Cancer (Their Story.)

Safe and Sound

    She can't breathe. She can't breathe. Naomi's now bleeding hands scrabbled up and down her body, grabbing at her clothing and hair as if it were a lifeline that kept her grounded to reality. Her back impacted the wall and her knees gave out. Naomi slowly crumbled to the ground, eyes beginning to release salty tears that burned her cheeks, rubbed raw from her scratching at the scars that littered her pale skin. 

    She gasped for air; the only sound filling the empty apartment was her ragged breaths as she continued to sink deep into her delusion filled panic. Naomi fell onto her side and cried; her entire being trembling. Naomi curled up, letting her mind wander deeper and deeper into her insecurities. 

    Creak. Creak. Creak. Creak.

   Naomi shakily stood, leaning against the wall and trying to stand upright. He was coming for her. She began to stumble back, trying to escape... What? Naomi paused for a moment, her breath hitching in her throat. The thought surfaced in her mind and made her heart throb.

   Was Ashleigh home? Naomi realized her poor girlfriend would have to walk in to see her being a mess. God, she's just so pathetic. Naomi broke down again, hitting the ground hard enough that her knees cracked against the hard floor. The door slowly creaked open and the cheerful click-clack of Ashleigh's bright pink stilettos just made her cry harder. 

   "Naomi... I'm home." A pause. Ashleigh gasped, and the click-clacking grew closer. "Naomi! Are you okay?! Are you hurt?" Ashleigh looked like an angel rushing towards her with open arms and wide, frightened eyes. For some reason, Naomi was filled with sudden fear and she yelped like a wounded animal, shying away from Ashleigh's touch. Naomi opened an eye to see Ashleigh slowly sink down on one knee in front of her, her ruby lips beginning to twitch. Ashleigh clearly didn't know what to say to help Naomi calm down.

   Sadly Naomi was really no help because it seemed like nothing ever would help her ever again.

   "Naomi, love." Ashleigh cringed at the pet name before taking a deep breath, "Naomi, take a deep breath. God, I-I don't know what to do." She mumbled for a bit before turning her attention back to her girlfriend. "Are you- Are you in pain? Please, Naomi, try to breathe. Watch me, just like this." Ashleigh began to take deep, slow, heavily exaggerated breaths and Naomi tried to do the same, but hers was less calming and more like desperate gulps of air. 

   Naomi reached out a hand hesitantly, and Ashleigh took it.

   "Hey, hey... I'm here now." Naomi murmured to Wynn, watching her mascara begin to run down her face in inky tears. She had gotten all dressed up for this party and excited to have a good time, but Naomi had gotten a call from her friend Taylor. Wynn had a panic attack in the bathroom and no one knew what to do. "Breathe, please." Naomi mimicked the same thing that was done to her many years ago and felt relief flood her entire body when Wynn copied her; greedily sucking air in through clenched teeth.

   "I just wanted to-" Wynn sobbed, "I just wanted to have fun like a normal- Normal teenager!" 

   Naomi hesitantly reached out a hand to the teenager... And Wynn took it.

   "Come on, you're shaking." Ashleigh murmured, holding Naomi close. "I'm here now. I didn't leave you, Naomi. I promised I'd come back, didn't I?" Naomi looked up at her and tried to speak, but the only thing escaping from her mouth was a shaky sob. "Say anything, please." Ashleigh's voice cracked, "I want to hear your voice."

   "T-Thank..." Naomi gulped, "Thank you." Those words were the same words that were later said to Naomi years after Ashleigh's death. These words weren't meant for her. Naomi dedicated all her skill in calming people down to Ashleigh, who stood by her side during attacks of different kinds. Rage, depression, panic, and mania.

   "I love you, Naomi." Ashleigh, Lyra, Hendrix, and Wynn said. 

   "I love you, too." Naomi said this back to each and every one of them.