Hello, hello. Here we are again. And again, thank you for reading!
Drat, well I failed miserably at posting this chapter up quicker than the last. I can only apologize. I have no valid excuse for you, I merely became distracted and then it was pride. I can however say, I do not intend to make you wait so long for an update again.
Huge thanks to PhoenixWing78, KK, Anon, Lovecraft, FreakFlagFlyin, phantomfundraiser, and mUfF MuNcHeR for reviewing, you're all ace. As always, you're input is greatly appreciated.
Please let me know what you think! Thank you for reading. Bare with me, this is by far my longest chapter yet. But stick with it; you're going to want the next (if that's not too presumptuous of me to say).
I don't own Skins or anything of the sort.
Chapter IX: Noises, I play within my head
..
..
"What d'you think it is?" Panda asked.
"Whatever it is," Naomi stated staring down at the floor, "it's not normal."
"Mum spent bout a hour tryin' to scrub it out before you moved in." Panda said. " She nearly went all hubbly bubbly when it wouldn't come out. She did a whacker job tryin' to though, thought she was gona scrub a hole through the floor."
The two roommates stared down at their floor. To be more specific they stared at the large unidentifiable stain located in the middle of the room in front of their desks. It was there when they had moved in. On sleepless nights and stir-crazy moments over books they would converse about its origins and properties. This being one of those such times.
"Do you think someone spilt their coffee?" Naomi queried.
"Naw, I reckon me Mum would have gotten that out. It's a bugger of a stain, whatever it is."
"True. I really haven't the faintest what it is."
"Me neither," Panda concurred, "you don't think it's like blinkin' alien or somethin' do you?"
Naomi laughed, "I duno Panda, I think you might just be right. I swear its slowly shifting location."
"Bonkers." Panda agreed.
They both turned to the door as they heard a knock.
"Hello Panda," Thomas greeted from the doorway, "hello Naomi."
"Thommo!"
"Hi Thomas."
"You ready for chemistry?" Thomas asked Panda.
"Course!" Panda beamed as she picked up her books and dropped them on the floor.
"Do you mind if we work in here?" Panda asked.
"Course not." Naomi answered. They had been spending a lot of time together, Panda and Thomas: studying, watching movies. Naomi raised an eyebrow at Panda who gave her an innocent smile in return.
Naomi turned her attention back to her textbook as Panda and Thomas hunkered down on the floor together over their chemistry.
Two pages later Naomi phone vibrated on the desk. She rolled her eyes, so much for studying. Hitting answer she put the phone to her ear.
"Soo…I met a girl." Alex breathed into the line.
"Is that so?" Naomi chuckled leaning back in her chair.
"Yes. And she's beautiful." Alex sighed.
"Beautiful and straight I'm assuming." Naomi added, Alex had an affinity for straight girls. Or straight girls had an affinity for her, as Alex would claim.
"Shut up."
"Okay, tell me the story."
"So I was at the dentist…" Alex began.
Naomi laughed as Alex finished her story.
"…So naturally I got her number."
"Please tell me her parent's are dentists and her name starts with an H so I can call her Hermione and pretend she's a witch."
Alex was silent for a moment. "There are so many things I want to say to you about that statement…"
"Oh, shut up." Naomi defended, "you should be happy I can make any kind of pop culture reference, really."
"Books don't count." Naomi heard her friend say as she rolled her eyes, "Fantasy books, especially, don't count."
"Oh don't start. You read all of those Twilight books."
"That was different." Alex deadpanned.
"Why, because they're not actual literature?" Naomi scoffed.
"Whatever. Do you want to know if she's texted me already or not?" Alex said rerouting the conversation.
"Of course." Naomi complied, of course the girl did.
"So what's this dentist girl's name?" Naomi asked a few minutes later, "Or am I just going to call her Hermione? Which, might I add, I may anyhow."
Alex was silent for a moment.
"Oh my god," Naomi smirked, "Don't tell me her name is actuallyHermione?"
"Oh sod off. Course it isn't." Alex stated. "Don't be ridiculous."
"So lets have it then." Naomi prodded.
Alex huffed into the phone. "Emma." She mumbled.
"What was that?" Naomi asked, a wicked smile creeping across her face.
"Emma." Alex said a bit louder.
"HAH!" Naomi exclaimed before subduing herself, a surprised Panda looked up from her book, "haha, that, is even better."
