Hi guys, I know it's been a long time, but what can I say? I got caught up in this amazing fic I shockingly never noticed before! Halfway Valentine, and I absolutely love it! Also school has been tearing on my motivation - along with being busy with mum visiting and being social and shit…
But here I am again, with an extra long chapter to make up for everything! Hope it's okay :)
Chapter 10: Closer
Naomi PoV
A throaty groan.
I instinctively turn around, finding Emily holding her hands over her face. I wonder for a second what she's doing in my bed, before it all comes back to me. The party and the events becoming clearer in my fuzzy state. She must sense I'm awake.
"Please say you have painkillers." she mumbles through her fingers.
I giggle until the pain going through my head makes it into a groan, and I, too, cover my eyes with my hand.
"Jesus! How much did we drink last night?" I moan.
"Entirely too much." Emily shifts and buries her head into the pillow. Another groan escapes from inside the pillow. If I wasn't struggling with my own headache, I would've laughed at her.
Slowly I rise, the idea of painkillers and heavenly liquid for my dry throat driving me. As I stand shakily on my two feet, I self-consciously drag my fingers through my hair. I must look like hell.
"That hairstyle really fits you." I turn back to a smirking Emily in my bed. Momentarily I got caught in the possibility to wake up to that smirk every day, teasing me about my hair. Easy, Naomi.
"You're the one to talk. You look like you have a dead fox on your head." I shoot back. Her smirk widens.
I start searching through my room, certain that I left the pills somewhere. As I pop into the bathroom to look there, I hear a small mumbling from my bed.
"What was that?" I stick my head out the door.
"Are you okay?" her face is smirk free, and has an anxious veil of insecurity falling over it.
"Uhh, pfff… shouldn't I be asking you about that?" I fully come out of the bathroom, scratching the back of my neck confused.
"I mean after what I said last night. I'm sorry it came out like that." she bites her lip, looking intently at me. Almost waiting for me to burst away from the room.
"Don't worry about that, I don't care who you prefer to bang." I smirk. "As long as you don't throw more fishes at me at the industry, we're fine." An attempt to light the mood. It worked, she laughed a heartily and relieved laugh. Her cheeks almost swallowing her eyes. It was a sight for Gods, and here I was, marveling in it.
"Thanks for being so cool about it." she sits up slightly, her upper body leaning against the wall.
"Yeah." I try not to make a big deal about it. I think back to my freak out yesterday, and can't for the life of me understand it. Sure, it was a shock. Sure, we've been kind of - almost - sort of flirting. But so what? Flirting and bantering with her was altogether delightful. It made my stay on this shitty island somewhat livable. And I owed her for that. It didn't mean it had to go beyond flirting, it was just fun, just like it was with Cook. The last thing I wanted was to get involved and get things complicated.
"Katie is going to kill me." she turns away from my gaze with a sigh.
"Why would she do that? It's not like you've done something horrendous."
"But I have," she turns back to me, her eyes watering "in her eyes I have. She always prided herself with us being alike. And despite that, she got more boys and she looked better in everything and I'm just her shadow. I'm breaking away from all of that, and she'll think that's unacceptable."
Her sorrow and hearbreak dragged me closer to the bed. I sat down on the edge, near her.
"But it isn't Katie I'm most afraid of," she whispers, turning to me again as I sit, "it's my mum."
I hesitantly reach out and grab her hand in mine, giving her what I hope is the courage to go on. Not only with the conversation, but coming out. She's too worthwhile to give up.
"She's homophobic, I know it. Every time something same sex stuff comes on the telly, she'll curse and turn it off." A stray tear escapes her left eye. I tentatively reach out my thumb, and brush it away. Her eyes close at my touch. The heat and smoothness of her cheek was entirely too much for my shaking unworthy fingers, so instead I lowered it, cradling her hand in both mine. This was the moment I had to reassure her of everything and nothing.
"Em," I start, getting her attention. I needed her to really listen to what I was going to say. "I'm sure Katie will come around, everyone sees how much she loves you." some tears starts running down her pretty face, as she didn't believe my words. "No, really!" I grip her hand tighter and pull her slightly to me. "She loves you, and you support those you love. When the shock is over, I'm sure… She's your sister, your twin for goddamn sakes. Plus she texted Effy about getting you home safely last night, so of course she cares." A spark of hope appeared in her eyes.
"And for your mum, if she doesn't accept you for that beautiful, smart, funny and yes, gay, daughter you are, then she's no real mum in my eyes." Emily nodded sadly at my words. "But don't count her out before you've even let it out of the bag, yeah?" I smiled encouraging at her. She tried to do the same back, despite her red and fluffy face. "Yeah."
She suddenly seemed to remember where she was and that she was crying her eyes out, so she took her hand away from mine and started wiping her face. I felt the need to lessen the tension in her small body.
