Serendipity

Summary: One-shot. Naomi and Emily talk in Freds' shed after Naomi's speech. Just a bit of fluff. Also includes my take on how they first met as stated in the flashback.

So, I've been reading fanfictions for a little over a year now and decided on writing my own. Since this is my first fic, reviews would be highly appreciated. Thanks and enjoy.

Disclaimer: I don't own Skins.

"So… Since you were twelve, huh?" Emily said as she pinched my cheeks. I bit the inside of my cheek to stop myself from smiling in relief. We're finally okay. "Well… Yeah." I replied. "I don't know if you remember but we had this little encounter at the grocery store." I started telling her my story and I let myself smile at the memory.

Stupid Garibaldis… Why do they have to be placed on the top shelf? …Why do I have to be so short? I looked around the grocery store to see if anyone could help me reach the pack of biscuits… No one. Figures. I tried, and failed, once again to obtain my precious Garibaldis. "Fuck it. I'll just wait for Mum," I mumbled as sat cross-legged on the floor, and leaned against the shelf of biscuits.

"Need help?" I looked up and see a girl, around my age but she looks younger, child-like almost, all cute and innocent with her big brown eyes and her wavy brown hair. I stood up and brush my bum off. "But you're shorter than me." I stated as I tilted my head, "I don't think- I don't get how that's going to work."

She half-smiled and I found myself smiling right along with her. "Well, you could always give me a boost… Or… You know, I could give you a boost…?" She sounded unsure and frowned a little, looking a little sheepish. What did I tell you? Cute and innocent.

"Sure," I said, "I'll give you a boost." I got down on all fours so she can stand on my back. Soon enough, I saw her taking her shoes off and felt her standing on my back. Fuck me, she's heavier than I thought. I started to get a little impatient but I kept waiting for the sake of obtaining my favorite snack.

When she finally got off my back, she stepped on my hand. Thankfully, she wasn't wearing any shoes yet. "Fuck. Shit, I'm sorry." Okay, then, not so innocent. I found myself forgiving her immediately. I stood up before I responded to her, "It's perfectly fine. You got me my biscuits after all." I beamed at her. Then, as an afterthought, I added, "By the way, why the fuck were you so bloody heavy? I could've broken my back if you took any longer." I laughed a little so she would know I was kidding.

My question was rhetorical but she answered me anyway. "My dad owns a gym. We have to stay physically fit. And muscle is heavier than fat. So-"

"Emily! Do you have everything you need? I'm off to pay for the groceries if this is everything." Some woman who, by the looks of it, was Emily's mum approached us, pushing a trolley with various items in it.

"Yes mum. I was just talking to a friend." She answered, and then she turned to me, "Guess I have to go then. It was nice meeting you… uhh…" Her eyebrows furrow a bit as she tried to recall if I gave her my name. "Naomi," I said with a slight smile. "It's Naomi… So… Yeah. Goodbye then, I guess." I finished a little awkwardly, biting my bottom lip.

"Okay then, bye." She waved a bit as she walked off with her mum.

"Oh, Emily!" I suddenly called out.

She turns around without breaking her stride. "Yeah?"

"Thanks. You know, for this." I said holding up the purple pack in my hand. "See you later, I guess."

"Yeah, hopefully." She said with a grin. She seemed to really mean it. She waved and disappeared. Off the checkout counter, I assumed.

I wandered around 'til I found my mum. And unsurprisingly, she was arguing with some poor grocery clerk about free range eggs or some other.

"Mum! Can we go now?" I say with a huff though internally, I was smiling due to my encounter with Emily. I really wished we would see each other again. I really wanted to be her friend.

"Sure love." She turned to me with a smile. But I could tell that she was still annoyed at the clerk she was arguing with 5 seconds ago. She laid a hand on my shoulder and started walking away muttering something about idiots that don't deserve jobs.

We paid for our shit and got home. Strangely, I was thinking about the little brunette I met on Aisle 5 at the grocery store earlier that day. And I found myself thinking about her while I was eating dinner and while I was watching telly and while I was lying comfortably in bed and many months after.

"Oh wow Naoms. I remember now! You were that weirdo lurking around at the snacks aisle." She chuckled a bit. I shot her a glare. "I'm just kidding Naomi, but fuck me, I remember that day. I actually thought you were really pretty then."

My annoyance disappeared immediately and I blushed at her words, "Um… Thanks… I think you're really pretty now."

It was her turn to blush.

"Anyway, moving on and getting back to what I was saying, I never really thought much of it at the time. You know, thinking about you a lot. But of course, soon enough I realized that I was interested in girls. And well, you know… On top of that, I realized that we went to the same middle school. I tried to fight it at first. I didn't want to accept it… be different, you know? That's why I barely acknowledged you in school even though I recognized you. I wanted to talk to you. God, did I want to talk to you. But I was scared…" I started to tear up again and Emily laid a hand on my lap, tearing up herself, while I fidgeted with my fingers.

I took a breath and continued, "And when we kissed at some random's party when we were fifteen, it was brilliant and I could have died right then and there. I forgot all my worries and everything I had been running away from for three years. I decided that maybe it wasn't so bad to be different if that was what it felt like. But then Katie came and shouted at me like the madwoman that she is and all those fears came rushing back. I was even more scared than before so I just decided to shut off. Like I said, earlier, I tried to 'fuck the gay away'."

"Some good that did you. Still gay as a fucking window." Emily snorted amusedly. The tears have stopped for both of us and we were staring at each other glossy eyed and smiles full of warmth.

"Yeah." I continued, "I'm happy with how everything turned out though. After everything, all the sugar, all the shit, I'm happy." I smiled the biggest I've smiled these past weeks and gave her a chaste kiss on the lips.

"I'm happy too Naoms. Like, really fucking happy." She looked like it too. After a short silence, she asked, "Time to call it a night?"

"Yeah, if you're ready. I want to go home now, with you." I answered, probably looking as happy as Emily.

"Let's say goodbye to the others then." She said as she stood up. She helped me get to my feet and we said our goodbyes to the rest of the gang and exited Freddie's shed.

We decided to walk home hand-in-hand and three quarters of the way back, I just suddenly blurted out, "I love you Ems."

She stopped walking and pulled me to a halt as well, "I love you too Naomi." And she kissed me like it was the first time she had ever done so. So I did the only thing I could do, I kissed her back.

When we broke away, we just stared into each other's eyes and she wordlessly grabbed my hand as we ran the rest of the way home and ran towards a new future full of promise.