𝐬𝐤𝐚𝐢'𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐯

great! just great. the universe is laughing in my face. probably rubbing its hands together whilst thinking to itself "wait till she sees this."

i did not just personify the universe. i rolled my eyes to myself as i turned around to turn my full attention on normani and her team as they chatted excitedly. we just finished recording a song together and she invited me to see her perform at coachella. 

normani and i have been hanging out all day and i've known her through my social butterfly friend solána and i have grown to like her. normani was so chill and we were just talking about our plans for the next month so we can figure out when to hang out.

"okay i may be free on the 5th, let me double check on my calendar." she mumbles as she opens her phone. i couldn't help but feel my eyes wander without permission. it fixated on the relaxed brown haired girl on the other side of the room. 

dani was looking effortlessly tomboyish and chic as always. her fashion sense suited her perfectly as she always wore a blend of streetwear whilst adding on her own vintage touches. tonight she was wearing a black leather jacket which was slightly oversized, but it draping comfortably on her frame over a fitted vintage band t-shirt that matched well with her loose grey cargo pants. around her neck hung a simple silver chain, and on her fingers, she wore a couple of rings – one a chunky silver band, the other a thin, intricately designed piece. her tattooed wrists are adorned with a few leather bracelets. her hair was tied neatly back into a ponytail, her gentle monster sunglasses resting on top of her head. 

i always loved her fashion sense, for someone who claims they aren't interested in fashion, knew how to put a fit together. if we were friends i would have asked her where she got that jacket from.

when i saw her face turn slightly to my direction i quickly turned my face to face forward. 

the night went on slowly, i was mostly being polite and staying as a normani's plus one. the party was filled with a bunch of executives who didn't possess a single musical bone in their body and simply wanted profit, profit and more profit off the backs of us artists. i couldn't stand the vibe of the party, could i even call this a party?

"you seem tense, you alright darling?" normani whispered as she peered at me through her bangs with curious eyes.

"i was going to say yes, but honestly not really. my ex is at this party and its becoming annoying how many times we're bumping into one another." i huffed, crossing my arms close to my chest.

"urg, this is exactly why i don't date artists, because all of a sudden when you're trying to avoid someone, they appear everywhere right." i opened my eyes in surprise as she perfectly explained my situation. 

"right."

"hold on skai, my manager is calling me to say hello to some people, be right back." normani holds a finger up and places her empty glass behind me. i sigh when she disappears into the crowd.

tonight i couldn't even drink since i already told myself that i'll be taking an alcohol break since i noticed how often i have been drinking lately. 

i decided to explore the penthouse rather than standing still like a statue. i couldn't help but observe the art pieces on the walls as the owner of the house seemed to have excellent taste. i took my phone out to snap a few pieces to send to my dad.

as i took a picture of a painting that was intriguing me, i turned to look towards the party absent mindly, only to meet the familiar brown eyes of the one person in this world i was avoiding like a plague. 

dani turned the corner sharply, hands in her pockets, and despite her continuing to walk her face looked like it saw a ghost, she quickly fixed her face and continued strolling straight forward. without thinking i made an annoyed sound, not even fully meaning it.

"ugh," i said, but before i could take it back, i heard a scoff come from her. i turned my face sharply back towards the art piece, wanting the floor to swallow me whole. 

"trust me darlin', the feeling is mutual," dani responded in a bitter tone, her jersey accent jumping out at me as she continued to walk past. not believing that she actually said something back, i couldn't help but glare towards her, my anger rising within an instant.

"oh, okay, keep on walking then," i snapped without thinking.

"oh, i'm walking, as you can see," she snapped back. i rolled my eyes, completely forgetting how sassy dani can be.

"good for you, danielle," i said, my voice dripping with sarcasm.

"you're actually bugging. if you got a problem, just say it," dani retorted, she paused in her steps and turned towards me, her fierce eyes narrowing. 

"i got nothing to say to you," i say as i crossed my arms in displeasure.

