After dying my hair and watching my childhood heroes live, I'm back in business!

Skins is not my creation

Chapter 5: Changes

Naomi PoV

I didn't speak to Effy after our drunken night on the rocks, and I didn't think too much about it either. I had never been the one people kept in touch with regularly, and I was okay with that, it made life much simpler. That didn't mean I stopped thinking about what she said, especially about Emily, and why she told me before even knowing me.

The next days had been used on sunbathing outside by the cottage, reading several old books I found in the attic and gratefully accepting Annes marmalade when she noticed I was so engrossed in a book I forgot to prevent dehydration. My tan was slowly starting to show, and when I stood naked in my bathroom I could see an evident difference between my tits and stomach. If I weren't going to make a busy woman of myself in Bristol, I was sure as hell going to use my time to do something productive, even though the only thing I could do was change my own appearance. Needless to say I was almost bored to death, coming close to texting Effy several times before thinking better of it.

My mum and Kieran was sickly in love, and decided to celebrate this affair. That's the reason I'm currently standing scowling into the empty fridge. They fucking left me here to starve to death.

It was such a lovely day that they went out with the boat to spend the day at sea. My mum thought it was the most romantic idea ever. Even I thought it was the best idea, until now that is. No perks of being left the fuck alone, then, I thought begrudgingly as I flung the door shut. Irritated, I lifted my eyes to the open cupboards I had searched through numerous of times before sighing in defeat.

I snatched some money from my mums wallet and let the cat out on my way to the store. It really was a lovely day. No wind, birds singing and not a cloud in sight. My mood brightened a bit by this.

It brightened even more when it was Pandora welcoming me.

"Naomi, hi! Such a lovely day isn't it? Shame I have to work, we could've gone swimmin'! I bought a new swimming suit, it's purple and has fairies on 'em! It's whizzer cute!" she twisted and turned as if the thought of this cute clothing was going to make her die of adoration. I smiled despite myself, she was just fucking weird.

"Hi, Pandora. Yeah, sorry, I'm just going to buy some food." I hurriedly said and disappeared behind some shelves. As said, I was fucking starving.

After being shocked by the variety of products and selecting those I craved I paid and walked out the door. The sudden urge of nicotine made me change direction. I decided to go around the back of the store to watch some of the odd tourists that had come by boat, since I wasn't going to see another person before tonight anyway.

When I came around the corner a blare of red catched my eyes. There, sitting at a table while munching on some pineapple chunks and staring intensely at something on her phone, were Emily. A weird tingling started in my belly.

Before I have any time to consider what to do, I'm already walking towards her like she's my opposite pole of a magnet. Fucking legs, wait until you get a signal from the brain next time, alright?

Since I'm already screwed I decide to play it cool. I stroll slowly forward while pretending to be interested in a dog tied to another table close by, but I'm actually watching the way her nose scrunch up in concentration and the way she lifts her hand to scratch her forehead. Adorable. Wait, what? No she's not.

I gracefully sit down with the table beside hers, on the edge of the bench closest to her. She sits on the end of her bench too, so we're a few inches apart.

"How's your hand?" I start.

She snaps her head quickly to me, obviously not noticing me until this second. Her eyes widens and I'm unsure if it's because of being intruded upon or because it's me that's the intruder.

"Huh, hi, I didn't hear you there." she turns her gaze to her now patched hand. "Yeah, it's better." she turns back and gives me a grateful smile that eventually transforms into a curious stare. She's probably wondering why I sat myself here, starting a conversation when we're practically strangers. I grow small under her warm brown eyes.

I clear my throat. "Uh, good, just wanted to make sure you didn't get blood poisoning." I kick some gravel away with my foot. Talk about lame.

Then she giggles, and the sound just fills my chest with the most warm and pleasant feeling ever. I can't help sneak a peak from under my eyelashes. Her head slightly tossed back revealing her long slender neck. I felt myself giggle along with her. "Oh, god." she dries some tears. She gives me a beautiful smile before she offers me some pineapple. I politely decline and light up a cigarette, offering her one. She declines too.

