Naomi lay on her cot in the early hours of morning. She couldn't sleep last night. She hardly slept any nights. But today, this morning, the rest of her life, was different. In her hand, she clutched an old photo. It was 4 years old.
It was a picture of her and Emily taken at their college graduation. Naomi was smiling with one arm wrapped around Emily shoulder, Emily's arm wrapped around Naomi's waist. It was a happy memory. They'd be leaving Bristol soon, to Goa. To be together, with no other drama. To escape the depressing atmosphere Freddie's death had left behind. No one blamed them, though. They, the gang, all wanted to escape. Naomi and Emily couldn't wait to embrace that freedom.
As Naomi rose to sit at the edge of her bed, she peered out the bars of her cell. She had a room to herself. A four by six foot cell all to herself; she was alone, and as she stared at Emily's picture, her eyes began to well until it became overwhelming and the first tears began to fall. She held her head in her hands still clutching the picture as she whispered, "Stay with me until I fall asleep. Stay with me."
As Emily's eyes fluttered open, she could see the beams of morning sunlight leaking through their bedroom window. Her tall, blonde goddess remained asleep. Emily chuckled through her nose as her eyes graze over Naomi's face. They'd fallen asleep together, initially both on their sides facing the same direction, Naomi's arms wrapped around Emily. But now, Naomi laid on her back and the petite redhead rested her against her lover's chest, relishing the sound of her strong heartbeat.
Morning's like these were nice. Naomi was everything but a morning person, which left Emily all the more opportunities to stare at her to her heart's content. Which she was doing when Naomi finally stirred awake. The blonde brow's creased as her eyes squinted open, adjusting to the morning light.
"Morning, sleeping beauty."
"What time is it?"
Emily turned to look at the clock on the nightstand. "9:30."
"Go back to sleep." Naomi mumbled, shutting her eyes again. Emily laughed and rose to her hands and knees.
"Get up, Naomi. It's almost 10 and I promised Katie I'd go shopping with her."
"Why do I have to wake up if you're the one going shopping with her?" Naomi groaned into her pillow.
"So you can keep me company while I make breakfast." Emily said brightly. She loved the morning, the day was new and she had plans, even though they involved clothes shopping with Katie..
"Do I have to?" whimpered Naomi.
Emily approached the bed and bent over, pressing her lips against Naomi's ear. "If you wake up now, I'll have a present for you later."
Almost immediately, the blonde's eyes shot open, threw the bed covers off her naked body and made to find herself some clothes.
"Jeez, you're almost as bad as Cook sometimes…" Emily's smile faltered as she paused to think about what she just said. Although Cook didn't murder John Foster, the man responsible for Freddie's death, he had been charged with assault, and sentenced 6 months in prison, having yet to show return home.
Not wanting to raise the tension, Naomi brushed it off and winked at the redhead, "I don't hear you complaining."
The two made their way down stairs to the kitchen and began their normal Saturday routine of preparing pancakes together. Naomi turned on the radio to her favorite station, and she and Emily hummed along to the songs. The two girls danced together to the music, causing them fits of giggles as they prepared their food. They sat and ate their food, making idle conversation about work or what Katie might try to get Emily to buy whilst shopping. They finished their breakfast and went to take a shower.
The young couple had been together for nearly three years now. They spent whatever time they could making love, re-exploring each other, having outside picnics by their lake, going on double dates with J.J. and Lara, or visiting Gina's mum in their spare time. The two did almost everything together. In the time they spent in Goa, they left all the arguments and heartaches of Bristol behind. They returned fresh, rejuvenated, and so in love, no one would ever figure they'd almost lost their relationship.
They were dressed and ready to go as they entered Naomi's car.
"Where are we meeting Katie?"
"The mall."
Of course the mall was packed on a Saturday morning so Naomi chose to drop Emily off at the entrance.
"Call me when you want me to pick you up, okay?"
"Okay. It'll only be a few hours."
Emily unbuckled herself, opened her car door, and made to exit the vehicle before she felt Naomi tug her back by her wrist.
"Forgetting something?" The blonde said, quirking her eyebrow.
Emily innocently pretended to be confused before smiling. She leaned forward and pecked Naomi on the lips.
"Thought so."
"Bye, babe." Emily said, chuckling. She shut her door and walked through the mall doors, waving Naomi goodbye.
"How about this, Ems?" Katie asked.
"Since when do I ever wear leopard print?"
"You're right. It'd probably look better on me anyways." The twins had been roaming from clothing store to clothing store for three hours now. Emily's feet were sore by the time they stopped to eat lunch.
"Damn Katie, why'd you buy so much?" Emily asked, gesturing to the multiple shopping bags Katie was carrying around.
"I couldn't not buy these!" Katie retorted.
They sat eating their lunch and made small talk. Emily hadn't bought anything that really caught her eye yet.
"One more store and then we'll call it a day."
Emily internally groaned. She honestly didn't want to stare at the clothes for another hour, but she nodded in agreement. She'd promise Katie she'd go shopping with her if she took Emily's shift for her job at a local cafe for the day. Katie begrudgingly agreed but her terms and conditions were she and Emily had to shop at whatever stores Katie chose. Emily willingly agreed.
They threw away their trash and made their way to the last store Katie wanted to check out. It was closer to the entrance, which Emily was grateful for since she wouldn't have to walk far for the car.
Katie finally found some clothes she liked and went to the register, Emily trailing behind her.
"£31.23"
Katie rummaged through her purse in search of her wallet. "Shit, I think I left it in the cafeteria. Ems, watch my stuff. I'll be right back." Emily sighed at her twin left.
