So, I decided to continue with this. When Naomi starts telling the story, it will switch to third person past tense, so let me know if it's too confusing or if you like it written that way or anything at all, really :) Thank you for the reviews and such so far, you are all awesome :)


"You can't start it like that."

"What's wrong with 'Once Upon A Time…'?"

"It's how fairy tales start."

"So?"

"So this story isn't a fairy tale."

"How do you know it's not a fairy tale? It could be a fairy tale."

"No, it can't. In fairy tales the couple falls in love and lives happily ever after. You and my Mummy didn't, so it's not a fairy tale."

"Why do you keep calling her 'my Mummy' like I've never met her before?"

"Because you're getting a divorce, so she isn't yours anymore. She's mine."

I pull my lower lip between my teeth and give Maya a calculating look. "You really are too smart for your own good, you know that?" She just smiles proudly. "So how should I start this story, then?"

She ponders it for a minute and shrugs. "Just start it."


Naomi dropped her suitcase heavily on the floor of her new accommodations. She was slightly out of breath after carrying the heavy thing up four flights of stairs and took a moment to steady her breathing as she surveyed her small room. Bunk beds. Two large desks taking up an entire wall, with two chairs in surprisingly good condition. A large wardrobe tucked in the corner behind the door. She nodded her head slowly. "Not half bad for cheap student housing," She said to herself. The small room was lacking any sort of personal touches, so she assumed that her roommate hadn't come yet.

"Oh, isn't this lovely," Gina Campbell cooed as she carried in a large plastic bin. "I was expecting something much more run-down for the price you're paying."

Naomi took the bin from her mother's hands and set it down on the floor next to her suitcase. "To be honest, Mum, so was I."

Gina stepped over the suitcase and opened the window curtains. "Oh, look! There's a McDonald's across the street," She said in a tone of mock surprise.

Naomi laughed and knelt down on the floor as she unzipped her suitcase. "Don't worry. I promise I'll find some nice, non-corporatized, organic, fair-trade, local market to do all my shopping."

Gina smiled fondly and ruffled her daughter's hair affectionately before popping the lid off of the bin. "Good girl."

They unpacked Naomi's minimal belongings in a comfortable silence, occasionally speculating on what Naomi's roommate would be like. "All I know is her name is Emily Fitch. And so long as she doesn't stay up all night partying or making noise, I'll be happy," Naomi said as she moved some folded shirts from her suitcase to one of the shelves in the wardrobe.

"Do try and be patient, love, living with people isn't the easiest thing," Gina said, transferring the contents of the bin to the desktop.

"Oh, I've had plenty of practice living with strangers, Mum. Or have you forgotten your whole 'communal living' phase already?" Naomi smirked, folding a few pairs of trousers and setting them on a separate shelf than her shirts.

"There's no need for sarcasm so early in the day. You're going to University now; you'll have to learn to behave like an adult."

"I'll get right on that, Mum."

They were just finishing the unpacking when a noise in the corridor caught their attention. A petite girl with shockingly red hair was dragging a suitcase almost as large as she was into the room with a sizeable duffle slung across her back. Her back was turned to them. The girl let the suitcase fall to the floor and turned around.

"Oh!" She said, almost stumbling backwards. Naomi arched an eyebrow and shot Gina a quick glance. "I didn't think anyone else was rooming here."

"Didn't you get the form from administration stating who your roommate was?" Naomi asked.

"Well, I got a form from someone having a bit of a laugh. Said my roommate was Naomi," The girl paused, seeing the way Naomi huffed and rolled her eyes, "Campbell?"

Gina quickly stepped forward and shook the girl's hand. "Yes, that's my daughter. You must be Emily."

"Fitch, yes, pleasure to meet you," Emily said, genuinely smiling.

"I'll just run and grab the last few things from the car," Gina said hurrying out of the room. "Give you girls a chance to get to know each other."

Emily lifted the duffel strap over her head and dropped it on top of her suitcase. "I'm really sorry about that," She said with a chuckle.

