Naomi's POV
Room 308. We've been living here for less than two weeks and it still surprises me to see us on our own. I put my key in the lock and push the handle, opening the door. The flat is surprisingly bigger than I had expected we could afford and I make my way into the living room that I'm surprised we have. Lying in the cream coloured room are some boxes that we've both been too lazy to move, that belong to my flatmate and best friend. There's a small ugly floral couch and a tv lying on one of those boxes, both of which Tony, said best friend's brother, had given us. Too cheap to buy tables, we've resorted to using some of the stronger boxes instead. Attached to the lounge are two doors, which lead to our bedrooms. On the other side of the lounge is a small kitchen with a fridge and bar along with a stovetop and black wood cupboards and shelves. And sitting at the bar table on one of the four stools is a thin girl with gorgeous long brown hair, wearing a torn dress and fishnets. She's smirking at me.
"Effy!" I blurt out, hand to my fast beating chest. She had frightened me, I had been expecting her much later, but she beat me here. Its friday and usually I finish my classes before her.
"Hey Naoms. How were your classes?" she greets me back.
"Politics was okay yeah.." I tell her. "You? Bunking class?"
"Whatever. Your mum called to tell us to come over for supper next week" she tells me.
"Fuck" I sigh. "So they're back then?"
"Your mum is lovely. Much better than mine." She counters her face losing its smirk. I place my bag on the ugly couch and smile back at her. My mum and new step dad had recently gone off on vacation to Ireland together and apparently gotten back today. Mum always loved to invite me and Effy over and just meddle with out lives.
"Drink?" she offers.
"Isn't it a bit early to be drinking?" I scoff back. Its about 3 or 4 in the afternoon.
"Nah. Second week of uni, its celebrating," she says. I'm pretty sure she's made it up on the spot but whatever. I just nod and sit next to her on one of the tacky, orange cushiony stools.
"Whats your poison then?" I ask her, referring to the bottle of alcohol.
"Peach schnapps and vodka." She explains while grabbing a mug from the counter. She mixes me a drink, pouring from the clear bottle and hands the white mug over. "It tasted better with apple juice but we're out." As if to prove her point, she shakes the empty bottle of apple juice.
I take a minute to observe the World's Best Dad mug she's given me and the liquid inside. It smells like alcohol, and I take a risky chug.
"Thanks," I say, pulling a face. It's a strange combination that would probably have been better with some fruit juice, only to lessen the burn. "We gonna get glasses anytime soon?" We'd been using these mugs since we moved in and most of them were borrowed from neighbours or parents. We've kind of skipped out on purchasing and settled on taking without asking from people we know. Its not stealing, we're just poor uni kids. Everything in the flat is like that, the tv, the plates were the ones from my childhood (they've got Lion King characters on them) and the salt and pepper shakers we take from restaurants. It saves money. And we never have to buy salt or pepper.
"Nope. Its classy," she smirks, showing off her mug which has the cheshire cat on it. Its one she borrowed from our upstairs neighbour who has a bit of a cat obsession.
"Right. So, supper next week with my mum and Kieran then?" I confirm.
"Thursday." Effy nods.
"We should probably finish unpacking." I tell her, pointing to the boxes left in the lounge. We had moved in about three weeks ago, but being lazy we had only unpacked our necessities or things as we needed them.
"Fine." Effy sticks her tongue out, chugs the rest of her gross drink and gets up, picking a box with her and bringing it with her to her room.
The rooms aren't bad, kind of crowded with the double bed and wardrobe, but there's a window with a nice view of the street below us and the small cafe Effy and I visit to do coursework and drink coffee. We spend the time unpacking and moving our boxes into our rooms. By the time we're done, I'm pretty hungry and pretty exhausted. Most of my clothing had been placed into my wardrobe and my posters were randomly put up and my bedding placed on the bed. My other clothing was still in boxes and I worked at finishing those.
I make my way back to the lounge and flop down by Effy on the couch. The room is pretty empty now. The tv is now pushed against the wall still on some boxes that are probably empty now. They make for a really cheap tv table, and its almost laughable. At least our flat is more presentable now.
"I ordered chinese," she tells me as she carelessly puffs out some smoke from the cigarette in her hands.
"Thanks." I pull out a fag to join her when a knock comes from the door. She quickly pays for the food and places it on our broken coffee table. One of the legs had broken off and we replaced it with a box. It wasn't perfect but we couldn't care less.
"So what's the plan for tonight? Other than chinese?" I ask her, stuffing some noodles into my mouth.
"We're going out," Effy tells me. I usually sort of let her decide what we do because she tends to know where the best parties are. The best drugs too.
