Naomi slept in a pitch-black room. A sharp whistle pierced the silence, but it did not wake her. Something knocked on the window. She turned away from it, captured by a dream of being pursued by darkness that swallowed every living thing. It consumed the pavement and houses on either side of her as she ran. Trees collapsed and fell into the gaping abyss. She pumped her fist and broke into a sprint. Val materialized out of nothing, wearing a flowing black robe, a flash of white light behind her. Val's hair blew in the wind, her eyes were bright, almost glowing. Naomi took Val's outstretched hand and was pulled into her embrace. Comfort, warmth, support- the things Naomi often took for granted rushed over her. As their bodies pressed together, she felt the pulsations of Val's heart. Val slipped a wooden wand from her pant's pocket and pointed it at the black nothingness that swept towards them.
A loud knock shook the dream world. Val braced for impact, hunkering down and muttering a spell. The edges of the black hole started to dissipate; a giant groan and gust of wind left the mass. It started to retreat, spitting out cars, trees and houses as they were before- in the right place and in perfect condition. It receded farther as if travelling to the very ends of the earth. Val whispered something into her ear, but Naomi couldn't hear over that cursed knocking. Why wouldn't that terrible noise stop?
Naomi's eyes flashed open; her senses were groggy as she sat on the mattress. She shook herself awake and slapped her cheeks. That was the last time she would read Harry Potter before bed. The knock echoed throughout the room. Naomi saw a fist rapping against the window. She focused her eyes and made out a pair of muddy white shoes balanced on the outer ledge. Long legs covered most of the glass. She checked the alarm clock on the dresser next to her head. 3:15.
Picking up her tired bones, Naomi turned on the light and opened the window, removing the mesh to let the visitor in. Val swung herself inside, and onto the hardwood floor, promptly removing her shoes so she wouldn't track dirt through the house. Naomi knew Val had climbed the bricks with the help of the drainpipe. Val didn't seem to mind doing stupid things that Naomi warned her about. The taller girl was wearing a thin shirt; the chill outside caused goosebumps to spread across her slender arms; the tiny hairs stood upright. She told Naomi, "What took you so long? Do you know how long I was out there for?"
Naomi clamped a hand on Val's mouth and checked to see if anyone else had awoken. When she was sure no one had, she spoke in a harsh whisper, "First, do not yell at me in my own house. Second, are you trying to wake my parents and get us both in trouble? Third, I gave you a freaking key; use it and stop climbing things like an ape." She let her hand fall.
Val said, "You know we come from apes, so I'm technically half ape, half human. Hence, I'm not insulted by that. And I left your key at home."
Naomi shook her head, puzzled. "That makes no sense. And you could have texted to say you were coming over."
"I did, but you didn't respond," Val's whisper was as harsh and pointed as Naomi's.
Naomi stepped forward and asked, "Was that before midnight or after?"
"When do you sleep at midnight?"
"When I have school the next day and by the way, so do you."
Val waved the notion away. "School's overrated." She started to strip her shirt off, her muscles rippling along her back. She dropped it on the floor and walked over to the bed. "Can I sleep here?" She ran a finger over the patterned blanket, casting a longing look at the embroidered gold stairs that ran the length of the cozy material.
"Did you shower?"
Val's face froze as she thought for a moment. "No, probably not."
"Then do that."
"Won't that wake your parents?"
It was Naomi's turn to contemplate. Her shoulders sagged, and she said, "I'll make something up, but no one can know you are here, so I need you to hide if you hear them."
Val frowned. "Why?"
"You think my parents were happy that I came home drunk last Monday?"
Val nodded in understanding, a slight smile. "Grounded?"
"Yep. I shouldn't have any friends over, especially not you." Naomi sat on the bed. "What's your story?"
Val's face changed from playful to uneasy in an instant; a mixture of sorrow and hate reflected in the twitching of her lips. She said, "I need to sleep, alright?"
"Why here? If you're not going to talk, why bother coming here?"
Val stared at her. "I trust you and you make me less sad."
"You confuse me," Naomi admitted, her chest tightening as she spoke.
Val didn't question it, but replied, "You confuse me too."
A sort of peace settled between the two. Naomi accepting the feelings she couldn't change and Val, well Naomi didn't know what Val was thinking, but Val also seemed grateful about something. The tense atmosphere surrounding her was gone.
"I'll be back," Val said, heading towards the bathroom door. "Don't die while I'm gone, okay?"
"As if I'd die," Naomi retorted.
