Chim ~ Those 3 words

Chapter 4

Kimberley's POV

As the extremely slow day goes by I feel myself slipping into even more of an emotional darkness. Every little thing is setting off my tears. Nadine isn't answering my calls or texts. I decide to send her one last text.

'Hey baby it's me again, missing you, please come home nads. I love you xxx'

Surprisingly, I receive a text back it's Nadine's number in front of it, my fingers flit over the screen frantically opening the message.

'Kimberley stop ringing and texting me. I can't talk right now. See you at home, probably tomorrow.'

I sigh, she's not coming back until tomorrow. I love her so much.. But do I? I suppose there's no spark anymore or fireworks when we touch, but I still love her.. Right?

Oh god, I don't love her, I've been denying it to myself for so long but now I'm actually thinking about it.. Our relationship has always been fun and quirky but was it ever love?

I push all these negative thoughts to the back of my mind and reach out to pick up my phone. I have a new message from Cheryl.

'Hey can't stop worrying about you, come over please! I promise ill cheer you up. Xx'

Wow this girl just doesn't give up!

'Okay then, now okay? X'

'Of course babe! See you later xxx'

I quickly go and get ready wearing minimal make up and an old pair of jeans and a t shirt.

***

I knock on Cheryl's door and wait for a short while.

"Hey babe!" She literally drags me into a similar hug to the one at the supermarket. I quickly untangle our arms and smile weakly avoiding eye contact.

"Hi Cheryl."

She steps aside to invite me into her small but cosy house.

Just as Cheryl closes the door, it opens again and a younger teenage girl around 13 or 14 walks through looking exhausted.

"Ella? Why are you here?" Cheryl frowns, her face a mask of frustration and confusion, a change to her usual cheery and confident one.

"Football got rained off. So what it's my house too chez." She seems quite a moody person although I don't know her, she just seems to be.

"Whatever.. We will be upstairs." Cheryl grabs my hand and takes me into her room. It is quite messy with posters of emo rock bands half torn hanging limply on her shiny black walls.

"You.. play tennis?" I ask raising an eyebrow towards her.

"Aha erm.. No." Shyly, she smiles avoiding my eyes.

Before I can reply, Ella rushes into her room without knocking the house phone in her short stubby fingers.

"Nadine's on the phone, she thought I was you at first and said something about Kimberley someone." She throws the phone onto the bed and runs back out again.

Cheryl blushes a deep shade of red and cowers away from me.

"My girlfriend Nadine said something about me?" My confusion takes her by surprise and she takes a sigh of.. Relief?

"What's going on?" I pick up the phone and start talking.

"Nadine?"
"Kimberley what are you doing at Cheryl's?"
"She was just-"
"Save it Kim, I knew you were having an affair! I knew it but with Cheryl? Wow, you can actually sink that low?"
"Hey! No I am not having an affair with anyone Jesus, Nadine! What do you mean 'you can actually sink that low'?"
"Well it's Cheryl.. She's 17 for gods sake! Seriously, you are shagging behind my fucking back and then you deny it! Are you desperate or something?"
"Leave Cheryl out of this, we are not shagging behind your back, Nadine! If I was desperate I'd go to you so don't start on Cheryl!"

Before she can answer I end the call slam the phone onto Cheryl's cluttered desk and take a deep breath. I hear a sniffle and then deep and loud sobs, I spin round to see her collapsed on the floor in front of her bed crying her little heart out.

"K-k-Kimberley, I'm s-so sorry. I d-didn't mean f-for this t-to happen!"

"What? You told her we were having an affair? How could you?"

"N-no! I didn't d-do that!" She cries. Then she tells me all about Nadine's plan to get Cheryl to seduce me and Nadine 'catch' us in the act.

"Why did you agree?"

"I-I like y-you Kimberley." She laughs a little bit despite the fact it's no laughing matter.
"It's funny." She continues. "I did a terrible thing just for you to notice me, god I'm such a fuck up." She carries on laughing until the giggles turn into tears streaming down her face.

I want to hug her, to tell her it's going to be ok, but I can't. I hardly know her but I feel like she has hurt me more than Nadine for going along with the 'plan'. I feel disappointed, because if she wanted me to 'notice' her then she should have just introduced herself normally like a sane person would.

"I have to go. I need to patch things up between me and Nadine. And don't follow me." I turn round and open the door before I can step though Cheryl speaks at last.

"You don't love her do you." Although it's a question, I think we both know it's a statement, a true statement.

I turn my head slightly and sigh.

"She didn't lie to me."

Then I leave, I still feel an urge to go back but I have nothing to say to her. I want to wrap my arms around her petite perfect body but she doesn't deserve it. I want to confide all my secrets to her knowing I can trust her, but I can't because she lied to me.

The truth is ; I like her too.