Chim - Lights Out

Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen

I woke up from an actually really good sleep, the two nights where me and Kim had been squashed up together in one of our single beds had been the best night sleeps I’d had here, maybe because it was nice to have someone so close to me. As I started to relive the nights past events I sighed and looked down at Kimberley, she was sleeping peacefully resting just below my shoulder, our hands still gripped together. She looked so at peace led there, I didn’t want to be the one to wake her up, I knew that these next weeks, maybe months would be so hard on her and she still had to tell all the girls, something I knew she was terrified about.  I lay for a bit with her, hoping she would wake up naturally, but she was still sound asleep half an hour later and I needed a shower. I unclasped our hands as gently as I could and placed her head back on her pillow, causing her to stir slightly, I quietly climbed over her, fetched some underwear and made my way into the bathroom, she was still sleeping when I went in.  I undressed and got in the shower, squirming at how cold it was at first, but embracing the warmth the water soon gave. I relived the night again and kept going back to a particular moment of the night, why when her and Kimberley were dancing had she felt slightly aroused? Was it the song and the clash of their body’s, or was it alcohol, I concluded that it was both and I just got a bit to touchy feely, it was something I would have to put to the back of my mind, because Kimberley needed people more then ever now and I was determined to be their for her.  How could Martin do that to her? She was honestly the nicest person I had ever known and she was stunning, nothing compared to the tramp he had been with, what an absolute twat to lose Kimba like that. But was it my fault? If I had told her he had hit on me at the first party, would she have ended it before he hurt her really badly? Was this my fault because he thought he could get away with it? The questions were whirling around my head and I decided to get out the shower before they made me go crazy. I dried myself off and put on my underwear, I left the bathroom, expecting Kim to be asleep, I soon realised this wasn’t the case. 
“Jesus! You scared the life out of me,” I thought you were asleep, I said suddenly noticing I was stood in my underwear. I made my way over  to my bed to grab some clothes,

“You weren’t there when I woke up,” She said sadly.

“I know, I was in the shower babe I’m sorry, how are you doing?”

She didn’t answer my question, she just looked very sad, “I thought you had run away from me, got scared because I was gripping so hard or something,” She weakly smiled.

“I’d never do that babe,” I said pulling on my comfy jogging bottoms and big hoody.

“Well everyone else seems to,” She sighed.
“Hey!” I exclaimed walking over to her bed and wrapping my arms around her, she gripped back tightly, not letting go and snuggling into my shoulder. “Don’t ever say that again,” I mumbled into her shoulder. 

“Telling the girls will be so hard today,” She mumbled back into my shoulder.

I pulled out of the hug and knelt on the floor in front of her, holding on to her hands, “It will be hard babe, I know. But they are your best friends, they want you to be happy and they will be gutted about this, they will not judge you, the sooner they know the better, when your up and ready I can go and get them if you want?” I squeezed her hands.

“I’m not ready, not yet, I just want to stay here with you for a bit, it’s only early still,” She almost pleaded with me. 

“Okay babe,” I smiled. “Why don’t I run you a shower, I think it would do you good,” 

She hesitated for a moment, not really sure if she wanted to be alone, but she eventually nodded her head in agreement. “I’ll go turn it on babe and you grab your things you need okay?”

“Okay, “ She said quietly, “Thank you Cheryl,”

“Your welcome, Kimba Walsh.” She giggled slightly at my name for her, it was nice to hear, I felt like I hadn’t heard her laugh in ages.  I got up and turned on the shower and got her out a fresh tower, I evened lined up the shampoo, conditioner and shower gel bottles, in the order she would use them. I was such a sop recently.

Once she was in the bathroom, I decided to run down to the breakfast hall and sneak her up some toast, I knew she wouldn’t eat otherwise. Thankfully I didn’t see any of the girls on my way down, it would be a very awkward meeting, I knew it wasn’t my place to say what had happened.  I managed to sneak two pieces of toast, a plate, a knife and some butter past the many breakfast maids and teachers I passed, quite impressive I thought. 
When I entered the dorm again Kim was sat on her bed, in nearly the exact same place she had been in before her shower, the only difference now was that she was dressed, like me, in grey jogging bottoms and a long sleeved top, her wet hair falling just below her shoulders. 
“Everytime I come into a room, you’ve left,” She joked quietly. 

“It’s always for your own good I promise,” I smiled, holding up the plate with the toast on. She looked at the food like it was poison,

“I’m not hungry,” She said defiantly. 

“Please Kim, you have to eat,” I pleaded.

“Why? You hardly eat anything,” She said, referring to my many skipped and scarcely picked at meals.

“Ayee but Kim, its much more important to me to look after you, then to look after meself, now please eat a little bit atleast,”

“I’ll eat it if you do,” She said. Man she was stubborn!

“Share it?”   

She nodded. I started to butter the toast and held it up to her mouth, she took a small bite and I did the same. I repeated the action of letting her bite a bit and then me bite a bit until both pieces were gone. “Well done babe, it will do you good I promise,”

“Kimberley!!Cheryl!! Are yous twos up?” Nadines familiar Irish tone could be heard from behind the door.

I looked to Kim, who nodded, signalling me to let them in, which I did,

“Well if we were asleep, I don’t think we would be now,” I joked, making Nadine, followed by Nicola laugh.
“My god whats happened, Kim you look –“ Nicola stopped herself, obviously referring to Kimberleys puffy and tired looking eyes, something which I had failed to notice.

The room turned silent, “Okay seriously what’s going on?” Nadine asked.

“He did it again,” Kimberley told them both, she recalled the whole night and by the end she was close to tears again.  Nicola and Nadine both swept her into a big hug, they were both nearly crying themselves, leaving me to just watch, they cared about her so much, I’d never known friends like that.

“But you know what Cheryl did?” Kimberley said, half smiling as she withdrew from the hug, looking at me. 
“What?” They both asked, looking at me questioningly. 

“She only hit him, like full on punch in the face hit him and not only that, she slapped her around the face too,” She beamed at me, the happiest I had seen her for a while.

“Oh my god you absolutely legend,” Nicola squealed and now it was my turn for the hugs from both of them.

We all carried on chatting for a bit, trying to include Kim where we could, but to be honest she was very distracted and who could blame her.  Eventually both girls decided to leave and do some work, not before giving me and Kim another round of hugs.

“Girls could you do me a favour though please?” Kimberley asked.

“Anything babe,” 

“Can you tell Sarah what’s going on whenever she comes back, I can’t face telling it again,” She said sadly.
“Of course we will babe, we will see you two later,” Nicola said, shutting the door behind her. Leaving me and Kim alone again, she got up from her position on her bed for the first time since her shower and again wrapped her arms around me tightly, like she never wanted to let go.Chapter Sixteen