Val paused by the open doorway and said, "I'm going inside now."
"Yep," Naomi said, growing impatient. The sooner Val left, the sooner she could drop her head on the pillow and pass out.
Val hesitated, one foot on the bathroom tile, the other on the bedroom's wood. "This is a dumb question, but I feel like if I leave now, you won't be here when I come back. You won't leave, will you?"
"This is my house, Val. Where else would I go?" Naomi said.
Val spoke, her voice so soft Naomi had to strain to hear it. "Hunter's." Her thick eyebrows lowered, hovering above her eyes and Naomi sensed the unsaid malice towards him.
Naomi's demeanor softened. "There is no Hunter."
"He's dead?" Val's face lit up.
"No, I broke up with him."
There was something else Val wanted to say, Naomi perceived it in the various expressions that crossed Val's face. Val simply smiled and said, "That's good."
"You didn't like him."
"Not in the slightest."
"You never said anything."
Val's eyes showed a deep affection for Naomi. It was there for merely seconds before her posture regained its arrogant confidence. Her shoulders rose, her spine straightened as if a load had been taken off. She smirked, eyes twinkling. "I figured you knew what you were doing. I'll go shower now."
When Val left, Naomi fixed the mesh and locked the window. She wondered how the things they left unsaid would have changed the outcome of the conversation. She went back to bed and turned off the light, the thought lingering in the hallow regions of her mind. It shouted that they should address the issue before it ripped them apart. But she could not voice it, for she feared the result would be worse than saying nothing at all. Minutes later, Val slipped into bed behind Naomi and wrapped her arm around Naomi's waist. A fire ignited in Naomi's belly, spreading excitement and warmth throughout. She felt lightheaded, dizzy and cursed herself for not sending Val away. She heard Val's slow, rhythmic breathing as Val fell into a deep sleep, her breaths caressing Naomi's neck. Val murmured something nonsensical; it didn't bear any resemblance to English.
For the first time -Naomi wished it weren't so, but she was conscious of everything she did around Val. Conscious of every inch she moved, and every bodily function. There would be no sleep for her tonight, unless she kicked Val out for some ridiculous reason, and she couldn't bring herself to do that. She counted in her head, trying to lull herself to sleep. She knew Val needed her that night, though she didn't know why.
Nevertheless, it was a pain in the ass.
Despite the intensity of many internal warnings, Naomi turned to face Val. She raked a hand through the girl's silky hair, traced the outline of her ear and drew a line down her neck.
Val murmured, "What are you doing?"
Val was awake. Naomi's heart stopped beating for countless minutes. She recovered, though her heart thudded against her chest. She wondered if Val could hear it. Naomi spoke as nonchalantly as she could manage, "I can't sleep, entertain me."
Val's eyes flashed open. She chuckled softly. "It would be wrong for me to sleep if you can't. When was the last time we pulled an all-nighter?
"Two weeks ago. Math test."
"Ah, that was a pain" a pause then, "what do you want to do?"
Naomi placed her head on Val's chest as indifferently as she were able to. She tried to remember what it was like before the feelings had awoken. How easy it had been to be with Val and not think of love or affection. And not want to rip her hair out. She wished she could go back to those days. She said, "Tell me a story."
Right on cue, Val hummed a melancholic tune then murmured, "There was a little girl who fell in love with a dragon. They called her Nami. She was a princess, loved by many men, envied by women. She was the strongest warrioress that ever lived. One day the dragon was killed by traders from the east that wanted to establish stations in its territory. The dragon was the least of their troubles as the king wanted them gone. They planned alongside the monarch's brother and on the day of the winter solstice, the brother struck. He slit the king's throat and took his place as king, honoring his contract with the traders," Val said, her voice growing in intensity as she picked up the tempo. "The new king was called..."
"Ursula?" Naomi offered.
"A guy named Ursula? Isn't that your grandma's name?"
"Maybe," Naomi responded. It was her grandmother's name, but she was sure her grandmother would kill her family and take their wealth if she were in better health.
Val was silent as she thought about it. "Sure, that works. He was overthrown by the evil Ursula. Now, Ursula was feared by many men; he had long talons in place of fingers and twin horns on his head. His breath, a venomous vapor that killed vulnerable children. His tail, a linked chain of iron spikes."
"Go on." Naomi smiled. That sounded a lot like her grandma.
Val narrated at a compelling pace, her voice so soothing and magical that Naomi eventually slept, and Val joined her.