"Fuck off."
"There are so many things I would like to say to you right now." Naomi said failing at keeping her tone serious, clearly taking the piss at what Alex had said to her earlier.
"Ohmygod." Alex said in a surprised tone.
"Oh, don't try and change the subject." Naomi rolled her eyes. It was too good to let up on just yet.
"No, no, no." Alex stated, "You're going to want to hear this."
"What she text you wanting a shag or something?"
"Oh no," Alex said, "This has nothing to do with," she paused, "Dentist Girl." She finished obviously deciding it was the lesser of two evils.
Naomi rolled her eyes. "Then what?"
"You'll never guess who just messaged me." Naomi could practically hear the smirk in Alex's voice. She felt her chest tighten.
"Who?" Naomi's voice suddenly softer.
"Guess."
"Do I even need to?" she asked. Her room suddenly felt quite a deal warmer than it had a moment ago, despite the open window and the crisp fall weather outside it.
"Want to know what our dear Math Girl said?" Alex asked with a curious satisfaction. "She's asking for a hint."
Current Facts (of the inquiry and wooing of one Emily Fitch):
Emily initially responding: good sign.
Emily not being offended or immediately stating she was straight: good sign.
Emily evading relationship status: bad sign.
Emily avoiding definitive answers about herself: bad sign.
Emily messaging Alex again: good sign.
Emily wanting hints: terrifying.
Current standings (in terms of positive to negative findings): debatable.
Naomi sat silent.
"Oh keep calm will you?" Alex sighed into the line. "Obviously I'm not going to give her a hint."
Naomi let out a sigh of her own. The indescribable tightness that had formed in her chest intensified as she glanced over at Panda and Thomas who were studiously immersed in their books.
..
..
"You decided yet what you want to be for Halloween?" Panda asked her head following the movement of her eyes around the store.
"Not really," Naomi shrugged, "You?"
"Not a clue." Panda answered wandering down one of the aisles with costumes. Naomi followed suit. The boys were having a party at their flat, naturally, so the two had gone out to find costumes.
Naomi followed Panda down the aisles not feeling particularly inspired by any of the options.
"Blondie!" Naomi heard bellowed behind her. There was only one person who called her that.
She turned around giving a forced smile to find none other than Cook.
"Cook." She returned.
"Always so cheery." He teased leaning against the shelving. "That your costume?" He added with a smirk referring to the nurse costume Naomi happened to be standing in front of.
"You wish."
"I think it's perfect for you," he cooed, "I got something you can nurse."
Naomi scoffed. "Like your ego after I shoot you down again?"
Cook chuckled. "Nice one Blondie."
"The last thing Cook needs nursed is his ego." Freddie said joining them in the aisle, followed by JJ and Thomas.
"Well if it isn't the three musketeers." Naomi said, "And Thomas."
Thomas smiled.
"Aw, Naomikins you know you're our fourth." Cook said. She rolled her eyes.
"Naomi did you find anything yet—" she cut herself off, "Thommo! Hi!"
"Hello, Panda" he returned.
"You all gettin' costumes as well?" she asked. "I'm useless tryin' to findin' a costume for this party."
"Party?" Cook chimed in, raising his eyebrows, "why didn't you say so Blondie?"
"For obvious reasons." Naomi smiled back.
"Oh," Panda said, "Well you're all welcome, I'm sure the boys wouldn't mind. More the merrier," She beamed. "Thommo have you found a costume yet?"
"I have not." Thomas answered.
Naomi quirked an eyebrow as the two went off to find costumes together.
"So, this party," Cook began, Naomi turned her attention back to him, "that fit friend of yours going to be there?"
"Who?"
"You know the one's room we we're in the other day. You had your fuck bed on the floor."
JJ and Freddie developed the same confused expression on their faces at Cook's words. Naomi rolled her eyes.
"It was not a fuck bed," she sighed, "Jesus."
"Whatever, well will she be there?"
"Effy?" Naomi said as a light bulb went off in her head, "yeah, she'll be there. It's at her brothers flat." She smirked before adding, "older brother's flat."
"Right," Cook nodded undeterred. "Then we're in."
"Cook." Freddie interjected, "what about that other party we already said we'd go to?"
"Sod it." Cook waved the idea off. "Freddie, you've got to see this bird, she is mint."
"Whatever," Freddie said, "she can't be as beautiful as the girl I saw moving in day."