"good, then stop acting like a fucking kid and grow up," dani said, her tone biting.

"how am i acting like a kid?" i scoffed.

"just accept the fact that we're both doing the same shit, in the same industry. so if i run into you somewhere, rather than making shit difficult, keep it steppin' alright?" dani said, her voice growing more frustrated. 

she turned her heel in an attempt to stalk off, but i wasn't going to let her get away with that. i followed her as she walked away, anger consuming me all over. 

"i didn't even mean to make that sound, but whatever you say. i should really take advice from you since you're so mature, miss hot and cold. seems like you haven't changed even after all these years," i said, my words laced with bitterness. 

dani stopped in her tracks and turned sharply before walking right back at me. i stopped dead in my tracks, slightly intimidated by her as she stood right in front of me. it was as if her scent washed all over me as i stared at her, taken aback by our proximity. 

"come on now skai, you know betta than to act like i'm the only toxic bitch here, since you want to bring up the past," she hissed, her eyes blazing with intensity. 

"get out of my face and keep walking in the direction you came from," i said, my heart pounding in my chest.

"make me." she said, her voice low and challenging. our eyes locked, the tension between us almost palpable. 

her gaze was like a magnet, drawing me in despite my better judgment. i could feel the heat radiating off her, the proximity making my skin tingle with a mix of anger and something else entirely. the way her face sat seriously as she stared into my eyes only highlighted her sharp features further, with her clenched jaw and high cheekbones. why was i checking her out even when i was angry. i followed her gaze as she looks into both of my eyes.

"i'm not doing this here," she suddenly says and its like something inside her eyes switched. before I could react, dani took hold of my hand and pulled me through the crowd and towards the elevator.

"dani, where are we going?" i protested, trying to keep up with her determined pace.

"anywhere but here," she replied, her grip firm and unyielding.

we rode the elevator in silence, the air thick with unresolved tension. when the doors opened, she led me out of the building and into the cool night air. the bustling city seemed to fade away as we walked, the only sound the rhythmic pounding of our footsteps.

***

as we reached the beach, the waves crashing against the shore provided a soothing backdrop to the storm brewing between us. dani finally stopped, turning to face me, her expression a mix of anger and something else—something softer, more vulnerable.

"i'm sorry i reacted like that, i've been feeling tense with work lately, i shouldn't have thrown my anger at you." she says, in a soft and sincere tone. 

"no, it's also my fault." i admitted quietly as i bit the side of my lips. "you're right that was pretty childish of me."

"yea, it was." dani agrees and i looked up at her in surprise, only to see that sickening grin of hers, that always works like a charm on me.

"stop grinning at me like that." i warned her before turning away sharply to walk towards the beach.

"where are you goin'?" dani yells behind me. i heard her suck her teeth before jogging after me. i couldn't help but bite down the smile that came after she pulled me to stop. "seriously where are you goin'?"

i turned to face her. i gazed up at her, the light orange street lamp, reflecting on her features, softening it slightly. despite dani already being slim and small, she still managed to tower over me. i couldn't help but feel small under her gaze.

"the night is young, and i was running away from that smile of yours." i simply stated.

"what smile?" she asked, genuinely confused. i couldn't help but fixate on how soft her hands felt on my arm.

it's like my conversation with natalie was for nothing, if she saw me now i would get an ass whooping...

i pulled my arm gently out of dani's grip and she lets me. her hands fall to her side and she gazes behind me.

"want some ice cream?" she asked with a small shrug and my face gleamed in delight. she knew that my favourite desert was ice cream.

"of course i do, what type of question!" i said a bit too excitedly. dani flashed me a grin, smaller than before but i could tell it was still genuine. 

she walked around me and i followed closely behind her. i found myself almost skipping to keep up with her long strides. we ended up getting two ice creams, one chocolate for dani and a strawberry for me. two absolute classics.

i caught her smiling towards me as she was paying for the ice cream as i started rambling on about how strawberry is the best flavour to the man behind the counter, whose face screamed he didn't give two fucks.

