Chapter 18
She wasn't sure if it was okay to feel this good, it seemed almost unnatural and foreign to her. Seven months with Cheryl, seven months of hurt, constant struggle to find herself amidst all the chaos, the bizzare twists and turns her life was exposed to, and here she was feeling almost as good as before, almost like her old self.
'Happy birthday darling', Katherine had greeted her cheerfully, shoving a gift in her hands.
'Katherine, I told you not to..' she began with a frown, only to be cut off with a wave of her hands.
'You're my favourite lass around here, damn me if I didn't get you anything'
She didn't have the heart to argue after that and opened her gift to find a teddybear which was holding a heart, on it was a print that said 'Chim forever'
She laughed at how corny it was. She had come to learn that Cheryl's fans had given their couple a name, she couldn't but laugh at the ridiculousness of the gift and the cheesiness of it all.
'Really Katherine?'
'Hey, my other favourite lass is Cheryl you know, so stop laughing at me', Kimberley laughed even more at how haughtily she defended herself.
'Thank you' She offered, calling truce and earned a hug and 'shoo, now go feed the little kids' from her boss.
She carefully placed the toy on her desk and wondered how Cheryl would react if she ever saw it, it brought a tremor to her body and she hoped it never happened.
Her good mood doubled when Justin showed up, dressed to impress. He had never made an effort to look good before, she felt like a teenager with a crush when he confirmed he dressed up for her. He'd taken her to see a musical and kissed her cheeks, making her blush and smile.
Her smile widened when she spotted the girls in the limo.
'See you later', She laid a peck on his lips, before she could think about it. She couldn't help it, it was such a familiar thing to do with him. If she thought her smile couldn't widen anymore, it certainly did when he touched his lips in awe and saw the colour rising to his cheeks. It warmed her heart to know that she still had an effect on him, what she was feeling wasn't one sided.
She approached the limo, a girlish skip in her steps and was greeted with a sh!t eating grin by Sarah and Nicola. Nadine was busy checking her phone.
'You seem awfully cheerful', Nicola noted, with a wink.
She swatted the ginger's arm and took the seat beside Nadine.
'I am awfully cheerful', she agreed and surprised Nadine with a hug. 'What?' She asked gently, when Nadine gave her a confused glance, 'Don't you think I know you well enough to know that something's bothering you? So stop pretending to check your mobile and talk to me'
'I-Nothing Kimba. I'm just stressed out with all the recording we've been doing' She relaxed into the hug.
Kimberley saw right through her lies, Nadine was a workaholic and no work was too much for her. She decided not to push the issue, she trusted the blonde to open up to her when she was ready.
'So where am I being taken to?' She asked the more cheerful ones and was shushed with 'It's a surprise'
Four hours later, closer to midnight, after a long night full of dancing and fun, walking unsteadily on her legs into the house, bumping head first into the woman she barely spoke to, she didn't expect her night to end on a good note. Good things and good mood never lasted too long for her, especially when Cheryl was thrown into the mix.