I study her while taking a few drags. Her long red hair with a few unruly strands of hair sticking out, shining magically in the sun. Her mouth that seem to stretch up at one side while she eyed a few kids playing some feet away. Then I notice something odd.

I look from her, to me, and then back again, furrowing my brows.

"I'm guessing that you're either not a big fan of heat or are growing a forest on your legs." I gesture towards her dark pants, playfulness lacing my voice.

She eyes me for a bit, before chuckling. "Yeah, I'm saving so I can become a yeti, so it's covering both your guesses. Better not sneak around at night anytime soon" she winks.

I grin with her. She has humor.

She shifts a bit towards me. "No, actually I'd die to change into something like that," she nods at my small top and skirt, "but this is my work-attire, so unfortunately a lost case."

"You work here?" I asked surprised.

"Yeah, that's me." she smiles tightly.

I take another drag, thinking about how I didn't expect her to be a shopkeeper. No judging, though. Then I recall the incident when my mum applied for the job earlier in the week. I can't control what comes next.

"Your boss is kind of a bitch." I state coldly.

She sighs. "Tell me about it." A few seconds pass while she looks straight ahead, twisting her mouth a bit. Then she shifts her head and looks me dead in the eyes. "She's also my mum."

I cough on my smoke, my eyes go wide. I can't believe I just said that about her mother to her face!

She musts see my expression because she just brushes it off. "You don't need to apologize, I know exactly how she can be."

"But, she's your mum, I shouldn't -"

"No," she cuts me of, "seriously, don't sweat it. I've said worse to her myself. But I hope you'll learn her better sides, eventually" she gives me a gentle smile, which I hesitantly return.

A heavy silence appears, and I can't help but scold myself at ruining this by offending her. I glance at her. She's biting her lip while looking at something at the bench across from me. Her cheeks are slightly colored by her living in clothes meant for another season. I feel the need to ease the tension that I clearly created.

"So…" I start, getting her attention, "it's a family business then?"

"Oh, well, kind of. A forced one in which case. I'm actually working at the industry," she points across the strait, "but work here when someone has an emergency or something and my slag of a sister finds out she's too dandy to mingle with us 'losers'."

I briefly wonder if everyone works there, remembering Effy telling me that she too, in fact, had a position there for the summer.

"So what's the reason for your presence here today then? Your sister working the catwalk?" that earned me a giant grin in return.

"Something like that. She has make-up blogs and God knows what to attend to. My mother had to take my little brother to hospital, and since Katie being too insistent about not missing a live chat I had to step in to save the day." she shakes her head like she can't believe it herself.

"Really, is he okay then?" trying not to step wrong like earlier. Be compassionate, I hear my mother whisper in my ear.

"He will be, he just had this incident with a vacuum last night…" she trails of. I eye her expectantly. "and his, you know … privates." her ears turns pink at the last word, and she looks away clearly a bit embarrassed on behalf of her brother.

I look unbelievably at her for a second before not managing to hold back the laughter anymore. I clutch my side and have to throw away the fag as not to burn myself. She joins in. We can't seem to stop since another wave of giggles force its way every time our gazes lock.

"That is priceless." I manage to stutter after laughing myself dry. She just nods and shake her head at the same time. A disturbed picture of the 'incident' undoubtedly being burned into both our heads.

"So, which job do you prefer then?" I asked out of general curiosity.

"The fish industry." she answer right away. "Definitely the industry."

"Really? How come?"

"I've been working in this store since I was a kid, because my mother demanded it of me. Katie too. My mum have great plans for one of us taking over or becoming her partner or something, so she obviously want to make it a family business. She eventually discovered I was the most fitting for that future image, since I'm better at the economy and such." She glances sideways at me. "But I never wanted that, so two years ago I had this major fight about it, stayed at a friends for two months and started to work at the industry. Everything is alright now, though." she quickly reassure me, "Plus as much as I love Panda, it's much better coworkers over there. Panda would have followed me too if the big machines over there didn't make her so antsy." she smiles, her eyes twinkling. I can't help but admire her face for a second.

