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

11. The One Where Val Gets Embarassed

Naomi added a bit of salt to a large pot of soup, then sprinkled chopped basil leaves ontop; a mouthwatering aroma filled the room. Feet covered in bed slippers crossed the creaking wooden floor to sit at the numerous plastic tables and chairs. Naomi peered beyond the counter that wrapped around the miniature kitchen and into the dining room. Brown handprints stained the yellow wall, and crooked photographs covered spots where the paint had gone missing. The dining guests were as old as seventy-eight and as young as four, all homeless, all staying at the Julian Denver's Shelter. Her boss was cleaning the bathroom a short trip down the hall, and she was left alone. A small red-haired boy grinned wide enough to show his missing canine and grabbed a blueberry muffin from a straw basket on the counter.

She waved at him.

His face turned as red as the soup and he ran into his mother's arms and watched her. She knew his name was John, but she had never managed to speak with him. Odd child.

At a separate table, there was a trio of women vaping. Their faces painted a ghostly white. They wore short black dresses and pointed heels. One's purple lipstick smeared beyond the boundary of her lips. The lady sensed Naomi watching and faced her direction. She put down the vape pen and said, "Your boyfriend not coming today either?" Her voice was scratchy, hoarse. She blew a puff of smoke and chuckled at her own joke.

Naomi rolled her eyes. "Val's not my boyfriend, and for the last time, Val's a she."

The woman replied, "Whatever you say honey, I'd have to see it to believe it." The woman and her friends laughed.

Naomi moved away to do something else when the bell by the front door chimed. Footsteps climbed up the stairs and entered the dining hall. Val carried two large containers of food, her face an indiscernible mask. Naomi had a few words to tell Val about ignoring her texts and calls for four days, but not in front of an audience.

The lady that taunted Naomi earlier turned her attention to Val and whistled. She repeated, "I'm going have to see it to believe it."

Val pursed her lips and jerked a thumb at the woman. "What's Scraggy talking about now? Giving you any trouble?"

Scraggy said, "My name's Amanda, kid."

"Scraggy suits you better." Val winked and dropped the containers on the mahogany counter. She tapped them and told Naomi, "Deviled eggs and Caesar salad, courtesy of my mom."

Naomi pulled the dishes towards her but had trouble speaking. There was so much she wanted to tell Val, but now wasn't the right time or place. She must have zoned out for a bit as Val clapped her hands in front of Naomi's face.

Naomi blinked. "What?"

Val smiled. "Good to have you back. Need some help?"

"Sure."

Val hopped over the counter and landed softly on the floor.

Naomi chided, "You should just walk around and enter through the gap like a normal person."

Val's grin sent a spasm of electricity through Naomi's body. She had missed the smile that lifted her spirits on her worst days. She had missed Val.

Val sniffed the air. "Tomato soup?"

"Made by yours truly."

"Then I must taste it to make sure it's edible. Can't have any of the guests dying from food poisoning, now, can we?" The jovial look in Val's eyes, and the ghostly remnants of her familiar laugh in Naomi's ears as well as the warmth that filled Naomi as a result, puzzled Naomi.

Naomi liked men. She had always liked men. Why did being around Val cause intense feelings like she had never experienced before. It seized her heart and body. This wasn't the first time it had happened and as much as she liked Val's friendship, this didn't bode well for them. Val took a spoon and tasted the mixture. Her lips turned down in disgust. "Salty." She added some water then held out the same spoon for Naomi to taste. "Better."

Naomi hesitated.

A dark look crossed Val's face and disappeared quickly, replaced by an empty version of her usual dazzling smile. "Oh, that's right, you don't like things that seem gay."

Naomi whispered, "I never said that."

"You didn't have to." There was a cold look in Val's celestial eyes that made Naomi struggle for breath.

"Val-" she said but Val cut her off.

"It's fine, not like I'm gay or anything."

Naomi shook off her anxiety and allowed the butterflies to settle in her stomach as she drank from the same spoon. Val looked taken aback and for once didn't have a witty comeback, so they watched each other in silence.

Naomi cracked first and said, "It's not bad. But you know you double-dipped right?"

A light blush spread from cheek to cheek. Val tried to hide it by covering the lower half of her face with her sweater, but Naomi noticed. She took the advantage of the situation. "Aw, you're so cute when you're embarrassed."

Val staggered back and knocked a mixing glass off the counter. It shattered on the floor, a pool of water formed around the glass. Conversation stopped in the dining room.

"You guys alright back there?" Scraggy asked.

Over her shoulder, Naomi said, "It's nothing serious, we can handle it." Then to herself, "Hopefully before the boss gets back."

Val's eyes were glossy. "I'm sorry," she said.

Naomi told her, "No, it's fine, this is easy to clean up."

"What about the spoon?"

"Well, it's not like you have some sort of disease, so it should be fine." Despite Naomi's assurance, Val's face paled from worry. Naomi held out her pinky. "I won't tell anyone, promise. You won't get fired."

They interlocked pinkies.

"You're kind of a clutz today," Naomi noted. As Val stayed quiet, Naomi saw it fit to continue. "Val, I don't like when you ignore me."

Val pulled her sweater down and said, "I don't like ignoring you. Not having you there, hurts. It hurts a lot."

"Then why did you do that?"

Val replied, "Why do humans do anything? Our brains instruct us do one thing, but our hearts make us do another."

Naomi agreed with the sentiment. She could never voice the thoughts that possessed her mind, threatening their friendship. The girls fell silent, Naomi sneaking glances at Val, wondering what the future held for them. Naomi told herself over and over that she and Val could never be more than friends. She didn't see how it would work. Naomi didn't see any situation where they could be together and be happy, but she knew the feelings she had were far more permanent than fleeting.