Naomi watched as Freddie got this far away look on his face, a lopsided grin sneaking across it.
"Bloody hell," Cook stated, "not this again."
Naomi raised an eyebrow.
"He saw some fucking bird when we moved in, didn't even get her name, and has been on about her since." Cook huffed. "Give it up mate. She was probably some bloke's sister."
Freddie grumbled.
"Alright well, I'll leave you two love birds to bicker." Naomi said waving to JJ as she parted with the boys.
Costume. She reminded herself looking up and down the next aisle. Her eyes finally falling across a package that caused her to smirk she picked it up. Perfect. She thought.
..
..
"Naomi, you ready to go?" Panda called from the hall.
"Yeah," Naomi answered giving herself one last check in the mirror. She was quite proud of her handy work.
"Planning on rescuing any damsels in distress?" Effy asked appearing by Panda's side.
Naomi shrugged noncommittally earning a smirk from Effy. Naomi had picked a knights costume from the kid's costume section. She paired the little plastic armor, shield, helmet, and sword with a short silver skirt and black tank top for underneath. She couldn't bear to buy a costume that deserved the word slut added to it afterward; she was too much of a feminist for that. Not that she was dressed frumpy by any means. She had enough leg out to turn a head or two.
"What are you suppose to be?" Naomi asked Effy who was in one of her usual dresses anyone else would consider a top. It was black and silver. She had a red bow in her hair.
She lifted her arm to show a bracelet with a tag hanging from it. Naomi grabbed the tag and read it.
GIFT
To: Men
From: God
Naomi laughed. It did seem quite fitting.
"You believe in God?" Naomi asked.
Effy rolled her eyes.
"You just didn't want to dress up did you?" Naomi stated.
Effy shrugged in her usual way.
"Well I'm a hippy." Panda stated proudly, "Thommo's coming as a flower. He couldn't think of something to be either, too many bonkers choices at the shop. So I said he should be a flower, cos hippies pick flowers…" she stopped herself. "You know, because then our costumes would go?"
Naomi and Effy exchanged the same look. Sophia joined them in soldier's camouflage; Naomi supposed she was dressed as a cadet. They made their way over to the boys flat.
"Nice wreathe by the way Panda." Naomi commented on the flowers the girl had up in her hair.
"Thanks!" Panda smiled, "Effy did it. It's brill isn't it?"
"Definitely." Naomi agreed turning to look at Effy. "Very…crafty."
The girls arrived at the flat and were greeted by a drunk Maxxie.
"The devil?" Naomi questioned as he put her down from a hug. He was in all red with a cape and horns.
"I prefer Satan, thank you much." He stated before turning to the rest of the living room. "Oi! Team Blonde has fully arrived, who wants a go?"
And with that Naomi was whisked away to the table where a game of beruit was already being set up. There were more people in attendance than one of the boys' usual shindigs.
After winning a few game Naomi walked off to find a stronger drink in the mood for something a bit harsher than cheap beer. She found Tony in the kitchen filling a tray with different colored Jell-O shots. He was dressed in a full black suit.
"And who are you?" Naomi asked, "Satan's butler?"
"James Bond." Tony corrected as he lifted up the tray.
Naomi swiped one as he walked off back into the living room. She began rummaging through the cupboards looking for a drink.
"Want to do a shot of Jack?" Andy asked appearing in the doorway.
"You read my mind." Naomi answered. Surprised that there was Jack Daniels in the apartment and it hadn't been sniffed out already by Effy.
She leaned against the sink as he joined her in the small kitchen and watched as he produced a bottle of Jack from the back of a top cupboard. She made a mental note of it. He poured two shots and grinned at her.
"Happy Halloween!" He said tipping his shot glass with hers.
"Happy Halloween." She returned downing the shot. It burned deliciously. It was a lot nicer than the cheap vodka they mainly drank.
"Need a chase?" he asked offering the beer he just took a swig from.
"M'alright." Naomi waved it off. Andy looked impressed.
"Another?"
"Definitely."
Andy refills the shot glasses with a smile. Naomi looked down to see someone's hand taking her shot.
"Hey!" she said following up the offending hand to find it to belong to Sophia.
"I thought you didn't drink?" Naomi said more so than asked as Sophia put the second shot glass down.
Sophia winced as the liquor burnt all the way down. She shrugged, "I do now."
"Okay…" Naomi said giving Sophia a peculiar look. Sophia was coughing. "Chasers usually help." she offered.
"For some." Andy added grinning at Naomi.
"Yeah well, some of us aren't a nancy." She jested as she handed Andy's beer to Sophia.
Andy went grabbed a few more beers from the fridge and handed Naomi one.
"What," Naomi asked, "I'm not going to get my second of Jack?"
Andy grinned, "Oh my apologies," pouring two more shots he was quick to pick them up before Sophia could and handed one to Naomi.
Naomi let herself enjoy the burn for a moment before opening her beer. "You may want to hide that before Effy sees it," She warned.
Andy's eyes widened for a moment. "Good call, thanks, yeah." He said returning the bottle to its hidden spot in the cupboard.
"NAOMI!"
Naomi peaked her head out of the kitchen, "Yes?"
"We've got another game!" Maxxie grinned, "Well, Sam here needs a new partner, how bout it Sid?
"I'm not playing against you two." Sid piped up from the chair he was sitting in, "It's bollocks."
"Sid," A blonde girl with fairy wings said sitting on his lap, "have you seen the Jell-O shots? They're beautiful, all the colours. Like wow, really."
Sid smiled at the girl, Naomi assumed to be his girlfriend Cassie who he'd go on about when he was drunk.
"Sorry mate." Sid said, turning his full attention back to Cassie who was playing with the bit of hair visible out from under his hat.
"I'll play," Andy said from behind Naomi, joining the drunk boy in a sheet wrapped round himself as a toga.
"Good man!" Maxxie smiled. "And let's make it a bit more interesting shall we?"
"What?" Naomi questioned.
"Loser, has to kiss winner." He said, shooting Naomi a wink.
"What?" Naomi repeated.
"Don't worry love, we've got this in the bag," He whispered to her.
"That's not my worry." She replied.
"I've been doing work on Sam there all night," He explained nodding toward toga boy, slurring his words slightly, "bit of fun couldn't hurt." He winked again.
Subtle, she thought before sinking the first cup.
Fifteen minutes later they were once again victorious.
"We win, you know what that means." Maxxie beamed as he headed over to Sam.
Naomi and Andy awkwardly laughed as they watched their teammates disappear into Maxxie's room.
"Have you two ever lost?" Andy asked.
"I don't think so." Naomi shrugged thinking about it. They hadn't.
"Well…" Andy began awkwardly, "I am a loser, and you did win…"
"Yeah…" Naomi said not catching on, "that generally is the case seeing how we just confirmed I've never lost."
"So," he said looking down "looks like I owe you a kiss."
"You what?" Naomi said her eyes widening.
"The wager," he explained, "I lost, you won."
"Right…" Naomi said silently cursing Maxxie.
"He is right." Effy said from behind Naomi causing her to jump. She hadn't noticed her. "A bet is a bet." She smirked, "Unless you want to back out?"
Naomi rolled her eyes. She knew a challenge when she heard one.
"Bet's a bet." She said returning Effy's smirk. Taking a long swig from her beer, fuck it she thought, it was just a stupid drunken bet.
Andy smiled broadly as he took Naomi's words as an invitation. He leaned in and connected their lips. It wasn't a very long kiss. Nor was it unpleasant. The title of worst kiss was still upheld by Marcus Creedy, when she was thirteen. She'd never kissed anyone with facial hair before Andy and she didn't think she liked it. There was no softness to it despite the chaste nature of the kiss. After a moment they broke apart and Naomi took a step back.
"Well," Effy stated who was still beside them, "that was something." At Effy's words Naomi frowned and Andy grinned.
..
Naomi had been relieved of her beruit duties as Maxxie and Toga Sam had yet to reappear from his room. She settled down onto the couch with a fresh beer in hand. A pleasant warm buzz from the alcohol had settled in.
There were two bangs on the front door that mostly went unnoticed due to the music. The front door flew open and Cook bounced into the room followed by a much less bouncy Freddie and JJ.
"Ay!" Cook bellowed bottle of tequila in hand, "Who's ready to party?"
Freddie gave an apologetic look from behind his friend.
"There you are Thommo," Cook said spotting Thomas sitting in a chair next to Panda, "I think you gave us the wrong number mate." He turned to Freddie, "I told you I'd find it!" he added before turning back to Thomas, "Not the first door I banged down, but fourth times the charm in'it?"
"Cook," Naomi said, "What the fuck you wearing?"
He was shirtless, well; he wasn't wearing any clothes at all. He had on a large baby blue gift bag round his waist that read, "It's a Boy!" and some trainers.
"I came in my birfday suit." He said proudly holding his arms out and doing a spin to show off his costume, or lack of one.
Cook took a seat on the couch, squeezing himself between Naomi and Sophia. He rested his arms along the back of the couch behind them.
"I can see what's in your goody bag," Effy said leaning against the kitchen doorway.
"Like what you see?" Cook smirked wickedly.
There was a thud. Freddie had dropped his beer.
"Mate!" Cook called, "Lock it up man, yeah?"
"What, yeah." Freddie said leaning down to pick up the can. He looked as if he had seen a ghost.
"Let's do take some TEQUILA shall we?" Cook said ignoring his fumbling friend who kept glancing over at Effy.
Hunkered down around the coffee table they all started taking shots of tequila until the half gone bottle was empty. It was a little party within the party.
"You know mate," Cook said pointedly to Thomas who Panda had dressed as a sunflower. "If I were a flower, I'd be a rose."
"Sweet." Naomi chimes sarcastically, eyebrow raised.
"That's right Blondie." He said before turning to stare straight at Effy, "Cos if you put you're hand on me, you'd get pricked."
Naomi rolled her eyes. "You're such a prick Cook."
"Too right" He said, "all prick." He added with a wink, his bravado faltering only slightly when the bloke next to Effy draped his arm across her shoulders. Naomi couldn't remember his name, but she had seem him at the climbing wall a fair amount of times, usually chatting up Effy.
Cook played with the empty bottle of tequila idly on the coffee table as people joked round and let the tequila warm their systems. Naomi could see the gears turning in his head as he spun the bottle round and round. A foreboding feeling formed in her as a devilish smirk ebbed across Cooks face.
"How bout some fun?" Cook grinned looking round the group.
"What are we twelve?" Naomi shot at him. The last thing she wanted to do was play spin the bottle. As far as Naomi was concerned once you were old enough to drink from the bottle you were too old to be spinning it.
"I'm only having a splash about." Cook smirked, "You getting wet there, Naomikins?"
"You wish."
"So we doin' this then?" He asked the group slamming the bottle down on the table.
"If it's such a great idea, Cook," Freddie said, "why don't you start it off."
"Fair enough." Cook said as he leaned forward and spun the bottle. It stops at Freddie.
"Fuck off." Freddie laughed.
"Let's get this started shall we Fredds?" Cook said standing up. He reached across the table grabbing Freddie's face and planting one on his lips. Everyone was laughing. "We're all mates here," Cook shrugged as he sat back down, "Now let's party!"
He looked between Sophia and Naomi as to who he should hand the bottle off to. Naomi gave him a death glare. He slid the bottle to his left in front of Sophia. Sophia kissed Thomas. Andy kissed some girl Naomi didn't care to learn her name. Panda kissed Sophia. Thomas kissed Panda. And it continued on.
Naomi stopped paying attention as it went round the group. She was drunk now and as long as the bottle didn't land on her, she wasn't concerned.
"Naomikins!" Cook said snapping her out of her thoughts. "You're up babe."
She spun. It slowed to a dangerous pace facing Cook, kept going, somehow crept past Sophia, and stopped on Andy. Of course, Naomi thought. Though for some reason she was relieved it hadn't stopped on Sophia as it had threatened.
The kiss was done with quickly. No new revelations were discovered during it. Again, it just was.
"Twice in one night," Effy said, "interesting."
Naomi opened her mouth to say something, but Cook's bottle landed on Effy. A Cheshire grin slid across his face as he bounced up from the couch. This had been why he started the game Naomi realized. Sneaky bastard. She watched Cook waggle his eyebrows at the bloke next to Effy before grabbing her face and kissing her intensely. It was a proper snog.
Naomi stood up as Cook passed the bottle onto Sophia after he eventually came up for air from his kiss with Effy.
Naomi mumbled something about fresh air and left the flat. Andy's turn was after Sophia's and she didn't want to chance having to kiss him a third time. Walking out the building she saw Freddie sparking up a spliff. She hadn't even seen him leave.
"Hey," She approached.
"Hey," He returned, "What you doing out here?" he asked after exhaling.
"Just getting some fresh air."
"Same," he said giving her a weak smile.
He offered her the spliff from which she took a grateful drag. They stood in silence passing it between them. The occasional exhale and the faint pulse of music emitting from windows the only sound in the night air.
"He likes you, you know." Freddie said eventually, breaking the silence.
"Pardon?"
"That bloke with the," he explained stroking his chin, "he likes you."
"Andy?" Naomi asked, "No, we're just mates."
"Does he know that?"
"Yeah." Naomi said.
"Well, I still say he fancies you."
"What makes you so sure?"
"The way he looks at you." Freddie shrugged.
"Oh." They went back to their silence as the finished off the spliff.
"You ever find that mystery girl of yours?" Naomi asked.
Freddie let out a sigh. "Yeah."
"And?"
"Nothing else to tell."
"Right." Naomi said handing him the end of the spliff. "Well, I'm headed in. You coming?"
"Naw," Freddie said lighting a new spliff off the end of the last. "Later."
"Yeah, later."
Naomi walked back into the building and into the flat. The party was still in full swing. The spin the bottle game had ended and even Maxxie had reappeared with Toga Sam under his arm. He winked at Naomi when he saw her. She returned a smile. The weed had definitely relaxed her.
"Hey!" Andy said wrapping his arm over her shoulder, "Where have you been?"
"Just went outside for some air." Naomi said with a smile as she disengaged herself from under his arm.
"I was worried you had left."
Effy and Tony came out the bathroom holding a sloppy looking Sophia.
"She's pretty well gone, someone should take her home." Tony said staring at Effy.
Naomi sighed. Freddie's words haunted her as she looked over at Andy who kept smiling at her adoringly. She didn't really see a way to avoid him in the small flat. Take care of the current hot mess that was Sophia or continue to continue to be hit on by Andy for the rest of the night?
"I can take her back." Naomi offered. She pretended not to notice Andy's face fall. Effy looked grateful, clearly not wanting to do it herself.
"I'll help you take her back." Andy offered instantly.
"No, we'll be fine." She said quickly, before adding, "Thanks though, but we'll be fine, really."
..
It was nearly half past one by the time Naomi had managed to arrive back at her dorm with Sophia. They had stopped more than once along the way so Sophia could throw up in various gardens.
Naomi led her straight to the girl's bathroom, which was thankfully next to Sophia and Effy's room. Sophia kept mumbling random things Naomi couldn't understand as she held her hair over the toilet. This continued on for another half hour or so: Naomi coaxing Sophia to drink some water before Sophia would throw it up.
Sophia refused to go to her room so Naomi led her to her own. Setting her up in Panda's orange fuzzy chair. Her and Panda had placed over the stain at the end of their desks not long ago. Naomi placed a bottle of water on the edge of the desk for Sophia and an empty rubbish bin next to her just incase. She sat down at her desk and looked at her phone for the first time that night. It was well past two in the morning.
Sophia kept trying to start conversation, which Naomi couldn't understand. The brunette's slurred speech was atrocious and Naomi couldn't link together the few words she did comprehend. "Friend" was the one word she kept hearing.
"Yeah," Naomi would agree, "we're friends." Every time Sophia gave her a searching look before being seemingly pacified by the words.
Naomi played hearts on her computer as Sophia quieted down. It amazed her how sobering it was to take care of a drunk person. For all she drank and smoked tonight Naomi figured she should still have much more of a buzz than she currently did.
It appeared Sophia had finally passed out, to which Naomi was grateful.
"Naomi!"
Naomi looked up, confused. Had that come from outside?
"Naomi!" Again. It was definitely coming from outside. Daring a look over at Sophia she made her way over to the window. Sophia was looking to the window with a furrowed brow. It was dark out but there was enough light from the streetlamp to make out a small person down by the door.
"Yes?" Naomi answered. Her heart rate increasing: she knew she had recognized that voice.
"Can you let me in?" Emily called out looking up at Naomi leaning out her window, "I've forgotten my key card."
"Yeah, um." Naomi said drumming her fingers along the windowsill absentmindedly, "sure." Naomi disappeared from the window purposely-avoiding Sophia's gaze with her own as she did so.
"Sorry," Emily said as she stumbled past the open door Naomi held for her. "I was going to wait for someone to come by…but it's bloody cold out…and I saw your light was on…"
"S'okay," Naomi replied with a smile. Emily was definitely drunk. "Have a good night?" she asked as they descended up the stairs.
