"Emily?"

"Yeah"

"I should go, it's late, and my arse is going to sleep out here" Naomi can hear Emily stifle a small laugh

"Hang on"

Emily takes her hand back through the cat flap, Naomi can see her stand, she stands herself, stretches out her aching legs, and the door is opened. Naomi smiles. Emily seems to struggle for a minute, then;

"Are you going to the Fishponds tomorrow?"

"Um, yeah probably."

"See you there?"

"Yeah, um Emily, not like a date or anything, right? Just, you're going to be there, right?

"Um, yeah, not a date, definitely"

"Right, Ok then, not a date... it's a date...if that makes any sense"

"Yeah, I get it" Emily smiles, steps out onto her porch, "Good night, Naomi" plants a small kiss on Naomi's cheek, smiles, turns back to her house, "Night"

Naomi's hand goes to her cheek, where Emily kissed it, "Oh" she smiles. Frowns, smiles again.

"Mum...MUUUUM? Where are you?" Naomi crashes through her front door, throws her keys and bag onto the table.

"Yer mum's gone out Naomi" Kieran looks out of the kitchen; unbelievably he is actually peeling spuds "Anything I can help you with?"

Naomi smiles at the image of her Irish politics lecturer in a pinny, peeling spuds, "No you're OK, Kieran I don't think you can help at all..." Naomi turns, starts to walk away, turns back "Although...Have you ever been out on a date that wasn't actually a date?"

"A date that wasn't a date... I'm not following." He frowns "But clearly something we should discuss over a wee drop, I think"

Naomi decides there and then having Kieran around wasn't actually going to be that bad after all.

Naomi stands outside the Fishponds Tavern, looking in through the window, after a few 'wee drops' with Kieran discussing the finer points of going out with 'some-one' whilst not actually going out with them, she's more than a little unsteady on her feet, not pissed, but technically; definitely not sober. No heavy machine operating for her tonight. She sees through the window Effy and Cook playing pool, well, Effy trying to take a shot, while Cook tries to get a handful of tit. Naomi can hear them through the window

"Fuck off, Cook"

Behind them, she can see JJ and Katie laughing about something, Thomas and Panda deep in conversation, Freddie at the bar, talking to Keith

"Oh God" she thinks, "This was such a bad idea" She takes in a deep breath "Fuck it"

Naomi pushes the door open.

"NAOMI!" shouts Cook by way of a welcome, "Buy your President a drink!"

"Fuck off Cook" she responds.

Effy stands, looks over Naomi with an unnervingly appraising eye, she walks over and comes conspiratorially close. "You look nice" she sniffs "You smell nice too...on a promise?" she raises an eyebrow.

"No", Naomi says, a little too quickly "I am allowed to make an effort occasionally, y'know" Naomi swallows hard, "fucking Effy", she thinks "swear she does this just for shits and giggles"

"Dressed like that...to come to Keith's" Effy pauses "You'll get beer split on your dress"

"Best you buy me a shot, then" Naomi walks to the bar "Alright Keith; we could do with more drinks I reckon"

Naomi is unsure how much more she's had to drink, she's laughing with Freds and Katie, Katie, she thinks, seems to be trying a bit too hard to find Fred's really piss poor jokes funny, definitely some flirting going on there, although what she sees in him... Naomi doesn't notice the girl standing at her shoulder until Cook shouts

"EMILEEEEE"

"Fuck off Cook" replies Emily, she sits on the edge of the seat, next to Naomi. "Are you drunk?" she's struggling to keep the look of disappointment from her face.

"Awright Ems," Naomi shrugs, gestures expansively at her surroundings "we're in a pub..." by way of an explanation.

There's a deafening silence as Emily struggles, trying not to say something she'll regret later "I just thought..." she begins, is interrupted by the Jukebox crashing loudly into life, Clearly something one of the gang has put on, they all rise, laughing, moving to the small dance floor in the corner, JJ grabs Emily on the way, she reluctantly jogs over with him, looking over her shoulder at Naomi,

Effy leans over "For someone as clever as you are, you can be very stupid, sometimes" she stands, joins the others.

Naomi opens her mouth, closes it again, sighs heavily, finishes her drink, grabs her fags, and heads for the door.

The songs finishes and Panda and Thomas land heavily back in their seats, Panda watches as some of the others continue to dance to the next track.

"I reckon JJ fancies Emily, what do you think Tommo?"

He looks over at Emily, thinks for a moment, back to something Emily let slip "Gay", he says suddenly "In this country it means homosexual, yes?"

Panda can't hide the look of disappointment in her face "Err, yeah. Tommo, are you trying to tell me something?"

He looks confused, smiles, shakes his head, "No.., Emily, I think..." he decides perhaps some discretion is called for "Elle des yeux sont sur un prix different, je pensent"

"Eh"

"Emily doesn't fancy JJ" Effy translates for her; "Tommo thinks she's got some-one else on her mind, right Tommo?"

He nods, makes a mental note about speaking French with Effy in earshot.

Emily stares at the door at the recently departed Naomi.

"Can I have one of those?"

Naomi starts, she's deep in thought, turns around, smiles lopsidedly, "Here" she offers the pack to Emily, who reaches out and touches Naomi's hand, Naomi reacts like she's been bitten and withdraws her hand somewhat too quickly. Emily's anger rises again.

"Fucks sake Naomi", Emily looks her in the eye "I know what you taste like..." the insinuation is clear to Naomi, who flushes slightly at the memory of it, Emily continues, "and now you won't let me touch your hand? What the fuck?" She sighs, shakes her head, and starts to walk away.

"Emily wait, please" Naomi calls out, realising she's caused this. Emily pauses, "Please" Naomi calls again. Emily walks back over stands in front of Naomi. Naomi reaches down, firmly grasps both Emily's hands in hers, looks her in the eyes, unconsciously licks her own lips, pauses briefly, leans in and kisses Emily deeply. Emily stiffens for a brief moment, relaxes, closes her eyes, and lets herself be kissed. Their foreheads rest together afterwards

"You smell nice" Emily says, Naomi smiles.

"I meant what I said last night" Naomi struggles "but this... you, it scares me"

"Naomi" Emily takes a deep breath "I'm Gay, OK? And I like you...Now you know"

"I know, just give me time, Ok"

There's a brief flare of noise as the door opens and Cook emerges from the Pub, He fires up a fag looks around "Emily, Naomikins, you two should come back to mine" his arms stretch wide," I could accommodate both of you, I reckon"

Emily and Naomi smile "Fuck off, Cook" they start to laugh.

"Let's get out of here" suggests Naomi; she takes Emily's hand, "Yeah?"

Emily looks at her hand in Naomi's "Yeah"

"Fucks sake" Mutters Cook sniffs his shirt, "Do I smell or something"