Chapter 3
I had no trouble going into school the next day, It didn't bother me the stares I got, or that some people were whispering, I just ignored it all like I normally did. It felt even easier doing so having Cheryl beside me. The day passed without any problems, although I was sick of people asking If I was okay. Every class I went into I was asked, Every teacher I passed asked, pupils were asking. I suppose it was nice to know they cared, but I was there in school, If I wasn't okay, I wouldn't have been there.
I spot Cheryl at her car and she notices me too as she starts walking over towards, she wasn't in my last class so I told her I'd meet her at her car.
"Hey Kimberley!" I turn around when I hear Justin's voice just as Cheryl gets to me. "Hey" I smile and he screws his face at the state of my face.
"Damn that looks nasty, are you alright? I heard what happened yesterday, I've been meaning to get you at some point today but you weren't in any of my classes today"
"Yeah, I'm fine, Looks worse than it is" I lie, In all honesty, I am in alot of pain, but I don't want anyone to know that.
"Yeah Kimberley, I know when you're lying" He laughs. "You don't have to pretend with me" He smiles kindly, and I nod, I should'nt really push him away, he is nothing but kind, probably one of the only guys I know that is genuinly nice.
I laugh and then realise that Cheryl is still standing beside me.
"Oh this is erm Cheryl, she just moved her last week" I tell him, introuducing them both.
"Hey Cheryl!" he says offering her his hand, which she kindly shakes. "I'm Justin"
"Nice to meet you Justin" she smiles.
"Likewise. Anyway, I best get going, I have a meeting with the coach in 5 minutes" He says waving us goodbye and walking away.
"He seems nice" Cheryl comments once he is out of sight. "Cute"
"Yeah he is, he is my ex" I tell her and she smiles.
"You went out with a footballer" She winks and I tilt my head and roll my eyes.
"Yeah, we went out for about 4 years, most of my time here" I said, thinking back to when times where easier, I was happier. I was just a normal kid, getting into trouble, skipping a class here and there.
"wow 4 years is a long time, what happened?" She asked and I shrugged my shoulders.
"I fell out of love with him, I don't even think it was love to be honest, He was more like just a really good friend, it came to the point we were just together but there wasn't that spark, you know" I say and she just nods. "and then my dad, brother and sisters died and I just cut myself off from everyone, didn't want help, just wanted to be on my own, so we split"
"That's a shame" She sighs "At least he is still nice to you though, some others could take a leaf out his book"
"Yeah, you won't meet many like Justin that's for sure, when we were together we were like the beckhams of the school, everyone liked us, everyone wanted our attention and it was funny because while everyone wanted to be like us, and wanted to hang out with us and everything else, we didn't want that, we liked staying in and watching movies, going out to the cinema, just quiet things, none of us were up for getting drunk every single weekend, he trains hard, his dream is to become a footballer"
"You were that popular?" she asks amused and I nod as I take a seat on the bench that we are stood next to.
"Yeah, you wouldn't think so now eh" I laugh and she shakes her head. "it was never me, I don't even know how it happened, Danielle and Lisa were always the bitches of the group, but I spoke to everyone and anyone, I was nice to people, I treated people how I wanted to be treated, suppose not everyone looks at life like that"
"Well they should" she says as she takes a seat on the bench beside me. It felt weird just opening up to her like this, I'm normally a bit harder to pry things out of, but when she asked it just came out, I didn't even have to try and think of a lie.
"So, what about you, You know I was once little miss popular and now I'm not, what were you like in you're old school?" I ask her and she lets out a laugh.
"God! this could be a long one, How about we sit in my car, It looks like it's going to rain" she says as she looks up towards the sky.
"I hope this isn't you're way of trying to dodge the question" I joke and she starts laughing.
"No it isn't, Il tell you"
We get comfy in her car and she turns the heater on and then turns around so she is facing me.
"I was good at school, most of the time, a bit of a class clown, but I mostlty worked hard"
"A class clown?" I laugh and she nods.
"Most of my friends weren't intersted in school, always wanted to skip classes, go drinking at the weekend, do drugs stupid stuff you know, and I never wanted to do any of it, but I usually ended up going, they would dare me to do soemthing in class and I'd do it" She laughs "I'd never get in trouble at home, so it was easier for them to get me to do things, and I always done them but I wanted to work hard, get myself an education, make something of my life, most kids where I stayed never made the effort, and so many fall into a life of drugs and alochol and it ruins there life. People always go on about being poor and living in a tough council estate not having an education and its aload of bollocks" She says, "Absolute bollocks because everyone goes to school and sure some people have it worse off than other, but thats not an excuse. no matter how bad things are at home. When you go to school, You are just like everyone else, everyone is there for the same reason, My home life wasn't perfect far from it, we didn't always have money, we had a tough time, sometimes never had any money at all, we couldn't even afford the essentials. Me brothers and my sister were involved in drugs and drink, always getting arrested but when I went to school I forgot about all that, and the only thing on my mind was success. I wanted to learn, I wanted to make something for myself, prove to people that it doesn't matter if you are poor or not, you have the choice to change you're life, and sitting around feeling sorry for yourself won't get you anywhere" She says taking a deep breath, and for the first time i've noticed how vulnerable she looks.
