View Same Google ImgOps iqdb SauceNAO Anon_finds_out_nerdaomi_WAS_mani (...).png, 743KiB, 1024x3571

Anonymous Fri 16 Aug 2024 22:39:02 No.68328316 Report

>>68328303
Feel bad asking for more, but more pls

Anonymous Sat 17 Aug 2024 00:01:06 No.68330407 Report

>>68328316

>I'm slammed awake as my phone rings and vibrates. It's already time. I swallow my nerves and whip my phone up to my ear. I tap on it and simply wait for her to speak.
>"Hey." Her voice is beyond meek and quiet. It hurts me greatly.
>"Hey." I chime back. I can't bring myself to say anything else. Just this chance is all I can muster.
>I hear her take a second to compose herself. She ekes out almost silently.
>"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt anyone." I feel a burning question slam into my mouth. Unable to stop it I guide it as best I can.
>"Who's the real Naomi?" I'm blunt. It's all I can offer that's not an insult.
>There's a long pause. The lack of an answer pulls out more fire from my mouth.
>"Was any of that you? The distress you showed when Naser broke it off?" I go quieter and even more serious.
>"The time we spent in the office? The call?" It hurts to even vocalize the notion.
>She fires back, upset and louder. "All of it!"
>She holds nothing back and I almost drop the phone in surprise.
>"Everything!" The air goes extremely solid. It's like a brick of atmosphere holds my mouth shut.
>"I...I know you don't trust me but please. Just... listen for a second." I do as instructed.
>"The real Naomi..." She searches for a moment.
>"I don't like her very much." I'm listening as if she's speaking a great gospel.
>"She's shy and would let life run her over if it meant she didn't have to face conflict. I shut her out because...because Naser." She takes another deep breath.
>"I had to be better for him. I couldn't just be Naomi. I had to be the Naomi that was right for him." I clench my jaw and interject.
>"I want to meet the real Naomi." I let it loose. I want with all my heart to give her that chance.
>"Okay. Do you still plan on coming over the day after tomorrow?"
>No. No I hadn't but I'm reconsidering that now. I swallow and agree.
cont.

Anonymous Sat 17 Aug 2024 00:11:31 No.68330689 Report

Quoted By: >>68331019

>>68330407
>"Yeah."
>"I'll show you. I promise." I have to consider heavily whether or not I actually want this. For a moment there I felt like I wasn't so alone. I let the need move me.
>"Okay. See you then." I tap end on the call and stare at my wall mindlessly. Goddamnit.
>I lay back and get the rest of the sleep I'd missed out on. Must be more tired than I'd thought as the next time I open my eyes it's pitch black.
>I fumble for my phone in the dark and check to see it's 3 am. My stomach rumbles. Thank you past Anon for keeping that sausage in the fridge.
>I pull some of the smoked goodness out and just bite into the log. I return to my computer chair and mindlessly play on the toaster until my alarm rings.
>It's a swirling headache that drives me today. I never asked for any of this.
>Awkwardness is a light word for the absolute intense pressure that I feel as I spy Naomi. She's a few seats away from me in homeroom. We meet eyes and I forcefully rip my face away.
>I can't quite bear her yet. Tomorrow. We'll sort it out tomorrow. I try to slide through the day as best I can.
>That plan is in shambles the moment Fang catches me entering science.
>She's abuzz and ready to chat my ear off.
>"Thank Raptor Christ we got to you before she got her claws in. Might make something out of you after all, huh?" She slaps my arm. I just blankly look down at where she struck me.
>"Yeah." It's flat. She doesn't care.
>She smiles it off and pulls her phone out. Guess hatred's a great motivator.
>I sigh and just do my business, deflecting to the best of my abilities Fang's attempts to initiate conversation.
>She finally gets the gist and spends the rest of the day texting rather than prodding me.
>Math's up and surprisingly is the easiest class of the day so far. Both Trish and Reed just treat me as if I didn't exist. For a bit there I thought maybe I didn't want that. It's comforting beyond belief. I've come back around to the concept
cont.

