Car Share: Take a Chance on Me
John regretted the way he had behaved toward Kayleigh yesterday. She had been right all along, he and Kayleigh were more than just being 'Car Share buddies', who happened to share a car together and belt out most of the songs they hear on Forever FM. His reluctance to accept the fact that their relationship had evolved so much from the very first day they started car sharing over the last few months, made him wish now he could redo things differently. 'Fuck' he really had chased away the only woman who really got him more so than anybody else had ever done. He clearly was missing her company that morning. He knew this because driving up to her sister's house to pick her up and being greeted by her delightful smiles as soon as she opened the door, felt like Christmas had come early for him every morning. Now that weren't going to happen no more, he couldn't help but feel like a lost soul.
John's phone rang out of the blue. His eyes glanced down and saw that the caller was Kayleigh. His eyes light up brightly. His hands suddenly feel sweaty. He can ever feel his heart pounding inside his chest. Perhaps she wanted them to have a talk after work during lunchtime. John presses the telephone button on the steering wheel. He takes a deep breath for a few moments before he eventually decides to talk to her.
"Kayleigh?"
"No it's Steve, Mandy's fella."
"Oh alright Steve, what you doing ringing me up on Kayleigh's phone?"
"Kayleigh left her phone behind. Well when I say she left it behind...Mandy may have pinched it from her handbag."
"What did she going do that for?"
"She's got her reasons. You see, she knows she hasn't met you but she told me she wants you to make sure Kayleigh doesn't quit her job at the Supermarket. She told Mandy when she got home, she's thinking of getting a job locally."
John looked baffled for a minute, he was lost for words even. Questions circled around in his mind regarding why she wanted to walk out of the job and not say goodbye to the likes of Elsie or Joyce Cheung. When he did finally gather his thoughts together, John tried to keep his feelings strictly professional.
"But she can't quit overnight. Anyone who wants to hand their notice in, has to work a week in hand before they leave. Even Kayleigh knows that."
"Well pal, you best you do something now before it's too late, even if she hates your guts. If I was you in your shoes, I'd be putting up a fight for her."
"I doubt she'd even give me the chance to speak to her, Steve." John isn't sure putting up a fight for her, will make help matters for him.
"Oh she will, when she's ready. She's talking about you all the time, mostly when Coronation Street's on. It's always I wonder if John's an EastEnders or a Corrie fan. Gets right on Mandy's nerves. Came as a surprise to us, seeing her getting out of a taxi last night. She never said a word to us until Bake Off was on. She told Mandy, you two had a big argument and that she thought it would be best if she left her job."
"I'll try and have a word with her, as soon as I see her on her own, Steve." Learning from Steve, how heartbroken Kayleigh had been when she got home, was now leaving John feeling a guilty conscience. He needed to finally wear his heart on his sleeve.
"Good luck John."
The phone call ended.
xxx
During the lunch hour; Kayleigh found a Post-It Note had been left for her on her locker. She had only returned to her locker with the intention of searching for her phone, which she was sure she had accidentally left it in her handbag. Her head was now spinning as soon as she saw the message which had been handwritten especially for her. She identified the writing on the Post-It Note to be John's scribbly handwriting.
"Kayleigh, I need to talk to you asap. Meet me in my office at 5pm. Dave Thompson's gone home with a stomach bug, So you don't have him to worry about when you come up to Head Office later. J"
She shook her head, sighing with obvious sadness in her eyes. What is John trying to tell me? We should put all this behind us and forget I told him I loved him? Why doesn't he understand? I don't want us to be friends anymore.
Kayleigh begins to wonder whether she should actually give him one more chance. John might be incredibly frustrating, like he had proven to be yesterday when he gave her the impression he'd rather play on his phone and listen to music then pay attention to her pouring out her heart to him but she did remember he has shown an exceptional, caring side to him whenever they chatted about their families, which she found herself admiring greatly about him. She placed the Post-It Note in her pocket and unlocked her locker before starting the search for her phone.
