Again thanks to those who have read and reviewed. I'd appreciate more reviews as I'd welcome feedback to help me improve my writing.
There's no story to this chapter. You know when you're in love with someone and you share even the littlest things together, things that no one else knows or gets to see? This is what I've tried to capture here. Hopefully people will like it.
I'd not spent as much time with Naomi in the week since our argument at the party. It's not that things had shifted between us, we were still happy, I just wanted to make sure that I wasn't smothering her. That morning after the party, Naomi had assured me that everything was okay, that she was just being like that as she was drunk. I believed her, but part of me wanted to hold back slightly and give her a little space over the next few days, I know she was grateful, though she'd never say it to me. We actually spent most of that day repeatedly apologising to each other, knowing that it was unnecessary but both feeling the need to reiterate the point and reaffirm our feelings. That was until Naomi suggested that there were more interesting ways to show our love for each other. She really does have the hormones of a teenage boy at times, not that I'd complain.
My phone ringing on my pillow took me from my current train of thought. I sat up and reached for it, grinning as I seen her name flashing on the screen.
"Hey," I answered.
"Hey you. What are you up to?" She asked. I smiled, realising I'd missed her voice.
"Sitting on my bed, pretending to watch TV. I was actually just thinking about you."
"Yeah? What were you thinking about Ems?" I'm sure she was smiling too at this point, I could hear it in her voice.
"You and your teenage boy hormones," I laughed into the handset as I said this.
"Hah, you know you love it really. Are you up to anything tonight? Wondered if you wanted to stay over?"
"Yeah definitely. It's been a few days since I stayed Naomi." It had been too many in fact.
"5 days Ems," she sighed.
"Fuck, 5? That's a long time for us, I can't say no can I?" Not that I would have said no to her.
"Yep. One thing though. We're staying elsewhere tonight."
"What? Where exactly?" I asked somewhat confused, wondering where we could be staying.
"I'm not saying. Get your stuff ready and come over about 8. See you later. I love you." She hung up quickly, not giving me time to reply.
...
It was nice. Peaceful. The sky was red, the evening sun slowly setting in front of us. We were sat on a familiar blanket, one which held so many memories for us both, some good, some bad. Naomi had her legs crossed, next to me, gazing intently at the sky. A mild breeze occasionally swept her white blonde hair across her face.
"I can't believe you are making us sleep out here when there is a perfectly comfortable bed inside," I said with a playful tone, pouting and pretending to be in a huff.
"Yeah well, I thought it would do us good to get away for a bit," she replied, brushing a stray hair away from her eyes.
"Babe, we're in your back garden. Hardly away, is it?"
"I guess not, but it's different."
"I hope it stays dry, I'm not really confident in that old tent protecting us from the elements." I said nodding towards the torn blue tent Naomi had expertly pitched behind us.
"I'll protect you from the elements," she said with a smile before pressing a gentle kiss onto my clothed shoulder.
I watched as Naomi leaned forward and pulled a battered tin out of her bag. She opened it and produced a spliff, before turning and handing it to me. I smiled and held her gaze for a second.
"Wanna do blowbacks Naoms?"
"If you want to shag me, you don't have to use that line anymore," she said winking.
"If I recall correctly, you were the one who kissed me," I said fiddling with the lighter, trying to light the spliff.
"That's because I couldn't not kiss you. I just couldn't. Can't explain it really." She placed her hand on my thigh, squeezing it slightly, gazing at the sky again.
It was the first time we'd spoken of our first night together. The painful memories were now distant for me, overtaken by new happy memories. I hadn't realised that I'd also pushed back the good things that had happened that night, I'd never shared with her how I felt about it all. She knew though.
"I don't think I've ever been so scared in my life as I was that night. I was fucking terrified," I said as I inhaled deeply, allowing the smoke to fill my lungs.
"You didn't seem it. It was perfect, you were perfect. What happened between us that night was beautiful." She reached for the joint and took a draw, inhaling deeply before laying back onto the blanket.
"You weren't so bad yourself you know." I leant back down to lie beside her on the blanket.
"I know. I was scared too. I've never wanted anything in my life as much as I wanted you that night. I can't describe it," she said taking another draw.
"You don't have to describe it. I know what you felt. I still feel it." I reached over and linked my fingers with hers, still gazing at the sky.
...
The sky was now dark. We were still lying in the same position, on the blanket with our fingers linked. Neither uttering a word for a long time, neither of us felt the need to. It was a comfortable silence, just enjoying being with each other, relaxing together, being next to each other.
"It's getting late," I said, breaking the silence reluctantly.
"Did you bring your pyjamas Ems?" She asked with a slight laugh.
"Course I did. Why, what's funny?" I replied turning to look at her, raising an eyebrow slightly.
"It's just you. I mean I can have you naked, breathless and covered in sweat, but you always reach for something to sleep in afterwards, to cover up," she said facing me, her lips curving into a smile.
"Just habit I guess," I said with a shrug.
"I like it. It's part of you. Part of you that only I know." Naomi rolled onto her back again, gazing up to the sky.
"You've got your habits too you know. Every time I stay with you, I always wake up with your fingers tracing gentle circles over my bare stomach. I think you do it absent minded, in your sleep sometimes." I watched her eyes close and her exhale a soft breath, smiling slightly.
"This is why I wanted to be out here," she sighed, her eyes opening again.
"What, so you can make fun of my sleeping habits?" I asked, somewhat confused.
"No," she said firmly. "Look at the sky Ems, look at the stars."
I turned onto my back and looked toward the sky.
"Look at them Ems. Whenever I felt alone, I used to look at them. It made me feel better, knowing that I wasn't the only person in the world looking at them. Made me feel less lonely. Do you get that?" she asked.
"Yeah, I think so," I said, taken back slightly by her honesty.
"They are there every night. I don't know the names of the constellations, but I recognise them. They are familiar, something I know," she sighed again.
"Naomi, why are you telling me this? Do you feel lonely right now?" I asked quietly, perhaps afraid of what her answer could be.
"I haven't been lonely for a long time Emily. You should know that, you have to trust that. I wanted to share this with you as it's beautiful, amazing almost."
She turned onto her side, to face me. I rolled over and met her gaze, her blue eyes under the moonlight.
"You're a sensitive soul, aren't you Campbell?" I said, reaching over and gently placing my hand on her cheek.
"Yeah, yeah I am," she said smiling into my touch. "Come on, I think it's time to get some sleep," she said lifting herself off the blanket and reaching out to help me up.
We walked over to the small tent and got in before zipping it up behind us. Naomi had placed a thin cover on the floor for us to lie on, with the duvet from her bed on top, pulled back at the corner. I undressed and changed into a long t-shirt, predictably, and Naomi undressed fully. She pulled back the duvet and climbed in, gesturing for me to do the same at my side. I leaned over towards her, placing a long tender kiss to her lips before turning around and sliding my body back against hers. Naomi wrapped her naked body around me from behind, letting me fall asleep in a familiar warmth.