Hello again lovelies.

Disclaimer: Skins is unfortunately not mine

Chapter 4: Long live the queen

Naomi PoV

With the weekend a storm came along. According to Kieran the weather pattern here was highly bipolar, and I shouldn't trust the weather report at all. It apparently changed quicker than my moods, so supposedly often. I took it as an insult of course, and punished them with the lack of my fantastic company for an entire fortnight, hiding in my room with Tiger.

The storm resulted in me not setting a foot outside the door for days, using my time to unpack and decorate my new bedroom. The nights were long, because the wind ripped in the house in a way that made it sound like I was in a sailing ship. Tiger was also howling all night, being too small to understand that no, we weren't about to get murdered by the loud noise.

Needless to say, the beautiful brown-eyed girl was not at the front of my mind anymore, and I tried to keep the occasional thoughts about her to a minimum. It worked, to an extent.

Monday night my mum found me sprawled on the sofa in the living room reading an article about a terrible zoo in Indonesia on my iPad. The blasts of wind outside had finally started to subside, so the house, and therefore the sofa, fortunately wasn't rocking anymore. She lifted my legs, sat down, and draped my legs over her lap.

"So how are you settling in, love?" she started stroking my legs. I shaked her off.

"Just fine." I answered nonchalantly.

She sighed and tried to pet me again. I had none of it, sat up and tucked my feet under my bum.

"I was thinking of getting myself a job, have something to do with myself when Kieran is away at work." she wondered out loud. "What do you think?"

"Whatever makes you happy" I met her eyes for a split second before focusing on the screen again.

"I've talked to Anne about it, and she says they're hiring at the café. You know, the one in the store." I sighed and closed my iPad, aware that I had to do this conversation.

"Right, you can make food. Go for it, then."

"Will you come with me?" she blurted out.

"Come again?"

"I'll go in tomorrow and just need some backup. You don't have to be in the room, just wait outside or something? I'd take Kieran but he mumbled something about going out with the boat to get some lobster … or something." she looked at me with hopeful eyes. I realized she probably was nervous about how the natives were going to take to her, certainly more than I was. It meant more to her.

I gave her half a smile. "Okay." She beamed at me.

The store and café was small and cozy, much in contrast to the intimidating woman standing before me. She was sporting a stern look with her high cheekbones and black hair tied up tight. She eyed me and my mum wearily.

"So, you want to apply for a chef here?" clearly not impressed.

"Yes, I heard you're hiring, and I have great experience from soup kitchens for the poor." my mum, the forever optimist.

"Right." the owner looked even more unamused after this information. "Let's have a chat then" she gestures to a table by the window. I didn't want to be in her presence anymore, so I excused myself to get some fresh air while they discussed payment, work hours and so on.

I placed myself on the dock right outside, looking at the bypassers. Mostly old people, some young adults with kids and a few foreign tourists. People watching was a great way of passing time.

I looked up. The weather had greatly improved, but the sky was still darkly clouded.

"Bonkers!"

A blonde girl with the biggest grin ever was bouncing towards me, with the brunette I saw friday night gracefully following. The look she was giving me was as searching as it was the last time.

"You're new! Hello, I'm Pandora, my friends call me Panda. I'm useless" she held out her hand. I studied her mismatched make up and her two pigtails on either side of her head. Her energy was infectious, and I bit back a laugh at her quirky appearance.

"Nice to meet you, I'm -" "Naomi" the brunette finished for me. I gave her a shocked and questioningly glance. "Cook told me about you" she explained. "I'm Effy." I nodded as a greeting.

"Yes, it's whizzer cool with new people moving to the island" Panda speaks almost too loudly "don't you think, Eff?"

Effy just nods and smirks.

"Anyways, I need to start my shift now, see you later!" Panda walked into the store, leaving me with the strange, staring Effy. She's sporting only black clothes, it seems a bit warm outside for the amount she's wearing. Her hair was straight today, and her eyes were black with make up, intensifying her eyes. Her eyes's also the only thing keeping me from describing her as fragile looking, they were too powerful.