"Yeah. With some people from one of my classes." She continues, knowing I'm curious about what we have planned for tonight.
"You made friends?" I ask, stunned. "The great Effy Stonem graces the little people." I mock her.
"Fuck off. Like you're any better. And they're not friends. Just people." We both sort of suck at making friends. It might be why we're such good friends, our mutual dislike of other people. We make a good team of emotionally cold and distant people.
There's another knock and Effy gets up and the door opens to a strange girl dressed in a lolipop dress and pigtails. Her clothing looks like a seven year old's but I'm pretty sure she's our age.
"Whizzer Effy!" she greets "Bloomin heck! Your own place. I wish Mum would let me get a flat. Well I guess your mum didn't really give you a choice but its so whizzer and its like right across school. I'm so excited Effs. Uni! And I can't believe you invited me to go out. Its going to be whacker fun yeah." The girls rants smiling widly.
"Right, come in. We ordered chinese." Effy welcomes her and I move to the edge of the couch to make room for Effy and this strange girl. Effy sits back down beside me and the strange girl sits down beside her, helping herself to the bottle of vodka that was placed on the table.
"You must be Effs' roomie. You're pretty. I'm Panda. I'm reading history and philosophy. Its a blinkin dream this uni is. They were handing out donuts on campus today, did you see?" She introduces herself to me.
"Right. I'm Naomi."
"Is she coming with tonight?" Panda asks Effy, but continues without a response, "it'll be whacker loads of fun. Thomas'll be there. And there's drugs too right?" I'm a little surprised this seven-year old our age girl is so naively talking about drugs but Effy sits there, letting her rant while taking drags from her fag carelessly.
"Yeah, Panda. Naomi is coming. We'll leave after we eat." Effy decides for me, and I'm not even sure what I've been forced to agree to.
"What're you reading Naoms? Eff's in one of my classes. We have philosophy together." Panda asks me suddenly after taking a drag from Effy's cigarette. That explains where Effy met this strange girl. Her eyes light up with each drag, as if its her first time smoking and its all new, but she takes it like an experienced smoker, without coughing or anything. She combines the taste of smoke with the rice she's eating.
"Politics" I tell the strange girl. "Where're we going then?" I ask curiously.
"To celebrate. The Dead Cat." Effy explains.
"The Dead Cat?" I echo.
"It's a whacker club. With whizzer music and drugs and drinks. Katie invited us. Well she invited Effy, but Effy said I could come" Panda explains.
"Is it really a good idea?" I ask full of cynicism.
"Of course it is." Effy replies. "Now finish eating, we're leaving."
"And Katie said she could get us in," Panda explains. "Because Tommo works there. He's a blinkin dream. He's also in philosophy."
"So where is this place?" I ask her, once we finish cleaning our dinner up.
"Not too far." Effy answers. I follow her and Panda, who is excitingly jumping down the empty hall towards the stairs that lead out of our apartment complex into the dark street. Across the street is the now closed cafe and a post office along with a corner store that is still opened. At the intersection I follow Effy to the right down the pavement. We're heading the opposite way from the university. After another two turns we make it to a old brick building. The second floor of the building seems to be some music or dvd store, though it has no name or sign to describe it. The only thing that makes it seem so are the many band posters displayed in the window and the small closed sign that can be seen from down below. The steps that lead up to it are empty and the lights are off. There's a queue that goes around to the side of the building, and I'm surprised as Effy ignores the queue and goes straight to the entrance instead. The queue itself is filled with young people wearing lether jackets and dark makeup, some wearing band shirts that I don't recognize. There's a few mohawks and some bright coloured hair. Lots of spikes and patches.
The building itself is old and the sign above the door is lighted up, showing a cat. Its a play on one of those old French nightclubs, Le Chat Noir, but instead of Noir someone seems to have painted the word 'Dead' right on top and placed to matching black 'x's over its eyes. Along with those additions, is the symbol of anarchy sloppily painted in red. Huh, so its the Dead Cat then.
"Friends!" the guy at the front greets us. Unlike the patrons waiting to get in, he's not dressed in dark clothes or any sort of punk gear. He's dressed rather plainly, which sets him out. In just jeans and a blue rain jacket he seems to stand out.
I observe what we're wearing to in comparision to the general style of everyone else. Effy seems to blend in and stand out at the same time in a way that just seemed to be her style. Careless and intriguing but frightening. She doned a ripped grey dress with fishnets and dark smokey makeup that brought out her blue eyes. Panda stood out. In any company she'd stand out. I've just got my grey jumper and some shorts and converse. Nothing too fancy, but in my defence I had spent the day at school and unpacking and I had no idea where we were going.