"Besides, if she disowns you, I bet my mum would have you. She probably would be just fine switching me out." I nudged her foot with my wrist.
She laughed through her tears and sniffled loudly, her dark brown eyes again locking with mine. "I don't deserve this. You." she stated, as if me telling her this was more than she was worth. My face sobered instantly. How could she not have any grasp on what a magnificent and down to the bone good person she was. I inched up the bed, so my face got closer to hers.
"Don't ever think that Emily. You deserve everything. And if your family don't realize that, they're shit!" I said with as much power I willed. I was studying her study me. She looked thrown off at my words, like no one has ever bothered to tell her that much. God, has no one? I saw her bottom lip wobble a bit, and she bit down to keep it still. She was looking between my eyes, down to my mouth, over my nose and cheeks and forehead. Her gaze was tracing my face, remembering it, saving it. When she lifted one of her hands hesitantly towards my face, the meaning of her every movement became too much for my strategy of not getting things complicated.
"So, painkillers, huh?" I smile, while shying away. I prayed the playful mood would return. Luckily, it did.
"Yeah." it looked like she stepped out of something in her head, freeing herself from whatever was revealing the things I couldn't begin to think about.
Her foot reach out, and gently kick me in my behind as I stand to resume my treasure hunt. "And for Gods sake woman, give me some soda, I'm dying here." and with that, she sunk deep into the duvet and pillows, staging a drowning of sorts.
"Jumping right to the domestic parts, are we Ems?" I laugh back, as I enter the bathroom, picturing how her cheeks would turn red after such a line from me. I couldn't be more pleased with myself as I didn't get an answer, and found her smiling to herself when I a minute later emerged with the medicine.
When I had rummaged through the kitchen upstairs and friendly told mum and Kieran to 'fuck off' with their concerns, me and Emily settled in my bed with tons of soda boxes and crisps to watch some tv-series, which was my favorite activity the day after.
"What do you want to see?" I turned to her, as she was lying comfortable and practically squeezed into my side. Her head was placed below my right shoulder, and she lifted it to look at me with sparkling eyes. She looked so cute where she was situated, hair all messy and toothy grin with her eye make up all smudged. I wanted to crush the life out of her with my arms.
"Something funny." she quickly licked her lip, returning her gaze to my computer on my lap.
"Then we'll watch the most funny thing in the whole universe!" I exclaim excitedly!
When I wrote 'friends' into the search bar she pinched my side and giggled.
"I could've guessed. Not very original though, I thought you were the kind of girl to watch, like, rare shows with weird humor and stuff."
"Oi! I'll tell you I'm very normal!" I said with feigned annoyance and a quirk with my eyebrow.
"Normal isn't exactly the first word popping into my brain as I think of you." she shrugged.
"What is?" I suddenly got very curious.
"Uhh.. I don't know." she mumbled into my t-shirt.
"No, out with it! You can't say that without telling the rest of it."
"Fine then! I guess I would describe you as … special." she shifted to look into my eyes at the last word. I got lost in her nutty brown eyes for a moment, feeling my whole body filling with a pleasant warm feeling. I had never felt like that in my entire life, and I understood in that moment how Emily, as well as being the most affectionate and harmless person in the world, my world, was also all kinds of dangerous. I'd decided then and there to not let this thing go too far. And when she looked at me like I was the only person in the world. Like she wanted to … kiss me. Then it was going too far.
Despite the protests of my heart and being, my brain snapped us out of another moment.
"What, you mean like special needs?" I scrunched my eyebrows together, almost managing not to smile. She rolled her eyes.
"Well, obviously." she shifted back to her friends-watching position. I pressed play on the computer, starting the first ever episode of the show.
I don't think I've ever laughed that much at the episodes, even though I've seen them numerous times. Emily's giggling was so contagious, when we first started it was hard to end it. Also, every time she laughed or thought something was cute, she snuggled closer to me. Her arms had at one point circled my arm, pulling herself even closer. This nearness made me nervous, and the butterflies that erupted in my stomach made me so giddy that it wouldn't take much to trigger a giggle.
Her feet were right beside mine under the duvet, and I wanted so badly to tangle them together. To wove us together, throw the computer away and turn around in her arms, to hold her tight. The sudden thought made my left hand ball into a fist, and I had to take two deep breaths to calm my libido. Whoa, libido?
These unsafe thoughts filled me with a need to run, to get away from her, this island and everything along with it. I freezed next to her, and she probably noticed. I scolded myself for making things so serious inside my head. What happened to light and easy?