After 15 minutes she gave up. She mustn't have picked it up before she left for work. Oh god, the dreaded thought suddenly crosses her mind, what if Alfie and Chloe may have gotten their hands on her phone and hidden it in their bedrooms. The two of them will no doubt both be in for a right telling off from Mandy, once she gets to hear about this.
Kayleigh doesn't suspect for one moment, her fed up younger sister is responsible for taking her phone and that she isn't willing to give it back to her until she promises she will drop the talk of quitting her job. Despite being the younger sister, Mandy had acted more like the older sister than Kayleigh did. She was always offering her sister in a shoulder to cry on, to which Kayleigh was grateful to her for.
xxx
John had spent the rest of the afternoon browsing at a few pictures of him and Kayleigh, ones which he had taken on his phone. He couldn't resist smiling and chuckling at one adorable looking photo. The pair of them both had spots of Ice Cream on the tip of their noses. Kayleigh looked so cute and lovely in the photo he thought. He had been so invested in looking at this particular photo, that he hadn't heard her walking into the office unannounced.
He was snapped out of his smiling daydream state by her noticeable presence. He checked the time, 4:45pm was highlighted on his digital watch. His mum had bought him this last Christmas.
"John I said everything I wanted to say yesterday. I'm walking out your life forever. I know I'm doing the right thing." Kayleigh honestly believes he won't be able to say enough to change her mind. Her heart is aching at that very moment, as she addresses him.
"But you're not doing the right thing Kayleigh. You're talking bollocks. You know as well I know, we need to put our hearts on the line." John wasn't going to give up on her. At long last, he was just about managing to find the strength to put up a strong fight for her.
"You broke my heart Jonathan. I'm not sure forgiving you will make this easy for me." She couldn't quite look him in the face.
"I know and for that I'm sorry. I made the biggest, if not the worst mistake I've ever made, letting you get out my car yesterday. I have to get everything I want to tell you, off my chest. Please, please hear me out." John asks her. It's a surprising and a heartwarming side to John, Kayleigh hasn't witnessed before but one she feels intrigued about.
"You're serious aren't you?" Kayleigh sets her eyes on him properly. She can tell he's been busy tying himself up in knots because how desperate he had become, wanting to apologize to her.
"More serious than you realize Kayleigh." John admits.
"Okay I'll hear you out. If that's what you want. I can't be mean to you forever, can I?" Kayleigh's eyes slowly soften towards him. He was absolutely right, sorting out their fractured relationship was vitally important and it needed to be repaired now rather than later.
"Thanks." John let out a sigh of relief. Kayleigh quietly took the seat facing him.
It was strange getting to see John in this environment. Him having his own fancy-looking office. There were two framed photos on his desk, one of him and brother Paul, who looked like Manchester United's David De Gea and another photo of John with his Nana Rose.
"If you did move on to pastures new. I know me and you would end up missing each other like crazy. We'd be bloody texting and phoning each other every hour of the day. Come on Kayleigh, even you know that I'm right about this. We can't go a day without talking to each other."
"True. I thought about texting you last night but I couldn't think straight for obvious reasons. So I just sat up watching a documentary with Danny Dyer about aliens."
John skipped asking her a question on what she thought about the documentary. Anyway they had more better things to discuss than this.
"You see my point is; you've been right all along, we both know we can't go back to being friends but we can at least try and make a go of taking things slowly between us."
"Are you trying to tell me, what I think you're trying to tell me?" Kayleigh thinks she's misheard him at first. She decides to check with him, to confirm her suspicions were in fact correct.
"I believe I am." John teases without fully revealing what he meant in the first place. He wanted her to see, he isn't lying to her and that he is truly sure this is what he really wants. He wants to show her over time, he loves her just as much as she(still very clearly) loves him.
