In Shades of Grey;

Naomi shouldn't have gone to sleep. She should've known better than to think that just because she felt normal again talking to Veronica that she would be safe from him. She was only happy that she was inside the room, and he was out there in the snow but this time he was knocking on the entrance door. Not that she would open the door for the psycho anyway. He could stay out there in the freezing cold.

Naomi laid down on the silk sheets; Can I sleep in a dream? Is that even possible? She closed her eyes hoping that maybe she could get some sleep, at least regular sleep.

She sighed – this was peaceful apart from the loud banging that echoed from time to time, but something warm hit her face. Her face scrunched up in discomfort; I don't understand it's always night in my dreams.

She lazily blinked.

The sun hit Naomi's eyes, but the light was not what fully woke her up – it was Veronica pushing her off the bed.

Naomi grunted as she fell on her side, "You're the worst."

Veronica pulled the covers over her eyes – shielding her eyes from the sun. "Draw the curtains," she whined.

"Nao, what's going on?" asked a higher pitched voice.

Asuna.

Naomi let out a nervous laugh, "I brought a friend over."

Asuna frowned, "Well, we have class today." She looked away from Naomi, she seemed... upset.

"I thought today was a free day," Naomi said.

Asuna kicked the blankets off of herself, "Yeah. Well, you're not always right about everything." She grabbed her uniform and stormed out of the room.

Naomi blinked in surprise; she had never lashed out at her like that.

Veronica yawned, "I thought you said she was nice."

"She is." Naomi got up from the floor and grabbed her own uniform as she headed out room, "Stay here."

It didn't take long for Naomi to reach Asuna.

"Hey, wait!" She grabbed Asuna's wrist, "Why are you so upset?"

Asuna roughly pulled her arm away from Naomi, "First, you blow me off! Secondly, Haruto went out of his way to apologize to you and all you di – "

Naomi scoffed, "Are you serious right now?! I blew you off because you clearly were going to take Haruto's side."

"I'm not taking anyone's side – "

Day Class students started to peek their heads out of their dorm rooms to watch.

"Yes, you are!" Naomi snapped, "Haruto sleeps with a teacher and I'm the one who gets treated like the devil!"

All of the Day Class students watching gasped, but Naomi didn't care – let them know. This was never my mistake.

Asuna pursed her lips and waited for Naomi to say something to the eavesdropping Day Class student, but Naomi said nothing; at least now, I don't have to keep worrying about keeping the whole Akira Saito thing a secret.

"This isn't about that," Asuna frowned "It's about all of the lying. I thought, 'Whatever it is she's hiding, she'll tell me when she's ready.' I told myself, 'Even if she doesn't, it's not any of my business.' But you know what?" Asuna took in a shaky breath, "It is my business. I cover for you all the time while you're doing – God, you know what! I am done!"

Asuna glared, "And since you're telling everyone Haruto's business then I think – " she gave the eager Day Class students a look, "they should know that you're a prefect."

Naomi stood there stunned, weighing out her options, but only one seemed logical to her right now; destroy her.

Naomi nodded and laughed, "So now, you want to play tough girl?" She crossed her arms as she let herself slip back down into old habits, "You're a spineless coward, Asuna."

She saw her cower.

"The only thing you know how to do is to sit idly by and watch. You do nothing when it counts." Naomi sneered and then lied, "Maybe that's the reason you're so defensive of Haruto because you in relationship with Akira Saito with them – I mean three's a party, right?"

Asuna's mouth quiver, "That is not true."

But it didn't matter how many times she says it now. No one would believe her – the lie was a better story.

"No?" Naomi took a step closer to Asuna, "Because you and Haruto had been a little too close. Maybe, you decided to spice things up with a teacher?" Her eyes were cold and devoid of any mercy.

Naomi leaned in and quietly hissed in Asuna's ear, "Good luck trying to shake this rumor and with your mom's position with the Prime Minister?" She leaned back and mockingly sang, "The shame."

Naomi heard the chatter of the Day Class students –

"No wonder, she was so protective of Naomi. She had to be otherwise, she would've told everyone their secret."

"I'm so glad Naomi said something. Haruto and Asuna are disgusting!"

"Oh my god, what if they helped Akira Saito kill Naoto?"

"They should be arrested with her."

Naomi spun on her heel, perhaps she would feel bad about it later but right now, in this moment, she felt powerful.

Naomi entered her dorm room and saw Veronica still laying down as she rubbed the sleepiness from her eyes.

"Nao?" Veronica asked softly.

Naomi opened her closet and grabbed one of her uniforms, "We need to leave before anyone else wakes up."

Veronica nodded and yawned at the same time. She got out of bed and grabbed her neatly folded clothes on top of the drawer.