"So I worked hard and people were forever trying to distract me, and I'd cave at time and skip a few classes and do stupid things, and even when I worked hard, I was still a bit of a class clown, I was liked by everyone, not that i'm being big headed, but I get on well with people, I'm not shy, put me in a room with someone and I'll happily chat away with them" She laughs and I nod. It does sound a lot like her.
"But I stopped messing around when I realised what my so called friends were like"
"What you mean?" I ask and her look changes to that of a slightly angry one.
"My friends were taking drugs one night and I ended up as well" she sighs and my eyes widen in shock, I would never have put her down for someone to take drugs.
"You took drugs?" I asked her shocked and she nodded her head.
"Once. I took them once." She sighs and I can tell she regrets it, its written all over her face, I don't think you need to know her to know that.
"I ended up in hospital, I almost died, me friends went and left me lying there so they didn't get caught, didn't even phone me an ambulance or nothing"
"what?"
"I was angry with myself when I woke up, I was angry that I allowed myself to give in to peer pressure, Drugs is everything I am against, It was the first time me mam actually showed me some attention,she was so angry, she's been through hell with my brothers and sister, she didn't want me in the same way they are, so once I got out of hospital, I got in alot of fights with me friends, and then once I had my anger out the way, I went back to school and I got me head down and worked really hard, I didn't care if someone had a party, I just worked hard, never trusted no one but me brother and well here I am."
"Wow!" I tell her not knowing what else to say.
"Not what you expected" She laughed and I shook my head.
"No" I tell her and she shrugs.
"You make mistakes in life dont you, I made one and I learned from it. When I am successful in what I want to do in life, they will still be back in newcastle, messing around with there lifes, and It's sad you know because like I say they will be giving it 'i never had a chance' but they did and they blew it, and its sad"
It amazes me how much she cares for other people, Her friends left her for dead and yet she still somewhere inside of her cares that they have messed there life up.
"if you don't trust anyone why did you tell me?" I ask curious.
"I don't know, I feel like I can trust you, I've never met anyone like you before, you are probably one of the most genuine person I have met" She says and I smile, not knowing how to take her compliment.
"I mean it" She continues and I just laugh at her.
"You want to come back to mine and we can order a pizza" She says and I nod in agreement. I really should be going home to make sure my mum is alright, but for the first time in along time I don't care. Well not caring is the wrong way of putting it, but for once I want to have fun, not go home and look after her, not when she makes no attempt to help herself.
"Yeah, I'd like that" I say as Cheryl starts the car and heads off, I looked at my watch and noticed we had been sat talking for almost an hour.
We are back at Cheryls flat in no time and her flat is gorgous.Literally. For 18 years old she doesn't half have it good.
"Make youself at home, I'll go order the pizza" she smiles and I walk into the living room and sit down on her large corner leather sofa.
She comes back through a few minutes later with some coke for us.
"Thanks" I say taking the glass off her and watches as she flicks on the tv to one of the music channels.
"so how the hell did you manage to rent this flat?" I ask her and she laughs.
"some of it was from money me dad left us, the rest I worked hard to earn the money" She smiles and I pick up on "left us"
"Is he not around?" I ask cautiously, not wanting to pry, I know I didn't like people doing it to me.
"Nah, he was a twat too, overdosed, was too much of a coward to deal with his problems" she says and I tense up as she says this and I think she noticed too.
"You alright?" She asks and I nod and try to smile but not very convincingly.
"You sure?" She asks again.
"Yeah"
"Was it something I said?" she pushes and I know she isn't going to drop it.
"No, I'm sorry about you're dad" I try, "It just braught back memories of mine you know" I said, but she wasn't buying it.
"I wouldn't worry about it, he was a coward, I have no time for people who don't face up to there problems..." I couldn't take much more and I couldn't pretend for any longer as I stood up and said I was going to the toilet.
"Kimberley Please, tell me what's wrong?" she says taking hold of my arm and I flinch, It was my sore arm.
"Sh*t babe, I'm sorry, I forgot" She said, panic taking over her face as Tears filled mine.
"It's okay" I say, not wanting to upset her.
"Here let me get you some painkillers for you're arm..."
"It's not my arm Cheryl, Its not even that sore, its fine, dont worry" I tell her, wiping at my eyes, cursing msyelf for getting in such a state.
"Then what is it then? Why are you so upset, is it because of you're dad, Im sorry I should have dropped it" She says still a bit upset, about upsetting me seemingly and I should have just told her that yeah thats why i was in such a state but I didn't.
Unlike everyone else I lie to, I couldn't bring myself to lie to her. She had told me a bit about my life so I think its only fair I tell her the truth about mine.
"That's not why I'm upset Cheryl, I'll tell you why, sit down" I say, I know she will understand, she's been so understanding in everything else ive said and she did say she wouldn't judge.
We take a seat again and I take a deep breath as she sits there and waits for my explanation.
"My mums had a mental breakdown, she is an alocholic, she hs tried to commit suicide 6 times now, her 6th overdose was last weekend" I say just coming right out with it as Cheryl sits there eyes wide, mouth slightly open in shock.