Title: Love Accidentally - Chapter 39
Author: kreia03
Rating: M
Warnings: Swear words.
Disclaimer: I own nothing and I hate that fact. Seriously.
Summary: She was down at the kitchen, juggling her attention between cooking breakfast, setting the table and kissing Naomi (wherein she spent most of her time concentrating on the latter because Naomi just wouldn't let her go, not that she was complaining about it; even burned a pancake or two because she left it a bit longer than it should have in the pan, completely forgetting to turn it over), when her phone buzzed from somewhere around, she wasn't sure where exactly.
A/N: Next chapter guys! Hope you all like this one! And sorry for the long wait. (I know I've been apologizing way too many times now. Lol. But, really, sorry!) Please leave a comment/review if you can/have the time. Thank you!
Twin bonding the next morning.
Emily received a text message from Katie, far too early, much to the younger twin's surprise, because Katie would normally oversleep during her off days. She was down at the kitchen, juggling her attention between cooking breakfast, setting the table and kissing Naomi (wherein she spent most of her time concentrating on the latter because Naomi just wouldn't let her go, not that she was complaining about it; even burned a pancake or two because she left it a bit longer than it should have in the pan, completely forgetting to turn it over), when her phone buzzed from somewhere around, she wasn't sure where exactly. It took her a long while before the thought of finding her phone crossed her mind, so she could read whatever message was sent, because Naomi kept on peppering her with feverish, teasing kisses that left her openly craving for more, and she only pulled away, reluctantly, when she heard her phone go off into incessant rings because Katie was that impatient for a reply.
"If that's Freddie, I swear--"
The corner of Emily's lips curled up into an amused smirk as she watched Naomi's face contort, pulling up into a grimace, deeply annoyed by the thought already. "It's Katie." She broke off, shushing Naomi with a light kiss, and she waved the still flashing screen before the blonde while biting on her bottom lip to stifle the grin threatening to break loose, as she saw relief quickly wash over Naomi's face. "Hang on a sec." She leaned in for another kiss before flipping her phone open, begrudgingly, and winced as Katie's shrill voice blasted out of the mobile that she had to pull the phone away from her ear.
"Is it too much of a bother for you to send a reply?"
"Christ." Naomi rolled her eyes because she could hear it as well, given that the call wasn't even set to loud speaker.
A light giggle erupted from Emily upon seeing Naomi's reaction and she let her fingers wander around Naomi's neck, playing with the loose strands of Naomi's hair, an attempt to calm her down. "Good Morning Katie." She replied, rather coolly and with a smile, though Katie couldn't see it. She was in such a good mood that even her hormonal twin couldn't ruin it for her, aside from the fact that she was used to this kind of greeting, because, well, it was Katie.
"Did you even read my message?"
"I was about to." She paused, rather purposely, to take a deep breath because Naomi was starting to create a trail of wet kisses along her jaw line, feeling Naomi's soft lips brush against her burning skin, gliding up from the empty space behind her ear and down to her chin. "And then you called." She had to work hard to keep her voice steady since it was starting to sound shaky and turning almost breathless, her words almost slurring into a moan.
"God, Emily--"
A small squeal escaped from her throat when Naomi pulled her closer without fair warning, her waist tightly gripped while Naomi's fingertips sunk deep in her hips.
The awkward and quite embarrassing sound broke Katie off. "Are you having sex?"
"Jesus! What?" Emily exclaimed all of a sudden, her cheeks hastily tainting red. "Of course not!" She glared at the blonde as she forcefully swatted away Naomi's hand which was starting to graze fingernails along her already exposed thigh. It was then when she realized that her oversized shirt, one which Naomi had insisted on her to wear, had already been bunched up, the hem loosely dangling along her hips. "Naomi." She mouthed soundlessly, throwing another glare at the blonde, which Naomi blatantly ignored and she continued on moving her fingers instead, the tips leaving ghostly touches that Emily had to lean her back against the kitchen counter for support because her knees were starting to turn into jelly, wobbling awfully and uncontrollably.
"Emily." Katie called out, her tone hinting an equal amount of rebuke and warning. "I know when one's--"
"What do you want Katie?" Emily broke off, again, sticking her tongue out at the blonde upon seeing the huge grin on Naomi's face disappear, being replaced by a scowl at once as she disentangled herself completely away from her, because Naomi's impending moves were going to drive her crazy, in a good way, although it really wasn't necessary for her sister to hear any of it, would actually even be revolting.
Katie breathed out a noisy sigh against the phone, one which Emily could almost feel hitting her skin, as she decided to drop her prying and chose to just let it go instead because certain images were starting to pop up in her head. The bile rose up in her throat, inducing a vomit, and Katie was perfectly certain that it didn't have anything to do with being hormonal and pregnant at all, neither morning sickness. "I was wondering if you wanna have coffee with me or something."
