A/N: FINALLY. And you should really know where the title is from; Maps by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Don't have it? Get it. This story takes place during and post-2x12. And can I just say? Naomi + Liam + Snow = 90210 OTP forever, people.
They Don't Love You Like I Love You
Don't stray,
Well, my kind's your kind;
I'll stay the same!
White flakes cascade onto the floor and it shifts her straight back to that night; the most romantic, pulse-quickening, life-altering night of all her nights.
It's all so typical Beverley Hills, she can't help but muse. It could only snow in California right here and right now. Where she lives, there are no limits and she isn't sure if it's a blessing or curse. It's both, probably. She lives in a world where luxury is the norm and betrayal is to be expected.
When she looks across the floor by pure chance, there's the one guy she just didn't expect betrayal from.
Ethan, she always had the nagging suspicion in the back of her head. Naomi didn't want to believe he'd ever betray her because you really can't betray their kind of history. The kind of history that spans right back to the beginning; kindergarten - him drawing pictures of each other with her wild blond curls and her practically demanding his proposal at the ripe old age of five. Of course, with the benefit of being older (not so much wiser, she thinks) she notes that his eyes fleeting between her and Silver probably meant a lot more than she could have conjectured.
But she hasn't felt that level of love ever since her first, not until now. And Liam, being so guarded makes it even harder. She's glad the truth is out – but he still slept with someone else. And it still hurts.
"You could have put a stop to this months ago, Liam. Why didn't you tell me on prom night?"
He said he wanted too, and maybe he really did. She can't read him – never has been able to, and that's why she's drawn to him. She wants so bad to just be able to stay with the pleasant guy who treats her well, she wants so bad for her best friend to reform and grow stronger, she's desperate to help Silver through her bereavement (she even resorted to dancing like a total dork) and she can't. She just can't, and she's
It's all so impeccably dysfunctional. A slow song starts playing as if on cue; the beach bimbo is standing beside him – a constant reminder of who she lost. She knows, without a single doubt, that the only boy who will be able to heal her completely is them same one who hurt her devastatingly.
His prolonged glances should be screaming to everybody that this girl is his first, only and maybe forever love.
Suffice to say, Liam doesn't know what he's doing. He's hooking up with a girl that should really be strictly in the 'we're-just-friends' territory, it's been months and he still can't help but stop and stare whenever Naomi is in his presence. It's the age old, clichéd situation of not realising what you had until it decided Annie Wilson slept with you, but at least, at long last, everyone knows. And yet, it does so little. Yes, he knows that she values honesty but he's all too aware that this hurts even more.
His theory is proved right; "But as I've had more time to think I've gotten more and more upset."
Its borderline stalker, but he can't stop looking at her, completely captivated.
And what he doesn't know is Naomi would be more upset if he stopped looking at her like that.
What has taken her over, compelled her to turn up on his door step, she does not know.
She waits about fifteen minutes before even knocking, wanting to make sure that this is right, in a strange way, getting her own permission for doing this. Because she knows what she's getting her self into and it's not like rejection is a stranger to her at this point.
So she waits and plays the night in her head again. She knows her and Ade will make it – they always do. She doesn't care that she's keeping Silver waiting – Naomi has waited longer.
"Can I come in?" Immediately she realises the whole weight of what that statement actually means to her, and what it means for them.
"Yeah...sure, of course." He greets tentatively, and she also realises it's certainly not going to be that simple.
"What's that?" She asks, distracted.
"Nothing. So, what's going on?"
That's what flares her rage. Still so private, achingly so and she knows she could reach him if he was willing to be reached out to. But he's far away, and it's always going to be that way.
She says she's done – but then he surprises her. He's always doing that, too.
He tells her what, how and why, and he can see the sympathy brimming from her eyes.
This is it. Finally. He's opened up. His heart has opened for the first time and she's sure as hell that she won't let it close, not ever again.
And she's so painstakingly terrified of this, and they're going to kiss, and they're going to get their second chance, and their either going to crash just as badly as the last time or literally walk off into Beverley Hills Sunset or –
But then their lips meet, slowly, softly. It's a far cry from her dreams where he trashes her against the locker. Although, in a way that's comforting, as if the kiss will set the tone for what's to come.
Giving in just feels too good so they deepen the kiss.
There are no words (it's not his thing anyway – she knows).
Then she suddenly breaks it off. "Like I said...I'm about to take off to St Barts." She smiles and departs brazenly, with a text that arrives about two minutes after he tells her if she doesn't come back in one piece, he'll be far from being on piece as well.