Naomi slipped on her uniform with ease and turned her head towards Veronica, "Ready?"

Veronica slipped on her shoes, "Yeah." Veronica grabbed her shoulder, "Hey, so what happened with Asuna?"

Naomi's heart clenched as she fixed the rose cuffs on her uniform jacket, "No, I spread rumors about her instead."

Veronica chuckled as she changed into her clothes, "What did you say?"

"That her, Haruto, and the professor – the one I was talking about before, remember?" Veronica nodded as Naomi slipped into her uniform skirt and white dress shirt, "I may have suggested that they were in a throuple."

Veronica smirked, "'Suggested'?"

Naomi buttoned up her Day Class uniform jacket and grinned, "Okay, more than suggested."

"For real?"

"For real."

Veronica's head fell back as she laughed. Naomi joined her and in fits of giggles and laughter, they walked out of the Sun Dorms together.

Everything was normal again, Naomi and Veronica were playfully pushing and shoving each other – almost like they were walking to Yosogami High again.

Naomi genuinely laughing was a sight Zero never thought he would ever see, but there she was smiling.

Zero gave them a lazy look as he waited for them at the end of the steps of the Sun Dorms.

Veronica linked her arms with Naomi, "I didn't get a good look at him last night, but I thought you said he was ugly." She whispered, "He's hot."

Naomi shot her down with a sharp look, "Shut up."

"If he saw me half-naked, I wouldn't mind."

"Veronica!" Naomi gaped.

She giggled, "I'm just saying."

Naomi didn't want to know how flushed she looked at the moment.

"Let's just go." Naomi grumbled as she tried to hide her burning cheeks.

Veronica energetically waved at Zero, "I didn't properly introduce myself last night," She extended her hand towards Zero, "Veronica Tamez."

Zero, who had his hands in his pockets, merely nodded, "Zero Kiryu."

Veronica pouted but continued, "Naomi told me there were prefects at this school," she pointed the white sash, "I'm guessing you're one of them?"

"Yes," Zero said.

Did he hear her talking to me just a little while ago? God, that would be so embarrassing.

Veronica tried to continue the conversation as they walked only to receive blunt one liners from Zero, while Naomi's thoughts were running amok.

She was whispering, though. Odds are he didn't hear anything.

Naomi breathed out as Asuna came rushing back into her mind; she deserved that. Picking a fight with me in the middle of the hallway? So, everyone could hear? And now everyone thinks I'm a prefect.

Veronica wrapped her arm around Naomi's shoulder and smiled, "Stop spacing out!"

"I'm just thinking." Naomi said.

"That's dangerous," She giggled.

Naomi scoffed and shoved Veronica in a playful manner, and jokingly said, "At least, I think before I act."

Veronica leaned against her side dramatically, "Not all of us can have your restraint."

"I wouldn't call it that," Naomi said, "more like a calculated way for a revenge."

No guilt.

No shame.

Veronica got off her side, "Well, this is my stop."

Naomi's eyes widened when they stopped at the gates, "What, no! I'll walk you all the way."

Zero grabbed her arm, "No, you're not."

Naomi glared at Zero, but Veronica spoke up; "Okay..." she hugged Naomi, "It's fine, Nao. I know the way."

Veronica stepped away from her and rubbed her shoulders. She winked at the duo and took her leave.

Naomi ripped her arm from Zero's grip, "What was that for?!"

Zero ignored her, "You need to head to class."

"Are you going to escort me to class, too?" Naomi straightened her uniform jacket.

Zero shoved his hands into his pockets, "If that's what it takes." And he did just that.

The walk to the academic building was short and quiet. Something about his company was comforting to Naomi. He didn't talk, he didn't move to touch her – he just fell in step with her. Zero didn't speed up or slow down... He just walked quietly beside her.

She thought about telling him about Tanaka for what he tried to do for his family but she the Day Class students' attention on them; later.

The students' began to whisper.

"Since when are they friends?" One girl asked.

"I don't know, but it makes sense that they're friends." The other answered, "I heard she's going to be prefect now."

"Maybe they're dating?" A boy chimed in, "Naomi is pretty. Very pretty."

Zero shot them a piercing glare. It was enough for them to cower and hush each other into silence.

Naomi leaned her body next to the classroom door "Sorry, for kicking you in the leg yesterday." She smiled, "And I'm sorry, for judging you for, well, you know."

Zero nodded, "It's fine." He leaned in and opened the door to the classroom, "Head to your dorm room without any detours tonight, will you?"

Naomi smiled at him, "No promises."

She walked inside the classroom and took her seat as something warm bloomed in her chest; He's really not so bad.