"You mean, now?" Emily asked, in clarification, her eyes glancing momentarily at Naomi who was fumbling with the coffee maker, the hot liquid accidentally burning Naomi's skin because she wasn't fucking looking at what she was doing, and she accidentally poured the coffee out of the mug since her eyes were trained at Emily's arched form.
"Well, yeah, or maybe, like, later because it seems that you're quite busy right now."
A loud cry and a fit of profanities erupted from Naomi's mouth, almost slurring the words with the rate of how fast she was speaking; and Emily had to rush to her side, setting aside her whole conversation with Katie momentarily with a mere "Hang on." mumbled to her sister before tossing her mobile on the empty, tiled counter, moving in such haste that she wasn't even able to process Katie's remark. "Nai-Nai--"
"I'll do this." Naomi seized the wet towel that Emily had managed to grab on her way, placing it quickly over the reddened, stinging spot. "Go talk to Katie." She smiled upon seeing the little scowl that had formed along the creases of Emily's forehead, smoothing it with the pad of her free thumb, and Emily couldn't help but lean in and plant a soft kiss on Naomi's lips-- well, that was what she originally planned, but it turned into something deeper and sloppier, which needed Katie's shrill voice bouncing around the whole kitchen to break them apart.
"One second." Emily murmured as she unknotted her hands now entangled with Naomi's hair, gesturing with her forefinger before tapping it at the tip of Naomi's nose. She spun on her heels and grabbed her phone, putting it next to her ear with a considerable amount of distance just in case Katie would bellow another ear piercing rant. "So--"
"What the fuck Emily?" She rolled her eyes and Naomi broke into a small laugh upon seeing Emily wince. "Did you just put me on hold?"
"Oh please." She pressed the phone in between her shoulder and her ear as she took the mugs that Naomi handed her, setting it on the dining table next to the plateful of pancakes. "It's not like you're the queen or something."
"No." Katie retorted firmly. "But I'm the head bitch in charge, yeah?"
Emily snorted out laughter. "What? Where did that even come from?"
"It's just the way it is Ems. Always have been."
"Right." She twisted around and beckoned for Naomi to take her usual seat already, so they could start on munching breakfast before their coffees turn cold. "So, later?"
"Yeah. I'll come by around--God, will you two stop making out?" Katie cried out from the other line upon hearing a weird sound that she could only associate with a kiss and nothing else. "At least wait till we finish talking."
"Making out? Nobody's making out." Emily playfully slapped Naomi's arm as the blonde started laughing at her answer, pushing her away to her usual seat as well because Naomi just won't stop hovering around.
"Ugh, whatever." She heard Katie brush off, in which she was pretty sure, had a roll of eyes along with it. "I'll come by later yeah?
Emily fell into a light chuckle. "I'll wait for you."
"Alright."
"Bye." She flipped her phone close, tossed it over some empty counter and flumped down on her seat, reaching out for a pancake while Naomi was busy cooling off her coffee. She flipped it onto a plate and squished an ample of syrup on top, forming small hearts on the side of the plate and a huge flower, which meant to be a lily in some way, over the pancake itself. She smiled in satisfaction of her work, handing it to Naomi wordlessly after, and she had to grip the edge of the table while she waited expectantly for Naomi's reaction.
Naomi's brow shot up instantaneously at the sight of her supposed to be meal, her expression torn between amusement, disbelief and something else entirely different, something Emily had never seen, although by the looks of Naomi's face, it was of something good rather than bad, which pretty much made her heave a sigh of relief. "Erm, thanks."
"You're welcome." Emily replied cheerfully and turned her attention on her own pancake instead, spelling out something with the syrup which Naomi couldn't read.
Naomi's fork hovered on top of her plate, because she just couldn't decide on which part to take first, seeing that Emily's idea of how a pancake should be served was too cute to be actually eaten. "You going out with Katie then?" She asked after a few beats of battling with her fork, to see to it that the syrup-made leaf wasn't ruined, which was utterly ridiculous in some sense since she'd be finishing up the whole pancake anyway, her efforts of keeping the flower in shape entirely going to waste.
"Yeah." Emily answered, warily. "Is that okay? I mean, going out?"
"Why not? It's Katie's day off anyways."
"Well, yeah." She hunched her shoulders into a shrug. "But, you know, I was thinking--"
"Em, if you're thinking about me." Naomi paused as she stuffed another forkful of pancake in her mouth. "I've got a photoshoot that would probably take the whole day. And I don't want you to get bored, so yeah. You should go out with Katie."
Emily broke into a sweet smile and placed another piece of pancake on Naomi's plate. "I just hope it's not a shopping spree that Katie's planned." A small groan of protest reverberated from deep within her throat, the mere thought tiring her out already. "I wanna get home alive." She drawled out drastically, falling into a giggle not long after, in which Naomi effortlessly joined.