"alright skai, i think he's heard enough." dani grins as she starts to walk into the direction of the dark beach. she motions for me to follow her and so i did. the wind blew in our face as we approached the sea, causing my curls to move along with it.

we walked down the stony steps and found a patch of sand where there was no litter and was still light so we can see ourselves. i took off my watch as it felt tight against my wrist and placed it in front of me so i wouldn't forget.

i didn't even want to face my thoughts which was probably screaming at me to stop, i simply wanted to enjoy the moment.

we ate the ice cream in silence. the silence was very different this time, it was simple. there was nothing to be said. no tension present, or unspoken words needed. 

"i haven't even gone to the beach in time." dani sighed to herself, as she twisted the ice cream to the other side.

"really? when was the last time?"

"probably with you to be honest. i remember how much you used to love the beach." she states with a blank stare towards the ocean in front of us. 

"i still do, but yeah i remember those nights." i reminisced.

"what are we doin' here?" dani's sudden question broke the once comfortable silence. her voice was rough yet gentle, the kind that demanded attention without trying.. "skai why are we here together right now?"

"i don't know." i admitted truthfully. my chest felt heavy with emotions.

i missed this. and you.

"i don't think whatever this is, can work if we don't wanna get hurt skai." she says softly. this time her gaze returns on me and it stays. i held in a breath as i looked back into her eyes. there was no denying at this point. 

we still had feelings for each other.

i was unsure if this was nostalgia fooling me, or if i was searching for the sense of familiarity that she used to give me. i didn't know what i wanted from her.

"i'm not the same person i was four years ago, and neither are you." she continues, still remaining her soft tone. "you're one of the most amazin' and beautiful people i have been blessed to meet in this lifetime, i truly mean that skai. i don't want us to cause any further damage than what already has been done."

"yeah." was all i could choke out of my mouth to say. i felt my eyes water as i stared straight into my past's eyes. my beloved past. dani reached out abruptly and wiped the tear that fell down my cheek with her thumb before quickly snatching her hand away.

"sorry, that was a natural instinct, i didn't mean to touch you." she apologised quickly.

"don't worry about it." i shrug, wiping my own eyes before any more tears came streaming down. i could also see the glossiness in dani's eyes. 

"stop looking at me like that." dani says, in a raspier voice than usual. 

"like what?" i asked, confused on how i was looking at her. i could feel her lean closer, as if we were not already close enough. it was too close for comfort but i loved it.

"the way you look into my eyes, it's like you're looking for somethin'. when you do that it just  keeps on reminding me how fuckin' beautiful you are." i couldn't help but look back at her in surprise, not expecting this from a sober danielle. my heart was pounding so hard in my chest that it rang in my ears.

"my bad." i whispered before staring back down at my fidgeting hands.

"okay don't do that either, its too cute for my liking." i sighed exaggeratedly, letting my tense shoulders fall as i rolled my eyes playfully.

"shit then what can i do?" dani lets out a genuine laugh and i couldn't help but laugh alongside her, due to the randomness of my change of attitude.

before i could say something else, dani's phone rings. her gaze lingers on me before she finally looked away to peer down at her phone which has the caller id: my flower on it. suddenly, it was as if i finally fell out of the spell that i seemed to be under and snapped back to reality. dani looks at her phone before looking at me and then looks back at her phone again. that was really all i needed to see.

"uh, i'm going to head back to my hotel room now." i said, getting up to dust myself off. dani opens her mouth to say something as when she gets up but closes it again.

yeah this was a big fucking mistake. even if we did want to explore our feelings, i wasn't going to because she was dating my ex-friend and i wasn't about to mess around with my feelings like that. i do not do love triangles or any of that bullshit.

"yea sure." she finally says as her phone rings again. i give her the tightest smile i could muster and turn away to walk back to the pavement and towards the hotel, heart and mind heavy.

𓏲𝄢 𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐝!