A/N: Thank you everyone for reading :D I especially appreciate all the reviews! Valsy and Crevette thank you! Hope you enjoy the next chapter! :P
All We Can Do Is Keep Breathing
Naomi squints her eyes in the sun as she unlocks the building's outer and inner doors. She yawns as she turns back to remove her duty sign and put away her duty things in Mike's office. "Good morning Naomi," Mike greets Naomi.
"Morning Mike," Naomi yawns and smiles and leaves with a wave. She makes her way to the office to check her mail. She heads back to her room to get her bag and see if Emily's up yet. She drags herself up the floor of steps and heads down the fragrant floor. She passes Emily's door and pauses to listen for any signs of life. She doesn't hear anything and continues to her room.
She collects her stuff as her stomach rumbles, "Okay, breakfast it is." She looks down at her belly and smiles. She grabs her Ipod and buds as she pulls her bag onto her shoulder. She walks out, putting her buds in and locks her door.
With the violins of Kate Nash's "Nicest Thing" filling her ears she walks back down the hall. She smiles and greets the passing residents as she gets to the stairwell. She pads her way down the steps and walks back into the lobby. She opens the door to the eateries and heads in. Naomi, in her own world, gets her breakfast and finds a table for herself. With The Veronica's "4ever" blasting in her ears, the calls of Panda and Emily are totally blocked out from a few tables away.
Panda rolls her eyes and looks at Emily, "When the bud are in, she is in her own world. She's always like this." Panda looks back at Naomi, who is now nodding and bouncing her shoulders to the beat in her seat. Panda looks back at Emily, who is giggling at Naomi, "Hmmm, I'm thinking a dance song now." They both laugh at Naomi. Panda goes back to her food as Emily stares just a bit longer than she should. Panda smiles and takes a sip of her juice. "So Emily, did you get my message?"
'Huh? Oh yeah, I did." Emily smiles and takes a sip of her juice. "Naomi also asked me last night."
Panda grins, "So? You're coming?" Panda's smile widens as Emily nods and smiles, taking a bite of her food. "Great! You'll get to meet Thomas!" Panda looks back at Naomi and winks at Emily as she wads up the foil that was wrapped around her breakfast burrito. She whips it over at Naomi's table, surprising Emily with perfect aim, as it hits Naomi right in the back of her head.
Naomi flies around in her chair, "What the fuck!" She finally catches Panda and Emily laughing and waving." She takes her ear buds out, "Hey guys!" She grabs her things and walk towards Emily and Panda with a smile. "Didn't see you there."
"Yeah, we noticed!" Panda smirks, "Been bloody hollering you the past ten minutes. I swear your ear buds are more like horse blinders to you!"
Naomi laughs as she joins them. 'Sorry, good morning" She sheepishly smiles.
"Good morning," Emily smiles at Naomi. "I knocked on your door but you weren't in. Must have just missed you."
"Yeah, I was most likely in Mike's office. Any other time, I would have seen you. Sorry." Naomi smiles.
"So! Tonight!" Panda interjects the smiling session of Emily and Naomi. "I told Thomas to meet us at 10pm. He wanted us to drive, but he only can fit two in his truck."
"Well if that's a problem, I can fit us all in my Explorer. I don't mind driving." Naomi smiles at Panda. "Unless, you two want to be aloooone." Naomi teases Panda. "Do you mind Emily?" Naomi catches Emily just staring at her. "Ems?"
"Huh? Yeah? That's fine with me." Emily blushes and collects her trash and tray and gets up.
Panda giggles and nudges Naomi's shoulder and whispers in her ear, "Maybe I should say the same about you."
Naomi blushes and giggles, "Shhh Panda!" Naomi watches Emily come back to the table. "Is 10pm okay with you Ems?"
"Sounds great," Emily smiles and pulls a lock of hair behind her ear and checks her watch. "I should probably get to class though."
"Right, I gotta do some stuff." Panda grabs her tray and throws her trash out. "I'll see you guys later!" She grabs her bag and heads out, leaving Naomi and Emily.