"I doubt it would be shopping. She's too lazy to walk these days."
"Really?"
"Yeah." Naomi nodded in answer and reached forth to take a few sips of her coffee. "Probably 'coz she's pregnant, or hormones or something." She shrugged half-heartedly, handing her plate to Emily for the red head to squeeze some syrup on her second pancake.
"Or something." Emily laughed at the thought, which wasn't far too impossible to happen, because, well, it was Katie here they were talking about. But she ruled it out immediately, having been a witness to the drastic changes that Katie had been under the past weeks. It was just that, she found the idea of Katie using the 'I can't walk because I'm pregnant' excuse rather funny. "Maybe the baby's tiring her out, you know."
"I think so." Naomi took her plate back with a smile and a soft "Thanks." mumbled to Emily, handing the red head the cup of coffee she had cooled herself, in return, since Emily had always preferred cooled ones. "Problem is, as an assistant, she needs to do a lot of walking, which isn't exactly happening. She sends somebody else to do some of her work for her."
"Yeah, well, that's Katie for you. Always been the head bitch in charge."
***
Thankfully, it was indeed coffee that Katie had settled for, no unannounced shopping sprees.
"I met Effy." She jumpstarted the conversation after Emily had taken a seat on the opposite side of the booth while handing a mug of coffee that she slowly reached for, her wary gaze trained on Emily's face, gauging her reactions, waiting for the slightest twitch that might clue her in.
Emily stiffened for about half a beat at the sound of Effy's name, but recovered her composure quickly. "Yeah, Naomi told me."
Katie didn't miss it though, that sudden and brief reaction, of fucking course. "She's, I don't know, quite cryptic."
"I hardly know her." Emily replied casually, or at least that was what she hoped she had sounded. "I haven't really got the chance to spend some time with her."
Katie turned her coffee mug around, fingers encircling around the handle. "Well, yeah, I suppose." She shrugged and brought the mug close to her lips, sipping first before continuing. "That would be, like, awkward then."
"Awkward?" Emily squeaked, had to clear her throat to bring her voice back. "What do you mean awkward?"
"Oh, come on Em, like you didn't know." Katie snorted in disbelief as she watched her twin's expression turn further more confused. "Oh God, you really don't?" She gasped, this time in genuine surprise, lifting her free hand to cover her wide open mouth.
"Jesus, Katie." Emily rolled her eyes, scowling right afterwards as she threw her sister an incredulous look. "I would bloody know if you tell me."
"Effy--" Katie paused and looked around the whole café, her eyes scanning the entire place, and when she was sure enough that nobody whom she was familiar with was around, she leaned in closer to her twin, still not taking any chances and beckoned Emily to do the same. "I think Effy has a thing for Naomi."
Emily stiffened, much longer this time than the previous, and Katie could see Emily's fingers clutching the mug handle tighter that she actually feared for a moment that it would break into pieces. "You think?" She managed to mutter, though the words were strained when they came out, and, for once, Katie hated how daft Emily could be sometimes.
"No, I don't think." She retorted and pushed her mug away. "I know."
Emily took a deep breath, remained in silence for a moment though her eyes didn't leave Katie's. "I don't think it's any of our business Kay." She spoke after a good while, fingers now letting go of the mug handle slowly as she let them dance around the mug's brim instead.
"Aren't you bothered at all?" Katie snapped back, her fingers curling into fists and back into open palms again, mindlessly doing it over and over in an alternate pattern. "Naomi is your girlfriend!"
The younger twin swallowed hard, fingers back to gripping tightly once more, though it was the whole mug this time, not minding the seeping heat that the hot liquid breathed out of the ceramic, burning the skin of her palm little by little. "In contract." She muttered, had to close her eyes to focus on the hotness of the mug instead, at least to take her mind off the twinge slowly creeping up her chest. "She's my girlfriend, in contract."
"Oh, for fuck's sake Emily." Katie snorted incredulity, slammed the table even, attracting a few customers in the process that she had to lean in much closer, though not before bombarding the random people with sharp glares. "Stop talking shit, will you?"
"What?"
She raised an eyebrow, in a rather smug way which pretty much had 'Yes, I know everything and I'm right' in context. "I saw you two kissing yeah?" Emily's eyes widened for a short moment and it was all that Katie needed to press further. "And, God, you two were practically making out this morning."
"What--"
"Ah, don't deny it. I heard." Katie interjected before Emily could even object, pointing out a finger that shushed her sister off entirely. "And Naomi wants her Ferrari re-painted bright red, of all fucking colors." She watched as Emily stilled for a while, Emily's eyes averting away, falling everywhere except at her. "Now tell me if it's still because of the contract."
Emily snapped her head up, looking around first before she hissed. "Jesus, will you keep your voice down."