"I don't know what to say. One minute I think, you're trying to tell me, you want us to stay friends and then the next minute you're telling me you want us to become a couple." Kayleigh's got the biggest smile on her face. John's never seen her smiling so gloriously like this before. "Are you sure this is what you want John? because like you said, we can take things slowly between us." Her hands look like they've got minds of their own, as she nearly accidentally knocks over a stack of paperwork on John's desk, through the excitement that's now surging through her mind.
"Let's just say I'm not letting you walk out my life ever again Kayleigh Kitson. I want you by my side." John smiles reassuringly. His eyes studied hers as she considers what she should do next - Kiss him as soon as he gets up from his chair. Send him a naughty text later that evening or chat further with him in the Fiat, if he was willing to start giving her a lift home once again.
Alan Campbell rudely walked straight into the office without knocking at the door. He was a stout fella with a strong Lancashire accent. He dumps another pile of paperwork, on top of the other paperwork on John's desk "I didn't know you had a meeting with Miss Kitson, John. Oh by the way, that was you who sent in that 'Nobody Puts Kayleigh in a Corner request on Forever FM wasn't it? Heard it while I was driving home from work."
"Er yeah. That was me. Didn't think anyone else had heard it." John blushes He shies away momentarily from Kayleigh, who feels like she's falling madly in love with him all over again after hearing Alan Campbell mentioning this.
"Oh right. You needn't worry, I won't be tell Dave about your meeting with Miss Kitson." Alan promises John, he isn't going to go tell Dave Thompson that Kayleigh Kitson has stepped foot into head office without a booked appointment.
"Thanks Alan." John thanks him, as he's heading out of the office.
Kayleigh asks, inadvertently raising her voice as she starts to quiz about his reasons for keeping quiet regarding this yesterday afternoon. "John, why didn't you tell me about the radio request?"
"I didn't get a chance did I. It didn't work out the way I hoped it would. Well at least today is different because now you know, Nobody puts Kayleigh Kitson in a Corner." John smiles, settling back comfortably in his chair. What he doesn't expect next is Kayleigh's excitement getting the better of her.
Kayleigh shot up from her chair. She advances towards a surprised John and immediately throws her arms around him. The next thing he knows she was practically squeezing the life out of him with her strong arms.
"Kayleigh...Christ.." Were the only words he could mutter, as she carries on hugging him and didn't seem to want to release him from her embracing arms just yet.
"I forgive you John, my hero even if you don't like Dirty Dancing as much as I do" She whispers in his ear before eventually letting go of him. She places a soft kiss on his left cheek before she heads back to her chair and has a look at his family photos without asking his permission. John doesn't actually mind her having a look.
"How do you fancy me giving you a lift home then in around 20 minutes. What do you reckon?" John was quite excited at the prospect of driving her back to Mandy's house.
"Of course I'd love you to drive me home, Reckless Redmond. Like you said to me the other week some things are worth going out your way for. I presume you meant me." Kayleigh was just as excited at the thought of being back where she knew belongs, alongside the man she loves.
"Of course I meant you. I didn't mean the likes of Rachel" John chuckles.
"Urgh don't mention that bitch's name." Kayleigh sighs.
"Why?" John's met with confusion. He's left to wonder why she reacted with annoyance at the mention of Rachel's name.
"I found out this morning, she and SuperTed copped off with each other at her sister's Birthday party last night." Kayleigh basically confirmed that her interest in SuperTed was officially over.
"I'm sorry to hear that." These were the only words of comfort John could offer her right there and then.