"Tommo!" Panda greets the man back, kissing him on the cheek. "This is Naomi! She's Effy's flatmate" I smile at him, unsure what to say.
"Welcome." He opens the door for us and Effy and I walk in, leaving Panda behind to talk with the doorman.
"They dating then?" I ask Effy. She just nods. The club itself is strange. Its more of a pub with sticky tables and a small dance floor and stage. Music is playing from some speakers, and the stage is open for a band, instruments set up but no one on stage to play them. I follow Effy to the bar and she orders some shots.
"There you are Effy," someone greets us from behind. We both turn to see who, and I'm stunned. This girl is beautiful. She, like the doorman, stands out due to the style of clothing. She's got curly, dark red hair and bright red lips. She'd be adorable but what she's wearing screams sexy. A short black skirt with a tight pink shirt that shows off her breasts. And heels that give her some height. She must be short, because even with those added two inches, she's about my height.
"Hey Katie." Effy greets her, her face staying neutral even though this girl seems generally pleased to see her. "This is Naomi, my flatmate."
"Hey." I nod
"Right. Nice to meet you," this Katie says, glancing at me, before returning her gaze to Effy, "anyways, I got us a table." We follow her to a table and sit down on the red cushions. We place our drinks on the round table. Effy leaves as soon as we place our bags down and I watch as she leaves me with Katie to go off and get more shots or drugs or something.
"So Naomi," Katie asks, "you going to uni then?"
"Yeah. Reading politics. You?" I ask her.
"I work with my mum as a wedding planner but I'm taking a few uni courses too. Hows living with Effy?" she then asks.
"We get along. She's my best friend after all" I answer.
"Really? She never mentioned you. She's like strange though." She answers vaguely grinning. "I wish I could move out. Living at home sucks." The point that Effy has even spoken with this girl shocks me, so when she tells me that Effy hasn't told her about me it dosen't surprise me.
"You could always just get a flat," Effy interupts as she returns clutching three shot glasses in her hands. "Tequila." She hands us each one and we down them together.
"I don't make enough money to afford it," Katie counters, grabbing one of the shots and lemon slices.
"Yeah you do," Effy argues. Their banter is friendly, but I'm feeling a little left out. "And you wouldn't want to leave the comfort of the Fitch mansion, now would you?"
"Its hardly a mansion, Effs," the shorter girl points out, playing with the straw in her drink while glaring back at the brunette. "You've never actually seen it."
"Whatever you say Katie. So we gonna meet your sister today then?" Effy just smirks as if she won their little argument and drinks her vodka and coke.
"Yeah but she's been pissy for the last few days." Katie grumbles.
"Your fault probably." Effy answers, and again I'm out of the loop.
"Whatever. Enough Fitch family problems. Lets get drunk and find fit lads," she declares getting up without us and wandering off to talk to some guy by the bar.
"Right. So there's two of them then?" I ask worried. Katie seems very... well its hard to describe. A bitch, to be not so polite.
"Yeah. Sorry." Effy apologizes, I'm not sure what for, but I nod anyways. "she talks about herself a lot," she pauses to look back over to Katie and then to me and then to nod and grin, "and her family too. I'm sure you'd get along with her sister though. From what I've heard about her."
"What?" I stammer out. The way she examined me was just strange and a little unsettling.
"Dosen't matter."
"Have you ever actually met her sister?" I ask.
"Nope."
Effy takes another drinks and her eyes are elsewhere. I follow her line of sight to the stage where a band is setting up. There's a guy with shorter cut hair and a black tshirt that has some strange logo on it. He's got tattoos over his arms and from here I think I can see a small piercing in his ear. He's discussing something with another guy all the while setting up his guitar, both of them probably our age. The other one has curly, wild brown hair and unlike the other guy who looks threatening and wild, this one looks calm and friendly. He's got on plain jeans and a blue patterned shirt. There's another guy on the stage too, setting up his bass. He has darker skin and longer hair than the other two and he's smoking a spliff, something I'm sure he could get in trouble for inside the club.
"That's Freddie, he's fit," Katie points out when she's back, "Cook with the guitar and JJ" She says pointing them out to me. "Don't know where my stupid sister is though."
As if on cue, a girl with bright red hair in tight leather pants walks onto the stage and heads to the drum set. She's got on a tight, ripped Sex Pistols shirt and a good twenty black bracelets around her arms. Wow, and I thought Katie was beautiful, this girl was well, stunning. She fits in with everyone dressed up here, but she still somehow sticks out. It might be her bright hair or I'm not sure. And she's completly different than Katie. There's something intriguing about her. I can't really tell, and I want to get closer to her, I don't know, talk with her or something. Get to know her.