Katie folded her arms over her chest, the only reply that Emily knew she would get, and she grimaced at the sight of her sister staring at her intently, with a look that was a mixture of content, goading and complacency. A kind of look that Katie would give, most of the time, to pry for answers. It was intimidating and irritating at the same time that Emily would often find herself actually giving in, just like now. "Alright fine."
"Fine what?"
"We're sort of--" Emily paused in hesitation, had to lower her head because she was beginning to blush terribly. "sort of together."
"Sort of?" Katie let out a scoff, more like because of disbelief rather than insinuating an insult.
"Yeah, sort of. We're trying to be together and make things work out."
Katie's eyes quickly turned into a squint. "And how far do you mean by that sort of?" She asked, in a satiric sense, quoting the last words with her fingers curling and uncurling up in the air.
"That's private." Emily answered firmly, shooting a sharp glare at her twin. "I'm not going to talk about it."
"God, so you two are shagging then."
"Katie!" She hissed vehemently, nearly toppling the table over if it wasn't welded to the ground, as she extended her hand and covered her sister's mouth. "Keep your voice down! It's fucking embarrassing!"
Katie swatted Emily's arm away and leaned closer, looking all so dangerous that Emily had a sudden urge to pull back, though it was probably too late because Katie had her arms pinned on top of the table. "God, how can you not tell me about it Emily?"
"What?" Emily exclaimed in disbelief as she wiggled her hands to yank them off her sister's firm grip. "Katie, I don't need to tell you everything that's happening in my life."
"I don't mean it that way Ems."
"Then what? Why do you want to know?" She started squirming on her seat because her sister was holding her so tight, almost chain-like.
"Because it matters okay?" Katie snapped back, grip tightening around the wrists that her nails were almost digging around Emily's jacket covered skin. "It fucking matters Ems." She hissed, her lisps somehow hindering the words coming out because she was on the very verge of shouting, and she had to dig her teeth deep on her bottom lip to stop her from screaming.
It somehow did the trick, along with Katie's softened eyes and quivering lips, because Emily stopped squirming altogether, relaxing little by little under her sister's slightly loosened grip and concerned gaze. "Is it a really big deal?" She mumbled, almost breathlessly, trying to remember how they even started fighting. "I mean, me being with Naomi? Is it?"
Katie exhaled a weary sigh, letting go of Emily's hands completely. "Of course it's a big deal Ems." She stroked each of Emily's hands instead, the pads of her thumbs gently rubbing across the length of Emily's skin. "Because this time, it's real. And I don't want you to get, like, heartbroken yeah?"
"Kay--"
"Look Ems." She broke off, taking Emily's fingers in between hers. "I'm not against it or anything. All I'm saying is, be careful alright? I know I'm in no position to tell you, because, God, I got myself fucking pregnant only months after I started dating Cook." She forced out a shaky laugh, nudged Emily by the hand to laugh along with her, because she wanted this conversation to be light as it could be.
"Naomi can't impregnate me."
"See, I knew you two were shagging." Katie watched, with a knowing smile which somehow seemed rather victorious to Emily, as the younger twin opened her mouth to voice something out, cutting off quickly even before her sister could say a word. "But that's beside the point."
"What is the point exactly?"
"I don't know either." Katie shook her head that Emily suddenly burst into a fit of giggles because her sister was now looking all blank in that short span of time, her 'I'm fucking wise' stage already over before Emily could even realize it had begun. "But just, I don't know. It's unexplainable, really."
Emily's brow rose into a perfectly sculpted quirk. "I don't get what you mean."
"God." Katie rolled her eyes, shuffled in her seat as she propped her arms against the table, leaning further close that she was almost whispering. "I've got this weird feeling about Effy."
"Gossip--"
"No." She broke off, clasping and unclasping her hands together, her eyes never leaving her sister's. "I can't explain it okay? But, see, she's got a thing for Naomi. And I can see it Ems."
Emily took a deep breath, letting her fingers run along her temple. "I know."
"You know?"
She bobbed her head in confirmation, pressing her fingers harder because she could feel a massive headache coming. "I heard her tell Freddie before."
"Fuck's sake." Katie cursed under her breath, slamming her now clammy hand against the table. "I knew it." She whipped her head, stared at Emily with an unreadable expression in her eyes. "Aren't you even worried one bit?"
"I trust Naomi." Emily feebly replied, like she was convincing herself more than she was convincing her twin.
