Chim- Sticks and stones

Chapter 18

Kim wandered into the school canteen, she had had nobody in her previous lesson and to say it had been horrible was an understatement. You would think being in a relationship with the most popular girl in school would change things but when you are Kimberley Walsh and when most of the school is supposedly homophobic, it’s a whole different ball game. At least Cheryl didn’t seem to care about what they thought anymore, she was the worst before. She was the reason everyone else behaved like they did, the reason they treated her like they did; maybe she should hate her for that but she didn’t, instead she loved her for having the strength to change. She wished she knew what happened to make Cheryl the way she was; so hard and closed off, Joan had mentioned Cheryl’s dad and how she had changed after that but Cheryl never even talked about him so Kim didn’t really know what had happened there.

Cheryl sat on a chair at a table in the canteen, she was picking at the chips in front of her. ‘Oi Oi Tweedy’ came a hollar from beside her as a boy placed himself in the chair next to her. ‘Hey Josh, this seats taken’ she announced before returning her gaze to the table. ‘Yeah, what's with that’ he stated with a cocky attitude, ‘what's with what’ she replied with a raised eyebrow. ‘What's with you and Walsh’ he said with a roll of the eyes. ‘She’s really nice Josh, you just need to give her a chance and I really like her’ Cheryl stated before taking a sip of her coke. ‘You used to be the first person to say a bad thing about her’ he laughed, Cheryl scrunched up her fists in frustration, ‘yeah, well things change, I cared too much about what people thought before, now I couldn’t give a flying *Duck*’ she snapped. ‘Oh come on Cheryl, you’re better than her’ he sighed before placing a hand over hers. Cheryl quickly stood up, removing her hand from his grip, ‘*Duck* off Josh’ she yelled before tipping her coke into his lap, sending a smirk his way and storming off in the opposite direction.

Kim stood watching the scene from a distance before Cheryl stomped over to her, slipping her arm around her waist. ‘Hey babe, you ok?’ Cheryl asked before placing a kiss on Kim’s shoulder. Kim nodded slightly, biting her lip a bit, ‘who was that?’ she asked, ‘Just Josh’ Cheryl replied as if it didn’t mean anything. ‘Who’s Josh’ Kim answered, not dropping the conversation. Cheryl glanced towards the floor, ‘my ex boyfriend’ she mumbled, ‘Why didn’t I know about him?’ Kim asked, ‘there's not much to tell, we went out for about a year, things ended badly’ Cheryl muttered. Kim sighed as she shot a glance in Josh’s direction watching as he laughed with his friends. ‘Not much to tell? You went out for a *Ducking* year Cheryl! Just the fact that it ended badly is something to tell’ she snapped before pulling her hand out of Cheryl’s grasp and folding her arms. ‘Don’t be like that Kimba’ Cheryl moaned.

 ‘You know what I’ve just realised Cheryl? I've just realised that I don’t really know you at all! All I know is that we go to the same school, for the past 16 months you’ve found it fun to make my life a living hell and for some reason you are in love with me! I need to know the person I'm going out with Cheryl’ Kim ranted. Cheryl nodded her head quickly, ‘Anything Kimba, please! We can talk, I’ll tell you anything you want to know, I promise!’ Cheryl cried as she wiped a tear away with the back of her hand. ‘Ok…Skip with me’ Kim replied, Cheryl looked at her gobsmacked, ‘but Kim, you’re the good girl, you don’t skip class…plus it’s your first day back’ Cheryl screeched, ‘well maybe I'm just fed up of being the good girl…for once I just want to break a rule’ Kim snapped before walking off towards the door. Cheryl quickly chased after her, ‘ok…we will go home and talk instead’ she smiled as she slipped her hand into Kims, entwining their fingers together as they headed towards the main entrance.

Kim smiled, knowing full well that Cheryl would have followed her in the end; she would do anything Kim asked of her at the moment. The two girls made their way out of the gate and towards home. Cheryl pulled Kim up the steps of her house before turning around and pressing her lips on Kims. Kim smiled as she pulled away, resting her forehead against her girlfriends. ‘I love you’ Cheryl whispered before placing her lips back on Kims, not expecting a reply. Kim pulled away before muttering ‘I love you too’, Cheryl stared into her eyes with a huge smile gracing her lips, ‘yeah?’ she mumbled, Kim just nodded shyly before pulling Cheryl back in for a kiss. ‘It’s cold, lets go inside’ Cheryl smiled as she unlocked the door and yanked Kim in with her.

The two teenagers sat cross legged opposite each other on Cheryl’s bed. ‘Ok so hit me’ Cheryl said, not knowing what to expect. ‘What happened with your dad?’ Kim asked straight away, Cheryl’s mouth dropped open. ‘God Kimba, you don’t start light do you?’ she moaned, ‘I’m sorry, I just need to know’ Kim stated. ‘Why?’ Cheryl replied with a question of her own, ‘because I’m going out with you now, I need to get to know my girlfriend’ she stated with a pleading look. ‘Ok ok, I’ll tell you but bits of it may shock you so just promise that you’ll stay with me’ Cheryl pleaded, ‘babe, nothing you say is EVER gonna make me want to leave you’ Kim whispered as she rested her palms on Cheryl’s knees and sealed her promise with a light kiss on her lips.