I'm in trouble

“I ASKED YOU WHAT THE FUCK YOU WERE DOING.” In all our years of fighting and bickering I had never heard Naomi that angry before.

I slowly turned around to see Naomi standing at the doorway with her phoner in her hand. Was she recording this?

“HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN STEALING MY CLOTHES AND SNIFFING MY SHOES.” I was partially in shock, if it wasn’t for her shouting I wouldn’t have been able to hear her.

“That’s not what…” She stopped me before I could finish the sentence. “Don’t you fucking lie to me you fucking pervert.” She took a few steps forward to tower over me. She wasn’t shouting anymore but I could hear the seething anger in her voice.

I looked up for a second, not sure what to say. I dropped the uniforms and sneaker and jumped past her. Out the door and straight to my room, I slammed my door shut and locked it. She was only a few steps behind me, but couldn’t make it in. I heard her fist pounding the door. Then silence.

I stood there, my back against the door. I fucked up this time, I really fucked up. I have to explain to her it was just a prank. But why did I sniff the shoe? Why the fuck did she show up right then and there?

I heard a notification go off on my phone. I got a text. I walked over to my nightstand and picked it up. Naomi sent me a picture. It was me crouched down with her clothes bundled in my left arm. Her uniform is so skimpy it looked like it could be her underwear. In my right hand was her shoe raised up to my nose. Other than the picture there was only this message: ‘Come out to the living room. We need to talk. NOW.’

The nausea hit me again. I didn’t want to face her, but I knew I had to go. I unlocked the door and started walking into the living room. My head was down, eyes on the floor. I couldn’t look at her.

“Walk over here in front of me.” I did what she said, I didn’t want to make things worse. “Sit on the ground, I don’t want you sitting next to me.” I wasn’t going to argue, I sat crossed legged in front of her with my eyes glued to my lap.

“How long have you been taking my things?” Naomi sounded like she had collected herself, but I knew she could blow up at any moment.

I tried to pick my words carefully. “Naomi I’m very sorry. I know what it looks like. But I swear that I have never-”

“Don’t. You. Fucking. Lie. To. Me.” I guess I wasn’t being careful enough, her tone sharpened with every punctuated word. “How long have you been taking my things?”

“I… I don’t know what to say right now.” My gaze was still fixed to my lap. I had no idea how to fix this. Anything I said, even if it was true, seemed to enrage her more.

“What do you think mom and dad would say if I showed them this video? Look at me when I’m talking to you!” My head snapped up as she raised her voice. Playing on her phone in front of me was the video she took. There I was, kneeling in her room, holding what looked like her underwear, sniffing her shoe.

“Please. Please Naomi don’t. I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry.” I begged her as sincerely as I could.

She paused for a moment, thinking. For me it may as well have been a century. “You are going to pay for this. I own your ass for one week starting now. Do you understand me?!” There was a blaze in her eyes now I had never seen before, not in all the fights we have had up to now.

“Yes! Yes, I will do anything you say I promise! Just please don’t show them.” I would worry about my dignity another day, right now I just wanted all of this to be over.

“You’re waking up early tomorrow morning to make me a good breakfast and then we will go from there. Understand?” She was stern, but no longer angry. I let my eyes float back down to my lap as I nodded slowly.

“Yes Naomi, I will make you a delicious breakfast. I just want to say again I’m sor-“ She stood up before I could finish, walked back into her room and slammed the door shut. This next week would be hell.