Naomi's phone vibrated with a new text message.
'We're nearly done. Come pick me up? – E '
"That Emily?" Gina asked.
"Yeah, I have to go pick her up at the mall." Naomi said, finishing her cup of tea. She had visited her mother to pass time while Emily and Katie shopped. The two had a nice little lunch together talking about latest protest Gina attend or what Naomi and Emily had been up to together. Naomi stood and went to kiss her mum on the cheek goodbye.
"See you later, Mum."
"Alright. You bring Emily next time so we can all have dinner together! I miss that girl."
"Yes, mother."
Gina smiled as she watched Naomi enter her car and drive away.
Fifteen minutes had passed by before Emily was starting to grow impatient. "Fuck's sake." She walked through the aisles, occasionally finding something that caught her interest. As she was looking at a particular jumper, out the corner of her eye she noticed a suspicious figure enter the store. He, with a slight beard across his face and longish light brown hair, wore all black clothing. As he came in, his head turned from side to side as if looking for something. Suddenly, he extracted a pistol from his jacket pocket.
"A-alright, now j-just empty the register and g-giving me the cash." He said with a shaky voice as he pointed his gun at the cashier. She screamed and threw her hands up, stepping away from the register. The girl began to sob as the robber became more persistent. He shouted at her one more time to empty the register before he fired a bullet into the roof as a threat. Other customers yelped and dropped to the floor, as did Emily. Her heart was racing and fear engulfed her. What the fuck? She thought.
Emily had to think of something quickly, worrying that Katie may walk in at the wrong time. The man was focused on the cashier, so Emily could easily slip on by. She tiptoed across the floor quietly, in the direction of the exit.
She only got so far before another loud shot went off and a sharp pain pierced her chest. Her hand rubbed her abdomen and produce blood. She peered up at the robber to see the gun pointing her direction, the man wearing a shocked expression. Her vision blurred as she collapsed to the floor.
Outside, Naomi had been sitting in the car waiting for a few minutes. Emily had texted her that they'd be leaving soon and so she figured she'd wait. She sat in the driver's seat reading a book when she heard the first gunshot. Her head snapped up.
"What the fuck?"
Then a second gunshot.
Emily.
Naomi quickly left her car in search of her girlfriend. Please be okay, please be okay, please be okay. Mayhem surrounded her as she entered the building. People were running left and right, trying to make an escape.
"Emily!" Naomi shouted. Her eyes scanned the crowd of flurrying people. But it was no use. She couldn't find her redhead in the crowd. She pushed her way through in hopes she might find Emily.
"Naomi!" shouted a husky voice.
"Ems?" Naomi turned around hopefully, but it was Katie calling out her name.
"Have you seen Emily?" Katie asked frantically.
"No, I thought she was with you."
"I left her at the shop counter to find my wallet at the food court."
"Shit!" Dear whatever god there is, please, please, let Emily be okay, Naomi thought. Katie rushed them back to the store where she had left Emily.
A small group of people were standing in a circle as Katie and Naomi pushed their way through. On the floor lay Emily in a small pool of blood.
"Emily!" Naomi dropped to her knees, clutching the small girl to her.
"Naomi?" Emily mumbled. The blonde wrapped her arms around Emily, her skin smeared in the blood that had soaked her clothes.
"Hey, babe. You're going to be okay, okay? You're gonna be fine." The blonde said brushing a hair from Emily's face. The girl's light skin only seemed to grow more pale with the more blood she lost.
Emily's breathing was deep and painful. She winced as she felt her lungs fill with blood, beginning to suffocate her. Katie too was on her knees and tears streamed down her face, smearing her mascara.
"I'm so sorry, Ems. I shouldn't have left. I should've-" She said sobbing.
"No, it's not your fault. You didn't know this was going to happen." Emily said desperately, struggling with each word.
"Shhh, Ems. Don't strain yourself. You're going to be okay." Naomi said as the tears poured down her face too.
"Naomi.."
"Yes, Em?"
"I'm not ready to go..." Emily sobbed, tears pouring down her face. Naomi clutched the girl tighter as her heart ached.
"You're going to be okay, Emily? Don't let go."
Katie wiped the tears from her cheek, smearing her makeup even more before uttering, " Emsy duno go!
Emily coughed, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth, "Emsy shum"
Katie cried even harder as she noticed the crowd around them grew even more.
"For fuck's sake, call the police! My sister needs help, you tossers!"
A man pulled his phone from his pocket and quickly called the authorities.
"Naomi?" Emily whispered.
"Yeah?"
"I love you."
"I love you too, Ems." Naomi replied through a thick voice.
The crowd opened, letting in a pair of police officers and paramedics with a stretcher through. But it was too late. Emily took a final gasp before her breathing stilled and her eyes shut. Both Naomi and Katie cried, Naomi holding Emily's body close to her.
The officials didn't know what to do. Only moments passed before one of the paramedics approached Naomi.
"Ma'am, we need to take her."
"She's dead."
The words slipped from Naomi's mouth and her heart grew cold.
"Please, miss..."
They extracted Emily from Naomi's grasped and placed her on the stretcher. Only Katie was allowed to go with them to the hospital since Naomi wasn't family, but they gave her a card with a phone number when she wanted to call about Emily's status. But she knew it was useless. Emily had died in her arms. Although she trembled from the despair that had filled her heart, her mind was only occupied by one thing; she was going to find the fucker who took Emily from her.
Yeah, so, that's the beginning. I still have to figure out how I'm going to finish it, but give me feedback on how it is so far, yeah?