Title: Persuasion

Summary: Why did Naomi change her mind about going to the love ball?

Disclaimer: I don't own Skins or anything associated with the show.

Rating: PG

"Naomi?" Her mother stands awkwardly by her door, fully aware of the temper tantrum her daughter will pull if she walks in uninvited. "Shouldn't you be getting ready sweetheart? The Ball starts in an hour-"
"I'm not going." The blonde's reply was muffled by the pillow she had her face buried in.

"Oh, I thought maybe you'd be going with Emily?" Gina regretted her comment the second it left her mouth.

"Well I'm not! So just fuck off and leave me alone!" The pillow Naomi's face had been buried in flew across the room, hitting the door frame.

Ignoring the potential for a further melt down Gina crossed the threshold and marched over to Naomi's bed. "Sweetie..." She brushed Naomi's hair out of her red and swollen eyes. "Look, I know I'm hardly the world's best mum, but I'm not stupid either. I've seen how you two are together...I've seen how she looks at you-"
"Please mum." Naomi interrupts, her voice strangled and choked, her cheeks stained with tears. "Just leave me alone."

"Alone?" Gina repeats, clucking her tongue and shaking her head. "You've been alone far too long. That girl is the first person you've let in in years. Ever since your wanker of a father left-"

"Emily fucked JJ."

"Oh." Gina fell silent.

Naomi moved so that her head was resting on her mother's lap and she lay silently crying as Gina stroked her hair. "I thought Emily was-"

"She is." Naomi choked out. "But I'm not..." Her voice trailed off. She was no where near ready to have that kind of conversation with her mother.

"JJ's the autistic boy isn't he?" She doesn't wait for an answer from the crying blonde. "I'm guessing he doesn't get a lot of attention from girls...maybe Emily was just trying to be nice to him? She is a nice girl."

"She's a stupid slut, just like her sister!" The harshness of Naomi's words stun even herself and she begins to cry even harder.

Gina sighs and forces her daughter to sit up. "You know that's not true. That girl has a heart of gold and the patience of a saint! She'd have to to put up with you! Now you get that dress on and go to the ball! I'm sure Emily will be waiting for you...though god knows why" She frog marches the stunned blonde out of her room and in to the bathroom. "Once you've got your dress on I'll do your hair and your makeup-"

"Do I get a choice?" Naomi sulks at the bathroom door as her mother throws her a towel.

"Of course not dear."