"God, that's another--" Katie's hands shot up in the air, flailing exaggeratedly almost everywhere. "I don't know! It's like Naomi has a thing for her too!" She exclaimed, all too innocently because she really had no idea about it to be honest, just came up in her mind since she was rather convinced of Naomi and Emily's relationship being real. Though when she saw her twin freezing completely on her seat, it was all that she needed to somehow confirm what she had once thought was a mere random hunch. "Fucking hell." She murmured, letting her fingers brush along her hair. "Emily--"
"Naomi likes Effy. A lot." Emily had no idea where the strength to utter the words actually came from, because pushing them out was almost cutting her in half, ripping her apart. "She's liked her for the longest time." She closed her eyes, her hands instantaneously wrapping around her shoulders, rubbing up and down in a soothing manner because the truth re-surfacing once more felt like a physical blow to the gut, only, it was much painful this time, because them already existed, not pretending anymore, but real.
"And you're just going to leave it like that?" Katie cried out, attracting a lot of attention for the umpteenth time that she had to drag Emily out of the café so they could talk properly without anybody eavesdropping. "Fuck's sake. Come on." She held Emily by the arm, practically throwing her sister against the wall at the back alley of the café, which was empty at that moment and seemed like a good place to talk since it was far from the busy and prying streets. "What the fuck Emily?"
"I want to trust Naomi okay?" Emily replied, tried to reach out for her sister but Katie kept on pacing back and forth in front of her. "So you should trust her too."
Katie stopped moving, her head tipping up as if it was calming her down in some way, for a moment until she peered over her shoulder to look at Emily. "It's not her that I'm worried about." She spun around completely and watched as her twin dejectedly flumped against the wall behind her, Emily's back hitting the coarse brick wall with a hard thud. She walked towards her in small, deliberate steps while reaching out to run her hand along the whole length of Emily's arm, the other brushing the fringe away from Emily's eyes. "I trust Naomi Ems. But I can't help but think."
"What?" Emily mumbled helplessly.
"That one day, Naomi's gonna leave and--"
"Don't even go there Katie." She broke off, pressing a finger against Katie's lips, stopping her twin from spilling it out altogether, because the words were going to pierce her in some way, like blown shards of broken glass wounding her on the most hurtful places. "Don't, please." She pleaded and blinked a few times, getting rid of the tears that had started to fill her eyes. "I want to trust her, wholly."
"I know Ems and I understand. But--" Katie hesitated, had to consider first if she was going to push through, though Emily had decided it for her.
"But what?"
"You need to slow down. Or you'd end up falling for her, like, hard."
Emily released an exasperated sigh and lowered her head, refusing to meet Katie's eyes. "I think it's too late to slow down." She barely whispered and felt Katie turning still as a statue in return.
"Oh, God. That's fucked up."
***
"Hey."
"Oh, hey Eff." A shiver ran down Naomi's spine and she felt her shoulders start to shake uncontrollably, after having been stood outside in the middle of a freezing, cold October day and slightly pouring rain, because she had to finish the bloody photoshoot which was themed as under the fucking rain. She clutched both ends of the winter coat she was wearing tighter, and gave an almost nod to Effy who was approaching her side, since it was too painful for her to move any single part of her body.
"You alright?" Effy asked, nudging Naomi by the shoulder. "You look pale."
"I'm freezing." Naomi replied in a stutter, because even her chin and her lips were quivering uncontrollably.
Effy broke into a small smile and shuffled on her place until she was in front of Naomi, her arms instantaneously spreading wide, as if preparing herself to envelope the blonde into a massive hug. "Human heat?"
Naomi snorted laughter, though still shaky, and eyed Effy with an incredulous look. "Human heat my arse."
"I'm serious, yeah?"
"Doesn't look like you are." Naomi bantered and pushed past Effy playfully, feeling an urgent need to take a seat because she was starting to get dizzy. "I told them to re-schedule the shoot and they won't listen to me." She continued as she felt the unoccupied space on the couch, one right next to her, sinking with light weight, in which she could only presume belonging to Effy's. "They said it's the perfect weather and shit. Blah, blah, blah."
An amused laugh escaped from Effy's lips while she watched Naomi rant unremittingly with Naomi's eyes screwed shut, her head leaned against the couch rest, her wet, peroxide blonde hair sprawled all over, and Effy couldn't help but reach for one loose lock to play with.
"It's fucking--" Naomi let out a sneeze all of a sudden, stopping her from talking, and found herself laughing after it because her sneeze sounded like a mouse squeak.
Effy laughed along too. "Was that even a sneeze."
"It was! You saw it coming from me." Naomi answered back, slapping Effy playfully in the arm. "I think I'm going to have flu or something." She added after a few beats and lifted her hand to feel the temperature on her neck and her forehead.
"You cow." Effy snorted, much to Naomi's surprise, and swatted away Naomi's hand. "Your hand's freezing, you won't get it right." She was the one who checked instead, pressing the back of her hand on the respective places. "You've got a slight fever." She announced after a short while, tipped her head up to get more feel. "You need to go home Nai."
