Chim - Mirrors

CHAPTER 30

Chapter Thirty

"Kimba?"

I can feel something poking me in the back and I turn, opening my eyes blearily. Cheryl grins down at me widely. I can hear the sound of nurses and doctors scurrying outside my hospital door.

"Hiya."

"Oh hey! What time is it?" I ask, looking up at the clock on the wall.

"Almost ten. Thought I'd give you some rest after yesterday." I groan and stretch, sitting up.

"I hate hospital beds, they're uncomfortable." I whine. She chuckles and sits down beside me. I take her hand and take a good look at her.

"You wanna tell me what happened last night?" I ask. Cheryl and Sasha had both come bursting in and Sasha had been fine, but Cheryl was completely different. Her face was furrowed in constant worry, and she didn't seem to be there the rest of the night. She even kissed me goodbye halfheartedly. That's when I knew something was wrong. 

Cheryl sighs and looks at the closed door nervously.

"Something happened with Sasha last night." I look at her in confusion and she bites her lip.

"What?" She stares at me with hesitation and I wait patiently. Finally, she sighs and shakes her head, a small smile on her face.

"You know what? Nothing...I just saw her a bit upset, maybe her boyfriend cancelled plans with her or something." I stare at her for awhile, and she smiles at me.

"It was nothing, really." I'm trying to read her face, but it seems like she's telling the truth. I shrug.

"Yeah, maybe." She sighs and leans forward, pressing a kiss to my forehead.

"Come on, let's get you out of here, yeah?"

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"There she is!" 

I feel like a celebrity stepping into the bakery. Everyone begins cheering loudly, and even the customers are clapping, though a lot of them have confused expressions on their faces.

Cheryl chuckles in my ear and grips my hand tighter as Abbie, Sasha, Alex and Kate all walk up to us.

"Glad to see you're okay!" Kate says, hugging me. I grin widely.

"Take more than an allergic reaction to get rid of me." I tease.

"Good!" She says, laughing. I turn to look at Cheryl, who's having some kind of stare off with Sasha. 

What is going on between them?

"Hey, Kimberley, can I talk to you for a second?" Alex asks, touching my shoulder gently.

"Um...sure." I turn to him hesitantly, wanting to see what is happening between Cheryl and  Sasha.

"I was just wondering if it would be okay if I asked Nicola out?" My head snaps back to Alex in surprise.

"What?" He turns beet red and shoves his hands into his pockets, kicking his foot on the ground.

"If you don't want me to, it's fine-"

"No, no! I just...I'm surprised is all! Why are you asking me for permission though? I'm just her friend, Alex." I say, laughing. 

"Well yeah, I mean, I didn't want it to be weird-"

"Alex, if you like her, ask her out! I'm not her mother! Besides, I think you two would be great together." I say, grinning. He looks up at me with a dazzling smile, his cheeks still bright red.

"Really?"

"Sure!" He ruffles his already messy hair and chuckles to himself.

"Thanks Kimberley. Do you know if she's working today?"

"Hmm, not today, but I'm pretty sure she's got a shift tomorrow." He takes a deep breath in and nods to himself.

"So I've got a day to plan..." I laugh as he screws his face up in concentration, but turn my attention back to Cheryl, but she's by my side, a smile on her face.

"What's going on?"

"I could say the same for you." I say, nodding at Sasha. Her smile fades and she shakes her head.

"Just having a chat with her. How're you feeling, Alex? Bruise is healing nicely." She says, grinning at him. He nods.

"Feels alright, too."

"That's good. Anyway, I should get to work. If you feel ANYTHING-dizzy, sick, tired-you call me and I will come and pick you up, okay?" I roll my eyes, but nod.

"Okay." 

"I love you."

"Love you too." She gives me a quick kiss before leaving, waving at Abbie before closing the door behind her. I look at Sasha, who's expression is grim, but she smiles when she sees me looking.

"Are you sure you're feeling up to working today, Kimberley?" Abbie asks me, wrapping an arm around my shoulders.

"Yeah, I feel perfectly fine, really." I say, smiling softly. She still looks worried and guilty, and I sigh.

"I'm seriously fine. Stop thinking you're a bad person, because you didn't know. And you stayed with me through it all. You did great, and it's seriously not your fault. I don't blame you in the slightest." She sighs and nods once.

"I know..." I nod and clap my hands together, grinning.

"Alright, so now that we've established I'm fine, how about we get this baby on the road?!" 

"WHOO!" Sasha cheers, laughing. I head into the kitchen and quickly shove my uniform on, wanting to get Sasha alone.

I want to know what's going on with her and Cheryl.

A pit of doubt is starting to form in my stomach. Is it something bad? Could...could Cheryl be cheating on me with her?

Wait, no that's impossible! Sasha has a boyfriend...

God, I need to know now before any other horrible ideas pop into my head!

I shove open the bathroom door and search the kitchen for her. I don't find her anywhere. I look out into the restaurant and find her with a customer. I wait for awhile, then pick up the pace and walk with her as she heads toward the counter.

"Hey."

"Hey."

"So...what was that about this morning?" I say. She looks at me in confusion.

"What do you mean?"

"You and Cheryl were kind of having a stare off or something." I say, chuckling nervously. Her expression turns stony and she shakes her head.

"It was nothing. She saw me looking a little upset last night, that's all."

"Didn't seem like that to me-"

"Well it was, so drop it, the both of you!" She snaps. I stare at her in shock.

"Sasha, I just-"

"Look just leave me alone, okay?" She shoves the last cup into the tray and picks it up into her arms before storming in the kitchen, leaving me to watch her go in complete shock.

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"Alright, see you later sweetie!"

"Bye!" I wave at Abbie, pulling my coat closer around my body. It's almost 11 at night, and it's freezing like crazy. Cheryl's car pulls up in front of the bakery and I take a deep breath, preparing to interrogate her.

"What's wrong?"

It's amazing how she knows. The second I step into the car, she asks me, her expression furrowed in worry.

"Something's going on with Sasha and you know what it is." I say. Her eyes go wide and she bites her lip.

"Kim-"

"Look, if it's something bad-"

"It is." She whispers, her eyes filled with tears. My heart drops immediately and I reach out, taking her hand.

"Babe, what-"

"I told her I wouldn't say anything, but I can't NOT say anything! I was on my phone outside and she was with her boyfriend. They started arguing and..."

"What?" I ask, though I have a feeling I know what it is.

"He almost hit her, Kimberley." I saw it coming, but it makes my heart race and my blood boil in anger anyway.

"Please tell me you're joking." I hiss.

"Why would I joke about something like that? I interrupted before he did anything, but she begged me not to say anything. Kimberley...I think it's happened to her before. I think he's hurt her before." 

Her hand in mine is the only thing calming me down. And I realize that she's scared. Not for herself, but for Sasha. And frankly, so am I. But I also want to find her boyfriend and beat the daylight out of him.

"What do we do, Kimba?" She whispers. I take a deep breath in and look at her.

"I'll talk to her about it tomorrow, okay?"

"Are you sure?"

"We have to do something. But what if it isn't true? I have to talk to her about it first, babe." She sighs but nods.

Okay." I smile and press a kiss to her hand, but when she takes off down the road, I lean back into my seat with a sigh.

My phone buzzes in my pocket and I flip it open.

Do you think Nicola will like flowers and chocolate?

I chuckle to myself, but it hits me that Alex will probably kill Sasha's boyfriend if he finds out. That's if it's true, too...

I thought I'd finally escaped the drama.

Now I was thick in the center of it all over again.