Anonymous Sat 17 Aug 2024 00:22:50 No.68331019 Report

Quoted By: >>68331308

>>68330689
>I eat lunch alone. I'm not skipping a meal but I notice Naomi at our usual table just stride right out. I'm not looking forward to the office hours.
>I end up just finding a spot outside to lean up against and eat. It's hot and awful but it's quiet. Should probably get used to this.
>The dreaded bell rings. It's time. I push my feet as best I can as I head to the office. I open the door and see Naomi sitting there, staring blankly down at the paperwork.
>I'm not such a piece of garbage that I'll just dump my responsibilities on her. I take my seat, startling her slightly as I drop my backpack.
>There's something akin to an ulcer sitting right in the pits of my stomach. It flares every single movement the parasaur makes next to me. All I had to do was just hate her and this would be just the regular distaste I have for everyone. Not that easy.
>The time drags long. I spend the entirety of it just filling forms. Better than dwelling. A small bit of me appreciates she's not pushing this more than need be.
>I'm let free for the day and hazard a glance back. Naomi's face is hurt just like the first day I'd seen her. For a moment I consider that it might be me that's done it to her.
>It makes my head hurt even more. Threatens my eyes with tears. I stomp away, frustrated at my own emotions. I should be better than this.
>Fuming, I spend the rest of the day in silence. It, like all things, ends and I head straight home as the norm.
>Thankfully Rock Ring won't betray. I fire up many a matches, forgoing dinner again. It's very numbing and relaxing. I even manage to quiet down the voice in my head reminding me of my bodily functions.
>As I finally shut the thing off they slam me all at once. I scramble to the bathroom and relieve my overflowing bladder. The creeping notion finds it's way back in and I stumble back out and into the kitchen.
cont.

Anonymous Sat 17 Aug 2024 00:33:30 No.68331308 Report

Quoted By: >>68331657

>>68331019
>It's sparse and I end up with just some ramen. Whatever. Sustenance sustained and it's bed time. Alarm off. Wait, no. Alarm on but later.
>Sleep comes easily again. Turns out emotional strife is exhausting. I wake up naturally, my brain ensuring my internal clock is always on regardless if my alarm is set.
>I look over to check the thing itself and find I've got an entire 5 extra minutes of sleep. Joyous day.
>I roll back over and do my best to fall back asleep. Anxiety for the day ensures that's a failed plan.
>Guess it's time for more mindless tasks, then. Breakfast, shitposting, rock ring. In that order.
>Midway through a match my phone alarm goes off. I pull it out to triple check. It's time.
>I open my gruugle maps app once more. Suburban house. Cookie cutter. Disgustingly average.
>The bus gets me less than a block away. I step off, ensuring to thank the driver, and stare up at the monolith. I fire a text letting her know I'm close.
>I step forward and feel my heart rate skyrocket. Every step another bpm. The door budges and there she stands. Almost no change in her normal attire.
>She still looks pained but calmer. Whatever. I'm guided in and take note of the place. Every single thing in the house screams "Normal."
>Almost empty. A nudge of understanding takes me.
>"My room is upstairs. Parent's will be back in about a half-hour." She nods to me. I consider if she means it as a time-limit or a mere warning. I push the thought away and follow her up.
>She leads me in and the alarms squeak out the barest of honks. Girls room, yeah stuff it.
>It's...empty. There's things here but it feels like they're there to fill space rather than to hold meaning.
>Bookshelf, untouched. Desk with a lamp, clean and orderly to almost a neurotic degree. Wardrobe, matching her wall color. Pale pink.
cont.

