Chapter Forty
For the next few weeks, Cheryl found herself stuck in that horrible cycle of work- sleep-work which she hated. She hardly had any time to herself, let alone any time to spend with Kimberley and they had been arguing a lot more than usual.
Luckily there was only one more week left of the X Factor, and with only one contestant left in it of hers, she knew the pressure would soon be off one way or the other.
The live shows had taken up so much of her time that by the time she got home, she was exhausted. It wasn’t an ideal situation, but she was making the best of it by having breakfast with Kimberley and bringing her to the studio’s when she could.
“this isn’t working is it?” Cheryl asked, seemingly out of the blue as their car sped down the motorway.
“what isn’t?” Kimberley asked, her face contorting in to the frown that Cheryl loved so much.
“this…I feel like I haven’t seen you in months, we’re like ships passing in the night now aren’t we?” Cheryl sighed deeply before turning to face Kimberley in the back seat.
“well its not for much longer” Kimberley said defensively, her voice straining a little. She fidgeted uncomfortably with the straps of her bag that sat idly on her knee.
“I know babe, but I’m just thinking long term” Cheryl clarified, realising that Kimberley had gotten completely the wrong end of the stick with what she was trying to say.
She raised her hand and used her finger to stroke Kimberley’s cheek, the older girls facial features softening at her touch.
“I don’t want anything to come between us ever again” Cheryl started, feeling her breath hitch in her chest. Sometimes Kimberley had that effect on her and she didn’t know why. Maybe that’s what love was all about…
Love was about sacrifice, about letting go of some of the things that made you happy so that the other person was happy, and in her heart she had known that all along. Maybe she was just being selfish thinking that she could have dragged Kimberley half way around the world with her whilst she tried to carve out a career for herself.
“nothing ever has too” Kimberley said reassuringly, raising her hand to hold the hand that Cheryl had up to Kimberley’s face.
“but you hate this don’t you?” Cheryl asked, gesturing to the car. “you never even wanted to come to London in the first place but you did it for me, and now I’m dragging you all over the country and I can tell your not happy”
“I’m happy Cheryl” Kimberley replied, but let her hand drop back to her knees
“no you’re not, I can see it in your eyes…I do notice sometimes you know” Cheryl said softly before smiling faintly.
Kimberley smiled back to her and shuffled over in the back seat, closing the gap between them. She looked in the drivers wing mirror to check that he wasn’t looking before kissing Cheryl softly on the lips.
“it never used to be like this with Girls Aloud did it” Cheryl replied, glancing quickly at Kimberley to gauge her reaction.
Kimberley looked at her quizzically before pulling away slightly. “well I suppose not” she replied hesitantly.
“I miss those days sometimes don’t you?” Cheryl replied, trying to make her statement sound as spontaneous as possible, when really she had been planning it all the previous night.
Kimberley raised her eyebrow questioningly at Cheryl and gave her a knowing look.
“what?” Cheryl asked, with mock shock, as though she didn’t know she had been rumbled.
“I can read you like a book Cheryl, now spit it out” Kimberley said before giving Cheryl her best pout.
“I was just thinking it might be nice to go back to them times, at least that way we’d get more together time” Cheryl shrugged, trying hard to stop the guilty smile from crossing her face.
“and this was just a spur of the moment thought was it” Kimberley asked, her pout growing.
“of course babe” Cheryl replied, trying her best indignant look but failing miserably.
“all I’m asking is that you think about it, that’s all I want” Cheryl replied quickly as the car pulled up at the studios.
The mass of screaming fans surrounded the car as a few bouncers made their way through the crowd towards the doors. Their voices filled Cheryl’s ears as she got up and tried to make her way out of the car as dignified as possible.
She looked behind her momentarily to see if Kimberley was okay, knowing she hated all the paparazzi surrounding her all the time. She got out and waited at the car door for Kimberley to get out even though the bouncer didn’t look to pleased that she hadn’t headed straight inside.
“what’s that smile for?” Cheryl asked out of the corner of her mouth as she reached her hand out to take Kimberley’s.
“nothing” Kimberley said as she let Cheryl hold her hand as they made their way though the crowd.
“I’m just happy”