"No worries," Naomi said a bit too coldly. "Happens all the time." She took the last pair of trainers out of her suitcase and tossed them into the bottom of the wardrobe before bending down to zip it up.

"So Naomi Campbell, huh?"

"The one and not so only," She said, standing the suitcase up against the wall.

"That's really, uh, pretty."

Naomi scoffed. "It's about as pretty as it is unique." She moved the plastic bin to the corner, trying to keep it out of Emily's way. "Is your family coming to help?" She asked, gesturing to the suitcase and duffel.

Emily hesitated for a minute before picking up the duffel and throwing it down in front of the wardrobe. "No. I came to London on my own. We aren't exactly close."

"Oh," Naomi said uncomfortably. She didn't want to pry but what kind of parents didn't even see their daughter off to University? "I'm sorry."

"No worries," Emily shot Naomi a smirk, "Happens all the time."

Naomi chuckled. Maybe Emily wouldn't be so bad to live with.


"Is Emily my Mummy?"

"Are you going to interrupt through the whole story?"

"Hold on," Maya says, climbing out of bed. She grabs a piece of paper and a pencil from the small desk in her room and then climbs back into bed.

"What's that for?"

"I'm going to take notes."

I arch an eyebrow. "Why?"

"To figure out who my Mummy is," Maya says simply. "I know you two met in Uni, but I don't remember either of you saying when you met."

"So you're going to take notes the entire time?"

"Yep."

"Suit yourself."


It took some convincing, but Gina finally got Emily to agree to go out for coffee with them. They found a nice owner-operated café about a twenty minute walk from their residence hall with sofas and plush chairs and small tables set up throughout the whole thing. It was nice and quiet and they had no trouble carrying on a conversation at one of the small, round tables. Naomi just rolled her eyes as Gina questioned Emily, sounding more like a concerned mother who had just met her daughter's miscreant girlfriend than anything else. Gina was being polite, but Naomi could see Emily was growing uncomfortable at the nature of her questioning. Once Gina started in on the subject of Emily's love life, Naomi decided to spare the girl, and herself, any further embarrassment. She accidentally-on-purpose knocked Gina's mug of coffee over with her elbow.

"Oh, Mum, I'm so sorry," She said, not entirely convincingly, as she straightened the mug and started dabbing at the spill with some napkins.

Gina sighed and grabbed some more napkins. "I can't take you anywhere, can I?"

"Guess not," Naomi said with a grin. Emily tried to hide her smile, grateful that Naomi had stopped the interrogation.

Once the spill was cleaned up, Gina stuffed all the soaked napkins into the mug. "I guess I'll go get another one," She said, standing up from the table.

"Sorry again, Mum!" Naomi called as Gina waved her off and headed to the counter. She turned her attention back to Emily and gave her an apologetic smile. "Sorry about her. She doesn't know when to stop."

"She's nice," Emily said quietly, taking a sip of her coffee.

"She's a nuisance," Naomi replied bluntly.

"She's a nice nuisance," Emily countered with a smile.

"Get to know her better and you'll retract that statement," Naomi muttered into her mug as she lifted it to her mouth to take a sip.

Emily chuckled lightly. "So now that you know all about me…"

"Emily Fitch, 18, middle child, another Bristol girl like myself, likes music, reading and traveling, studying classic literature with hopes to teach someday," Naomi recited then tilted her head. "Did I forget anything?"

"I believe you skipped right over 'utterly charming', but we can let that slide," Emily said with a laugh.

Naomi shook her head morosely. "Utterly charming, how could I forget?"

"You were obviously distracted by my devastatingly good looks."

"Ahh that must be it."

"Happens quite often, actually."

"People just throw themselves at your feet, ay? Men, women, children, doesn't matter?"

"Pretty much, yeah."

"Well, if I ever go on the pull, remind me not to bring you as a wingman."

"Ha and why's that?"

"How am I supposed to get anyone if they're all too busy trying to win your affections? My ego is fragile. Don't think it could handle a blow like that."

"Aww, poor Naomi. So sensitive."

"Too fucking right I am."

"Well, I don't think it'll be a problem. I doubt I'll be interested in whoever you go after."