But when she turned her head and slightly buried her nose in my skin, along with tracing an invisible pattern on the inside of my elbow, the ice inside my stomach melted again. And I was right back there, laying next to my current favorite person in the world. It was weird, really, I had never had a favorite person, but here she was, wiggling her cute button nose and husky voice and caring touch right into my very heart. And it meant so much more in there, then what my head was ready to admit, to be willing to show. And since I wasn't being true to myself, I dumbly convinced myself that this, her, wasn't going to stain me.
When the fourth or fifth episode was finished and I was about to play the next, she got up and reached for her phone.
"Everything alright?" I asked guardedly.
"Yeah, I'm just thinking that I can't hide forever." she sighs, her whole body seemingly folding into itself.
"Worrying about Katie?"
"I think I best go home and talk to her, make sure she's alright." she gave me half a smile. I swallowed. It was so wrong, she checking that Katie was alright when it should've been the other way around. I held my tongue though, this was none of my business. "Walk me out?" she cutely asked, with a pleading smile.
"'Course" I delightfully replied.
As she turned around on the doorstep, I saw her struggling with her words. I momentarily steeled myself. After her bomb yesterday, it wasn't easy knowing what else was pressing on her mind. After the battle in her eyes were apparently over, she settled her expression on a beaming smile with all kinds of beautiful streaming out of it. She closed the distance between us, and circled her hands around my waist, burying her face in the crook of my neck. I instinctively wrapped my arms around her shoulders, my wish to hold her tight unfolding in front of my eyes. And by God if this wasn't the most heavenly hug. Her soft but firm body felt so good trapped within mine. It felt like she belonged, like we fitted, like this was how it was supposed to be, and this hug was just the first in many. However, I knew this was just her way of showing me what my actions meant to her.
She pulls back slowly, and I notice her chest turning a bit pink. As I meet her eyes again, all I see is warmth.
"Thank you so much, Naoms." she husks. The nickname and the tone of her voice made a beeline into my stomach, filling it with a whirlwind of feelings. I smile meaningfully back to her, while releasing a deep breath. She turns then, disappearing from my front step and my house. With a sigh I turn back to my sanctuary and bury myself in my bed. The pillow she used smells of her. I only sniffed it twice, and it didn't even happen on purpose. I was lost in my thoughts, and suddenly I found myself inhaling her sweet scent. But I didn't want to appear as a stalker, not even before myself, so that was it.
The rest of the day was spent exactly there. Lazing and sleeping and cuddling with Tiger.
Monday morning, and the hangover was still slightly killing me. But the prospect of seeing the gang again made it a bit easier. I was wondering if I, for the first time in my life, was growing into a clique of friends. I was also surprised to realize that it wasn't so shit that I'd imagined, and I couldn't even point out what it was. Maybe it was the isolation of the island that drove me into this group.
Cook picked us up as usual, but I didn't exactly participate in his flirting today, my mind going back to Emily. I hadn't talked to her since she went home yesterday, and I hope all was well.
She sat in the canteen with Effy and Freddie when I arrived, talking over a cup of coffee, when I arrived. She looked tired, I noticed. I didn't know if it was because of Katie or because she drank herself half to death saturday. I sat down next to her, in my usual seat as I'd call it, and was about to ask her when Cook got in and ruined it.
"Aaah, if it isn't the infamous muff muncher!" he bawled. I saw Emily physically shrink where she was sitting, and slightly looking around the room to see if anyone noticed it. I guess she didn't want the grown ups to know - so the rumor started blowing everywhere. I felt my blood boil, Cook always made a mess of everything.
"Fuck off, tosser!" I snarl back at him.
"Whoa, Blondie! What got into your knickers over the weekend?" he sits down at the end of the table.
"Certainly not you." I roll my eyes, and he bursts out into his exaggerated laugh. Freddie and even Effy laughed along with him. I chanced a glance at Emily, and she looked at me with a grateful face, mouthing a 'thanks'.
"Good one." Freddie smash his hand on his thigh.
I move a bit closer to Emily with my chair, slightly turning to face her.
"Everything okay at home?" I whisper. She eyes me carefully before mirroring my position.
"Not really, but I think it'll get better." she sadly smiles at me.
"Ah yeah, I forgot to tell you, birdies!" Cook started again. I sighed. Could I ever get a moment?
"This weekend we're keeping up the good tradition with the mainland party! Get ready to go mental!"
"What do you mean?" I asked. Effy answered for him.
"Every year the gang travels to the mainland, rent a couple of cabins and party the whole weekend. You're joining too."
"I am?" I asked surprised.
"'Course you are." Emily smiled. "I wouldn't go without you." she adorably stated.
"I guess I am then." I smiled, gazing into her eyes before turning back to Effy. "So, give me the details."
"I'll tell you next break, we need to start working now." she nodded and got up. I followed suit and prayed I would be near Emily this period, wishing to lighten her mood.
I worked alongside Freddie in packing, but it was alright, because I had a good view down to where Emily was sorting through fillets. It was a slow period, exactly what I needed on a monday morning.
