Car Share: Don't Mess With Me
Chapter 1
As the excitement of Comic Relief was only weeks away, well 2 weeks as a matter of fact and what the store had done since the start of February was only manage to raise £120. Some might say that was worth a pat on the back for the notable effort but others might beg to differ by laughing and scoffing at the store's poor and unsuccessful fundraising for Comic Relief. Dave Thompson had called a last-minute emergency staff meeting two weeks before the big day. It was time everyone started pitching in with ideas which could help them increase the money they had raised so far.
The discussions were somewhat predictable. Alan Campbell offered to be in charge of face-painting in the car park. Meanwhile Cath said she would be more than happy to organize a bake sale pronto. John was left with the last of the activities - having to do selfies which he didn't fancy the thought of doing. He knows he would only ever smile in photos he and Kayleigh took together, even allowing her to cuddle and kiss him in a couple of them. He would need plenty of persuading to make the effort with this fundraising activity he had now been tasked with.
The meeting lasted only an hour. John thought it might have lasted longer because of the amount of endless talking and bad language Dave had been using throughout the meeting. Nobody else could get a word in edgeways or say on the matter of fundraising other ways. This fundraising day or week or whatever Dave wanted to call it, was beginning to become more about his reputation being on the line rather than raising money. Once everyone went their separate ways, John couldn't get out of the building quick enough no sooner after he had wished both Cath and Alan a 'Good Weekend' outside the staff entranceway.
It was such a breath of fresh air seeing Kayleigh happily sitting there in the passenger seat, waiting for him to return to the car. She was busy texting Mandy to say that she would be late home. He sighed contentedly at the delightful sight of her fluttering her eyelashes and then sighing dreamily while she was flicking through photos of herself and John, which she had taken on her phone before she eventually glanced up and caught him watching her.
"John! What are you doing? You do know it does make you look a bit creepy standing there." With her left hand placed over her heart, Kayleigh reacts with surprise upon seeing him calmly stood there with an affectionate smile on his face.
"Sorry Kayleigh. I didn't mean to make you jump. I guess I didn't want to interrupt you while you were daydreaming about me." John sashays his way round to his side of the car intentionally, so he can climb into the driver's seat and start the car as soon as possible. Kayleigh sees what he's kind of game he's playing and cannot keep a straight face as she bursts into uncontrollable giggles.
"Oi cheeky. You're always welcome to sidle up to me whenever you want to, John. Here..." Kayleigh fondly pats the seat next to her as her way of saying 'come on what are you waiting for then?" She loves it when they resort to flirting outrageously with each other. John does as he is told and gets into the car. Soon as he gets settled he places his hand across hers. Both pf them consciously made their move to kiss the other at the same time, the result of this doesn't end as well as they hoped, with the tip of John's nose being half squashed against her nose. They went for the same angle of kissing.
"Oww can't feel my nose...Oww." John says nursing his now very squashed looking nose. Kayleigh isn't making matters better by giggling at his expense. "Kayleigh! it's not funny... you laughing mischievous psycho." John says with a not-at-all very convincing serious face. He knows she can be quite clumsy sometimes at work but he doesn't let that fact get in the way of how much he wants to see her being considered for promotion elsewhere in the store.
10 minutes later the car was now heading towards the nearest junction, driving past brightly lit takeaway shops and dozens of amber lit street lampposts. Kayleigh suddenly remembers to ask him about what happened during the 'Fundraising for Comic Relief' meeting. "Anyway what did Dave 'NOB Head' Thompson have to say for himself in your meeting?" Kayleigh had kept calling the store manager an 'NOB head' because he was still giving her a hard time and behaving like a right nightmare to her during her work shifts.
"Oh it wasn't much really. Dave being Dave just trying to save his backside by offering to absolute bollocks while the rest of us pitch in with our fundraising activities and take the credit." John hadn't got along well with Dave since the Christmas staff party. Their relationship became publicly known after Dave and his long suffering wife Valerie had caught the pair kissing in the hallway of the venue. Needless to say Dave hadn't exactly been happy to see John having his head turned by Kayleigh Kitson of all people.
"What a bloody lazy arse!" Kayleigh wasn't surprised to learn this about the grumpy Scot manager.