I avert my eyes and stare at some reefs at the other side of the strait, past the industry.

"I'll take you for a walk tonight." I turn and look at her with a suspicious face. That was direct, and I've only met her twice.

"Is that code for something, or?"

"No, it's just a walk. We're obviously going to talk sometime, could just as well do it sooner rather than later." I nod in understanding. I obviously hadn't much of a choice regarding potential friends in this place. Acquaintances, I correct myself.

"Plus I think your mum'll be happy." she gestures towards the front door, where she's coming out. When she spots us, she runs smiling behind a wall, obviously eavesdropping. I roll my eyes.

"So, I'll pick you up at 8." Effy was already strolling away.

"Wait, I didn't even agree…" she turns and give me a pointed look. I falter, unsure if it's because of curiosity or it would make my sneaking mother happy. "Alright, see you at 8" she gives me a ghost of a smile before leaving.

My mum comes squealing from her hiding spot. "Aaw, Naomi, already making friends! I'm so proud of you!"

I scoff. "Hardly, it's just a fucking hang out, get your head out of the gutter."

"Either way, it's nice seeing you mingling with the locals" we start to head home.

"So did you get the job?"

she sighs "No, something about me being a vegetarian and tasting the food before serving it. I didn't quite see the problem though, I had quite a few exciting suggestions about the menu. Oh well, I'll find something else."

"Are you fucking kidding me?! You're aware that's an illegal reason for not hiring, right?" I stopped dead in my tracks, ready to run back and give the scary owner an earful.

"Yes, but I don't want someone as that as my boss anyway, so maybe it's for the best?" she gently asks while taking hold of my elbow, leading me in the direction of home.

"I can't believe you're just going to accept this! This is the reason why the world is so fucked up, people like her that discriminates! Fucking snobby bastards" I mutter the last part but follow my mum none the less.

"Someone's at the door for you" Kieran comes into my room. "It's that Elizabeth lassie. Have fun, … and be careful" he gives me a pointy look before exiting. I furrow my brows, briefly wondering if he knows something I don't. Should I stay home? Fuck it.

When I come outside she's leaning on the side of the fishing cottage. She just nods at me and starts walking. She's odd. And presumptuous. I step after her.

We go in the opposite direction as I did friday, walking past lots of houses and sideways before getting to the other side of the island. She leads me to the end of a road and continues on a slightly overgrown path down an arm of a larger islet. It's all done in silence, and I can't help think it's extremely weird. I can't think of a topic to break the spell either.

When we sit down on some rocky cliffs, she directs her attention to me.

"Thanks for joining me on a date." she says deadly serious, her exterior softening. My eyes widens.

"What? I didn't … I mean, you didn't… I'm not gay, it's - what?!" the panic rising. How did I not pick up on this outside the store? She chuckles at my flustered state.

"I was just kidding, I have a boyfriend, you know?" I blush. "Oh, right…"

She bumps our shoulders together and we smirk at each other. It gets silent again. She lights up a spliff, taking a drag before offering it to me. I gratefully accept, letting the smoke fill my lungs and the haze take over my mind. I needed this.

After what feels like ten minutes with passing the spliff back and forth she breaks the silence.

"This place saved my life." it's silent and thoughtful.

I look sideways at her "From what?"

She meets my gaze, "Myself" she states bluntly. I open my mouth to ask further, but nothing comes out. She lifts her wristband so I can see what's under. Oh.

I'm speechless, unsure of what to say and why she is putting me in this situation so soon after meeting me. I swallow, "God, I'm so sorry for you. I don't know what to say. But why are you telling me this?" my voice comes out as shaky.