In the following breaks we discussed the upcoming weekend. We were renting two cabins, boys in one and girls in one. I didn't really see the point of doing it like that considering Effy and Freddie obviously being a couple, but it was apparently a tradition, and everyone slept everywhere anyhow. I would share room with Effy, Panda and Lara would be in one, and the twins in the last. We would travel friday afternoon and arrive late. Effy would drive the girls, except Lara who had her own car, and JJ would drive the boys.
The cabins were situated in a small village by the sea, and the lot knew a lot of people there. And it was apparently great opportunities to get some real drugs, which made Cook and Effy enthusiastic. The previous years had been legendary, and Cook was certain that this year was going to be even better as he planned to land himself a threesome. I saw Emily scrunch up her face at this.
When I later asked Emily what these parties really were like, she shook her head a bit and smiled to herself.
"It's really a shagaton where everyone is with everyone. Not me though, I don't find shagging randoms so enthralling. Plus I wasn't out back then. But it's a nice place, Homde, where the cabins are. It's nice to get away, and the people there are alright to hang with. I think it'll be fun." she nudged me and turned back to the fish.
When I got home that night I instantly fell asleep on the couch and woke up only to watch a late night documentary about fishing in the middle ages with Kieran. It was shit, but I wasn't about to move or open my mouth to speak. The weekend had it's toll on me, and being a newbie at the industry, I guess it was only to be expected that I was exhausted.
Tuesday was by far better until I found out I was on the list to fucking clean the whole production. Which meant overtime and late hours. Luckily Emily and Thomas was also on the list, so I wasn't clueless and alone. Me and Emily had bantered and teased each other all day, and it didn't stop by there. When I did something wrong, or didn't clean something 'right' she criticized me with a glint in her eyes, and I just huffed back and did it again.
I was tired and ready for bed and when Emily again smirked at me and pointed at a spot I missed I couldn't hold back anymore and turned the hose directly at her. She screamed and gasped at the cold water, trying to cover herself.
"You did not just do that!" she looked at me stunned, everything dripping wet. She held her arms out to the side and bowed her head to inspect her soaked clothes. I doubled over in laughter, barely able to breathe at the hilarious sight that was a drenched and furious redhead. Then she directed her angry eyes at me, and my laughter died immediately.
"Oh, you better be afraid Campbell!" she shrieked as she threw herself after me, wrestling me to get the hose.
"Let go!" I yell back, trying to steer the water beam away from myself.
"Keep dreaming!" then she gripped around the hand I was holding the hose with, coming face to face with me. She was really close. I could trace a droplet on her chin with my eyes. Her face was really pretty glistening with wetness. Her eyes travelled down to my mouth and she lifted herself on her toes to become level with me. Her closeness made my knees go weak, and all I wanted in that moment was to get her even closer. She closed her eyes and leaned in, and that was it, all the muscles in my body turned to mush, becoming useless. Just when I'm about to shut my eyes and give in to her, I feel her hands tighten around the hose and turn it against me.
Instead of meeting her lips I get a big splash in my face. I gasp in shock at the sudden impact. She wrench the hose free from my hands and drench the whole of me, like I did with her.
"You bitch!" I blindly call out, as I wipe my eyes. I hear her chuckling as she throw away the hose and disappears out of sight.
"Ahem." I hear behind me, and turn around to Doug trying to look strict. He's not really pulling it off, but he is our boss after all. "Everything alright?" he eyes me skeptically.
"Yeah. I mean, yes sir!" then I bow to him, yes, fucking bow. When I realize what I've done I quickly straighten up, looking mildly embarrassed. "We're soon finished." I nod, and turn on my heels, decided that I would go find Emily and fucking kill her.
She was hiding behind a machine, holding her stomach as she tried not to laugh out loud. I gave her the best scowl I could muster, my face still red from the embarrassment with Doug and my heart still hammering from our almost-kiss.
"You fucking bowed to Doug!" she stammered out, through her ragged breath.
"Shut it, you! You threw me off!" I cross my arms, trying to look deeply pissed off. But who could be pissed off at the little cute person in front of me. I felt my mouth twitch at the sound of her laughter.
"Yeah, your face when you thought I was going to kiss you!" she pointed at me while grinning through her tears, a result of her maniac laughing. I rolled my eyes.
"Fuck off." I shake my head, wishing to wipe the last five minutes out of existence.
"You make it so easy." she was suddenly close and dragged her finger around my waist before she chuckled again and went back to work. I felt my cheeks heaten up. Did she have any idea of what she was doing to me? When I spotted the smirk she sported the rest of the day, I was fairly certain that she did.
Last break wednesday me and Emily was having a heated discussion on what dish containing eggs were the best when Effy got a text.