"It was okay." Emily shrugged in her husky voice. Which Naomi noticed had a deeper rasp to it that usual. "Yours?"
"It was alright." Naomi shrugged with a small smile. She fully took in Emily's appearance in the light of the stairwell. She was wearing something black and leather with a toy gun slung on her hip. She was also barefoot, black heels in hand. She looked hot.
"So what are you supposed to be?" Naomi asked.
She gave Naomi a look, "Alice." She said simply.
"As in wonderland?" Naomi questioned. Last time she checked Alice didn't wear leather, or tote a gun for that matter.
"As in Resident Evil." The redhead smirked before slowly raking her eyes up and down Naomi. "So you the good knight or the bad?"
Naomi forgot she hadn't changed out of her knight costume. She'd only taken the helmet off. She didn't know if it was the fact that Emily was giving her the up down or the extra husk in her voice but regardless Naomi felt that thing in the pit of her stomach reform.
Naomi shrugged giving her the same noncommittal shrug she had to Effy earlier.
"Naomi who was it?" Naomi heard Sophia ask as she and Emily made it to her doorway. Emily raised an eyebrow when she saw Sophia sitting in Naomi's room. "Oh."
"Emily locked herself out." Naomi said. She felt weird for some reason with the look the two girls were exchanging.
Emily opened her mouth to say something but was cut off by her phone. She pulled it out of her pocket and looked at the caller ID on the screen. "Shit." She said looking back up at Naomi. "Thanks again." She offered a small smile before the scowl fell back upon her face.
Sophia watched Naomi watch Emily walk the few paces down to her own door, answering her phone along the way. Naomi was just making sure the girl got in safe, she told herself. As she watched a drunk Emily fumble with her keys.
"No one." She heard her say into her phone as she finally got her door open. She looked over and met Naomi's eyes, a smile threatening to break out on her face again. She looked down. "I wasn't talking to anyone."
The sound of Emily's door shutting brought Naomi out of her trance. She turned back to her room affronted by Sophia's eyes. The brunette's arms were crossed still seated in Panda's orange fuzzy chair.
Naomi pinched the bridge of her noise as she leaned against the wardrobe. She suddenly felt quite knackered or maybe the booze and drugs from earlier was catching up to her or wearing off.
"Are you feeling any better?" Naomi asked.
"Not really." Sophia answered.
"Are you going to boot again?"
"I don't think so."
"Okay, well I'm going to go to bed then." Naomi stated removing her hand from her face.
"Oh," Sophia mumbled, "Alright." She didn't move.
"Do you need to be helped back to your room?" Naomi asked.
"No," Sophia said standing up slowly, "Well, goodnight then."
"Night."
Naomi closed the door after the brunette. That was weird. She sat at her desk plucking her phone off of it. She sent off a quick text to Alex.
Emily. Leather. Fit.
Naomi threw her phone up to her bed. She let out a sigh keeping her eyes closed. She really was tired. A knock on the door startled her. Standing up she opened the door to find Sophia.
"Did you forget something?" Naomi asked surprised.
"They're doing stuff."
Naomi was confused. "Pardon?"
"Effy and that bloke from the party," Sophia said, "they're back."
"Oh?"
"I don't want to be in there if they're doing stuff."
"It's your room too." Naomi shrugged.
"Could I…" Naomi looked at her waiting, "would you mind if I stayed here for the night?"
Naomi had not expected that.
"Um," She began, "Okay?"
Sophia perked up a bit. "Thanks!"
Naomi let her in the room before closing the door again.
"You sure though? Your bed would be a lot more comfortable than the floor." Naomi said hitting the lights before stripping her armor off. She climbed into her bed not bothering to take off her clothes.
"Don't forget to put the rubbish bin by you incase you need to boot again. And I wouldn't set up right in front the door, don't want Panda stepping on you when she comes back." Naomi said as she lay down. Closing her eyes she relaxed into her bed.
"Um," a soft mumble came from the floor below after a moment. "Do you suppose I could borrow a pillow?"
Naomi let out a sigh reaching back for a pillow tossing it over the side of the bed followed by one of the blankets at the foot of her bed.
"Thanks."
"Yeah." Naomi said settling herself back in. She drifted off to sleep, not thinking of the boy who kissed her that night, or the girl currently in her room, but of the girl who had called to her window: their walk up the stairs replaying over in her head.