"Jesus." Naomi blurted out, sniffing a little as she ran a finger under her nose, her eyes getting heavier by the minute. "I'm just gonna call Emily." She patted Effy on the leg, standing ever so quickly which ensued into a head rush, and she nearly stumbled back to the couch, if not for the hand that she had managed to prop against the wall in time to support herself.
"Why not just sit down." Effy butted in, pulled Naomi back to the couch gently. "I'll leave."
"No Eff." Naomi protested as she flumped down on her previous seat. "You don't have to leave."
"Don't worry, I'll be back. I'll get you something hot to drink while you make a call okay?" Effy watched as Naomi answered with a single nod, and leaned in to plant a light kiss on top of Naomi's now burning forehead, wincing a little because she could feel the heat in her lips.
"Thanks." Naomi replied with a small smile. "Tea would be great." She waited until Effy had left the room before she fished her phone out of her purse, pressing speed dial one while she hoped that Emily would pick up the call immediately.
A ring or two, and Emily's cheery voice echoed in her ears. "Hey babe."
She cringed in utter disgust, frowned so deep even though Emily couldn't see it. "Did you just call me babe?"
"I'm kidding Nai-Nai." She heard her laugh on the other line, and she found herself smiling while listening to the sound of it. "How are you?"
She sniffed twice before answering. "I'm sick. I think I have flu."
Emily's sharp gasp blasted through the speaker and Naomi could almost feel the edge of it. "Oh my--are you feeling bad? Do you have a fever? Are you feeling dizzy?"
The words were almost slurring, because Emily was speaking too fast, as if she wasn't breathing at all, that Naomi had a hard time making them out. "Em, slow down yeah?" She broke off with an amused laugh, hearing Emily's huffs while she tried to catch her breath. "I'm not really well right now. Could you come here and take me home? I don't think I can drive."
"I'll be there as soon as I can alright? Wait for me."
"Yeah, I will. I'd probably get some sleep."
"Good. Do that." Emily paused and took a deep breath. "A-And Nai-Nai?"
"Yes?" Naomi answered sleepily, with a yawn coming out alongside the word.
"I--" Emily hesitated for a second, her mind battling whether to speak those three words out, deciding if it was actually a good time to say it or not, her will beating her better judgment because she could feel a strong urge to say it, while she could, while she had the right. "I, uhm--" She stuttered, so badly that she had to clear her throat first, her voice getting raspier than usual. With one long, hard swallow, she was ready to say them, those three words she had always wanted to utter for the longest time.
"Here's your tea."
She stopped, breaking off mid-word, as a familiar voice rung past the speaker and straight to her ears, reverberating in there, bouncing all over that she felt a sudden need to cover her ears to get rid of it and its echoes.
"Thanks." She heard Naomi murmur, though a bit distant. "Em, what were you saying?"
"N-Nothing. It was nothing."
Naomi's forehead crumpled as she noticed Emily's sudden change of tone, from cheerful into something she couldn't really describe, but decided to not pry on it because for all she knew, she might just be imagining things. "Oh, alright."
"I'll see you later."
The line went dead before she could even answer, but she was feeling far too dizzy to process things, let alone, find reasons for them.
***
It took Emily almost an hour to get to Naomi, the fastest she could since she had to go back home and pick up some things, not to mention, she had a pregnant sister tagged along, who, unfortunately, wasn't the fastest walker around.
"Fuck's sake Ems! Slow down!" Katie cried out from behind her, the heels of Katie's shoes clattering noisily against the marbled floor. "God, I'm like, I'm pregnant yeah?"
Emily didn't give out an answer, but scrambled onto her feet instead, and Katie figured it was going to be Emily's only reply.
"Emily!" She shouted, louder this time, and it stopped her sister from walking, finally succeeding to catch her attention.
"What?" Emily snapped as she spun around, looking all agitated by something that Katie herself could tell what exactly, because she was just a door away from Naomi.
"Why are you such in a hurry?"
"Because Naomi's sick." She spat out and turned around to reach the door handle, but Katie caught her by the wrist, spinning her back. "Katie she's sick. What if she's got swine flu or something?" She yanked her hand away while her eyes never left her sister's straight face, and she could feel herself bouncing on the balls of her feet because she couldn't see the point why they were still standing there when they could actually be heading inside Naomi's dressing room instead.
"Is it really because she's sick?" Katie asked straightforwardly, throwing her sister an apologetic look as she watched Emily's face drop. "Or because she's--"
"Either way, we've got to be there now Kay." Emily interjected, breaking Katie off because the more the older twin asked about the blatant truth, the sharper the twinge inside her chest would get.
"I know." Katie answered firmly. "But before we get in there, I want you to remember that Effy's gonna be there."
"I know that already."
"And, she and Naomi are the best of friends." Katie continued, brushing Emily's retort off. "So, whatever you're going to see, whether it's obnoxiously sweet or something, like disgusting, it doesn't mean anything."
