Color Outside The Lines || l.t.

Chapter 15 - Damage Control

**TWO DAYS LATER**

Victoria knocked impatiently on the door. She had waited for Naomi to answer for about two minutes now. She knocked once again, only to hear Bella’s persistent barking. With a frustrated sigh, she bent down and flipped a rock over, revealing a hidden key underneath it. She smiled, happy it was still there and happy to finally go in to the house she had been longing to enter for the past few minutes of her life. 

Once inside, Bella whined happily and nudged her legs with her snout. 

“Hey girl.” Victoria said, scratching her favorite spot behind her ear. “Naomi!” she called out once she was done. “NAOMI?!” she cried again. “Answer me damn it, I know you’re here!” she yelled as she went up the stairs. 

She rounded the corner and walked silently to Naomi’s bedroom door. She turned the knob and pushed it slowly forward. The first thing that Victoria noticed was that she couldn’t notice anything; the room was pitch black. The little light that came into the room was from the hallway she just left. 

“Naomi?” she called out into the depths of the room. 

She heard a slight rustle and then could barely pick up Naomi’s muffled voice. “Whyareyouhere?” the dark answered, incoherently. 

Victoria stepped closer to the bed, careful not to trip on anything. “Because it’s two-in-the-fucking afternoon, Naomi! And you’re still in bed!” 

“Iduncare!” Naomi retorted, her voice still unclear. 

Victoria, who had long passed the point of annoyance, sighed loudly and used her arms to feel around her as she headed for the window. “Why is it so cold in here?” she asked, though she expected no answer in return. She grasped around the curtains, her fingers searching the light-impenetrable fabric until they reached a cord. She pulled down on it, releasing a wave of sun that was waiting to shine through. The light spread throughout the whole area, its warmth reaching the far corners of the room and back in a matter of milliseconds. Victoria smiled, finally pleased ever since she stepped in the room and turned back to Naomi. She didn’t find Naomi. What she did find was a big lump covered entirely by the comforter. It remained still and silent as Victoria walked to the spot she once stood. She gently shook the covered blob. “Get up.” she said softly. 

All she got in return was a groan as the blob turned over, still remaining out of Victoria’s sight. 

Victoria sighed and grabbed one end of the comforter. “You have three seconds to take the high road or I’m pulling this off. I sure hope you’re wearing clothes under there.” She waited a few seconds before counting down. “Three… two… one…” and she quickly pulled the comforter towards her, and Naomi was finally revealed.

“Nooooo! Why’d you do that?!” Naomi whined as her eyes adjusted to the harsh light. 

Not to Victoria’s knowledge, Naomi pretty much looked the same as she did on that fateful night. She was still wearing that shirt that was too big for her small frame. She used the shirt to wipe her excess tears when the tissues were too far away. Her bun hung loosely on her head, as stray hairs stuck out in clumps. Her eyes looked lifeless, almost as if every tear took a little bit of her soul out with it. 

“You… you look like the living dead.” Victoria finally said as she soaked in the last details of her appearance. 

Naomi let out a huff. “Thanks.” 

“You know what I mean. I just…” Victoria looked around the room for the first real time since she walked in. “There are empty boxes of Chinese food lying on the floor.”  She lifted open a pizza box that was on the verge of falling off Naomi’s nightstand. “There are half-eaten slices of cheese pizza in here.”