"Why's that? You think I only go after twats and tossers?" Naomi challenged, raising an eyebrow.

"Not at all. I just know what I'm interested in and I doubt it's the same."

"Oh? And what exactly are you interested in?"

"Tits and fanny."

Naomi couldn't help the slow grin that turned up the corners of her mouth. "Ahh, see, I'm more interested in fanny and tits."

Emily's look of shock was quickly replaced with a wide smile. "See? Different priorities. We won't have a problem."

"Oh, I'm glad to see you two getting along so well," Gina cooed as she slid back into her seat, placing her steaming mug onto the table. "It's good, since you'll be spending so much time together. So what were you talking about?"

Emily and Gina carried on their conversation, with Naomi occasionally answering a question or properly explaining something that Gina casually glossed over. Naomi sat back in her chair, thinking about how nice it was. She didn't make friends easily, or at all, really, if she was honest with herself, but she was comfortable with Emily and she couldn't help but think that they might become good friends. It was nice.


I hear Maya's pencil stop scratching across the pad and I look at her. She's glaring at me, and I'm shocked for a moment because her expression looks so much like my own. She may not be biologically mine, but she certainly got some traits from me. "What?"

"What are tits and fanny?" She asks, her face screwing up in confusion.

"Umm," I stall, trying to think of a believable lie. Unable to come up with anything, I just glare right back. "I'll tell you-"

"When I'm older?" She finishes with a sigh.

"Yes."

"Fine. What's 'going on the pull'?"

I avert my eyes from her questioning gaze, racking my brain. "It's a thing grown-ups do. It's like a game," I say slowly, looking at her out of the corners of my eyes. There's a tense moment and I'm positive she'll protest my explanation.

"Whatever," She says with a shrug and jots something down on her pad of paper. "Continue with the story."


"So…" Naomi drawled as she sprawled out on the lower bunk bed in their room after Gina had left with her luggage to head back to Bristol, "Tits and fanny?"

Emily snickered as she tossed her clothes randomly into her half of the wardrobe. "Don't even think about hitting on me. I am happily taken."

"Oi," Naomi protested, craning her head back to look at the girl. "You might be able to make lesser beings swoon by batting those big brown eyes of yours, but I'm made of sterner stuff, I'll have you know."

"Oh yeah, you're unflappable," Emily said with a grin. "I saw the way you were drooling over the barista in that café."

Naomi's eyes roamed to the underside of the bed above her as she remembered watching the barista bending over to clean the tables around them. "Mm, I want to shake the hand of whoever made those jeans."

Emily laughed as she kicked the top of her empty suitcase closed. "They were practically painted on."

"Yes. They. Were." Naomi let out a contented sigh and Emily laughed even harder.

"Please try to contain yourself."

Naomi chuckled. "I make no promises."

Emily scoffed in mock disgust. "Great, they landed me with a filthy perv."

"I'm just saying what you were thinking," Naomi said as she rolled over onto her stomach. "You were drooling just as much as I was."

Emily paused, the large duffle bag hanging from her hands. "I… can't even argue with that."

"Ha!" Naomi yelled in satisfaction, surprised at how easy Emily was to talk to, as she pushed herself into a sitting position. "Who's the perv now?" She watched as Emily carried the duffel over to her desk and dropped it heavily onto the chair, which started rolling away before she caught it by its back. "You need a hand with that?"

"Actually, yes." Emily shot Naomi a mischievous grin and pulled open the cords at the top. "I brought a moving-in present, and I'm glad that you're here, because I doubt I could finish it all myself." Naomi smiled in confusion as Emily shoved an entire arm into the duffel, her face scrunched up as her hand dug around inside. She made a noise of victory and Naomi's eyes lit up as the smaller girl pulled out an unopened bottle of vodka. "Go on then," Emily said with a laugh, handing it to her.

"You just keep getting better, Fitch." Naomi unscrewed the cap, relishing in the noise as the seal cracked open.

"And it's only the first day. You'll be in love with me soon enough, Campbell."

