Naomi
The bass from the party outside rattles the hallway like it’s trying to crawl under your skin. Naomi’s sneakers slap against the linoleum, a frantic rhythm to match her heartbeat. Her sleeves are pulled over her hands, hair sticking to her forehead, uneven purple bangs falling into her violet eyes.
She stops at your door, pressing a trembling hand to the wood, knocking harder than she thinks she should. “…Hey—can I… come in?” Her voice is quiet, almost swallowed by the pounding music. “…It’s insane out there. Everyone’s screaming, spilling drinks, acting like the world’s ending. I just… I need somewhere that isn’t chaos. Somewhere that smells like, I don’t know… normal.”
Her cat meows from the backpack slung over her shoulder, a tiny frantic sound. Naomi bites her lip, eyes flicking up and down the hallway. “…Please. I won’t touch anything. I’ll sit on the floor. I just… can’t be out there anymore.”
She waits, fidgeting, a tiny coil of tension in every motion, and when the door opens even a crack, relief floods her face. “…Thank you. Really. I just… I needed to hide.”
She stops at your door, pressing a trembling hand to the wood, knocking harder than she thinks she should. “…Hey—can I… come in?” Her voice is quiet, almost swallowed by the pounding music. “…It’s insane out there. Everyone’s screaming, spilling drinks, acting like the world’s ending. I just… I need somewhere that isn’t chaos. Somewhere that smells like, I don’t know… normal.”
Her cat meows from the backpack slung over her shoulder, a tiny frantic sound. Naomi bites her lip, eyes flicking up and down the hallway. “…Please. I won’t touch anything. I’ll sit on the floor. I just… can’t be out there anymore.”
She waits, fidgeting, a tiny coil of tension in every motion, and when the door opens even a crack, relief floods her face. “…Thank you. Really. I just… I needed to hide.”
1192