"We're the TitWits," the guy, Cook, bellows into the microphone that's on the stand, "let's go fuckin' mental!" and with that, the girl with bright red hair, the one I'm assuming must be Katie's sister, starts a rhythm on the drums, loud and slow like a drum roll. Soon Cook and Freddie join in and Cook starts signing... or maybe shouting, into the microphone. It takes me a few minutes to decipher the words and recognize what he's signing because my attention is mostly on the girl playing the drums. It's impressive, almost magical. The Queen is Dead, that's the name of the song. I'm not sure who its originally by, though. It dosen't really sound like the original either, because of the shouting and the tempo.
"Close your mouth, Naomi. You look like a fucking fish," Effy snorts, shouting over the very loud music.
"They suck, don't they?" Katie asks loudly to Effy.
"They're not bad." Effy puts out, "what do you think Naomi?"
"What?" I ask, "Oh, the music. I don't know." I hadn't really been listening much, more just watching the drummer girl. Effy is smirking as if she knows what I've been doing. Plus it really wasn't my style of music. I kind of doubted they'd start playing any Blondie or Queen.
"They're shit, but everyone here loves them," Katie remarks.
"Come on, we might as well dance," Effy orders us to the dance floor. The dance floor itself is crowded with bodies jumping wildly with the music. We spend most of the night alternating between dancing caotically to the sound coming from the speakers and sitting, resting and drinking. And in between I would chance a few glances at the redhead drummer. On nights like this, Effy usually pulls or at least dances with some guys but tonight she played the good friend, staying with me. Like she had been for the past two weeks since I had broken up with my boyfriend. Effy dosen't usually dosen't bother to show comfort to anyone, or any emotion other than apathy, but we seem to bond over our issues with emotions. Plus I never really liked Jason, my ex. He was a tosser.
Most of the songs the band plays I don't really recognize, but we dance along to them anyways, getting lost in the drinks and the drugs Effy keep getting for us both. The band also seem to get better, playing nicer songs, though that might just be a cause of alcohol. But by last call, we're both sobering up.
"We're joining them for drinks." Effy states. Katie has left us again and the Dead Cat is mostly empty now, drunk patrons stumbling out since last call had been announced a while ago.
"Who?" I ask her, "shouldn't we be leaving now?" Looking around, the club seemed pretty empty and rather dirty. I kind of feel sorry for the janitor who's lazily sweeping the dance floor, but he's getting paid so it dosen't matter.
"Come on. The band. I know you want to," Effy smirks, and grabs my arm pulling me up from my spot on the couch.
Getting up made me realize how tired I am. It's pretty late. Or early I guess. 2 am maybe. Or 3. With a yawn I follow Effy up some steps to a VIP lounge, where a bunch of comfy red couches are located. There's some black drapes to provide privacy to the VIPs and a small coffee table in the middle filled with all sort of alcoholic bevrages, hard liquors and empty glasses.
Katie is already there, texting away on her phone, sitting beside the guy she had pointed out as JJ on one of the red couches. Effy makes her way to sit across from Katie and JJ and I sit down beside Effy.
"Hi, you must be Katie's friends. And Panda's. She left though with Thomas. I'm JJ. Did you like the band? Katie says they suck but I think they're quite good. That might be bias though, since I manage them, but I think they're good. They play-" JJ gets interupted as Katie hits him on the arm, telling him to shut up. He mumbles a sorry.
"Whatever. They're probably packing away their instruments." Katie explains as she grabs one of the bottles, chugs a bit and pulls a face.
"Hey Katie." The bass player greets, sitting down next to her. He finally seems to notice Effy and I and smiles at both of us, "I'm Freddie."
Effy just nods, leaving me to do the introductions.
"I'm Naomi," I say, "this is Effy."
"Oh right, the girl from your class?" Freddie directs this questions to Katie.
"Yeah babes. Where's the rest of your fucking idiot band then?" She asks, tapping her foot impatiently as if she has better things to do, or better people to see.
"Last I checked they were both trying to chat up the same barmaid," Freddie jokes, grinning, which gets a huff from Katie and a small smile from JJ. "So Effy, what did you think of-"
"This is a lame ass piss up!" the guitar player interupts, stumbling in, followed by the drum girl and another girl, dressed in a plain black golf shirt that had the club's logo on it.
The red haired girl who had played the drums was here, gracing us with her presence. She was even more beautiful up close, and there was something that made her stand out in comparision to her twin. And it wasn't just the strange punk clothing or makeup either.