"Walk you to class?" Naomi smiles as she collects her trash and piles it on her tray. Emily smiles and nods as Naomi gets up to take care of her tray.
"I haven't been to a club in ages. I hope I'm not terribly uncool." Emily says as she pulls her bag to her shoulder.
"You uncool? Never." Naomi winks as she pushes her chair in.
Emily smiles, "You'd be surprised." Emily pushes her chair in and readjusts her bag. "Really, I can be a total spaz sometimes."
"I highly doubt that," Naomi rolls her eyes and smiles. "Let's get you to class."
They make their way outside, in the bright sunshine. "I'm excited though, really." Emily smiles at Naomi.
"Yeah? Me too," Naomi looks down at her walking feet and grins. "Should be fun seeing Panda and Thomas, she's so funny about him, protective and shit."
"Yeah. Well, when you have to protect what is yours I guess you can be a little funny at times. You never know what kind of vultures are around." Emily walks, watching the other students as they pass.
"Vultures?" Naomi laughs and turns to Emily.
Emily chuckles, "Yes, vultures. They swoop in regardless and steal what belongs to other people."
"Dead things?" Naomi tries to understand Emily's metaphor. "Don't vultures eat almost or dead things, hence the circling in the sky?"
"Yes, they wait for their chance to swoop in and steal what they want!" Emily laughs. "You know rapacious people."
"Rapacious?" Naomi laughs, "I'm learning new vocabulary today!"
Emily smiles in defeat as they come up on her building, "Okay, never mind! I retract my vulture comment." Emily stops and smiles at Naomi, who is quite amused with herself.
"I know what you mean Ems, I just like to see you flustered." Naomi smiles, "Have a nice class, I'll see you later." She winks and walks away.
Emily stands there and bites her lip, smiling as she turns on her heal and enters her class.
Naomi heads off to her class. She takes a deep breath as she approaches her building, realizing she now has to deal with Effy. Naomi is a little early for class, so she heads inside to get out of the bright sun and finds a spot on the wall. She opens her textbook and finishes the reading she attempted to do last night.
She turns the page and something drops into her lap. Naomi picks up what looks like a collage from her book. She looks up to see Effy standing above her.
"Hey," Effy says as she sets her bag down. "I made that for you." She sits down against the wall next to Naomi and stares at her intensely.
Naomi, still surprised, looks down at the collage. Several clippings saying "I'm sorry" and "forgive me" and "please" were scattered through out the piece. There were also several clippings that said complements about Naomi like "gorgeous" and "beautiful" mixed in. Naomi just stared in shock, not expecting to see such a gesture from Effy.
"I thought you could put it next to your collage that you have in your room. The one that I inspired…all those sad words." Effy looks down at her hands. "I really want you to know how sorry I am Naomi."
"Ef...I," Naomi stumbles on her words. "I don't know what to say?"
"Don't say anything. You don't have to. I fucked up…big time. Just let me make it up to you." Effy's eyes burn into Naomi's. "Come on, we're gonna be late." Effy stands and holds out her hand to Naomi.
Naomi grabs it, and looks at their hands when she feels the heat on contact. She looks up at Effy, who meets her eyes with an all-knowing smirk. This look makes Naomi feel sick, like she can't have any thoughts or feelings to herself without Effy reading her like a book.
Effy doesn't let go of Naomi's hand until they find their seats inside the classroom. As the students file in, Effy and Naomi pull out their materials and get settled. Effy leans forward in her chair and brushes the hair off Naomi's neck exposing her ear. Naomi freezes as goose bumps form all over her body when Effy leans in and whispers, "We should get together soon, so we can talk and stuff." Effy's lips graze Naomi's ear lobe with each word. She releases Naomi's hair and lightly caresses Naomi's neck as she retracts her hand and sits back down.
Naomi stares wide eyed at her book until the professor commands the students' attention. Naomi does her best to ignore Effy's finger that is tracing hearts and letters that form inappropriate words and sentences into her back. She tries to take notes and pay attention, but her brain is rejecting all useful information and dwelling on the present mind fuck that is Effy.