"Jesus Christ." Emily huffed out. "What the fuck Katie?" She grimaced, mouth hanging agape. "What are you even talking about? Earlier, you were telling me how Naomi and Effy have a thing, and now you're telling me it doesn't mean anything?"
"I didn't say that I don't think that anymore." Katie countered, folded her arms over her chest as she shifted her weight on the other leg.
"Then why are you telling me this?"
"Because things have changed Ems. You're already, God, you're in love with her." Katie reached out, letting her hands glide up and down Emily's shoulders. "And the least I can do is to, like, support you to it."
"Kay--"
"Ems, you've got to keep in mind that Naomi's yours, at least for now. You can make things last longer that you want them to be. Forget what I said back at the café yeah? It's such a stupid thing to say."
Emily took a step backwards, wriggling away from Katie's gentle but firm hold. "But you were right."
"I might be right." Katie's lips curled up into an encouraging smile. "But you could always prove me wrong. And I want you to."
"Christ." Emily hissed, exhaling an exasperated sigh as she screwed her eyes shut. "Katie you're confusing me." She batted her eyes open and saw the mirror image of her brown orbs staring back at her, with a certain softness that she could only think of as concern.
"Emsy, just--You need to--" Katie rambled a tad bit, lips quivering as she tried to re-arrange her words mentally. "Forget about what I said before, alright?"
Emily let out a half-hearted nod, though she was still confused by everything that was happening, her mind swimming into a thousand emotions that she didn't have the faintest idea what to exactly feel. "Kay, let's just go inside yeah?" She cocked her head, pointing towards the door's direction, and watched as Katie nodded in agreement. She spun around, taking in a deep breath first before twisting the door handle, her heart pounding hard and loud under her chest.
She pushed the door quietly, stopping midway in the process because she could see something past the half opened door, something she wished she didn't have to see, not right now when her head was already full of almost everything, and she suddenly had the impulse to run and leave just to escape it, the sight of Naomi curled up into Effy's side with Naomi's head resting at the crook of Effy's neck, Effy's arms threading along Naomi's hair. They looked perfect together that for a moment Emily wondered if she and Naomi ever looked like that when they were together. She had a hundred arguments in mind, all leading to one dreadful answer, not even close.
"Don't turn around." Katie was behind Emily all at once, the words spoken with such weight that it oddly felt like it was a threat, like Emily would pay a certain price if she decided to go against Katie's words.
Emily froze by the door, her legs suddenly turning numb and she couldn't feel them, couldn't bring them to take a step forward.
"Go." She felt the subtle but firm push Katie had given her, nudging her from behind. She twisted around and Katie nodded at her, somehow reassuring that she wasn't going anywhere. She gave her a timid smile as an answer and twisted back, quietly walking towards Naomi and Effy, with deliberate and shaky steps, her being able to reach them without tumbling down being a complete surprise.
Effy saw her first. "Emily." She nodded, in greeting, hand still running along Naomi's hair, like it was the most natural thing to do, every stroke equaling to an incision marked along Emily's heart while she watched, painfully. Though somehow, the mention of Emily's name woke Naomi up from her apparent sleep.
Naomi stirred on the couch and disentangled herself from Effy's hold, the swift movement causing a scowl to flash at Effy's face, one which Naomi didn't see. "Hey Em." She welcomed Emily with a dreamy, half-sleepy smile and a sneeze afterwards.
"Hey." Emily sat down right next to the blonde, her hand instantly reaching out to feel Naomi's forehead. "Christ, Nai, you're hot."
"I get that all the time." Naomi bantered, sneezing again for the umpteenth time that day. "Excuse me."
"Bless you." Emily answered in between her light chuckles, her hand sliding down to cup Naomi's flushed, burning cheek. "You okay?"
Another sneeze. "I feel like shit."
Emily pulled her hand back, only to reach inside the backpack she had brought, drawing out a large university hoody from inside it and an unopened box of tissue. "Here, wear this." She handed the hoody and watched as Naomi wordlessly shrugged out of the winter coat, slipping in on the thick jacket that she gave. "Better?"
"Mhm." Naomi dipped her head, aiming for a kiss but stopped halfway, pulling back quickly without warning and Emily's heart sank at once, deep down the pit of her stomach, starting to beat frantically again, dead scared of the one reason she knew Naomi could possibly have in mind.
"Nai?"
A timid smile took form in Naomi's lips, and if her cheeks weren't red already, Emily could have sworn that Naomi was blushing. "I don't want you to catch a cold too." She murmured before leaning in to kiss the tip of Emily's nose.
The red head exhaled a breath she didn't know she was holding, a breath of relief, and smiled as she arched upwards to plant a kiss on Naomi's forehead. "Right. Wouldn't want the both of us to get sick. Because then it would mean that Katie will have to take care of us."
