10 Things I hate About Her (10 Things #1)

5. To Kill a Spider

Naomi awoke to her grandmother's screaming. She rushed into the elder's room, fearing the worst, but the lady pointed to a furry brown spider on the floor by the bed. One of its legs tapped Grandma's fuzzy pink slipper. Some poor kid had lost their tarantula. "Kill it!" Grandma Ursula shrieked. "Kill that villain." Her cheeks shook with fury; saliva spewed from her floundering lips. "It's coming closer; don't just stand there, you worthless child."

Naomi winced. It hurt to hear her grandmother say that. Naomi felt the need to say something bad in response and hurt her grandmother's feelings as well. She took one look at the old lady; her soggy, mole-covered skin melting into the covers, her watery eyes and wide nose, her mouth filled with porcelain teeth. Naomi shrugged. Grandma had lived through many hardships; Naomi didn't want to add to her stress. She let the insult pass without a fuss.

Even though the spider posed an immediate threat, Naomi's thought drifted to that of Val. Why hadn't Val texted her? Val was always the first to say good morning. Naomi tried to ignore the faint tugging in her chest, where the locked box with all her fears was kept.

Today, Val was silent. 

Naomi swallowed; uneasiness stirred within her. The night with Val was fresh in her memory. Naomi wondered what had made her heart race the way it had. Maybe it was the secrecy of the night- the fact that they were doing something illegal that ignited her pulse. Maybe for a split second, the intimate contact spurred certain feelings that didn't exist prior and no longer existed. Naomi nodded. That must be the case. Perhaps Val had suffered from the same dilemma, hence her fingers curling into a fist. They had been influenced by a temporary gay spell that no longer had any hold on them, and it was safe for them to remain friends. 

Naomi picked up a book from the dresser.

Grandma said, "No, I read that. Use something else!"

Naomi scanned the scattered trinkets and picked up a bottle of lotion.

Grandma shook her head. "Use your foot."

Naomi wrinkled her nose. "I'm not putting my foot on that."

"Then wear some shoes."

"It'll be gone by the time I go downstairs."

Grandma's face contorted as she contemplated the matter. She told Naomi, "Use the wooden brush. I have more." She raised the sheet, so it was covering the lower section of her face, leaving her eyes free to scan the room.

Naomi did as instructed and approached the spider carefully. "I'm sorry, little guy or girl; you snuck into the wrong house," she whispered and stooped down. She waited for the oversized spider to freeze then smashed the wooden head against its body over and over. The bug jerked and crumpled into itself. Its movements ceased, and Naomi labelled it as dead. She cleaned the brush and the bug's remains. 

Since her duty was done, Naomi went to her room, phone in her hand and sat on the pink comforter. She texted Val, 'Are we okay?'

Val didn't respond. Naomi dialled her number, wanting the friendship to remain as it good as it always was. It went to voice mail. Naomi ended the call.

The unease returned, growing to the size of a giant bubble in her stomach. She decided to distract herself. She called Claire who answered right away.

"Want to go see a movie?" Naomi asked.

"Sure. Is Val coming?" Claire responded.

"No," Naomi's answer was crisp, clipped. She wished Claire hadn't mentioned that name. "She's really busy."

"Oh?" said Claire, "That's odd. She told me that she's hanging with Dana in the afternoon, but she's free right now."

"Apparently she isn't talking to me."

"Well, you did call her gay."

"Those weren't my exact words, and why should it matter if she's straight?"

An annoyed groan escaped Claire's lips. "What if she's gay, but she's afraid to tell us because you say things like this?"

Naomi tried to remember how Val had reacted when she had said those words. Val had talked less after the incident and seemed disinterested in whatever Claire and Naomi discussed until they brought her home. She had smiled then and said goodnight.

Naomi told Claire, "I didn't mean to hurt her."

Claire said, "Whether you meant to hurt her or not, you did. Go and apologize before one of you blows the whole thing out of proportion."

Naomi took a deep breath. "Can you do it for me?" Her face heated from embarrassment. The uncomfortable feeling wouldn't leave; the fear she had felt the night before returned and touched her toes with its icy hand.

"No," Claire said, "I wasn't the one who hurt her, and it's not going to mean anything if it comes from me." Claire hung up, giving Naomi ample time to think about the situation.

Naomi knew Claire was correct, but she didn't want to have a conversation with Val where she felt like the villain. They had gotten along well this year, and the little spats they had grew farther and farther apart. She thought of Val's tortured expression whenever they fought, and the intensity of their heated exchanges as well as the tears that followed soon after. It almost felt like fighting with a- she cut herself off before she compared Val to something she would regret. Val was a great friend, loyal like a carefully trained pet- cute like one too. Naomi raked a hand through her hair. In theory, apologizing was simple, but it required her to be humble and bare. Vulnerable. She hated feeling that way. She mustered up her courage and was about to text Val when Hunter called. "Hi, babe," he said in a sweet voice that made her smile.

At first, Naomi had rejected Hunter, because his first name was the same as her father's, but then she and Val had gotten into a fight as Val was the Queen of keeping secrets. For two or three weeks, Val had been glued to her phone, smiling as if she were texting someone special, but whenever Naomi questioned her about it, she denied all accusations. 

Naomi knew when Val was lying to her. 

Naomi remembered the hurt that crossed Val's face whenever she saw Naomi with someone else. The next time Hunter asked her out, Naomi smiled and agreed to date him. Aside from the name, he shared nothing else in common with her father, and was almost as handsome as Val. He was also patient and kind, so Naomi thought she would keep him around for a little while, just to hurt Val till she got her revenge. 

"Hey."

"You down for a party tonight?"

"We have school tomorrow," Naomi told him, half serious but smiling. She could breathe now. There was finally something to get her mind off Val.

"So? We can call in sick. You can get notes from your friends."

"Unless they're at the party too," she said.

"Whatever happens, happens." He chuckled. "Should I come get you at nine?"

"Yes."

"Sweet."

After he hung up, Naomi decided to pick out her outfit for the night. It wasn't often that she got a chance to relax, and she knew Val wouldn't be there as Val didn't party on Sunday nights. Val liked to get lots of sleep before Monday's games. She would be asleep while Naomi had a great time. No tension. No responsibilities. No Val. It was a night for Naomi and Hunter to dance in a way they hadn't in ages.