"I'm telling you, I make the best scrambled eggs in the history of scrambled eggs!" she exclaimed, waving with her hands, eyes all crazy.
"Nah, I've smelled those you bring to work. Seriously, my hangover omelette beats everything."
"But you haven't tasted them," she took a big scoop up with her fork "try it." she held it to my mouth.
"Hey guys!" Effy interrupted. Emily disappointedly lowered the food. "Panda says that we have to go bathing after work, and that she won't take no for an answer."
"Nooo! I'm cleaning today!" Cook threw her arms up in the air.
"Me too." JJ nodded from the corner of the table.
"Sorry, guys." Effy said while texting on her phone, but not with a hint empathy in it.
"Yeah, sorry indeed," Cook turned to me "Shame I won't see you in your bikini." he smirked and wiggled his eyebrows at me. I shook my head and snickered, actually pleased I would escape a perving Cook.
Emily tensed beside me, before she directed Effy. "Where are we going?"
"Oh, just outside the store."
"Fine." she nodded, and went back to munching her eggs.
I smiled to myself as I thought back to yesterday. After the almost-kiss, I was certain that our easiness would be broken and everything would become awkward. So I acted really tense around her until she rolled her eyes in the common dressing room, nudged me in the ribs with a chuckle and announced that she would show me the best dish in the world tomorrow, or rather today. I accepted that the almost-kiss was just a distraction from her to get back at me, to throw me off, and I hope that she interpreted my reaction as exactly that. I wouldn't want her to believe in something more, because really, it wasn't.
After I got home and changed into a bikini and forbid mum to join us after her many pleas, I flung on a light summer blouse and grabbed a towel before heading over to the dock outside the store. It was just Effy, Freddie and Thomas there when I arrived.
"Ah, you look beautiful Naomi." Thomas greeted politely as I stepped towards them. They sat on some tables, sunbathing and waiting. I couldn't help to remark that his compliments were much more tasteful than Cooks.
"Thanks Thomas. Where are the rest?"
"They're on they way." Effy answers without even rising to acknowledge my presence. I positioned myself beside her, taking of my blouse to gather some sunlight on my white body. Working inside under the powerful white lightbulbs did unfortunately not give me a color to brag about. And I wanted to look good in my bikini. My new royal blue bikini that is.
Soon the rest of the lot arrived and we gathered around the pier where we could jump. The boys jumped in right away, closely followed by an overenthusiastic Pandora. Emily was standing on the side, taking of her top and shorts, revealing a gorgeous red bikini which presented her curves in the most pleasant way.
I stood on the edge, eyeing the water carefully. I didn't want to run into any of the big fishes we dealt with on work, let alone some monster of an otter or similar beasts. Emily came up to my side, openly perving on my small attire. I smirked, glad I could have such an effect on her. She was after all gay, and if she liked what she saw, I guess I had an okay body.
"I like your bikini." she licked her lips and lifted her eyes to mine after a while.
"You sure it's the bikini you like?" My smirk got wider at the sudden blush creeping up her chest and cheeks. Ha! Got you for yesterday!
Before the situation got even more flirtatious, I felt Thomas grip around my waist and take me with him as he jumped into the sea. I screamed while he laughed. I saw Freddie doing the same with Emily a second later and then I hit the water, which was surprisingly refreshing. I got into a water fight with Thomas as he emerged and played around with the people I had come to like so well.
It was a fun couple of hours, me and Emily usually sticking together. We jumped together while holding hands, and she showed me some of her beautiful dives from higher up. I don't think I've seen anything so arousal as a wet Emily gliding through the air, all fit, and breaking the surface perfectly as she hit it. She made me forget how to breathe, both because of satisfying stance and the worry in my chest that she would crash and die, but I always contained myself with whooping and clapping as she emerged from the water. And she was so proud every time.
I had to share my time with Pandora too, who was so excited about me joining them for the weekend. Plus she wanted to show me how to make as big of a splash as possible as she curled herself to a ball when she jumped. And this about a hundred times. At least she was entertaining, and I could always let my gaze wander to another girl while I chatted with her. Usually Emily was already looking at me, giving me a smile as our eyes locked.
When the sun disappeared behind a cloud we decided to go home and rest after the long couple of days. I was sad to leave Emily, and felt stupid for feeling so. I saw her every damn day, fuck sakes. With a pinch to her side, we said our goodbyes, and I went home to collapse beside Tiger.
The time passed quickly, and soon we were situated in the car on our way to Homde. We were already done with one hour ferry ride, and was driving the last bit before we reached our goal. I sat in the backseat next to Katie, with Emily on the other side. Katie talked a hole in my head, and I was mad that I didn't get to sit beside Emily and make fun of all the bizarre things Katie blabbered about.
