Fix me

Chapter 10

Cheryl wakes me up quite late the next day.

'Morning sleepy head. We've got about two hours to get to the airport.'

I jump up straight away. 'sh!t Cheryl, why didn't you get me up earlier? I haven't had a shower or anything...'

'Calm down, we're all packed there's nothing to worry about.'

'sh!t Cheryl, how are you so relaxed all the time?'

'I'm not all the time... anyway come in the front room I've got a surprise for you.' She says, standing up and holding her hand out with an excited smile crossing her face.

'Oh sh!t, Cheryl, what have you done now?' I moan with embarrassment.

'Will you please refrain from calling me "sh!t Cheryl", it's doesn't sound very good, and shut up and come with us!'

I follow Cheryl apprehensively into the front room and see a huge rectangle box on the table in the middle of the room. Cheryl stands behind it and gets ready to lift the lid. 'I want you to close your eyes.'

'Whatever it is, I refuse it.' I tell her, folding my arms.

'It's not like that. Just close your eyes.'

I do as I'm told, hear a bit of rustling then Cheryl says, 'Ok, you can look.'

I open my eyes and my mouth just falls open.

Cheryl is holding up an exact copy of the dress I drew for her, in black. Exactly how I drew it, every little detail. 'What do you think?' she grins.

'How did - what... did you send that sketch off?'

'Course I did.'

'Cheryl! I told you not to!'

'Well it was way too good to throw away or just leave lying around, I sent it back, the people fell in love with the design and they made it, and this is it.'

'Seriously?' I say weakly. I move around the table and run my fingers over the dress.

'They wanted to know who designed it and everything. I got a call asking for your business card.'

'Your taking the p!ss.'

'No, Kim I'm deadly serious. See, you could go so far with this... and not just this, you can really draw as well, you've got so many opportunities babe. This is just one of them.' She steps back with the dress, holding it against her. 'What do you think then?'

'I'm in shock. But I think it'd look great on you.'

'Shall I try it on?'

'Yeah why not? What're you gonna do with it anyway?'

'It's the Brits next month. I'm wearing this.' Cheryl winks, then disappears into her room, laughing at the look on my face.

I pace impatiently up and down, waiting for her to come out. When I hear the door open I spin around to look. And I think my stomach explodes, and butterflies take off inside me. 'Oh my God.'

'Any good?'

My whole mouth has gone dry, and I clear my throat before saying, 'You look amazing. Really amazing.'

'Awh, good.'

'But you can't wear that to the Brits Cheryl.'

'Why not?'

'What're you gonna say if someone asks who designed the dress? "Oh, some random druggie I took in off the streets drew it and I had it made". It's ridiculous.'