As class ends, Naomi and Effy both gets their stuff in order. Effy gets up and walks past Naomi's desk. "Do you work tonight? I know Freddie's on duty, I'm on back up."
Naomi stands, "Uh, no actually I'm going out with Panda tonight."
Effy smirks, "Yeah? Is she bringing that hot track star with her?"
"Yup." Naomi smiles and nervously pulls her bag onto her shoulder.
"Are you bringing anyone?" Effy's eyes make Naomi's head pound.
"Um…yeah, I'm bringing Emily." Naomi fidgets and tries to change the subject.
"You like her." Effy squints her eyes at Naomi. "Are you two dating?"
"Yes… I mean No, we're not…I…I don't know… Ef…you're making my brain hurt." Naomi walks past Effy and into the hallway. Effy watches her as she walks and shuts her eyes, taking a breath.
"Naomi! Naoms wait!" Effy chases after Naomi.
Naomi stops in her tracks and looks to the sky and takes a deep breath. "Effy…"
"I'm sorry." Effy says out of breath. "I'm trying here!" Effy looks down at her feet. "You know…Naomi…I usually have an idea of what I'm doing. I'm usually confident. You make me crazy okay? I don't know how to prove to you how sorry I am for treating you the way I did. For never returning your calls or emails. For not admitting to you how I felt when we kissed. For not realizing how lucky I was to have you." Effy looks off to the side to wipe away a single tear. "I just wish we could pick up where we left off." She looks back down at her feet.
Naomi, standing in shock, manages to squeak. "Ef." Her heart aches for Effy after her confession and she leans in to give her a hug.
Effy wraps her arms around Naomi and starts to sob. "I'm so fucking sorry Naoms. Please forgive me…please…I'm so sorry."
The lump is now forming in Naomi's throat. "I know you're sorry Ef."
Effy pulls back and wipes away her tears. "I gotta get to class. But, can we hang out sometime? Just you and me?"
"Sure, we can hang out sometime." Naomi says, still processing what just happened.
"Okay, cool." Effy collects herself, leans in towards Naomi and gently kisses her on the cheek. "I'll see you later." She walks off, leaving Naomi in total confusion.
Naomi crams her buds in her ears and practically runs in the opposite direction of Effy. She cranks up the volume to block out the world and heads for her secret spot. Coldplay's "Warning Sign" comes on and suddenly the song has new meaning than it did the other night when Effy came down to visit her at security. She makes her way past the REC center and past the spot she took Emily. She came up on her shady spot of solitude. Surrounded by trees and off the beaten path, Naomi throws her bag down and sits on the ground. She tucks her knees under her chin and wraps her arms around her legs. "Fuck," She sighs "Fuck…fuck!" Naomi puts her hands in her hair and pulls, literally trying to pull herself together. She pulls out Effy's collage and throws her bag back down. She sits with her legs crossed and flips the collage over to reveal writing.
I miss those blue eyes
How you kissed me at night
I miss the way we sleep
Like there's no sunrise
Like the taste of your smile
I miss the way we breatheBut I never told you
What I should have said
No I never told you
I just held it in
And now I miss everything about you
I can't believe I still want you
After all the things we've been through
I miss everything about you, without youI see your blue eyes
Every time I close mine
You make it hard to see
Where I belong to when I'm not around you
It's like I'm not with meBut I never told you
What I should have said
No I never told you
I just held it in
And now I miss everything about you (still you're gone)
Can't believe that I still want you (After loving you I should have never walked away)
After all the things we've been through (I know it's never gonna come again)
I miss everything about you without you
I'm so sorry Naomi,
Love Effy xoxo
Naomi is flooded with thoughts and feelings. "Fucking hell." She mutters as she finishes reading Effy's message. She lays back , using her bag as a pillow as Ingrid Michaelson's "Keep Breathing" comes on. Naomi shuts her eyes and tries to calm her brain down.