Naomi smiled and took a swig of the vodka. "So, you said you're happily taken?"

Emily nodded as she unpacked the duffel, which seemed to be full of notebooks, pens, more notebooks, some paperback books, even more notebooks… "I am."

"What's her name?" Naomi took another swig.


"Wait wait wait. You drank?" Maya asks in disbelief. "Alcohol?"

I blink slowly as my daughter stares at me with her mouth hanging open. "I don't think I meant to tell you that."

Maya scoffs. "Is there anything else you shouldn't tell me?"

"Probably…" I see her eyes grow even wider, "…not."

She shakes her head and actually looks disappointed in me. "Wow, mum. Wow."

"Do you want to hear this story or not?"

"Fine. Keep going. Maybe you'll smoke cigarettes next," She says in such a sarcastic, mocking way I actually have to bite my cheek to keep from laughing.

"Actually," I start to say and she huffs in frustration.

"You were so bad. Get back to the story before I lose all respect for you."


"Her name's Allison." Emily pulled a particularly large notebook out and Naomi held the bottle out to her.

"Allison," She said slowly, "I like it." Emily arched a brow at her as she took a pull from the bottle. "Is she going here as well?"

Emily shook her head and swallowed. "She's in her second year of art school on the other side of London."

"A lesbian going to art school," Naomi said with a click of her tongue and then muttered, "How very original."

"Well it's a good thing you're not the one dating her then, isn't it?" Emily said coolly with the hint of a smile as she handed the bottle back. "We're actually meeting up later tonight if you want to come."

Naomi shook her head. "I don't want to impose on you two or anything."

"Not at all. It'd actually be good if you came. She's bringing a bunch of her friends and it would be nice to have someone on my side."

"On your side?" Naomi asked as she took another drink.

"Yeah. Her friends are nice and all, it's just, you know, they can be so… so…"

"Art-school-student-y?" Naomi offered with a look of mock concern.

Emily laughed and nodded her head. "That. Exactly. So it would be nice to have someone there who isn't going to spend the whole night talking about cross hatching and strong lines versus soft lines and verdaille."

Naomi stared at her. "The fuck is verdaille?"

Emily opened her mouth and closed it again quickly. She met Naomi's eyes and shrugged. "I have no idea, actually." They held eye contact and after several seconds of silence, they both burst out laughing. Emily held her hand out. "Oh, fuck, give me a drink, then." Naomi grinned as Emily took a giant drink from the bottle. She hissed as she swallowed and screwed her eyes shut. "You should come. Worst case you and I can get totally pissed and wander around." Naomi hesitated and Emily rested her left hand on her hip. "Come on. It's your first night at University. It's practically part of the requirements that you get drunk on your first night."

Naomi rolled her eyes. "I don't remember hearing that during the open day."

Emily shrugged, refusing to be denied. "It's an unofficial requirement. Expected more than anything else. Come on," She said, nudging Naomi's leg with her foot, "I promise a good time."

"I'm not one to do something just because it's expected."

"Well I'm expecting you to say no and stay in the room like a twat the entire night. So go on," Emily said with a devilish smirk, "Prove me wrong."

Naomi narrowed her eyes and fought back a smirk of her own. "Fuck it. Go ahead and disappoint me."

Emily took a victory swig and Naomi rolled her eyes, but the dramatic effect was lost when she laughed. She'd never had such easy conversation as she did with the small redhead, who was watching her with the glint of a challenge in her eyes. She knew right then that Emily would be trouble, but in the best way.


"So you and Emily went out and got drunk," Maya says, emphasizing the word with a sharp jab of her pencil to the paper, "Then what?"

"If you'd stop interrupting, I'd be able to tell you," I respond, smiling so she knows I'm not mad at her.

She brings her eyes up to mine and nods. "Sorry, Mum. So just how drunk did you get?"

I let out a short laugh as she settles back into her pillows. "I'm just going to skip that night, if that's alright with you."

"So you got as drunk as you did that time when we went to Nana's for Christmas?"

"What?" I ask, confused. "I never got drunk at Christmas at Nana's."

