Chim- If dreams were real

Chapters 13+14

Chapter 13 - walking in the rain

Nadine walked out in to the hallway, leaving Sarah and Nicola to comfort Cheryl. She walked up the hallway and through the bathroom door, taking a guess at where Kimberley would be.

Kimberley had come out of the cubicle and was trying to rub the mascara off her eyes. Looking at herself in the mirror, it looked as though she had been punched in the face. She seen Nadine’s reflection at the door and straightened up.

“something in my eye” she lied, pointing to her puffy, blotchy face. Nadine walked over to her, with arms outstretched and a concerned look on her face. Kimberley fell willingly in to the embrace, burying her head in to Nadine’s shoulders, thankful for any comfort she could get. “its not what you think…” she started before Nadine stopped her, putting her hand on her hair and stroking it. “you don’t have to explain anything” Nadine said reassuringly.

Her words affected Kimberley enough to make her cry again, this time though, it was different. She didn’t hold back as she wept in to her friends arms. “it hurts so much” she sobbed.

A woman who Nadine vaguely recognised from the building opened the door to the toilets. Normally it wasn’t unusual to see a member of Girls Aloud knocking around the place, but seeing one of them in tears, the woman frowned quizzically.

“she’s got something in her eye” Nadine said bluntly, hoping that a bit of humour might lift Kimberley’s spirits. The woman gave a funny look before walking in to the cubicle.

Kimberley smiled, although there was no laughter in her eyes.

“I cant go back in there” she said in a whisper, not wanting anyone to overhear them. Nadine took her by the hand and lead her out through the hallway and in to the other conference room next door to the one the other girls were in.

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“what have you ruined” Sarah asked softly, bending down next to Cheryl, trying her best to sooth the girl, although she still wasn’t sure what was going on.

“I think I’ve just made the biggest mistake of my life” Cheryl said to her, as if she was aware of what she was talking about.

Sarah got up with a sigh and walked over to the table to get her a drink of water, letting Nicola take her position.

“is this about Kimba” Nicola guessed with alarming accuracy. Cheryl nodded but made no attempt to speak. Sarah and Nicola shared a look, neither of them wiling to say what they were thinking.  “I chose Ashley” Cheryl said quietly, still with her head in her hands, she put some emphasize on the word ‘chose’. 

“Chose Ashley…chose him over who” Nicola frowned, still kneeling by Cheryl’s side with a friendly hand on her back for support. It clicked with them both at the same time, the look on their faces was almost comical but Cheryl was in no mood to smile.

Nadine popped her head in to the other room, everybody stopped and turned, expecting Kimberley to follow. “I’m going to take Kimberley home, she’s a bit…upset” Nadine said, thinking that that was probably the biggest understatement ever. Cheryl got up to say something but Nadine shook her head. “don’t worry, I’ll take care of her” she said, trying to assure Cheryl that it would be okay.

The rain pelted hard against Cheryl’s face, finding its way in to every uncovered patch, no matter how small. She didn’t care though, she would occasionally make eye contact with passers by who gave her funny looks, one even offered her an umbrella but she didn’t take it. She wasn’t really bothered about the rain, if she was truthful she didn’t even feel it, she was just numb.