The relationship between Katie and Emily had recently gotten better. Emily told me that Katie found out some french model she liked really well also was gay, and with that it was okay that Emily was gay, as long as Katie had a say in the girls she would be dating. I rolled my eyes when she told me, thinking about how it was possible to be so shallow.
Katie was also controlling the music, making my head almost do me in. If I heard another Justin Bieber song after today, I would with certainty flank out.
The glances I caught from Emily told me she was in the same situation as me, and I sighed a heavy breath. Weren't we there yet?
"We're here!" Pandora hooted from the front seat.
I looked outside my window. We were driving down from a hill to a cozy looking bay. It weren't many houses, but the houses I saw was big with lovely gardens. It was so many flowers and trees and it smelled more like summer than anything I've ever experienced. As we drove to one side of the bay, I saw a great deal of small cute piers with old looking boats docked up on the way. We drove through a small woodland before arriving at our destination. Pandora shot out of the car right away, and sprinted towards the boys who had already arrived.
When I exited the van, I was immediately met with a smell that was a mixture of forest, flowers and sea. It was quite different from out on the islands, where everything simply smelled of the ocean. It was cozy, and I felt it was more secluded than home. I liked it.
The cabins were situated side by side, not very big, but alright for a weekend. It was porches around both with tables and chairs. Between the houses it was a big outdoor bubble bath. I gasped. This weekend was going to be legendary, I smirked to myself. I followed a stony path around the girl cabin and found that we were close to the sea. Behind a long lawn, there was some big rocks down with the sea. Perfect to sit and read and be quiet, but it wasn't reading I was here for.
"Naomi! We're firing up the grill!" JJ shouted from the patio at the boys cabin. I gave him a smile and felt my stomach roar. A decent meal was just the thing I needed right now.
"I swear it was a hand from a buried body!" Panda practically shouted as she stuffed her face full of steak. We were all sitting at the boys' patio eating supper. Cook was the 'grill master' and JJ and Thomas prepared the side dishes. It was scarcely with seats, so me and Emily were sharing one, the side of our bodies pressed together as we tried to keep balance and eat at the same time. I didn't mind though, keeping her close and feeling her skin was perks I easily could live with. For the rest of my life.
"It was not a dead body, Panda!" Emily laughed, probably been through this conversation already.
"It really was! You didn't feel it! It was right under my head, and it was tickling me through the tent floor!" They talked about one time they'd been camping in the twins garden when they were little. Katie laughed and shook her head.
"It was a bee, we've told you before!" Katie stated. Pandora seemed a bit disappointed that the story seized to be as scary and exciting as she remembered. Thomas sat down next to her with a full plate of food.
"Don't worry Panda, I'm sure it was a hand." he smiled tenderly at her and her infectious grin came back.
"They're cute together." I lean down and whisper in Emily's ear. I feel her shudder a bit. She shifts her mouth a bit closer to me, still keeping an eye on what her cutlery are doing on her plate.
"I think so too. They used to be together." she whispers back.
"What happened?"
"Well … life, and Cook." she shrugs. God, is there any relationships he haven't fucked up?
Suddenly Emily catches herself as she nearly fall off the chair. I reach an arm around her waist and saves her at the last second.
"Easy there."
"It's not my fault you're hogging the whole seat!" she huffs back, scowling at me.
"Gosh, sorry Em! Here, let me fix that face." I dip my thumb in the potato salad and smudge it down her nose. She squeals and swat my hand away.
"You're ruining the whole weekend." she states falsely while removing the potato salad with her pointy finger, licking it clean. I smirk and tentatively reach my hand down on the inside of her thigh, right beside her knee. However that little teasing touch from me made her intake a sharp breath. I smirked as I curl my fingers around her thigh and lifted her foot on top of mine, so she could hook herself in my foot and not fall off the stool. We were both wearing shorts, and the weight of her thigh over mine felt amazing. I thought of other situation her thigh would press down over mine.
"Better?" I give her a sly smile as I see the redness on her neck. She takes a huge gulp out of her beer, before wiping her mouth.
"Better." she smile and peek at me through her eyelashes.
When I finish my fried corn, my hand finds her knee under the table, stroking slightly. I watch her getting a bit flustered as she tries to keep a conversation with Effy going, and smile triumphantly. Effy, with her all-knowing power, gives me a watchful smirk as Emily gets more and more short breathed by the minute. I move my fingers slightly to the inside of her thigh, not too high up mind you, and when it's about to get interesting and out of hand I get interrupted. I don't know whether to thank or kill the person.
"Hi guys!" an unknown voice from a girl I've never seen standing outside the fence.
"Karen! Fucking hell!" Cook yells and throw away his spatula to run and scoop her up into a big hug. "Fucking missed you, doll!" he gives her a big kiss on her cheek.
Karen is here. And I think I'll kill the person. I look to Emily and her shocked exterior. Oh no.