Anonymous Sat 17 Aug 2024 00:48:06 No.68331657 Report

Quoted By: >>68331937

>>68331308
>The only thing of any note is her bed, an almost blank comforter on it. It's slightly crumpled. She'd been sitting on it and hadn't straightened it out to match the rest of the place. Not even a poster in sight.
>It makes me envy my own place. That's impressive.
>She clears her throat and motions at her desk, computer on and open. She's only got the one chair. I take a glance around and see she plans on standing. I sigh and take the seat offered.
>It doesn't take but a minute to pull the emulator open and get it set. Thing runs even on the crappiest toaster.
>To my surprise it runs buttery smooth. I fiddle with the settings. I crank it way, way up.
>That's...strange. I glance over to her, face still and inquisitive.
>"What's this got in it?" I lean back and peek down at the case. Solid white and looks pretty old. Sure doesn't run that old.
>"Um. A Forty ninety, Ryzen Fifty-Nine hundred..." she trails off and I stare down at the little thing in disbelief. She's running a rig heavy enough to run anything but a glance at her desktop shows the thing may as well be unused.
>"Why?" Is all I can sputter out.
>She looks down at the floor.
>"I like putting them together." I lean back in the chair. There's no way. In my disbelief I pull the device info open and true to her word there it displays.
>I have to take pause and focus. She breaks it by speaking.
>"This... this is what I wanted to show you." She motions at the thing.
>"...I'm a nerd. I never wanted to do all that." She looks hard at the floor.
>"I just wanted to be liked."
>Her words hit me like a blade. Cold and icy running straight through my heart. It's all too familiar.
>The briefest flash in the back of my head ponders if she's serious. Not a doubt lives in my mind as I look down at her PC.
cont.

Anonymous Sat 17 Aug 2024 00:58:12 No.68331937 Report

Quoted By: >>68332054

>>68331657
>It plays on my mind. Guilt strikes pretty hard. I sigh and start to stand, motioning for her to replace me. I look around and realize she's not got a controller. Guess we're on keyboard controls for now.
>She does so and I show her how to start the game, the cheery intro music playing through her speakers.
>I watch as she starts it up, getting engrossed slightly. I'd never seen the intro before. It's a pretty decent hook, all things considered. I notice she takes a long pause, stopping the dialogue.
>"Anon?"
>"Yeah?" I call back.
>"Why'd you give me a chance?"
>A question I'm not sure I have a concrete answer myself.
>"Not sure. Guess deep down I was worried that you might be telling the truth."
>"...thanks for listening."
>I shrug as she looks back up to me, eyes sparkling.
>I press on in the conversation. "So you like computers?"
>"Kinda. The boards, specifically."
>"Really?"
>"Yeah. Used to have a soldering iron but..." she trails.
>"You stopped that."
>"Yeah." She admits.
>"You miss it?"
>I get a nod instead of a vocalization.
>"What's stopping you from starting it again?" I find myself genuinely interested now.
>I get no answer, just a long and strained silence. I already know.
>She pauses again. Taking her hands off the keyboard and mouse.
>"Uh. I still have some of the stuff in the garage." Her voice is leading.
>In for a penny I suppose. I back off and gesture for her to lead.
>Back down we go and out a side door. The garage is just as spotless as the house. The aura of the place sits wrong. Feels like I'm disturbing something by just being in here.
>She leads me to a set of boxes in the corner, pulling the top off of one of them.
>True to her word a few of those hobbyist boards lie inside. She pulls one out and rubs a thumb across it.
>It happens like a spout. I hear something hit the floor. I glance down to see a wet spot.
cont.

Anonymous Sat 17 Aug 2024 01:02:46 No.68332054 Report

Quoted By: >>68332079

>>68331937
>It's followed by more and more. Naomi cries, hard. Her hands quake and shake. I stand in awe as she lets it out. Sniffling and breathing harder.
>She turns to me, eyes pleading. I freeze up.
>Here this girl is bawling her eyes out and I can't say a single thing. Just earlier I was ready to drop her. Now I see her want to be happy, her need to be accepted just crush her.
>I man up. I step forward and hug her tightly. She drops the board and presses into me, hard. The clattering the only noise in the garage.
>I give her the words I wanted someone to say to me forever. The words I begged and pleaded for.
>"You don't have to lie to me."
>She wails into my chest.

Fin. Whew.

>>68328337
Next, another break first.