"But really though, a fish industry?" I still can't grasp that people my age ends up on such a place.

"Yeah, well it's obviously not a dream job." She looks thoughtful away before muttering. "plus it pays better."

"Really, I didn't take you for such a materialistic person" I wink at her, letting her know I was kidding.

She snickered. "I'm undeniably saving for something big" smirking at me.

"So," she eats the last bits of pineapple, licking her fingers before continuing "what are you going to spend the summer on?"

"I have no idea, one week in and I'm already bored out of my mind." I answer honestly, suddenly getting kind of home sick.

"Where are you from?"

"Bristol."

"So what would you do if you were in Bristol now?" she lays her hand on the back of the bench, putting her head on top of it. She eyes me with interest. I fold my hands on my stomach, getting comfortable in the blazing sun.

"I did apply for an internship with a law firm, but I guess that doesn't matter now." I state sadly. "And I would probably participate in some protests, roughing up the streets, you know." I give her a somewhat 'cool' look, raising my eyebrow for extra effect. She giggles, mission accomplished.

"Oh, now I understand. You're saving the world, huh?" she playfully comments.

I snort. "Sure! My goal in life is actually becoming the ruler of the world. I guess I'll start with this island now." I wink at her.

"Gosh, should I be afraid?"

"Definitely." I grin at her.

"You know what?" I shake my head. "You should come work at the industry."

I just simply raise an eyebrow at her. Her cheeks blushes lightly.

"No, I mean, they always need more people, so it would be a win-win."

"And how exactly will that be a win for me?" I answer with a mirthful tone.

"What, are you going to lay on your dock sunbathing for the next 2 months? You'll turn black." she winks. My mouth opens slightly.

"How do you know about that?" I wondered, considering the stalker card. I shuddered.

"I might have driven past with boat … once or twice" she smirks before checking her phone. "My break is over, guess I'll go back to my duties." she says in a over professional voice. I smile to myself. She's been noticing me.

She turns and starts walking away, turning around halfway to the corner. "And Naomi, consider it, okay?" before scurrying away again.

"How do you know my name?" I yelled after her. Gossip travel fast here, obviously.

She just waves in a dismissive manner, answering "Effy!" without even turning around, disappearing around the corner.

I watched the spot I last saw her for a few minutes while sporting a big smile. Soon I realized I probably looked like an idiot and was back to stone face immediately.

I shaked myself, as to get out of a trance, deciding to do something about the ache in my stomach. Only, now I was unsure if it was present because of hunger or something else. With a last glance towards the corner, I stood up and made my way home.

The suggestion about working at the industry was surprisingly nagging at the back of my mind the rest of the day. Emily was right, I'd go crazy with another week like this, and there was only so many books I could read consecutively. And the people working there seemed to be ok enough. JJ, Cook and Effy, they were all a chance at expanding my social circle on this deserted island from just those around the yard. And then there was Emily. Cute, small and interesting Emily. Interesting? God, I never get invested in people to that point where I would combust if I wasn't to talk to them again. But now I wanted to run straight back to the store and stand right in front the cash register just to see her and buy the whole lot just to be with her.

I shaked myself for the second time that day. It's assumably just the fresh air messing up my brain. I decided that if I were to work there it would be because mum and Kieran couldn't possibly stimulate my mind for a whole summer. Plus Cook mentioned parties, and that's always an absolute enticement.

When Kieran and my mum came back all loved up in the late hours of the day, I announced my possible arrangement for the summer. My mum was so ecstatic that before I could do anything to interfere she had called the owner and secured us both a job there. I rolled my eyes and scolded her, but to no use. We were starting monday.

.

So here we go - new job!

I think maybe the next chapter will be Emilys PoV :)

Also, I have a major hangover, so I apologize for any mistakes.