Somebody Else

XIV | Constellations (2)

I sit on a silver metal stool that has a firm maroon cushion on it which is pulled up to a small table of the same metal in the kitchen. As I am doing that, I am staring at Kimberley as she rambles on about the cake that's already in the oven. She was very careful to have me involved in the process even if I dropped a considerable amount of eggs on the floor completely mixing the bowl.

Her fingers grip the light oak counter top as she stares at the square plastic neon green timer that still reads between ten and fifteen minutes.

To my surprise, the mess wasn't as large as neither of us anticipated. My only issue was with the eggs which she believes is "absolutely adorable".

"This cake is going to be so delicious," Kimberley says gripping the counter a little hard and practically staring a hole into the timer.

"Is everything alright?" I ask as she nods, pinching her nose quickly while keeping her eyes on the timer. The whole process of making the cake went very smooth I would say, but there isn't a doubt in my mind that my words earlier are wandering around in her thoughts.

Kimberley turns around to lean against the counter, crossing her legs as well her arms even tighter. Her eyes stare ahead in the empty distance, completely zoning out and visibly angry.

"Are you sure?" I ask again as she sighs.

Three words make her words unleash on me. All I can do is listen.

"I don't want you to think you aren't good enough for me or that I'll treat you like he did. None of that is fair to you Cheryl. It really upsets me that you believe that this is how it's going to be between us because that's all you've gotten to experience. At least recently anyway."

My cheek slides into my open right palm as I lean against the table, knowing this isn't the end of her statement and I want to hear everything she has to say before I talk.

"And I really don't want that for you. Don't you understand? Everything is moving so fast between us. I've already been welcomed into your life, met your friends and your family is trying to adopt me," Kimberley stops to giggle making me smile before she returns to a serious state. "There is not a single arrow that's pointing to you needing to worry or fear that I will treat you the way that he did, even when things get rough. We've already handled one problem we can handle a million others."

I nod parting my lips to address this but she has other words.

"I can't speak for you but I'm falling really hard and extremely fast for you. So, if I would do anything to hurt you now, that would break me into a million pieces."

"Wow," I mutter before she uncrosses her arms and sits on another metal stool in front of me. Kimberley grabs my hands, sliding her fingers slowly and gently into the spaces in between mine.

Kimberley attempts to pout, but all she can do is smile at me and I can only do the same.

"I don't know what we're doing but everything is happening fairly fast, it's okay to step back and take a break," she says with a giggle on the end in her true fashion.

"We're baking a cake. This is our break."

Kimberley smiles as she turns back around to look at the timer. The white pointer was now on five minutes so we would have to stay relatively close to the oven in hopes we wouldn't let it burn in there.

"So, tell me something that I should know about you," Kimberley turns back to look at me.

"I can't cook or bake or anything with any action in the kitchen."