Only Human - Cheryl Short Fics

Chapter 1 - Sound Of The Underground

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PROMPT:

This short story is about Chloe kicking off with her parents and storming out of her house. Walking through the streets of London, she gets a few disturbances before she finds herself sat on the deserted London Underground. But she's soon forgets all that's happened when she meets Cheryl for the first time.

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‘I swear my mum hates me. The one thing I want for Christmas I never get. I ask her every year.’ I muttered under my breath as I slammed the door behind me. I had a tendency of muttering under my breath when I got pissed off.

‘Get back here now Chloe!’ My mother opened the door I had just shut and called after me down the street.

‘Nah you’re alright. If you’re not going to get me those tickets for Christmas and just buy me a load of old shit that I’m never going to use then I’m not spending Christmas with you, I’m not coming home.’

I flicked my iPod on and started listening to Cheryl’s latest album through my beats headphones, cancelling out my mum’s annoying screeches.

I know I sounded like a spoilt bitch but every year since I was nine, for Christmas all I had asked for was Girls Aloud or Cheryl meet and greet tickets, I got neither. Instead every year without fail, I got hot water bottles, money tins or colouring books. I was going to be seventeen in the summer coming up; I wasn’t standing for it much longer.

Walking along the icy paths of London, I was really feeling the cold. I finally realised what I said to my mum. I wasn’t coming home until I got what I wanted. I knew that my mum was a stubborn person anyway so now I had branded myself homeless.

I was wearing a pair of black straight leg jeans, a plain black t shirt and in the heat of the moment; I grabbed the first jacket that was handy at the second I was storming out of the door, which was only a thin leather look one. I wore a pair of grey canvas trainers and I could feel my toes stinging with the cold.

I kept slipping down the icy streets of London, it was dark and eerie. I didn’t know what time it was until I pulled up my sleeve to see and hear the time ticking away at my watch. It had just gone past eleven. For the past ten minutes, I had turned Cheryl’s beautiful voice off and pulled my headphones past my ears until they were hooked around my neck. I was always weary about walking around the streets at this time. All the stories that I heard, the kidnappings, people getting mugged or murdered. I wasn’t going to lie, I was shitting it. The odd car went past and the odd gang was still hanging around at the corners of streets but nothing too terrifying.

‘Alright Chloe! You still a dyke cos I’d really like to tap you!’ I heard a guy shout after me.

‘Shut up Jord, get a life.’ I sighed looking at the lead bully that used to aggravate me at school every week day.

The kid started sniggering ‘I’m only joking Chloe, I couldn’t tap some girl that would wear anything that comes out of my wardrobe.’ He hissed leaving his following friends to splutter.

I had been so pissed off with my mum still that I couldn’t stand the crap coming from the chav standing a few metres behind me. I spun on my trainers and headed to where the gang of boys were gathered.

‘Don’t flatter yourself Jordan. I wouldn’t wear anything that comes out of your wardrobe. All you wear are tracksuits with cigarette burns that smell of cannabis. I wear men’s clothes, deal with it but that doesn’t make me a ‘dyke’. At least I wear stylish men’s clothes. I’m a lesbian. I like the same gender you do, so why is it so hard to handle?! You like girls, I like girls. It’s just that I have the advantage of knowing what goes on in a girls mind so I have a better chance with them. So instead of sniggering on your little street corner like little boys; why don’t you wander the streets of London like men and stop bullying people for who they are? Because only you like each other, no one else likes you.’ After my little rant was over, I turned my back on them and stumbled away.

I was happy I had finally stood up to my bullies but I was still annoyed at the fact it was under the circumstances, my mum didn’t give a shit and I had nowhere to go.

Eventually I found myself sat on a bench at the London Underground. It was now nearly midnight and I was now frozen to the bone. There was nobody around, which I found strange as during the day this place is practically packed like a tin of sardines. My toes and fingers were stinging as I was huddled up, placing my feet on the seat, and suddenly I started to cry.

Then I heard a voice, not any old voice but a voice I was shameful to say I heard a lot of. I was too tired and too cold to lift my head and for a second I thought that I had slipped away to sleep and I was dreaming.

‘Hiya pet. What are you doing out here in the cold alone at this hour?’

I wasn’t too sure of what to say so I didn’t say anything.

A warmer fragile hand touched my right knee and it sent tingles down my spine. ‘Oh my god sweetie. You’re frozen.’

At this point, I lifted my head and shocked wasn’t even the word to describe how I was feeling. The young blonde woman was wearing a pair of leather look leggings, a plain black polo neck jumper, a pair of black boots and a beige woolly coat that finished just below the knees. The lady had minimal make up but I was already drawn in to her gorgeous smile and her deep dimples. It was only Cheryl!

I started to stutter and I stuttered very badly. ‘W-What a-are you doing h-here?’

‘I asked you first.’ The blonde winked before adding. ‘My car broke down coming home from a photo shoot so my driver arranged an underground tube to take me home. Now I’ve answered your question so now you answer mine.’

I finally sighed before trying to answer. ‘It’s going to sound stupid so I’m not going to even bother answering. Sorry.’

‘Come on pet. Let me know what you’re doing here. It’s dangerous to be out here alone.’

After a moment of hesitation, trying to figure out something to say, I tried to answer. ‘My mum won’t buy me meet and greet tickets to see you in concert for Christmas, she would much rather buy me felt tip pens or a dressing gown. So I went in a huff and walked out and now I don’t even know where I am and I don’t even think I’m allowed to go back home. I’m cold and I’m tired and I need a drink.’

‘Aw babe, why is that stupid?’

Was I even awake? The one and only Cheryl was sat on an underground bench taking the time out to talk to me after she most probably had a knackering day working, and she was calling me babe.

‘Because I’m sat here talking to you.’

‘What’s your name honey?’

‘Chloe...’

‘And how long have you been walking for Chloe?’ Cheryl raised an eyebrow.

‘About an hour...’

And with that, the ground started to shake as the underground tube came towards us from the left. ‘Come on babe. I’ll take you home with me. You can spend the night at mine. Get you fed and get you nice and warm. I’ll ring your mum up and return you in the morning.’

Why did this woman have so many bad things written about her in the press? Cheryl was so kind hearted; she wanted me to go back with her so I was safe. I couldn’t. I couldn’t do that to Cheryl.

‘N-No, it’s fine.’ I whispered.

‘Why not?’

‘Because I won’t want to leave tomorrow.’ I gulped loudly.

Cheryl embraced me in a warm tight hug and I could smell her sweet perfume. She was making me dizzy. I had fancied the pants off this woman for about three years. She was just as beautiful in real life and I was true with what I said. I wouldn’t want to leave her company once I had been in it for a long time.

‘Well I can’t leave you out here so you’re going to have to come with me. Your mum won’t ever mean to throw you out. She will be worried sick about you. And if you can show me I can trust you tonight then you might leave with my number tomorrow.’ She winked again, leaving my heart to melt.