AN – The story kinda got a life of its own tonight and I have to split this chapter into two parts! I hadn't planned for most of what this first part contains but I hope you will like it anyway!
I still do not own Skins..
Chapter 5 (part 1)
Naomi's POV
After a quick shower, I hurried to the kitchen to help out Mum. The ever polite and helpful JJ was already there, sitting at the dinner table cutting up various vegetables and putting them on skewers along with small pieces of marinated chicken or beef. Mum was at the counter mixing a salad, occasionally sipping from a glass of what looked like delicious white wine. I snatched the glass teasingly from her hand and was about to take a sip when she stopped me.
"None for you, Naomi!" she said and retrieved the glass. I gaped at her in confusion. "I need you to drive to the store first", she explained as she emptied the contents of the glass in one big swig. "We seem to have run out red wine, although I could have sworn we had about five bottles yesterday." She lifted her eyebrow at me, well aware that we had used the bottles for a gigantic bowl of sangria last night.
I sighed and held out my hand in anticipation. "Fine. Keys, please?" She obliged, handed me a list and told me to use the B'n'B credit at the store.
As I was leaving, she called out, "you should bring someone with you!" and I went out in search of Cook. He was tending the barbecue and sharing a fag with a freckled-faced Effy. It was a bit surprising since they hadn't really had much to say to each other throughout the week. Well, they weren't really conversing now either, just passing the fag back and forth while Cook prodded the barbecue every once in a while. He looked up and smiled at me as I approached them. "Fancy going on a beer run?" I asked him. He shook his head and hinted at the poker in his hand.
"A bit busy at the moment, Blondie."
"I'll go", Effy offered, much to my surprise. She kept mostly to herself on the dig site, keeping busy with the sketches she had shown such aptitude for. I couldn't recall her having said more than two words to me at a time, her current statement being no exception. I nodded with a smile and we walked to the van.
The nearest supermarket of any significance was a fifteen minute drive away. The trip was beautiful though and Effy spent most of the drive admiring the scenery. I couldn't really blame her since I would have done the same, if I wasn't busy keeping my eyes on the road. There were a lot of twists and bends and the locals had the unfortunate tendency of cutting the corners and turns, resulting in some serious evasive maneuvers from time to time. Effy was obviously comfortable with the silence and since I didn't really have anything important to share with her, we arrived at the store without actually speaking a word since leaving the B'n'B. We picked up a couple of bottles of red and white wine, soft drinks and several cases of beer. I picked up a few other items for Mum and Effy used the opportunity to buy cigarettes and vodka. Thinking she had the right idea, I followed suit and bought one bottle of vodka and one bottle of rum. We still had tequila left from last night but nothing shy of being held at gunpoint could make me touch that stuff again.
Sitting in the car on the way back, I decided to try and get more than the standard two words out of Effy Stonem. "Maybe we should have asked if anyone wanted something else from the store?" I asked and was rewarded with a shrug. On to the next question then, "Emily mentioned you were from Bristol too?" She nodded. "What got you interested in the program?" Another shrug. This was getting increasingly annoying. Determined not to give up, I wondered if she might respond better to compliments as opposed to direct questions. "Your sketches really are remarkable, I hope you know that". That earned me a small smile, so I rolled with it. "The dinosaurs are going to resent you for it, though", I said and laughed at the thought.
"Dinosaurs?" she asked, her curiosity showing.
"You know, the retired people from Monday's assembly? The ones Doug swept away for a tour? The ones that have been eating cake and drinking coffee while we have been busy slaving away all week?"
"Dinosaurs? You call them dinosaurs?!" She said as she let out a burst of sincere laughter. It was infectious and I couldn't help but join in, feeling quite proud that I had succeeded in getting more than two words out of her.
Emily's POV
Katie and I were lounging on the benches in the barbecue area watching Cook and Kieran discuss the best way to turn over a skewer. Every once in a while, Cook winked at us, or rather at Katie and she answered with a suggestive smile or by pouting her lips and pushing her chest out slightly. I had asked her earlier if she fancied him and she simply answered that he was fit and available and that was all there was to it. Oh, and apparently, he was a fantastic shag. Regardless, Cook was keeping my sister happy and most of all occupied, giving her less time to get on my nerves or notice my indecent glances in Naomi's direction. Although currently, Naomi was nowhere to be seen as Gina had sent her on an errand a while back, taking Effy along for the ride. It was almost dark when they returned, carrying several bags of wine and alcohol. At Naomi's instruction, JJ went to the van to get the last two cases of beer, both of which he impressively carried to the kitchen in one trip. All three of them emerged from the house carrying an assortment of beverages and we proceeded with happily and eagerly digging into the buffet of grilled delicacies.