She ignores my question and stares out into the distance. "My doctor at the time it happened recommended a safe place and lots of fresh air, so my parents moved me and my brother out here. That was five years ago, and as cliché as it sounds, it really did help. I don't think it was the sea air though, I think it was the people here." she throws the last of her spliff in the ocean before she produces a bottle from seemingly thin air. She takes a big gulp and hands it to me. I take a sip. It's vodka. "The great thing about Burrhea is that if you don't know what you're doing, you can be sure that everyone else knows." she turns to look me square in the eyes "I've learned that by being honest with people myself, I prevent others to tell my story and give out a twisted picture of me. I'm not that scared little kid anymore, and wouldn't want anyone to make you think differently, alright?"

I gulped. That was a lot of information to take in, but it didn't satisfy my question. "Again, why are you telling me this?" she just chuckles and shakes her head leaning it on her bended knees. She wraps her hands around her legs and observes me for a while. I grow uncomfortable under her stare. I'm just about to excuse myself and go home from this bizarre situation when she lets out a whisper.

"I've never seen her like this." her serious voice makes my body freeze, the air getting heavy around us, which is ironical considering what we just talked about.

"Who?" I don't dare look her in the eyes, focusing them on the bottle in my hands. A few seconds pass by where everything I hear is our calm breathing. I have no idea where she is taking me with this conversation.

"Emily."

My heart skips a beat and I feel my throat constricting. I didn't know how to reply because I didn't know what she meant.

"Like what?" It comes out low. Was she okay? Was her hand really beat up after the crash? Oh god, maybe she had internal bleedings. Then again, she managed to bike up a hill right after. I bit my lip as I considered possible explanations. Effy kept silent and avoided to answer.

"She wasn't even like this when the McClairs moved here." I snapped my head to her. What?

"Who's the McClairs?" I look intensely at her, trying to convey that I wanted a straight answer this time. Her smirk told me she got the message.

"Freddie, my boyfriend, his big sister Karen and their parents." I nodded, but it didn't make me any wiser.

I shook my head and laughed out loud, feeling the effect of the alcohol. "I don't understand anything" I yelled at the sky, swinging the bottle from hand to hand.

"You will. Soon." she promised, leaned on her hands and followed the motion of the bottle with her eyes.

"You're an odd bulb." I state. She just smirks at me and lights up another spliff. "So I've been told."

I tried to grasp anything intelligible from her depicts, but the heavy fog in my brain kept me from thinking through it. I wanted to ask more about Emily, but didn't want to reveal my interest in her. I laughed, feeling confused and happy all at once. Effy didn't make anything more simple the next second.

Cryptically, she says "Leave the dust to settle anywhere it wants to fall, make patterns on windows and leave marks upon the wall. Then you'll see clearer."

"You like riddles." I smile at her. She shakes her head.

"Actually, I like ripples." now my eyebrows really shoots up. Could she get anymore obscure? Was she a fan of letter humor? She searches around herself with her hands, maybe looking for an earring she lost. I watch her with big eyes and takes another shot of alcohol. I feel like I'll be needing it for keeping up with her puzzles. She finds what she's looking for, and holds up a small stone in her palm.

"Just look at it, Naomi." instead I look at her like she's crazy. She sees my bizarre expression and quickly continues. "No, I mean, it's so small right? If I threw it at you, it probably wouldn't leave a mark." my expression remains the same. "One should think that something so small couldn't impact on anything, right?" I hesitantly nod at her. "But that's where we're wrong." suddenly she throws it into the water, making a small splash. "No matter how small something is, it will cause ripples. Look at that. Everything has the potential to affect anything, no matter the size." she points captivated at the disturbance it caused. I shake my head at her randomness. She turns and give me a small smile before she lays down on her back, staring up into the dark sky. I mimic her movements.

"I think you analyze too much."

"I think you push people away."

We giggle a bit at each other. "Touché" I answer. I was feeling drunk and loose and decided that at least for this night I wouldn't push people away. So I told her about myself, about Bristol, about my mum, about Kieran, hell, even about Tiger.

And the castle didn't crumble around its queen.

.

And along comes Effy! I'm sorry for no Naomily interaction, but I really like Effy and wanted to give her a proper introduction. Promise it will be in the next chapter though. Au revoir!