her."

"Okay."

"Wait I can't make it I have studio time booked that day."

"Really Jilly! You can't si-"

"Oh that's too bad Jill maybe next time then."

I look at Normani with the strongest glare I can muster until she remove her hand form covering my mouth. Why am I the only one telling this girl the truth about her singing?

"Shut up Dinah!"

"Why am I the one always being told to shut up?"

"Because you're always the one trying to say something they shouldn't be saying."

"Rude!"

We all laugh again and head upstairs for drinks and snacks until the girls start to trickle out to go about the rest of their day. Ally has to get ready for a date with her girlfriend and Camila has to go babysit her little sister Sofi so they leave first since they came together. Dammit Walz left with my hat! I'll have to text her later. Jilly stays for a little bit longer after them then she leaves too to go to her little brother's basketball game with her family. I don't really have anything to do until Briannah texts me to come over, so I hang out for a while with Mani a little longer just talking.

"So where is Briannah? I thought she was coming over to talk."

"She got stuck babysitting so I'm going to go to her."

"Okay what do you think she wants to talk about?"

"No idea but I know she's gonna ask about you when I get over there."

"Why do you always have to bring that up? You know that crush she has on me freaks me out."

"Because it's fun watching the great Normani Kordei Hamilton get flustered. And you say black people don't blush."

"No I said dark skinned black people don't blush. Get your facts straight!"

"Whatever queen of changing subjects! Why don't you like talking about Briannah? I know she really likes you, Mani."

"Yeah I know that but I don't want to date your clone. Dating you once was enough!"

"What do you mean my clone?"

"Really you haven't noticed how she is slowly single white female-ing you?"

"How?"

"Just in the last six months she's dyed her hair to match yours twice, started taking vocal and dance classes, and the crush on me is the icing on the weird cake!"

"Man whatever Mani you're just reading into nothing."

"No I'm not but you're gonna see what I'm talking about soon enough. Just watch."

I shake my head at Mani and check my phone. I see bri texted me so I get ready to go so I can meet her and talk about whatever is it is that she wants to talk about. I start to get me stuff together so I head up the stairs and grab my bag and charger and walk back into the kitchen to get my bottle of sweet tea Mama dre made me.

"You about to leave?"

"Yeah bri just texted me so I'm going to head over there."

"Okay. Want to meet here so we can go to that party together."

"I was already gonna come over here because I don't have my license or a car yet."

"Okay I was just checking, dang."

"Whatever dork. Just hope your car is fixed by then otherwise we're walking."

"Oh I'm gonna be on Mr. Fixit out there Don't worry."

"Alright tell the family I said bye."

"I always do."

I hug Normani for a good long time and walk out the house to see what my other best friend wants to see me about.

AN: Woo that is a long chapter almost 3000 words alone! I was in the zone on this chapter! Anyway hi guys I hope you enjoyed this chapter because I worked really hard on it. Chapter 8 we have a time jump with Zendaya finally getting to the house in Houston and in chapter 9 you meet Lauren at her birthday party. The Briannah stuff won't have its own chapter but it will be discussed in chapter 9, it's not that important anyway. Go check out RoseG5 story Take The Shot. It's a norminah basketball story and I helped come up with the title. It may be short, but so far it's really good. As always Vote Comment and Share and I'll see you next chapter.

Happy Reading

Peace,

Meags