Author's Note: A look at post- Roundview to see where Naomi and Emily have got – and whether they have a future together.

Naomi is in her second year at Goldsmiths having made the break from Bristol, rarely going back after her split with Emily. She's moved into a house with three girls from her English group and all seems to be fine until she gets a disturbing text from Katie!

dont ignore this naomi. emilys not well and you know why. were really worried and youve got to help – you owe it to her

Naomi stared at her phone half imagining it as some joke –then realising that no one else at Goldsmiths knew about her past in Bristol let alone what had happened 16 month ago in her first term. She knew it would never work – a long distance relationship with someone who was content to stay at home with their parents when there was a whole new world of ideas to explore at uni. Then she had relented and Emily had come down to London to see her – secretly – was she ashamed of Emily in front her new friends? It all seemed so long ago now – she had tried to forget, yet guilt at the way she had treated Emily kept rearing up and now…

Christ – what do I have to do here? That bitch Katie won't leave this alone. What is she expecting me to do – go to Bristol? See Emily down here? These thoughts raced through Naomi's head as her tutor drew the seminar on Madame Bovary to a close.

"If you could do something on Emma's dilemma that I referred to – next Monday would be good. Oh, and Naomi could I have a word please."

Oh shit, what does he want? Naomi's thoughts went back to Kieran at Roundview when he had kissed her – why did she attract these pathetic creeps - couldn't they spot she was gay? What did she have to do – shag a girl in front of him or what?

"You seemed a bit preoccupied at the moment Naomi – not like you at all – is everything OK? You're usually so alive in these sessions – I rely on you to keep things moving, no one else does."

"Well actually Chris if you must know my period's due soon and I feel rather crap – shall I tell you about it?"

"Err no, I'm err sorry, err sorry hope you feel better."

Naomi could feel the heat from his face as he turned away.

Well that worked didn't it mused Naomi as she gathered up her things and made her way out towards the refectory.

"Hi Beth, are you staying?" Naomi put her tray down and flopped onto the seat beside her closest friend – a beautiful, but sadly straight petite blonde who she had met on her first day in Freshers Week all that time ago. Even Beth didn't know about Emily, but who else could she confide in? Of course she had come out a long time ago and openly declared it at Goldsmiths – but some things….

"Heh, you look like Monday rather than Friday Naomi – what's up?"

"Oh, some stuff from back home that's bugging me – I thought I'd be safe from that here – but, heh, that's the magic of a mobile isn't it!"

"Tell me about it – no I really mean that – is it your mum again – is she still with Kieran?"

"Yeh, they're still at it all the time, no, its some other things that I'd thought I'd left behind. It was meant to be a new start but then you can never quite let go of some things and then they just nag away at you demanding your attention at all the wrong times."

"Well I'm good at listening as you know – and I'm not going to jump on you to console you am I?"

"Well that would be rather nice, if you ever did fancy a bit of a break from shagging Dave…"

They dissolved into laughter.

"So come on, tell me what's up, you know I'm not going to let this go."

Christ, Katie and now Beth. Well it wasn't hard to decide which one was going to be a softer shoulder – that bitch Katie was never going to hear the truth from her – she would only use it against her some time in the future. Whereas Beth was so into Dave that she could give a pretty unbiased opinion on something and then leave it – just what you wanted at times like this. Or was it?

Naomi hesitated. Then decided.

"I need a bit of time to sort that lot out" said Beth, as Naomi finished telling her about the whole sad (her word) story – the quiet drink in the bar away from uni., the completely unexpected arrival of four of her English group, her lies about her being her cousin when Emily was at the bar, the confusion when Emily had tried to kiss her and the ensuing argument outside that led to words that would forever be thrown at her –"you wouldn't fit in here Emily, honestly, you would feel outside it all."

"So that's it. Now you know the real me don't you. A real shit when it suits me. Wrecking someone's life because I didn't appreciate what was important. She was a lovely caring person and I just chucked her away like an old sock or something because I thought my new friends here would look down on her. What's worse is that Laura said later that she was really nice and not like some of the pretentious twats at Goldsmiths. Christ Beth – and now the text from Katie bloody Fitch!"

"Do you actually know what's wrong with her Naomi – you said Katie hadn't been very clear."

"I've a fair idea that if katie's blaming me it's not going to be appendicitis is it? I'm going to have to find out – I'll text mum to see if she's heard anything."

Ten minutes later Naomi's phone bleeped with a text from her mother.

So nice to hear from you darling, though some news would have been nice. Emily's suffering from depression but I don't know any more – when did you last see her? Kieran sends his love. Mum

"Well," said Beth, "does that make you feel better or worse?"

If Naomi had not had her back to her, Beth would have seen tears starting to roll down her cheeks.

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