Title: Ghost You Know (5/5)

By: a_lil_nothing

Rating: PG w/ some language.

Summary: Emily, Naomi, & Katie in middle school.

Notes: 1) Could be considered a prequel to A Comet Appears. Some of the same characters are here. This takes place before the start of series 3 (when they're in middle school) so in this universe I guess series 3 is the sequel. 2) I've changed my narrative to a sort of first person. Just trying it out. Let me know if it works or doesn't work. 3) Feedback is always appreciated. Thanks to everyone that left feedback on my other fics and favorited them. This fic included. 4) Not beta-ed so please point out mistakes and such so that I may correct them.

Since you all know how this will end- like mentioning the ship sank when talking about the Titanic- I've toyed with the thought about making this a 'choose your own adventure' where this could be one of two endings where the reader has the power to decide where the story goes. I guess it'll be up to your feedback. But, happy thoughts!!! because we know how series 3 ended so, yay!

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Ghost You Know

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Naomi's POV

Katie had grabbed Emily and absconded with her once we came back to the party. As for me, Lucy came up from behind and hugged me tight. Not a very smart idea since we were both shitfaced and almost lost our balance. I wanted to yell at her- the girl knew I hated it when she did things like that but she never cared. Personal space was personal for a reason, I always told her. Just because she was sloshed didn't mean the rules were no longer applicable. Scolding her wouldn't have mattered anyway and so I let her drag me off to dance a few.

Lucy and Amy had been the first people I'd met in Bristol (during a political rally of course) and we became fast friends. We had a lot in common besides the drugs and protesting but the two of them were best friends already and I sometimes felt like a kangaroo's tail around them. Good thing I was comfortable ignoring people around me. Although, not Emily for some reason. I'd wanted to pretend like I hadn't heard her call out to me earlier but it just felt wrong somehow- even after our 'disagreement' in the library. I couldn't help but think how nice those few minutes with her outside had been, like we were becoming friends. It was nice, just talking. I could tell from her expression she felt the same way.

After dancing, I gazed around the room for her and looked on as Emily talked to a boy I'm pretty sure Katie had thrust her way. He seemed one of those action men that all they did was talk sports. Not her type- not that I knew what her type was, mind you. Just not him, I guess. I saw Emily chug her drink and smile a phony smile at him. I had to stop myself from chuckling seeing I was right.

Amy had given me another cup of booze and it was getting to me. The drugs too… The rotten music… The idiot in front of me talking way too closely. I was pretty sure I was almost backed up all the way to the wall unit trying to step away from him. "Look, eh…" The fact he'd told me his name two minutes ago did not matter. My memory was not working properly at the moment. Amy's marijuana was that excellent.

"Josh." He answered.

"Right, Josh." I looked over at where Emily had been but saw she was now heading towards the kitchen. I downed the alcopop in one gulp, burning my throat as it progressed to my stomach. "I'm going to get another drink. Excuse me."

By the time I got to Emily she was pouring vodka into her cup. A lot of it. She raised the red plastic cup to me in salute and grinned before taking a long swallow. How she was not entirely off her face was beyond me. I would not want to play a drinking game with that girl. Definitely not.

After finishing the liquid off, her brown eyes connected with me again. I just gaped at her wondering if any minute now the realization of what she'd just done would sink in. But, no, she simply poured herself another one for herself and one for me. She handed me my drink and we looked at each other in silence. Just as we were about to chug it down together we began to laugh. It took a few seconds to let the giggles out and gain our composure.

She smiled again, crossed the invisible barrier of my personal territory, and that's when Emily Fitch grabbed the back of my neck with her free hand to pull my head close. Real close. Our lips connecting close. I didn't realize what was happening until I felt my body move forward, my feet almost tripping over themselves, alcohol spilling on my clothes. My upper body was towering over her, probably due to the fact I was taller and Emily's deft hands continued to bring my body impossibly close to hers. She was one strong, tiny girl I fuzzily thought. Or, I was too pissed to stand properly.

Her lips tasted like chapstick and cigarettes and vodka. They were thinner than most boys I'd kissed- not that there were that many to compare her to- and tasted much sweeter. I'd seen Lucy and Amy randomly kiss each other a few times when they were off their gourds and it was always a laugh afterwards. I didn't have a large spectrum of knowledge on friendly things and figured this was what most girls got up to most of the time when blokes weren't around.

One must have entered the kitchen because I heard a: "Brill! Katie! Check it! Your sister is a lezza!" yelled out by a masculine voice.

That should have woken me up from the Emily fog I was in but it didn't. Katie entered the kitchen and yelled obscenities my way as she violently yanked me away from her twin. It made our lips pop. I was completely dazed, dizzy, and held on to the counter Katie had pushed me into. She looked about ready to murder me. It was only the person holding Katie back that stopped her from doing so. "What-" I didn't know what the fuck to say.

As she looked over at her sister, I kept my eye on Emily and saw it play on her face. The confusion. The horror. Emily touched her lips and then gazed straight at me, her eyes watering up. I knew instantly she was frightened of Katie- of her reaction, of what she would do. I dumbly watched as she pleaded with her twin. "It was nothing, Katie. Let's just go." I was feeling beyond nauseous now and ready to puke- the alcohol, the drugs, the out of the ordinary situation I found myself in.

"Nothing?!" Katie screamed in the corridor. I could vaguely make out what they were saying. "Her muff diving hands were all over you. Not to mention lips. You don't know where those have been. Fucking hell. Drink some alcohol to kill the microbes or something."

My hands had been all over her? How'd they get there? I didn't remember doing that.

"She's just done in. She didn't mean it." I'm pretty sure my features scrunched up at that moment. I wanted to correct her. After all, Emily had been the one to grab my neck, the one to pull me close, the one to kiss me. "It's fine, Katie." Emily implored.

But it wasn't fine. Emily was… lying. She was blaming everything on me. What a deceitful little slag. At least Katie was up front about it. I knew she was scared but… I shook my head in disbelief. Bad idea. That just made me dizzier.

I precariously pushed myself off the counter and headed out the kitchen. "Excuse me." I said, passing the twins in the corridor horribly sick to my stomach. I needed the loo and fast. "Have a nice summer, Emily," I said as casually as possible, not bothering to look at her. If I never saw her ever again, either of them really, it'd be fine by me.

Emily's POV

The way she said it, half between a mumble and a disappointed sigh, devastated me. Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! As soon as Naomi was out of view I looked over at Katie- still mouthing off- and clocked her one good. I knew I'd never win this fight but did it anyway. It'd been a long time coming.

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Fin