Cheryl's POV
I showered and spent forever trying to choose an outfit. In the end I wore a simple white tee and denim shorts, Kimberley once mentioned she liked. I was all ready and decided to read a book as I waited for Kimba to call us. That proved to be useless as I noticed that I had been reading the same paragraph over and over again.
I felt it was taking forever. I looked at me watch and saw that it was past 4 o’clock. Why hadn’t Kimba called us yet? An hour passed and I finally decided to call meself.
I speed dialled her number but the line was closed. I tried again but still nothing. Worried now, I called her home number. Her mam answered.
“Hi Diane. How are you?”
"I'm good darling. How are you?"
"I'm alright." I bit me lips nervously "Is Kimberley there?"
“I’m sorry, but she is not home right now. Do you want to leave a message or something?”
“erm, no. Could you just tell her I called?”
“Sure thing Cheryl”
I hung up and decided to try Kimberley's mobile again. The line was still closed. I got really worried this time. I waited for an hour, trying to call her mobile now and then, but it always gave the same thing. I called her house again and again her mam answered.
“Hi. I was wondering if Kimberley had gotten back?”
“No, not yet darling” She said in a slightly concerned voice.
“Oh.”
“I will tell her you called, Cheryl.” And then she hung up.
I felt I was going crazy. I paced in me room, a million thought running through me mind. Hours passed and I regularly tried Kimberley’s mobile but it still went to voice mail.
That must have been the hundredth voice mail for the evening. I decided to call her house again.
“Hi. I’m sorry to keep bothering you, Diane. But has Kimberley returned?”
“No Cheryl...” She said hesitantly. There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line. I tried to listen intently and thought I heard Kimberley’s voice saying “tell her I’m not here.”
Me heart sank. That couldn’t be me Kimberley!
“No, she hasn’t returned yet. Don’t worry Cheryl, I won’t forget to tell her you called. Bye.” And she hung up on a very distraught me.
“Why is she ignoring us?" I sat there with the phone still clutched in me hand, in complete confusion. I laid down on me bed and tears slowly ran down me cheeks.
*****
Next day at school, I was a total wreck. I hadn't slept at all last night. I dragged me feet from class to class all day, not paying attention to any of me courses, earning concerned looks from Sarah. As soon as the lunch bell rang she pulled us into the girls’ bathroom.
“Cheryl, what’s wrong? You look like sh!t.” She always had a way with words.
“It’s nothing.” I barely managed to say. But me voice was quivering.
“Did something happen yesterday?” asked Sarah.
I just lowered me eyes, the tears I was trying to hold back all day finally flowing down me cheeks.
“Oh, honey. What’s wrong?” asked Sarah, now really concerned.
“She-she’s avoiding me." I managed to string out the words, in between the sobs.
“Why?”
-“I-I don’t know.” I was barely able to speak over me sobbing. “She-she never called us. And when I tried c-calling her, her mobile- it went to voice mail and-and when I called her house her mam kept saying she wasn’t there. But-but…”
“But what?” Sarah urged us on as she handed us a tissue. I dabbed at me tears with it and managed to continue.
“I-I heard her asking her mam to say she wasn’t there. I heard her say that!”
“But why would she do that? Did something happen between you two?”
“No!” I yelled in frustration and threw the now crumbled tissue forcefully across the room. “I told you I didn’t see her at all!”
“Alright. Calm down.”
“I-I’m sorry. I just don’t understand what went wrong.”
“Did you try calling her today?”
“It’s worse. Now it’s ringing but she won’t answer.”
“Here.” said Sarah as she took out her cell phone. “Try my phone. She doesn’t know my number.”
“Sarah, it’s obvious she doesn’t want to talk to us.” I said dejectedly.
"Well if that’s the case she should at least have the decency to tell you that.” She said, handing us her phone. “Call her now, she must also be on her lunch break.”
I took the phone and composed meself. I took a deep breath and dialled Kimberley's number, my heart beating in me throat.
After three rings, a very dull Kimberley answered. Nonetheless, my heart soared at the sound of her voice. What do you do to us Kimberley?