"Exactly." A coarse laugh escaped from Naomi's lips, ensuing into a cough, which somehow reminded Emily that they really need to head home.
"Home then?"
Naomi nodded and stood up slowly, taking Emily's hand with hers, not just because she needed support, but mainly because she wanted to. "Effy's gonna drive us home."
Emily managed to act like the idea wasn't disturbing her one bit, since she had somehow seen it coming, though she was still a little surprised as Katie was, and it took her a lot of will power not to chance a look at her sister because the last thing she needed right now was another addition to the ideas, hunches, suspicions or whatever exactly that was already floating inside her head. "Sure."
She took comfort at their intertwined hands because it was the only thing that was making her forget about everything going on around.
***
"Why don't you lie on Emily's lap, Naomi?" Katie called out from the passenger seat, twisting a tad bit to chance a look at the half-asleep blonde.
Naomi squirmed on her seat and buried her face further into the crook of Emily's neck. "No, I don't want to. I'll just get more dizzy."
"Katie's right Nai-Nai." Emily seconded in a whisper, brushed the fringe away from Naomi's eyes.
Naomi repositioned their intertwined hands on top of her lap and held onto Emily's hand tighter, smiling at the feeling of the pad of Emily's thumb rubbing along the back of her hand. "No." She murmured firmly, planting a soft kiss on Emily's neck which she pretty much knew would make her win. "I don't want to."
"Ugh, whatever." Katie rolled her eyes and reverted back to her comfy position, eyes catching the whitened knuckles Effy had and the tight line Effy's lips were pressed into, but decided to not say anything about it, because things might get more awkward than they already were.
***
She gently laid Naomi down the bed and covered her with a thick blanket because Naomi wouldn't stop shivering. "I'll just go downstairs and make you some soup yeah?" She waited for Naomi's reply, which came as a feebly mumbled "Okay.", planting a soft kiss on Naomi's forehead afterwards. "I'll be quick." She turned around, walked past the door, closing it behind her, and she nearly screamed in fright upon seeing Effy standing nearby the door, back leaning against the wall with an unreadable expression in her face, which turned stoic at once as soon as Effy felt her presence. "Hey, Effy." She hesitatingly called out, into which Effy came with no reply. "Listen, thanks for the ride."
"Can I talk to you?" Effy turned her head to face Emily, eyebrow quirking. "In private?"
"Yeah, sure." Emily answered faintly, stepping backwards after having felt the urgent need to do so, for known and unknown reasons. "Downstairs?"
"Lead the way."
"Okay." It came out almost breathless. She walked past her and practically ran down the stairs with her heart lodged in her throat. There was something off with Effy's eyes, like she was being all too serious and Emily had nothing but a bad feeling about it. "Please take a seat." She gestured towards the couch and flumped down on her usual place, Effy sitting opposite her with the same, stoic expression. "So--"
Effy wasted no time. "I know about the contract."
Emily froze on her seat, wide eyes looking straight at Effy with disbelief and utter surprise dancing in them. Effy's face stayed the same, as if she was unperturbed by it, by the fact that Emily's reaction pretty much confirmed everything she had been meaning to prove. "I know that you and Naomi had an agreement which is even documented."
Emily considered lying for a moment, for Naomi's sake and her own, but the conviction in Effy's words was very much unmistakable, undeniable, that it even reached up to Effy's eyes, mixing with all the other emotions that were flashing and glinting in those electric blue orbs. She swallowed hard, feeling like she'd choke, the stale, tensioned air getting thicker by the second that she was finding it hard to breathe, like the walls were suddenly closing in on her, trapping her in between. "Yes." She answered in defeat, had to close her eyes, because this was it.
The very epitome of her fears.
Effy pondered in silence for about a beat, staring at Emily with a look that was something akin to incredulity mixed with a hint of antipathy, which Emily would not like to recognize because it was making her feel weaker, helpless, hurt. "Naomi doesn't know that I know." She continued, finally breaking her silence. "And I don't intend to tell her."
Emily didn't know if she should be relieved by the fact or be more scared of it, because Effy's intentions were unknown. She didn't know Effy's game at all, how she would play, what she was going to do, and what was the fucking purpose of it all. "I see." It was the only reply she could muster, because the smirk slowly creeping up on Effy's lips was scaring her, somehow telling her that she was bound to lose Naomi soon. Even if Effy wasn't saying anything, even if.
"I would just like to know one thing." Effy caught Emily's attention, scowling a little because she didn't know what to take of Emily's somewhat pained face.
Seconds passed. "What?" Emily answered with closed eyes, as if bracing herself for whatever question was going to be thrown her way.
"The reason why."
It felt like a bomb dropped all of a sudden, exploding inside her head without warning, bound to wipe out everything she had managed to build.