She's still not making it simple for him, and Liam loves it.
As she steps into the limo, she's met with the signature Erin Silver eye roll.
"God. Seriously, Nai? Really? God." She half states, half laughs out loud.
"Seriously, Silver."
"Okay. Since we're on the recurring theme of kissing our exes..." Silver leaves it to Naomi to fill the blanks. After all, she had been doing that since they were six.
"You and Dixie?" She shouts in total astonishment and the ridiculous nick name earns a giggle from Silver and Naomi slaps her friend across the arm with her Chanel clutch before sighing.
"I...I just...it's still him. Still." Silver shakes her head, like she can't comprehend it. She can't.
"I know." Naomi replies. That's all she can do, is be here for her. "What are we doing? Liam and I...you and Dixon...Navid and Adrianna."
"What?" Silver squints.
"Oh come on. Those two will get married. There's always one high school couple that does and for us, it's them." She declares boisterously.
Forever the cynic, Silver just frowns. "We were too harsh on her, weren't we?"
"She needed to wake up. That's all." The blonde responds, like some kind of guru. That's when Silver is reminded, if Ade did have a guru, it would be the girl right beside her. "I mean I just wanted to...comfort her but that doesn't work. But tough love usually does."
"I don't know how you can sound like Oprah and still give Liam another chance, Nai." Silver returns, but it sounded less harsh in her head.
"I know. I know it's soon." Their car stops and they've reached the airport, but they hold back a minute. "But we're inevitable, Silver. I didn't want to be drawn to him but I am. And this could be it for us." She gives her friend a smile of encouragement.
"Okay. I trust you." Silver says with conviction, and Naomi can't help but be grateful that after everything, they still have that trust.
The stay at St Bart's is beginning to drag after only two days. The time is spent getting drunk, laughing and hitting on every cute waiter in sight but it's not enough. Both girls want to be home for Christmas and it's something silently acknowledged. Even Silver, who should be terrified at the prospect of making a final decision, wants to return home. It's been four days and if she's honest, Naomi's spent more time on the phone to Liam than anything else. She's been trying to prevent her from drunk dialling, only to fail.
On the third day, she wakes up to the sound of Naomi showering and singing some Lady GaGa and when she prances out to dry her hair, Silver just rolls out and bed and tells her what she already knows.
"Naomi? It's time to go home for Christmas."
"Took you long enough."
"Why didn't you say anything?" Silver questions intently.
Naomi sits beside her friend and tells her frankly; "I thought you needed to be here. You know, regroup before we go back to the mess that is Beverley Hills."
"I'm good. Okay Teddy may have got me for a while there but –
"It's not that easy, Silver. And maybe when you get home you're going to realise that he still has you, or Dixon, or hell, for how fast you move you could be back to Ethan for all I know –
"Naomi, we both know that was never going to happen." She rectifies, and Naomi can't help but detect that it's only Ethan's name that makes her blush.
"Okay. It's time to go home for Christmas."
Sometimes, the situation could really be that simple in Naomi Clark and Erin Silver's existence.
First thing's first; their trio wasn't the trio without Adrianna.
They turn up at her bedroom door as soon as they arrive home and they don't care that it's an ungodly hour.
They're met with a groggy, disgruntled Adrianna who is confused beyond speech.
"So, I brought like my all time horror movie top three, because I don't do cheesy-ass Christmas movies. But you guys know that."
"Silver, Naomi, I –
"Ade," Naomi begins, with a smile letting her know that all is forgiven, "We're here for you. We see that you want to get clean and I know you have to do it on your own, but you know I'm going to be here anyway." When they hug, it lasts so long Silver can't help but mock on how she didn't know they missed each other that much.
They land on Adrianna's bed and Silver practically doses off the second her head hits the pillow and Naomi is left thinking about how she never wants to leave home again, or have her best friends leave their home.
Their eyes connect for the first time in days; although it felt like years. Wild, unfeasible, ridiculous, she knows, but it's what he does to her. She's been waiting outside for him, atop the hood of his car. It's actually cold considering its California, and he can't help but comment on how cute she looks wearing a wool hat.
He's still looking at her, totally enthralled. "You're home." He states, its fact.
"No." She loops her arms around him as he loops his around her waist, so in sync. He kisses both her cheeks, her forehead and finally, her lips. "Now, I'm home." She comments.
They both look up and see snow and just laugh at how this is their thing. And how about that it's not just the snow that's real this time around.
A/N: And now I unreservedly beg for your review! LOL.