"Hi Cook, long time no see." she politely oblige to his violent reaction, before scanning the crowd, greeting everyone. Her gaze stops at Emily before a pleased smile spread across her face.
"Em!" she greets.
"Hi Karen." Emily husks out, getting smaller and less confident than how I know her.
"Let's take a walk, I need to talk to you." she motions for Emily to come.
"What, now?"
"Yes, now. I missed ya, come on. I'll bring some beers." she snatches some beers that was situated on the fence.
Emily clumsily gets up from where she was halfway sitting on my lap, just managing not to knock over the table. Then she moves over to Karen, whom flings an arm around her little body, drawing her closer. I feel my jaw tighten at the sight as they wander further and further away from the cabins, eventually disappearing behind some trees. My body gets more and more uptight for every moment that passes. Karen fucking hurt her, and she don't deserve her. I pray with all my being that nothing happens - just because I don't want to see Emily hurt, of course.
Someone snaps their fingers in front of my face, breaking me from my scowling. "What?" I irritated and sharply bite back.
"Whoa, I surrender!" Effy holds her hands up in mock defeat, "Just wondering if we should pack out and decide what to wear tonight." her eyes tells me that she just wants to talk to me alone though.
"Yeah, sure." I answer, sending a last glance where Emily went.
"You know, you staring out that window won't bring her back any sooner." Effy smartly states from the bed in the room. It was a double bed and an okay sized room. We walked through a decent dining room with a big comfy looking sofa along with a telly and some chairs.
I scoff, moving away from the window to lay beside her. "I don't know what you mean." I decided playing dumb was the best choice here, but I clearly forgot who I was up against. She lightly punches my arm. "Ouch, what was that for?" I scowl at her.
"Stop being a brat. They have a lot to talk about, to figure out." she says in a voice lacking of emotions. My blood freezes. Talk about getting back together or just regular catching up? Please let it be the catching up option.
I grabbed the pillow from behind my head and crushing my face into it with a groan. "Freddie told me about them, I don't want Emily to get hurt again, that's all."
"The tides have changed." Effy lights up a cigarette. I momentarily contemplate to put it out, it was probably not allowed to smoke in here, but her obscure answer made my common senses disappear.
"Not this shit again! Talk to me like a human Effy Stonem!" I turn to look at her, leaning on my elbow.
"I just meant that Karen is the person with the power to hurt Emily anymore, it's changed." she blows out a long steady stream of smoke right into my face. I cough and swat it away.
"Cheers." I sarcastically shoot back, and snort a bit. "How can you be so calm about it?"
"Can't you just admit you're a tiny bit jealous?" she questions back instead. I scoff again. Having serious talks with Effy was not fun, she always cornered you with her words.
"I'm not." I weakly say into the room.
"Wow, now I'm convinced." she raises her eyebrows at me.
And I think about it. I've never been jealous in my whole life, so how could I know that this was jealousy? It could just as easy be worry about my friend.
"It's not only worrying you're feeling." Effy answers my thoughts.
"And how do you know?"
"Just nod if I'm right," she mirrors my position. "You've thought about kissing Emily." I open my mouth to protest but she holds her hand up to my mouth and dares me "Truth."
I glance nervously around the room but in the end figuring she probably already knew my inner secrets. With a gulp, I nod weakly. She smirks, pleased.
"You enjoy being around Emily, more than anyone else." I nod again.
"You got thoroughly shocked when she came out as gay, but not because you're homophobic, but because that would mean there was a possibility of another reality you're currently too afraid to think about." I nod again, getting a bit tired of this game.
"And if she was to get back together with Karen it would kill you, because then maybe you didn't matter as much to her as she does to you." I let out a shaky breath, letting the statement sink in. Realizing she hit the nail spot on, I gasp.
"Oh my god, I am jealous." my eyes widens.
"No shit, Sherlock. You're so dense you almost beat Pandora." she takes another drag of her cigarette, being as together and careless as at the start of the conversation. I feel the panic spread to every ounce of my body.
"Naomi!" she grabs my face with both her hands, holding my attention. "Promise me one thing." I dumbly nod. "This weekend, don't think, don't fret and don't freak. I know you have a habit of over thinking, but not everything you do needs a corresponding worry-moment. Just this weekend, go with your feelings and your gut." I nod again.
"No Naomi, this weekend is all about letting loose, it's always been. So you need to promise me to step out of your comfort zone."
I gulp, staring deep into her mysterious eyes. "I promise."
"Good." she licks her lips, "'cause I think I've got something you would like." then she magically slip a bag of pills out of her sleeve.
"I see JJ is not the only one with tricks." I smirk, excited to feel the impact of the drugs as soon as possible. She slips one out and lays it on her tongue, daring me to get it.
