Chapter 10[/b][/u]
“Hello?” Cheryl gasped eagerly having nearly broken both her legs in her haste to reach the phone. “Hello? Kim?”
“Hi Cheryl” a voice answered, its Northern Irish twang identifying the caller before she had to.
“Oh…Hi Nadine” Cheryl sighed before flopping down on the couch with a thud.
Nadine giggled loudly. “Well don’t sound so happy to hear from me!” she laughed, not taking any real offence from the Geordie’s obvious disappointment.
“Sorry pet” Cheryl apologized. “I just thought it might have been Kimberley”
“Aw…have you been talking to her much hun?”
“Yeah a few times in the last two weeks but they’ve literally been the shortest conversations of me life. Its bloody hard finding a time that suits both of us, ya know? Between her rehearsals and my work stuff it’s been impossible! Not to mention this time difference thing, which, by the way, is bloody hard to work out! I don’t understand why it can’t just be the same time everywhere Nadine!”
Silence followed as Cheryl awaited a reply to what she felt was a rock solid argument.
“Well,” Nadine reasoned, suppressing another giggle, “I suppose it’s because it would be dark during the day and bright at night over there if we did that lovey”. Cheryl’s rants when it came to Kimberley’s absence, although irrational, were possibly the most adorable thing in the world. Nadine could almost see Cheryl’s arms gesturing wildly, her voice raised an octave or seven, as she discussed the ridiculous problem coming between her and her girlfriend. It all just served to remind Nadine; however, exactly why her best friend was head over heels for the Geordie princess.
“Yeah I suppose” Cheryl answered seriously. “But it still doesn’t really solve my Kimberley problem does it!”
“Your Kimberley problem being that you miss her?” Nadine asked softly.
“Yeah” came the simple reply, so quiet it was that Nadine wasn’t sure she had really heard it.
“Well I’ve got just the proposition for you then” Nadine began cheerily. “I’m having Nicola and Sarah over to mine for some drinks tonight. How’d you fancy it? Take your mind off that girlfriend of yours!”
Accepting Nadine’s invitation without hesitation, Cheryl hung up the phone and smiled softly to herself.
‘Take your mind off that girlfriend of yours’ Nadine had said. Impossible! Kimberley was too beautiful for that. Too sexy. Too….everything! But she knew, in another way, that Nadine was right. She had barely left her mobile out of her hand for the last week in the hope that the girl might ring. That couldn’t be healthy. Tonight would be a nice distraction from her misery! With two hours to go until 7pm she decided to start getting ready. Step one – shower.
I might leave the bathroom door open while I’m in there she thought. Just incase she rings…
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
“So, Cheryl…” Nicola began as she filled her glass to the brim yet again. “How are things with you and our Kimba?”
“They’re good” Cheryl answered blushing slightly at the fact that she was surrounded by three of Kim’s best friends, all of who’s eyes were securely fixed on her awaiting her answer. “Kim’s lovely. I’m really happy.”
“Awww” Nicola and Nadine gushed. Sarah, however, had other burning questions.
“How’s the sex?” she asked to horrified exclamations from Nadine.
Cheryl blushed deeper before catching Sarah’s eye. The expression on the blonde’s face was so serious, Cheryl couldn’t help but giggle.
“I can’t believe you sometimes Sarah” Nicola scolded shaking her head causing Sarah to scowl. “She doesn’t have to answer if she doesn’t want to…” she offered but her glance in Cheryl’s direction said otherwise.
“Best I’ve ever had.” She whispered loudly giving Sarah a cheeky wink.
This seemed to satisfy the blonde somewhat and the other girls laughed loudly as a wide grin engulfed her face. Happily reaching for another gulp of her wine, a pensive look flashed across her eyes before she reasoned “She just looks like she’d be good ya know?”
“And by the sounds of things the morning after my birthday party….” Nadine trailed off teasingly causing Cheryl to blush scarlet once more. Bringing her hands up to cover her face, she groaned. “Ugh, I can’t believe you won’t let us forget that! Haven’t I had enough!” she exclaimed dramatically.
Laughing, Nadine nodded. “Aye babe, ya have. And after this grilling, you definitely deserve your surprise!”
“Surprise?” Cheryl asked suspiciously, lowering her hands slowly. “What is it?”
“Well it wouldn’t be a surprise if I told you now would it?” she nonchalantly explained. “You just wait here for a sec!” Standing tentatively due to the amount of alcohol consumed, Nadine grabbed Nicola’s hand and dragged her out of the living room behind her. A little stunned by the sudden prospect of a surprise Cheryl sat for a moment wondering what it could be. Looking at Sarah, she raised her eyebrows questioningly.
“Oh no!” she said shaking her head vigorously. “Nads would kill me Chez!” Smiling to herself, Cheryl merely nodded. Sarah was clearly bursting to tell her, her eyes darting from place to place with anxiety, but she decided not to push it. She would find out what it was soon enough.
Just at that moment, Nicola reentered the room carrying a pink silk scarf.
“Oh…er…It’s lovely” Cheryl stuttered. It was a nice scarf she just couldn’t understand why that was her surprise.
“Don’t be a div!” Nicola exclaimed, rolling her eyes as she pulled Cheryl to her feet and wrapped the scarf tightly around her eyes.
“Er, should I be worried Nicola?” she asked nervously as she tried to adjust to the new darkness.
“No” she answered. “Just hang onto my arm. We’re not going far”.
Still apprehensive to say the least, Cheryl grasped at everything within her reach as she allowed herself to be lead at a snails pace towards…wherever the hell she was taking her! As they walked through what felt like a doorway, Cheryl’s nostrils were filled immediately with the scent of her girlfriend’s perfume.
“We’re in Kimba’s room aren’t we?” she half smiled in some sort of small victory over her senses.
“Yes but no more guessing or you’ll ruin it!” Nadine chastised as she helped Nicola sit the girl down on a hard chair. Giggling to themselves, the two crept quietly out of the room leaving an apprehensive Cheryl none the wiser.
“If you lot are takin the p!ss, I’m telling Kimberley!” she called out to whoever might her.
“Oh don’t be such a tattle tale” a familiar voice answered in dulcent Yorkshire tones.
At the sound, Cheryl froze for a split second before ripping her blindfold off only to be met by the sight she longed for the most.
“Kimba?!”