"Ah, I'm not that bothered about it. Besides I'm putting all my focus onto the beginnings of our relationship now." She reached for his right hand across the table. They linked their fingers together.
xxx
Forever FM was currently playing full blast on the Fiat's stereo once again, much to the pure delight on John and Kayleigh's faces. John feels the lyrics to Depeche Mode's Just Can't Get Enough at that very moment, are perfect for them and that they're certainly helping to sum up the present mood in the car. Kayleigh's beaming with happiness. Yes she knew deep down she had forgiven him way too easily and that she probably should have stuck by her 'I'm getting out your car and walking out your life forever' but unfortunately letting go of love had proved impossible for her because she knew John was the only man who could make her the happiest she's ever felt in a long time. Secretly she hadn't wanted to give up and she was glad that she hadn't in the end.
"We slip and slide as we fall in love
And I just can't seem to get enough of
We walk together
We're walking down the street
And I just can't get enough
And I just can't get enough
Every time I think of you
I know we have to meet
And I just can't get enough
I just can't get enough"
Kayleigh twirls her hair around her finger, while she admires the view of the Lancashire landscape as the Fiat drives through it. She's tempted to rest her head on John's shoulder but feels it's best not to, seeing as he doesn't want to be distracted from driving.
"You're quiet?" John wonders why Kayleigh's become lost for words.
"Sorry. I'm just thinking of what to say when Steve or our Mandy sees you dropping me off outside the house." Kayleigh hopes Mandy won't treat John too badly, after she introduces her sister to him.
"You don't think your Mandy will be happy to see me dropping you off? I'm sure Steve will happy to see me." John pretends he doesn't have the foggiest idea of what Mandy might think of him.
"Oh I'm sure he will. Don't keep him talking to you for too long about bikes. One of Steve's biker mates Brian, did that once when our Mandy was 7 months pregnant. He overstepped the mark because he had the cheek of asking her, if he could leave his Honda motorbike in the garage for a few days." Kayleigh warns John.
"What a cheeky arsehole." John gives his verdict on Steve's former mate.
Show me how you do that trick
The one that makes me scream, she said
The one that makes me laugh, he said
And threw her arms around my neck
Show me how you do it
And I promise you I promise that
I'll run away with you
I'll run away with you
Little over 40 minutes later, the Fiat is just pulling up to stop outside Mandy's house. Neither one of them had taken up the opportunity yet to move in for a kiss. John was still somewhat unsure, over whether to make the move or not. Meanwhile Kayleigh couldn't take her eyes off him. She was desperate to see who was the best kisser between the two of them.
"Well here we are. It's certainly been quite an eventful day for us." John speaks first, he smiles reassuringly. He's prevented from saying much else as Kayleigh's lips surprise him, making contact with his. He doesn't pull away, back off like she had honestly expected him to, before she chose to act on her urge to kiss him. Their first kiss is gentle and really romantic. John's putting so much effort and affection into the kiss, which amazes Kayleigh. He had relaxed so well into kissing her lips.
Spinning on that dizzy edge
I kissed her face and kissed her hair
And dreamed of all the different ways I had
To make her glow
They pull away a few seconds later for air. Their noses tickled one another's. "You never told me, you were a good kisser John."
"Am I?" John asks. He's not convinced he is.
"Yes. Maybe we can always have a bit more practice first thing in the morning." Kayleigh flirts with the idea of them, having a few moments of kissing time together tomorrow morning. They were acting like loved up teenagers.
Kayleigh gets out of the car and gives Steve a wave. He's still tinkering with his bloody motorbike beneath the gazebo. It's obvious he's clearly witnessed John and Kayleigh sharing a kiss in the Fiat, judging from the look he's currently giving.
"Do you think he saw us?" Kayleigh wonders.
"Yeah. I reckon he looks happy for us." John tells her, as Steve gives him a knowing smile.
"At least it'll stop him calling me Bury's answer to Bridget Jones. I'll give you a text tonight. Let you know if he's gone and told Mandy about me and you." Kayleigh mentions to him. She clutches onto her handbag as she leans down to give John a goodbye kiss.
"You might as well ring me then text me. You're always sending me 15 texts every night. I'll see you tomorrow morning." John drives off a few moments later as Kayleigh waves him off.
All Reviews are welcome