Subject Zero: CONFIDENTIAL (Short Stories)

KIDS: Naomi (3)

Third Person's POV
Naomi, as far as she can remember, has always been under pressure by her parents. She has to do her best. She has to work hard. She has to have perfect grades. Growing up, she was always told what to do.

"Stand up straight!"

"Don't speak unless spoken to."

"Smile!"

Her parents often make her volunteer for things she has no interests in participating in; she was on the softball team for a while, Chess club, mathletes, tutoring, violin classes, and so on. She's finally decided to join a club she actually wants to be a part of: art club.

Her and Norman's mother is very kind and generous, but she always expects the best from her children.

But at home, Naomi rarely ever has time for herself. She's always cleaning, doing chores, helping with dinner, studying, or having to practice playing the violin.

One day, Naomi's mother, Mary, asked her if she could do a "few" chores. Norman told Naomi that he'd just do those chores for her, because he knows how she never has time for herself, and she's been under a lot of stress.

She always easily made friends, but not many of them would really stay in her life. They'd always leave after a month or so of being friends. That was, until her brother's friend, Klaus, went missing in November of 1984.

When Norman decided to tell Naomi the truth about Zero, where Klaus really was, everything that was happening during the time he was missing, and when Jesper actually began to be himself more often, Naomi wanted to be herself more, as well.

Norman's friends quickly became her friends, and for the first time, she felt like she could finally be herself around others.

She and Alio were just a year apart, and they were both the eldest two people of the group. They kind of clicked, even though he does annoy her.

"Why? My grades aren't good enough to get me into college?"

"Dude, your grades aren't good enough to get you a slurpee."

She and Rei have the same humor, so they do get along. But when it comes to health and hobbies, they're complete opposites.

"Today was kind of a cheat day for me, heh! I went on my morning run at 7 instead of 6 and had a little bit of whipped cream with my fruit for breakfast."

"...Bro, I've had nothing but Pepsi and Oreos for the past three weeks-"

She saw Anne as a younger sister.

"Anne, why are you upset?"

"I watched toothpaste fall off my toothbrush, and it's ruined the rest of my day-"

She even considered Jesper a friend.

"Is anyone else scared right now?"

"Not really. I've already lived longer than I expected to."

And she's grown closer with Zero.