"Hello, what's your name?" Cheryl asked while looking at the man in his mid twenties. He stood with the microphone to his lips but didn't answer her.
"What is your name?" Simon asked a bit louder than Cheryl did to make sure he heard.
"Josh" he replied, looking like he was struggling to smile at him.
"What are you singing for us today?" questioned the Geordie. Josh stared at her, an unreadable expression on his face.
"She asked you a question" Simon said, putting his papers down and breathing out heavily.
"I'd rather not speak to... that" the young man replied. Cheryl frowned and noticed the look on his face wasn't a happy one. She felt uneasy as he looked at her.
"Excuse me?" said Simon in a calm but firm voice.
"She's sick" he said. "In the head" he continued. Cheryl opened her mouth in shock. Simon went to call security over but Cheryl stopped him.
"Cheryl, he needs to get off stage" Dannii whispered in her ear but she didn't listen. She folded her arms defensively and stared him out.
"What are you a dyke for?" he questioned, causing the audience to gasp. Cheryl shifted uncomfortabley. "You could have any guy you want, but oh no, you're with a woman? And make out like you're the kids mother? You're fucking disgusting" he ranted.
Simon waved his hand to security to come on after hearing the man's vile words and seeing the look of shock on Cheryl's face. Security were making their way on stage as he spoke again.
"And that girlfriend of yours... never seen such an ugly bitch all my life" he said with a smirk. Cheryl immediately stood up from her chair and started to make her way around the desk fast towards him but Simon held her back.
"Don't you dare fucking talk about her like that! Who the fuck do you think you are? You have no right to comment on my girlfriend like that. You're the sick bastard" she shouted while still being held back by Simon and an extra security guard. Josh was dragged off stage. "I hope you fucking burn in hell!" she screamed just after he went out of sight.
Cheryl stopped trying to get to the man and Simon let her go. He had his hand on her shoulder but she shrugged him off and walked off set. Countless members of people who worked there tried to calm her down and comfort her as she walked past but she wasn't interested.
Cheryl entered her dressing room and paced it up and down fast, an angry frown on her face. Simon walked in minutes later.
"You should have let me get him off stage, kid" he said quietly. Cheryl didn't stop walking up and down. "He just said that to make himself look big you know" he added, his face full of concern.
"How dare he" she said, still pacing her room. "How actually dare he" she angrily crossed her arms.
"There's always someone like that. He'll be getting a good kicking now outside here, trust me" he said, trying to make eye contact with her as she paced the room. She stopped and looked back at him, reading into what he was saying.
"Thank you" she said calmly. She held her head and sat down.
"You'll be alright" he said, taking a seat near her. She leant her head back and squeezed her necklace in her hand tightly. "Is that from Kimberley?" he asked, pointing his eyes in the direction of the necklace she was still gripping hold of so hard her knuckles were turning white.
"Yeah" she said, her voice struggling to come out properly. There was a knock at the door and a friendly face popped their head round. Simon shook his head to them so they walked back out.
"You should know for a fact that, that tosser was obviously blind or mentally challenged if he truefully thought that about your woman" his words made Cheryl smile slightly. "I must say she is pretty sexy. I know she's like half my age, but I still would" he added cheekily. Cheryl laughed.
"Please tell me you did not just say that" she said, giggling to him. "I would have said I hoped I'd just imagined it but that would be even more wrong, wouldn't it?" she laughed.
"Nothing wrong with that at all" he grinned. Cheryl groaned at him. "Are you okay to come back tomorrow?" he asked her.
"I can come back on now" she said. "I'm okay now"
"No way, I'm sending you home, kid" he replied. He knew she wouldn't emotionally be in any fit state to carry on today as he was sure the shouting match would replay over and over in her mind.
"But Simon..." she started before Simon raised his hands up to stop her.
"No buts... unless it's Kimberley's" he laughed. "Which you need to be getting home to now. You need a bit of TLC from her" he said.
"You're right" she sighed, lifting herself off the chair and getting her things together. "Thanks Simon" she said before being escorted from the building by one of the people who work for her.
"Cheryl, there is no way we will be able to keep this out of the papers" said Lily as they got into the back of the car. She put her hand over her face and took a deep breath.
"I can't even be bothered right now. I just want to get home to Kimberley" she replied, feeling nervous at the thought of talking to her about it. She was yet to cry but knew she would break down at some point of the evening.
