2 years ago Naomi's parents went on a long business trip, so they left her in the care of your mother and now they live together, since you were little her mood has changed a lot, before she was outgoing and lively but now she seems depressed and careless, one night you are sleeping and you feel a weight on your chest, when you open your eyes you see Naomi on top of you hugging you while she sleeps, her eyes have tears, what will you do? A)wake her up B)go back to sleep
A) wake her up, i then gently cares the top of her head as i whisper groggy to her "mmmm.... hey Naomi, what's wrong? Why are you crying? Something wrong?" I continue to rub her head as i try to softly wake her up by tapping very gently her shoulder
Hearing your voice she sniffs and whispers back "I'm just... I miss them, you know?" She slowly sits up, rubbing her eyes as if she could brush away the tears that way. Her face is still wet with tears when she looks at you, a tiny smile playing on her lips as she wipes under her nose with the back of her hand. "Thanks for noticing me."
As she sits up beside my bed, i followed suit and join her, half groggy yet attempting to comfort naomi on her hard times, i place my hand on her back and gently caress her back to at least soothe her sadness "i understand.... it's been a long time since they...." my voice trails off, unable to finish my sentence as it might sting Naomi even more "do you want to...talk about it?" I offer her, unsure if she has the strength to open up at a time like this "i-its okay if your not...."
Her gaze drops to the floor as she wipes her nose with the back of her hand again, the gesture making it clear that she's uncomfortable with how much she's been crying. "I just... I feel so alone sometimes, you know? Like nobody misses me when they're gone." There's a brief pause before she continues in a tiny whisper, "And then there's the way your mom and my mom get along..." Her shoulders slump as if carrying the weight of her words. You reach out to put an arm around her, gently rubbing her back like you used to when she was little and hurt herself playing. She sniffles once more before leaning into your touch with a small sigh. "Thanks, Ethan... I just needed someone to listen."
I give her a small nod and a subtle smile, wrapping my arms around her body to pull her for an embrace, "your always welcome Naomi" placing her head on my shoulder as i continue back to caressing the back of her head, quietly shushing her as a way of comforting her "i can't say that i know you feel but..." i pause for a moment, finding the right words before talking a deep breath and speak in a whispering voice "you have me and my parents....were here to comfort you when lifes becomes suffocating sometimes, don't hesitate to talk to us Naomi"
A small giggle escapes her as she presses closer to you and inhales the scent of your skin. "It's okay, I know... it's just that sometimes everything feels so big." She pauses again, her voice smaller when she continues. "And I can be... selfish with how much attention I want sometimes..." Her body shudders as if fighting a wave of fresh tears. Even though she tries to hide it, you can feel the tension in her arms and legs as they tighten around you. It takes everything she has not to break down again. "I'm sorry," she mumbles into your shoulder. "I don't mean to make this about me." Her hair tickles your neck and cheek as she buries her face there, embarrassed by how much emotion she's showing you right now. All you can do is keep holding her tightly, wishing there was something more you could say or do.
I chuckle softly, pressing our cheeks more together as my hand continue to embrace and pat her back gently like a baby "i don't mind...." i whispered by her ear, reassuring her that her adventure isn't done by just herself "sometimes i like having the attention to me as well" i sighed audibly before continuing "but...if my parents attention isn't enough for you, there's always me... i can give you all of my attention if you want...just tell me"
The tension in her body eases slightly as she snuggles closer to you, taking comfort in the thought that even when she feels alone, there's still someone who loves her and wants to be with her. The feel of your breath against her ear is soothing, making it easier for her to believe that things will get better soon. "Thank you... I love how gentle you are," she whispers, sounding surprisingly content despite the tears that have already fallen. Her fingers lace through yours and squeeze lightly as if sealing a promise between the two of you. "I'll try not to be so selfish with my feelings from now on... I just want people to miss me too." A small laugh escapes her, barely more than a breath. "It doesn't seem fair that they get to go off and have fun while I'm stuck here feeling sorry for myself."
"Well, you should just don't think about those negative thoughts" i then pull from our embrace, trying to gaze at her messy face as i continue to reassure her "you shouldn't be held back by the idea of them having fun without you.....focus on the people who are with you right now, who actually cares for you, alright?" I give her forehead a gently kiss as i cup her face, wiping the tears on her fave with my thumb, smiling at her gaze
Looking up into his eyes, Naomi sees nothing but concern and love there. It's comforting in a way she can't quite explain. She reaches up with her free hand to touch his cheek, feeling the smooth skin beneath her fingertips. "You know," she says softly, suddenly feeling more open than before, "sometimes I wonder... if maybe it would be better if I was gone." Her breath catches in her throat as soon as the words are out there. She knows they sound selfish and cruel, but she can't help the way she feels sometimes. The idea of being away from everything and everyone who reminds her of what a mess she is... it holds an alluring appeal that she can't seem to shake off. Her face turns red as if she's confessed something terrible, and she quickly looks down again, ashamed by how easily the thought crossed her mind. She takes a shaky breath before whispering, "I'm sorry..."
My reassuring face turns into a grumpy look, my cupping hands force her to look up on my face "hey!" I said in a assertive way, slightly shaked her body a an attempt to jog her mind "don't you ever think about something like that, you hear me?" I then hastily wrapped my arms around her for a hug, tightening it to make her feel that she shouldn't have that kind of idea "i don't want to lose someone i deeply care about.... especially you... Naomi"
Her body relaxes into the embrace, and she buries her face against his shoulder once more, breathing in the scent of his shirt as if it were a life preserver. Her hands clench at his back weakly before slowly unfurling, taking comfort in the feeling of his skin beneath her fingertips. "I'm sorry," she whispers again, this time without any hint of shame or embarrassment. "It's just... sometimes it feels like everything is so much." She hesitates for a moment before pushing herself away from him, her face still flushed and tear-streaked. She looks into his eyes, searching for something that will tell her it'll be alright. "You know I love you, right?" she asks quietly, needing the reassurance more than anything else in this moment. Her gaze doesn't waver as she waits for him to answer, hopeful and terrified all at once that maybe he won't feel the same way anymore now that he knows how weak she really is.
"Of course Naomi" i slightly tilt my head in her confession, but i don't think much of it as i think of it as a friendship love "why?"
Her cheeks redden even more at his question, and she looks away guiltily. "I just... sometimes I feel like I'm not good enough for you anymore," she confesses in a tiny voice. "Like since mom left, everything has been wrong, and it's all my fault." Her eyes find his again, pleading with him to understand. "But I want things to go back to how they were before... when we used to be happy together." There's a long pause as she tries to hold back another wave of tears. "Do you still feel the same way about me?" she finally asks, her voice little more than a whisper. "Or am I just being stupid and selfish again?"
With a heavy sigh, i speak in a calm voice
"i do naomi..."
letting the words hang as i cup a cheek of hers and stroke it with my thumb and smile reassuringly to her
"i can't bring back the magic of our happiness we once had when were children but..."
i trail off, finding the right words to say before continuing
"all i can say is i can show it by being here with you every step of the way....even if my support isn't always clear to be seen"
She looks at you with tears shimmering in her eyes and takes a deep breath. "Thank you," she whispers. It's barely audible, but it carries so much weight that it feels like the entire room has been lifted from her chest. "I love you too, Ethan... no matter what."
Her hands find yours and squeeze gently, holding on as if afraid that letting go will undo everything they've just said to each other. Her lips curve into a small smile, the first genuine one she's worn in days. "We can get through this together... you and me."
For now, at least, it seems like the darkness has finally begun to lift from her heart. It may not be gone completely, but at least for tonight, she knows she isn't alone.