"What, no! Don't make me do that!" I scrunch up my face. She chuckles, swallowing her pill. Then she offers me one.
"Fine, I'll let that one go. But with Emily, you need to be brave." she nods seriously to me, before laying back down on her back, waiting for the rush to kick in.
After about half an hour, where we've told each other of everyone we've ever slept with (well, I only included those I remember) she drops a bomb.
"Ah, yeah, and then there was Cook, before Freddie, and it's been Freddie ever since."
I sit up, looking startled at her. "Cook?!"
"Don't be so shocked. Freddie hadn't even moved out here, and he was a good shag. It wasn't so fun when he fell in love with me though." she shrugs.
"But really, Cook?" I couldn't wrap my head around it.
"Yeah yeah, get the illusion out of your head, 'cause I'm going to shock you even more." she smirks, knowing she'll get my attention now.
"How can you possibly do that?"
"By telling you everyone on this island that I've snogged. Well, those you already know exists."
"Yeah?" I prop myself up on the pillow, laying on my stomach facing her.
"Yes. So Freddie and Cook, obviously." I nod. "Then there was a couple of boys a bit older you don't know. I'll point them out for you sometime though. And JJ, -"
"JJ?" I gasp.
"And Emily."
"What?!" I fully sit up, staring incredulous at her.
"It wasn't sexual at all. It was a party after she came out to me, and she wanted to be sure she was gay. I just kind of helped her. But it was just a favor and it only lasted for a minute. And it was only that one time." she ensures me, weirdly happy with my reaction.
"I think I've been told too much for one night." I shake my head, getting up. "Should we join the others?" I ask, gripping the door handle. I was very anxious to find out if Emily was back yet, it had been a while.
"I'll be right there." she waves me off.
As I enter the living room, I find Pandora and Thomas playing a drinking game with some cards that involves some bizarre hand motions and facial expressions. I stare weirdly at them for a couple of seconds before letting it go. I was feeling the drugs, and wanted to let loose. Preferably with Emily.
"Is Emily back?"
Pandora swiftly turns around and grins when she sees me. "Naomi, bonkers! I don't think so… But you wanna play with us?"
"Sorry, later yeah?" I answer as nicely and noncommittal as I muster, before moving towards the patio doors. I notice that it had become slightly dark outside and it was a soft breeze in the air. I was about to turn to the boys' cabin as a flash of red catched my eye. There, down with the sea at the rocks, sat Emily and looked over the bay. Alone. I smiled happily and made my way down to her, a light spring in my step. Oh the drugs had kicked in alright.
"Em!" I yell when I'm getting within hearing distance, she turns and give me a big smile.
"Naoms, come and sit with me." she slurs a bit. She's probably a bit drunk, and when I sit down next to her, I see her eyes are a bit blurred and her cheeks have a permanent redness staining them. She looks so adorable and confused?
"So, what did Karen want then?" I cut right to the core of my thoughts.
"Well, basically she wants us to get back together. Yeah, we had a thing last summer." she waves her hand in the air. My throat tightens up. This was exactly what I was afraid of. I let out a shaky breath, inching my hand closer to her where she sat.
"What did you say?" There was so much nerves in my in my voice, that I was certain she could hear it. She gave me a curious look before answering.
"I said I didn't want to."
I released a long and revealed breath, leaning back on my hands, the sea breeze suddenly feeling refreshing and lovely on my skin as I tipped my chin to the sky. She didn't want Karen. I think I turned religious right there and then. She raised an eyebrow at me, clearly trying to understand why I was so tense about it.
"And what did she say to that?"
"She said that if I genuinely didn't want to, she would back off, but if there was someone else she would fight for me."
I brought my hands to my lap, fiddling and twisting them together. My next question could change everything, but I needed to know. Not knowing if our teasing was harmless was killing me, as Effy said.
"And is there? Someone else, I mean." My eyes darts everywhere, but when I hear her take a sharp intake through her nose, I turn and meets her now familiar eyes which is boring into mine. They glinted of something before she lent a bit closer to me.
"You tell me." her voice is deep and husky, like I've never heard it before. It sends a shiver down my spine, as I also lean into her. Her eyes are almost black as they dart down to my mouth, before slightly closing.
I think about kissing her then as I slowly move my face towards hers. But that would be entirely too easy and giving. I change direction and brushes my nose along her cheek towards her ear. She quietly gasps.
"Don't tell her to fight for you." I mouth into her ear, before removing myself quickly, leaving her high and dry. I don't meet her gaze, I don't touch any other part of her, I just turn around and start walking away, making sure my hips are swaying in a suggesting gesture. I smile in triumph. 1-0 Campbell.
.
God, I'm such a tease.
What do you want to happen this legendary weekend? It's bound to be interesting with the girls and Karen around right? Stay tuned.