"Maybe you should just sleep in the spare room tonight."
The words cut through Cheryl like a knife, her whole body turning numb as she pulled away from Kimberley. She could feel her eyes watering, the undeniable pain of rejection racking her being. But she forced herself to stay calm. "Ok," was her quiet response.
The words were never intended to hurt her and Kimberley found herself also on the verge of tears as the younger woman grew increasingly upset looking. "It's just... you said you weren't ready and that got me thinking and..."
"I understand." Weakly smiling, Cheryl reached for Kimberley's hands, giving them a firm, reassuring squeeze. "You don't need to explain. I just thought you wanted to after what happened earlier, that's all."
Kimberley sighed, lost for words. "I do... it's just..."
Cheryl waited expectantly for an answer, one which never came. "I'm goin' to bed," she let out before taking her hands back. "I'm really tired." She leant forward to place a very soft kiss on Kimberley's lips. "Night."
Still stuck for words and in total shock, the blonde remained silent, unable to comprehend what was happening in her mind quick enough for her to respond before Cheryl left.
* * * * *
She was only on the other side of the wall, but to Kimberley she may as well of been on the other side of the universe. And like a cheesy Hollywood movie, she found herself placing her hand on the divider, wishing she was, in fact, wrapped in Cheryl's loving arms.
She flicked her eyes shut as tears threatened her lids. There was no doubt that she wanted her. There was no doubt that she wanted to show her just how much she cared. But she was scared, no, she was petrified, not of being with a woman but of what would happen after. She knew that once they had slept together she'd be gone, totally smitten.
And it worried her. She was guarding herself.
What if Cheryl realised? What if she changed her mind? Then what would happened to her? How would she cope with that?
She wouldn't.
Turning over in her bed, she gazed out of the window and into the nights sky, the full moon shining in and illuminating her room.
She had never experienced feelings so strong before and even though they made her feel amazingly wonderful, they were hard to deal with.
Maybe that was her problem? When it came to relationships she wasn't confident enough, she was too boring, or so she thought. Her need for a quiet life, full of contentment and emotion, was probably too much for some to handle. But when it came to Cheryl, she knew they were on the same wavelength. She knew Cheryl wanted more or less the same, even if the were total opposites in every other way.
Wiping the tears from under her eyes, she shook her head. She was being stupid. She was making things into far too big a deal. She was thinking to much. But that was only because she cared.
She was brought out of her thoughts by the sound of the toilet flushing, footsteps tiptoeing down the hall outside her room.
Climbing out of bed, she made her way over to the door and opened it slowly, just in time to catch Cheryl walking past.
"Sorry. Did I wake you?"
Kimberley shook her head, Cheryl's eyes were puffy, the whites blood shocked. She had been crying. "No," she answered, shocked with the sight. "Come here." Reaching out to her, she pulled her close, burying her head in the crook of her neck. "Why have you been crying?" she whispered.