Kieran and Gina shared two bottles of red wine during the evening and called it a night around midnight looking suspiciously like they weren't going to bed just yet. Naomi mocked disgust as Kieran grabbed Gina's backside when they walked back into the house. The barbecue area of the B'n'B had one large table with benches around it but there was also an area with a few comfortable lawn chairs placed around a hearth. When Kieran and Gina left us, Cook quickly built a small bonfire and we moved to the chairs. I sat next to Naomi with Effy on my other side and Cook was sitting across from Naomi with Katie snuggled up in his lap. JJ had received yet another phone call from his Mum and had gone down to the beach to talk to her. The atmosphere was cozy and even though we were all buzzed from the alcohol, we all knew we weren't going to get hammered tonight. Nevertheless, my beer was empty and I got up to get more, taking drink orders from the rest of the gang on the way. I came back carrying five beers and a bottle of white wine for Effy along with some blankets. JJ had returned and had taken my seat between Effy and Naomi and after handing everyone their drinks and a blanket, I sat down in the sand between JJ and Naomi.
"This feels like the proper time to warn you of Ol' Man Guthry", Cook started, changing both his tone of voice and his demeanor drastically. I could tell we were in for one hell of a scary story as Cook adjusted the way Katie was reclining in his lap to make sure he had our undivided attention. I took a large sip of my beer, settled in and rested my head against the armrest of Naomi's chair in order to get a better look at Cook.
"He was one of the local dinosaurs that volunteered during my first year", Cook paused because Effy giggled oddly at the word dinosaur. "He was a funny old man but always cheerful and ready with a cheeky comment, reminded me of, well me except, you know, old!" We all smiled and he continued, "one day we were working against the clock because a storm was coming in. It was pouring cats and dogs and we had just uncovered a huge grave field that would be ruined by the storm if left unprotected. So Guthry and I started…" I lost track of Cook's story when I felt soft fingers gently brush along the back of my neck. I tensed slightly as the sensation spread throughout me like a whirlwind and resulted in a tingly feeling in my toes. Naomi either didn't notice or didn't care about my tensing up at her caress and I closed my eyes as her soft fingers started to explore my bare shoulders. My eyes flew open as Naomi stopped her caress when Katie let out a small scream as Cook made her jolt at a particular scary part of the story. Her warm hand was still resting on my back though and I leaned even further towards her chair, pressing slightly against her hand, inviting her to continue. In truth, there was nothing sensual about her caress and had it been anyone else, I probably wouldn't have given it a second thought. It was a seemingly friendly gesture and she could have been doing the exact same thing to anyone sitting next to her, resting their head against her chair. Whether or not her actions were merely friendly was irrelevant to me; it felt incredible and I didn't want it to stop. Katie slapped Cook across the chest for making her jump out of her seat before settling back down into his lap as he continued his story. Everyone seemed captivated by it and I almost regretted not having paid more attention. Almost. Naomi was covered by a blanket that she had pulled up all the way to her chin. Her left hand, the one that was currently setting my body on fire, was sticking out from under the blanket through the hole between the armrest and the seat of her chair. Her gaze hadn't left Cook once and she seemed just as enthralled by the story as Katie, Effy and JJ were. Her fingers started tracing delicate circles along my shoulders and neckline and I had to bite down hard on my lip in order to keep a moan from escaping me. I saw the slightest hint of a smile cross Naomi's lips and was starting to revisit the idea that perhaps she wouldn't have done the same to JJ, Katie, Effy or even Cook if they had been sitting here instead of me. Naomi suddenly shifted slightly in her chair and I felt her hand drift down towards the small of my back and lingering a little, feeling the goose bumps her touch had caused. I was in heaven.
A loud, collective gasp and a slight scream from Katie marked the ending of Cook's story and he was smiling proudly. Naomi removed her divine hand from my back and pulled the blanket further up around her. I hadn't noticed how cold it had gotten, probably due to the heat that had been coursing through my body for the past half hour. I shivered slightly and contemplated going inside to get a sweater from my room. Gazing up at a smiling Naomi, I decided against the sweater. The bonfire was dying but there was still a little warmth coming from the ember so I held my hands out to steal some of the heat.