Effy nudges me with her elbow, and shoves a bottle of vodka into my hands. I take a chug, which goes down smoothly, and watch as the guitarist, the redhead and the barmaid sit down on the last available couch.
"So Katiekins, you gonna introduce us to your fit friends?" the guy asks, waggling his eyebrows and taking his time to look at both me and Effy in turn.
"Stop oggling, you prick." Katie bites back, which makes her sister smile wider. "Right, Effy, Naomi, this is my sister, Emily and her pervy friend Cook."
"Ladies," Cook greets us with another smile, eyes resting on Effy's assets. A slap from the beautiful Emily seems to work in making him place his eyes somewhere more respectable.
"So did you guys enjoy it?" the redhead asks, and I'm stunned. Her voice is something unlike any other. Its diferent and suits her and is just simply sexy.
"Noams." Effy nudges me. "What did you think?"
"What?"
"The band. The music," Effy clarifies. Oh right.
"It was... lovely. Really good," I say, smiling to Emily, who grins back. Katie just frowns, but my attention is mostly on how beautiful the redhead looks smiling. Her dark, raccoon eyes are sparkling
"Thanks," she replies, "what did you think Katie?"
"It was shit, like it always is, Ems." Katie huffs, before crossing her arms.
"And yet you always come to our gigs, Katiekins," Cook points out. "Its because you want to willy waggle with the Cookie Monster."
"Fuck off, Cook." Katie retorts, "I'm just being a good sister. And I get free drinks."
"I need to close up," the nameless pink haired girl declares, getting up, "who am I talking to about paying for the gig?"
"That would be me," JJ gets up from his spot on the couch and follows her.
"I'm kicking the rest of you guys out in fifteen," she announces as she disappears with JJ.
"You guys are all good for getting home?" Emily asks us, moving closer to sit right beside Cook.
"We'll walk. Its not far," Effy decides.
"Not like you could give them a ride anyways," Katie replies to which Emily responds by giving her a pointed look. "I'll just hitch a ride with JJ and Freddie in the van. That okay Freds? Freds?"
Slapping the poor boy to get a response, he shakes his head out of his smoking stupor to just nod and accept.
"Come on then Cookie," Emily says, getting up and grabbing her checker red bag, that had her black, scrappy drumsticks sticking out, from the ground, "let's go home."
"Righto Emilio! We'll hang out soon." Cook hollers, only to yawn right after. "Ladies. Katie." He winks at us.
"Nice meeting you all," Emily waves good bye, leading Cook out of the VIP lounge.
"Sorry about the both of them," Katie apologises, "they're both twats."
"I thought they were nice," I point out quietly, "they dating then?"
At this Katie bursts out laughing, and Freddie opens his eyes again to give us a crooked smile.
"As if," Katie scoffs, after laughing, "I'm sure Cook has tried, but Ems... not really her type."
"Interesting," Effy points out.
"Yeah, her type has tits." Freddie laughs, using hands to make gestures that resemble boobs.
Mouth open in surprise, I look back at Emily and Cook, who are near the door, Cook's arm around Emily's waist in a almost protective manner. Friendly and brotherly not romantic then. I'm not sure why I feel so relieved.
Effy gets up suddenly, and drags me up by the hand, forcing me to get up. Walking a few steps, I realize just how tired we both are, as we stumble slowly to the doors of the club, Katie and Freddie following after us.
JJ and the pink haired girl are by the doors whispering until we approach.
"Ready to go Freds?" JJ asks the boy.
"Yeah, can we drop Katiekins off too?" he nods, and Katie grins back up to JJ.
"Yup," JJ confirms, pulling out the keys from his pocket, and pushing the black door open, letting the cool, Bristol night air into the warm club. "I'll see you later Lara."
The five of us seperate outside, as Katie and the two guys make their way to the back of the building where I can only assume they are parked.
"See you tomorrow yeah Effs?" Katie shouts back at us, before turning around the club.
Effy nods, though I doubt it is seen by Katie, and before either of us can say anything, a motorcycle zips past us, carrying two leather jacket clad punks that I can only guess are Emily and Cook, due to the red hair flying past in the wind.
"Naoms?" I turn to face Effy once the speeding red motorcycle is out of view, having turned down a street in the distance.
"Sorry, yeah." I reply, nodding.
"We should get going," she declares, with a small smirk that she carries with her the whole walk home.
Author's Note: Hey guys, so I have another Emily/Naomi fic. This idea was too good to pass up and I really love punk music, so here it is. If you guys have any favorite songs that you think the TitWits could play, feel free to comment. Work has slowed down a bit, so I should be able to update more frequently. Enjoy.