Chapter 1
Kimberley groaned as she rolled over and swiped blindly at her alarm clock. Why had she even set it? She wasn’t due at rehearsals today. She debated going back to sleep but the pounding in her head demanded coffee so she quickly showered before dressing and shuffling slowly towards the kitchen. As she approached the door, familiar voices could be heard chatting above the sound of the kettle boiling and she entered the room to find her friends Nicola and Sarah sitting at the table while her best friend and flat mate Nadine retrieved three mugs from the cupboard.
“Mornin’ babe” Nadine greeted her in her Northern Irish drawl. “Coffee?”
Kimberley merely nodded her response and flopped into a chair opposite Sarah and Nicola. Nadine grinned slightly at the state of her friend and added a fourth mug to the other three waiting beside the kettle. “Looks like you had a pretty full on night babe?”
“You have no idea” Kim sighed before yawning loudly.
“Not enough detail” Sarah simply stated causing Kimberley to roll her eyes. “I want details Kimba. Who you saw, who they were with, what they were wearing….everything!”
Sarah was always the same. She was obsessed with celebrity gossip and could often be found neck deep in Heat magazine or something similar. As Kimberley was currently playing the lead role in the West End production of Les Miserables, she occasionally got invited to some celebrity events. Granted, it was usually when a bigger celebrity couldn’t make it, but Kimberley was fine with that. She enjoyed mingling with the rich and famous every now and again but was always happy to return to her own relatively private life away from the constant flash of cameras and shouting photographers. She wasn’t completely comfortable with the fame. As for Sarah, her friend’s new-found position was heaven on earth and right now she was desperate for details of The X Factor Final party Kimberley had attended the night before.
“Come on Kimba, tell her before she bursts” giggled Nicola.
“Em, well I was talking to Gary Barlow for a little while. He said he saw me in Les Mis.”
“Are they asking Robbie back to the band?” Sarah quizzed her, completely ignoring the fact that he had seen Kim perform.
“Don’t know. Didn’t ask.”
“Phh! Who else did you see?”
“Leona Lewis was there.”
“Oohh! What was she wearing?”
“D&G I think.”
“Nice. Did you see your crush?”
“What crush?”
“Don’t play dumb with us Kimba. You’ve been drooling over Cheryl Tweedy ever since you saw her at that charity ball last month.”
“Firstly, I have not! But yeah I definitely saw her! Right before she knocked a tray of drinks all over my new dress!”
All three girls stopped sipping their coffee and stared at Kim half expecting it to be a joke.
“Are you serious Kim?” Nicola asked quietly. “What happened?”
“These two blokes were having a row about something and one shoved the other, he whacked into Cheryl and she sent the drinks flying.”
“Oh my God. That’s just embarrassing.”
“Thanks Sarah.”
“Sorry babe but, I mean, Cheryl Tweedy?! Of all people to embarrass you in front of other celebs. Cheryl Flippin’ Tweedy! Ha!”
