22. nowhere else
37611 / 50000
So, this is pretty short. I was hoping to get another part done tonight, but I probably won't because the story's veering off in an unexpected direction and I need to rewrite stuff and shuffle things around. Fun times!
22. nowhere else
Gina.
1138 words
Gina's in the kitchen when the doorbell rings; she's so engrossed with implementing her new recycling system--it could revolutionise the way they live their lives, it really could--that she almost doesn't hear it at first, and it's only when it rings again that her head snaps up and she realises what the sound is. She isn't expecting any guests.
When she opens the door to see who it is, she doesn't recognise the girl that's shivering on her doorstep. Must be one of Naomi's friends, but she doesn't know which; Naomi doesn't tend to talk about or see anyone except Emily. She's tall, the girl is, and pretty, even though she looks a bit bedraggled.
"Oh, hello," Gina says. "We haven't met, have we?"
The girl shakes her head and, apparently with some difficulty, says, "No. Can I speak to Naomi?"
"I'm afraid she's not in, sweetie." Gina smiles sympathetically; the girl looks like she might be in some sort of trouble. She isn't wearing a coat, and even though it's Spring now, it's still chilly outside. "Would you like to come in and have a cup of tea? She should be back in a bit."
"No, it's okay," the girl says, and she starts to turn to leave.
"Maybe I could give her a message?"
The girl hesitates. In a scratchy voice, she says, "Tell her I'm sorry."
"I didn't catch your name, love," Gina says. "Who should I say?"
"Effy," she says. "Tell her Effy's sorry."
Before Gina can say anything else or inquire further, Effy flees.
---
A couple of hours later, Naomi comes home. Gina doesn't see her, she just hears her stomp up to her room without saying hello and shut the door a little louder than necessary. She's been like this for a couple of days--even more of a moody teenager than usual--and it must be something to do with whatever this Effy girl is sorry for, but of course Naomi hasn't said anything about it. Gina's always the last person to know what's going on in her daughter's life. Naomi probably wouldn't have bothered telling her she likes girls if Gina hadn't found her in bed with one--not that that had been a great surprise, really.
And now something's definitely wrong.
Gina goes up to Naomi's room and quietly knocks on the door. There's some sort of depressing music emanating from the room, and that's never a good sign. When there's no reply she knocks again, louder, and this time she's answered by Naomi saying, "Leave me alone, Mum."
"Darling, is everything okay?" she calls through the door. "Your friend came round earlier."
The music shuts off and Naomi opens the door; she looks like she's been crying. "Who did?"
"Effy, I think she said her name was. She wouldn't stay, but she said that she was sorry. Sounds like you must know what that was about, although I haven't the foggiest."
Naomi doesn't bother to explain, she just nods, and when Gina doesn't move, she says, "Was there something else you wanted to say?"
"Sweetie, why don't you tell me what's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong," she says, and she goes to shut the door but Gina sticks her foot in the way.
"I can see that you've been crying, Naomi. Come on, tell your mum what's upsetting you." Gina steers Naomi inside the room until they're both sitting on the bed, but when she tries to put her arm around Naomi, Naomi shrugs it off.
For a while Naomi is quiet, and then she says, "Emily and I broke up."
"Ah." Now Effy's appearance at the door makes a little more sense. "And Effy--"
"It wasn't even about Effy, not really." Naomi sighs and rubs at her eyes, looking frustrated. "I was the one to break it off, anyway, so I shouldn't even be sad about it. It's stupid, really."
"Hey, it's not stupid." This time when Gina puts her arm around Naomi, she doesn't get pushed away. "If it wasn't Effy that came between you, then what was it?"
"I don't know," Naomi says, and Gina can't tell who Naomi's angry at. "I think I'm just crap at relationships. I wanted it work and it just... didn't, you know? Like, no one really did anything wrong, but we'd still end up fighting over stupid stuff and I just, I couldn't take it any more. And she said she wasn't in love with Effy, but I don't see how she could really love me if Effy was even on her radar." She starts crying again, gasping for breath. Gina squeezes her close and makes comforting noises until the sobs subside and Naomi says, "God, I'm such a mess."
"You're allowed to be a mess, you know," Gina says. "It's just what it's like, having your heart broken. You'll hurt for a while, maybe even a long time, and then one day you'll find you hurt less."
"But what if I don't?"
"You will, I promise. I know it feels like the end of the world now, but it won't always."
Naomi sniffles for a bit, then says, "Do you think I made a mistake?"
"Sweetie, I can't tell you that." Gina smooths the hair away from Naomi's forehead; it's getting long now, the longest it's been since Naomi was about twelve. "Were you happy with her?"
"I don't know," Naomi says. "Sometimes." She straightens up a little and says, "I think I wish it could have worked out, but I don't want to get back together if it's just going to be like this again, and it probably would be."
"Sounds like it's for the best, then."
"So why do I feel like shit?"
"It's just the way it is." Gina can still remember the first time she had her heart broken when she was around Naomi's age, and even though the situation was different--Naomi's dad had been cheating on Gina for a while, and he found out she was pregnant he just up and left--the feelings were the same. It's always the same, whether there's a villain or not. "But you know what? Someday you'll find someone who does make you happy."
"Who says? You haven't." Naomi looks up as soon as she's said it. "Sorry."
"No, you're right," Gina says. It's been a few months since her relationship with Kieran fizzled out, but it no longer stings. Naomi gets that sceptical look on her face, and she carries on. "There's absolutely no guarantee that you'll find your soulmate and fall in love and live happily ever after. But that doesn't mean your whole life's going to be shit forever. It is actually possible to be single and happy, you know."
Naomi wipes her eyes with her sleeve and actually manages to smile. "Yeah, you're right. I'll get over it."