Chim - Make You Stay

Chapter 12

Cheryl

I spend the day with Kim, curled up on the sofa and watching TV. After the events from yesterday, I feel closer to her, more frightened that I'm going to lose her and more determined that I can't. When she'd walked out, I really wondered if I'd ruined it all, and I was so terrified.

I look at her, just sitting on the sofa next to me. She's in an oversized jumper and pyjama shorts, her hair is in a scruffy bun and she has no makeup on. But yet, she's so flawless. She so beautiful, every part of her is so perfect to me and I get shivers up my spine just looking at her, just thinking about her beauty. I get lost in thought, and suddenly remember something she said to me yesterday.

"Kimba?"

"Yes?"

"Yesterday.. you thought I was drunk and you said that you'd dealt with alcoholics before. What did you mean by that?"

The colour washes out of her face, and her eyes change, flashing back to memories she hasn't yet shared. I feel a bit guilty for asking her, but I guess she'll have to talk about it sooner or later. She still looks lost, so I place my hand on her arm, looking at her with concern, and she jolts slightly, coming back to reality.

"Well.. after my Dad died, my Mum.."

She looks down, her eyes filling with tears, and I can tell she still finds it hard to talk about. I'd not yet seen this side to Kim, it was always me being the weak one, but she suddenly looks so small and helpless. I wrap my arms around her, enveloping her in a big hug.

"Babe, you don't have to talk about it if you're not ready, it's okay"

She pulls out of my embrace, taking a deep breath and closing her eyes.

"My Dad died really suddenly in a car accident, and then my Mum was drinking heavily and always argued with my younger sister, and I couldn't deal with it so I moved here 2 months later and we haven't contacted each other since, and that was nearly 2 years ago" she says, all in one sentence. 

I pull her into another big hug, gently rocking her and stroking her hair, trying to soothe her as she cries quietly. I knew her dad had died, but I had no idea that her family hadn't contacted her in so long.

When she stops crying, I can't help but smile at her.

"Thank you for telling us that, and if you ever want to talk about it with us, you can babe"

"Can I ask you one now?"

"Go for it"

"Ashley throwing a bottle at you?"

I freeze, remembering the text I had sent her. I regret telling her about it now, but I know I have to open up to her, it's only fair. I look into my lap, reaching out to grab her hand for support.

"It only happened a few times.. when the rumours of him cheating first came around I tried to talk to him about it, but he refused. He got drunk and just ignored me, completely blanked everything I was saying. So I shouted at him, and he threw his empty bottle at us" I whisper, feeling frightened just remembering it.

I seperate my hair on the right side of my scalp, showing her the scar that remains. She gasps slightly and goes to hug me, but I push her off, letting her know I haven't finished.

"A couple of other times he slapped us, but it was never nothing I couldn't deal with. I never told anyone, not until now. It was only when the second lot of allegations came out that he talked to us, but that was only to blame us. I drove him to it, and it was my fault that it was in the papers, my fault he loooked bad, my fault because I was a bad wife. As soon as me second album was released I knew I could leave, and I did. I had to"

Kim pulls me into a hug, and I cry a bit, but I also feel like a huge weight has been lifted off of my shoulders. It feels so nice to tell someone what's playing on your mind, and it truly had been eating me up for the past couple of months.

We curl up together, spooning on the sofa with her behind me.

"It was never your fault" she whispers in my ear, holding me close to her, and I'm so grateful that she's here with me.

****

Kimberley

It's begining to get late, and I can feel Cheryl drifitng off in my arms. I sigh to myself, knowing it's now or never.

"Chez?"

"Mmmm?"

"I was just wondering.. christmas is in like 5 days and.. well are you going to be here for it?"

She rolls over to face me, looking slightly concerned.

"Do you already have plans? I could go back to mine, it's fine.."

"No!" I jump in. "I would really love it if you would spend christmas with me.. if that's okay" I blush, looking away.

She lifts my chin up with her hand, so we're staring into eachother's eyes.

"There's nothing I would love more" She whispers, and before I can even catch a breath, her lips are on mine. Our tongues enter each others mouths, desperately searching. My hands are in her hair, pulling her closer to me, and her hands are running up and down my back. I feel her hand slide up the side of my jumper, grabbing on to my side as our kiss deepens. 

Suddenly, she pulls away, standing up from the sofa. My heart plummets and I realise how much I want her in that moment. She turns to me, a cheeky grin on her face and winks. The little sod knew she was turning me on and was winding me up about it.

"Thanks though Kimba, I really hate me house" She smirks, and goes into the kitchen, making us both a cup of tea. And that sentence gives me a brilliant idea on what I can get her for christmas.