“Kim-“I feel a hand shaking my shoulder pulling me from my deep sleep. I stir and turn over pushing my head deeper into the hard cushion. I don’t immediately remember where I am or what happened hours ago before I cried myself to sleep on the old, tatted sofa but I recognize the familiar voice in my ear, the thick Geordie accent rolling from her tongue its unforgettable and engraved in my mind.
“Kim please wake up” Her voice is pleading, begging for me to pay her some attention that I don’t want to give her.
“What is it, Cheryl?” I ask sternly, my eyes still glued shut. It’s better like that so I don’t have to look at her. I don’t have to see her beautiful eyes dark and mysterious. I don’t have to see her smile hiding her pain and struggle exposing her deep perfect dimples on each cheek and I don’t want to see her bare lips a sickly sweet reminder of how she was trying to press them against mine ,how I felt her hot breath on my skin sending Goosebumps all over my body. She smooths out my hair and tucks a blonde stand behind my hair away from tickling my face.
“I think we should talk”
I pull myself up and blink rapidly, the room is still dark but not to dark. I can still make out her body and her perfect facial features squeezing at my heart. She sits beside me tucking her legs beneath her body she’s a whole lot more sober now not an embarrassing drunken mess pleading for attention, for affection.
“I meant it”
“You meant what? Cheryl can we do this in the morning?”
“I meant it” She repeats quietly. She brings her hand to my face and runs her fingers down the side of it slowly and softly not giving me eye contact just staring down at her hand resting on top of mine with our fingers intertwined with each other’s. I don’t know what she means but I enjoy her touch, I crave it.I enjoy her soft skin running over mine and her tight grip on my hand getting tighter. I close my eyes as her hand holds my neck her fingernails are gently digging into my skin. Not harshly or rough but soft and needing. I feel her lips hovering over mine her breath is hot and I can still smell the alcohol from her drunken night out. I want to pull away and tell her this can’t happen, it shouldn’t happen but I can’t. She’s no longer drunk and obnoxious she quiet and loving and her touch makes me melt on the inside. It makes my heart jump and sprint around in my chest. Before I get my head around what’s happening her lips are meeting mine. Soft like candyfloss, velvet and silk better than I ever thought they would feel. My hearts thumping in my chest so hard I’m sure she would be able to hear it. My hands shake slightly as I raise them to her head tangling my fingers in her chocolate waves. She tears her lips from mine. I can’t help but feel disappointed. I can’t help but want that moment to last forever.
“See-“ She smiles at me before laying her head on my chest. “I did want to kiss you”
***
“Kimberley!” Amy’s shouting for me in the other room I can just about hear her over Lexi’s cries. Not hysterical but whingey and needy. They seem to be getting louder and louder making my head thump. I stretch out my arms and rub my eyes. I notice Cheryl’s gone. Her body isn’t warm against mine, her fingers aren’t playing in my blonde curls. I wonder if last night was just a dream a strangely realistic dream… It couldn’t have been. I’m still on the sofa and I can smell Cheryl’s sweet cologne on my shirt. She must have gone to get breakfast or something.
“Kim!” Amy runs from the bedroom her hairs knotted slightly hanging over her shoulders a lipstick mark on her forehead. Its red and bright it looks like Cheryl’s colour.
“I can’t lift Lexi out and she’s doing my head in!” I laugh and follow her into the bedroom. Lexi’s standing up in the wooden cot holding her arms out to me; she also has a lipstick mark on her cheek but fainter and smudged.
“Where’s Cheryl?” I ask Amy, She shrugs and looks at me.
“She wasn’t here when I woke up”
I grab my phone and press the circle button illuminating the screen.
1 new Message – Cheryl
I frown and open it squint reading the tiny little black letters in front of me.My heart smashes into a thousand pieces I feel like it’s just been ripped out and stamped on …
“got a early flight.so so sorry for everthing,C xx”