"I'll go next", Effy said and everyone turned their heads, gaping at her in surprise. She took a large swig of her white wine and shot us all a sad smile. "Once there was a girl plagued by terrible demons who fell in love with a wonderful boy called Freddie", she started. "He was tall, dark and handsome, you know, the sort of boy most girls can only dream of. He was kind and sweet and had the most beautiful heart."
Naomi's hand hadn't returned to my back and I was really starting to shiver at the cold. I really should have gotten that sweater. I glanced up at Naomi but she seemed intent on listening to Effy's story without any distractions so I simple leaned against her chair and gave Effy my full attention.
Naomi's POV
"At first, the girl didn't want to trust him. She did everything she could to push him away but he kept coming back and he kept showing up to rescue her." Effy said, shaking her head sadly.
"What did she need rescuing from?" JJ interrupted.
"Demons", Effy replied. "Terrible demons tearing away at her soul. She did the best she could at keeping them at bay but the demons were far too powerful." So far this wasn't a very scary story but Effy was a surprisingly compelling storyteller and I couldn't help but listen intently despite having the distraction that was Emily Fitch, leaning against my leg.
"One day, the demons were screaming at her to give in but Freddie showed up, sword in hand and fought them off. The girl realized that this, love, was the most powerful weapon she could ever wield." Effy smiled as her blue eyes stared into the ashes of the bonfire. "For a while, love was able to keep the demons from tearing her apart and she was happy. Well, as happy as someone as broken as her could possibly be." Her tone hardened when she spoke of the girl and was softer at the mention of Freddie. "But it didn't last long. One day, Freddie left the girl alone for too long. He found her bleeding in the bathroom; her demons had opened both of her wrists with scissors." A collective gasp went out and Effy paused long enough for me to notice Emily shivering. I wasn't sure if it was because of the story or the cold so I reached down and put my hand gently on her shoulder, figuring it would be comforting either way. Her shoulder was as cold as ice.
JJ used the pause to run inside to replenish our beer supply and I made a snap decision. I squeezed Emily's shoulder lightly and she turned to look at me. As she did, I lifted the blanket from my lap and gestured that she sit down. I saw several different emotions mirrored in her eyes before she hesitantly got to her feet and then settled sideways in my lap. I wrapped the blanket around the both of us and as Effy continued with her story, Emily snuggled down a bit and rested her head against my shoulder. She really is a tiny person. She was very, very cold, which wasn't really much of a surprise since she was still only wearing a bikini top and shorts. The rest of us had cuddled up under blankets for the past hour while she had been sitting in what was essentially underwear.
"Freddie fought for her life, slaying many demons in his path. But he realized that she needed more than he could give and left her with people who made a living out of chasing away demons." Effy took another sip of wine. "One day he came to visit the girl, hoping that some of her demons had gone away for good so they could ride off into the sunset together. But once he saw her, he knew something was very, very wrong. She couldn't remember him and she seemed to almost fear him." I glanced over towards Katie and Cook and saw him place a protective arm around the brunette who was in obvious discomfort at Effy's story. Although personally, I found Effy's face and voice a lot more scary than the actual story.
"Freddie went crazy and kidnapped the girl, not accepting that the demons had finally won. He brought her to a safe place and sat with her, night and day, waiting for her to remember and ready to fight off her demons, one by one." I noticed Effy swallow hard before continuing, "Finally, she started to remember and cried as she recognized Freddie's worried eyes watching her. She reached out to him but at that moment, a terrifying demon appeared." Effy raised her voice, emphasizing the appearance of the demon. "The girl saw Freddie fighting for his and her life but he was failing. The demon was too strong and Freddie was dying. With his final breath, Freddie told the girl to run. Run as far and as fast as you can. The girl refused but as she saw Freddie's warm eyes turn red and his body go slack, she ran. She ran but the demon followed. She ran until her legs buckled and her feet bled. She ran to the end of the world to get away but it was no use, as soon as she stopped, the demon would show its ugly face. So she keeps running, keeps fighting, the memory of Freddie's sweet voice and beautiful heart forever spurring her on."