"Yes you did."

"No, I didn't."

"You did. You were funny. You climbed on top of the piano and wouldn't stop singing some dirty song about Saint Nick's baubles. Mummy got really mad at you."

"…I do not remember that."

"Maybe because you were so drunk?"

"Right. Back to the story."


Naomi landed with a thud on the floor. She wasn't used to sleeping in a smaller bed and had rolled right out of it. "Oh, fucking, Jesus Christ," She said as she untangled herself from her blanket. Her phone was ringing from somewhere and she stood up, looking around frantically as the annoying, twinkly ringer filled up the room. She heard a groan from the upper bed and glanced up to see Emily burrowing further under her own covers. Naomi found the small phone on her desk and flipped it open. "Hello?" She asked, her voice sticky with sleep.

"Good morning, love!" Gina's startlingly cheery voice called through the earpiece. "How was your first night?"

Naomi shuffled toward the door and walked out into the hallway, closing it softly behind her. "What time is it?"

"Just after seven, dear. I wanted to check on you."

"Mum," Naomi groaned, leaning back against the door. "Why are you checking on me? It hasn't even been a full day."

"I'm your mother, I'm supposed to call and bother you. You're lucky I didn't call you five minutes after I left. So how was your night? Did you do anything exciting?"

Naomi rubbed her eyes with her free hand and let her head loll back. "I went out for a few drinks with Emily."

"Oh?" Gina's voiced raised about three octaves. "Did you girls have fun?"

Naomi scoured her brain, trying to remember exactly what had happened. All she could remember was laughing. A lot. "Yeah. We went out with some people she knows in the city."

"Oh, a group! Did you make friends with them?"

Naomi could hear pans banging around in the background and she frowned. "What are you doing?"

"I'm making some blueberry pancakes for Kieran and myself, don't change the subject. Did you make friends?"

Naomi sighed. "Well Emily's nice, if that's what you're asking. I think we ditched the others at some point."

"You think?"

"Yes, mother, I think. I am capable of thinking," Naomi said and she heard Gina crack up.

"Glad to see your wit's as sharp as ever. So your first night was good?"

Naomi shrugged, realized Gina couldn't see it, and said, "It was alright."

"I'm glad to hear it. Emily seems like a lovely girl."

"Well that's good that you approve of my roommate. I'd hate to spend all year living with her knowing you don't like her. It would be absolute torture."

"Right, there's sarcasm and then there's just being rude, Naomi."

"You woke me up at seven in the morning, I wasn't aware I should throw a parade in celebration."

"Go back to sleep, dear. You're getting cranky."

Naomi rolled her eyes. "Bye, mum."

"I'll call you tomorrow, love," Gina said and then hung up.

Naomi went back into the room and tossed her phone onto the desk before grabbing her blanket and climbing back into bed. She rolled over a few times and adjusted her position a few more and then gave up the fight, knowing she wouldn't be able to fall back to sleep. She huffed.

"Who was that?" A muffled voice asked from the bunk above her.

"Just my mum calling to make sure I didn't die on my first night and also to inform me that she's making blueberry pancakes."

"Oh," the voice said. A moment later the springs in the mattress started to squeak and then Emily's head appeared, dangling upside down with her hair hanging loosely over the edge of the bunk. "Now I really want blueberry pancakes."

Naomi snorted. "Me too, actually."


"Hmm," Maya hums, tapping the end of her pencil against her chin. She scribbles something down on the paper and I peer over the top of the pad to see the pencil furiously writing out 'blueberry pancakes'.

"Why are you writing that?"

"Well, my Mummy makes me blueberry pancakes every other Sunday."

"I make you blueberry pancakes whenever I have them here. They're your favorite. 'Blueberry pancakes' is hardly a clue," I say, raising my eyebrows.

"Maybe, maybe not, but it might be important. It's your job to tell the story and it's my job to figure out who's who. If blueberry pancakes aren't important, I'll just cross it off later."

"Fair enough," I nod, unable to argue with her logic. "Right. So. Emily and I became very good friends almost straight away…"