"I know. Tell me about it." John nodded his head, fully agreeing with her. "I've been put in charge of selfies and uploading them onto a Comic Relief online wall-chart. Look I'm not really sure I'm comfortable with taking the time out of my lunch-break to be doing this." John regrets not opening his mouth sooner/wishes he had swapped with someone else.
"What?! You're a natural with selfies, John. Tell you what why don't the both of us work together on this? Just remember this is all for charity after all and how much you want to make the best effort possible to put a smile on someone's face. What do you reckon?" Kayleigh wasn't having it, hearing her boyfriend talk negatively. She would do the right thing. She would help him out with this fundraising activity.
"I'd like that a lot Kayleigh...Thank you." John visibly smiles to himself while he's driving. It was a lovely feeling for him, acknowledging how Kayleigh had significantly become the voice of reason for him whenever he had doubts about stuff. He knew could always rely on her to give him a rightful kicking up the arse in the case of any grumbles he has.
John got a text while he was parked up outside Mandy's house, dropping Kayleigh off. "What's this? It's from Cath." John takes a closer look at Cath's message.
"Hi John, Dave's just phoned me to let me know, that the fundraising for Comic Relief will be starting next Monday until next Friday. I think you should involve Kayleigh, she will really love this fundraising participation for Comic Relief."
"Looks like Cath must have read your mind, Kayleigh." John grins. He soon fills her in with the details on the second half of Cath's text message had said.
"Aww that's nice of her to recommend me for participating next week with the store's fundraising week." Kayleigh thought Cath Hilton was one of the nicest member of head office staff. Kayleigh appreciated the fact that Cath promised her the other week that she would back up her and John in case of Dave badmouthing Kayleigh's lack of work skills and making her the target of his 'insulting off the supermarket workers' time of the month.
"Yeah it is. You know I think this might be her way of giving you a work trial, seeing how well you do with handling customers in a different part of the store. I mean Dave can't keep having you sampling those Dairylea Dunkers for another few months. Tell you what. In the meantime I'll put in a word with management, ask them to shuffle your work duties around. Can't move you to technology department because I know what you're like with phones and televisions. I'm sure you'll get a chance of being you're meant to be."
"John you don't have to." Just the thought of working alongside him all week was quite enough but then hearing him promise her one way or another, that he will make sure, she will be free to move around the store more in her potential new job position, was an amazing gesture.
"No I insist. You deserve the opportunity to showcase what you're good at doing Kayleigh. You're creative. You've always got time for others. You're outspoken. I've always loved that about you know, Kayleigh."
"Awww John I don't know what to say." Kayleigh had come over all emotional again because of him speaking highly of her. In the space of six months John's caring side underwent quite a transformation- from him not wishing to overstep the mark with Dave to him willing to stand up to his moody Scottish colleague.
xxx
The following Monday, Dave had also decided it would be a very good idea for the Head Office team to not wear their uniforms and for them to wear the official Comic Relief T-shirts. Kayleigh laughs as soon she realizes John isn't wearing his standout blue shirt and dark blazer.
"What's all this?" She asks, pointing to the arty and designer shirt he is wearing, after she's put her seatbelt on.
"Take a wild guess." John suggests. He's sitting there, smirking at her as if he was Austin Powers after returning from a romantic weekend away.
"Oh that's right it's for Comic Relief isn't it." Thankfully this doesn't take long for Kayleigh to work out. She suddenly feels rather silly for not recognizing what the t-shirt was representing.
"Wouldn't be anything else now would it?" John chuckles. He knows Kayleigh's certainly got quite a bit of a way to get the simplest of things right eventually. He found it quite funny that still hadn't managed to get the 'Compendium' name right.
"Well can I just say John I think you look extremely sexy in your shirt...I wouldn't mind ripping it off you come Friday night" Kayleigh gives him her honest and most naughtiest opinion.
"Kayleigh! you can't just go round ripping my t-shirt off me when you feel like." As much as John rather fancied the thought of Kayleigh making one of his fantasies become reality, he thinks she might overdo this.
"Aww can't I wait until Friday to do it then?" Kayleigh was certainly very keen to whip his t-shirt off him no matter what. As she loves caressing John's chest with her hands, she thinks why not add some extra thrill and hotness to their many 'can't keep hands off each other' moments.
"I've definitely got my hands full with you haven't I?" John chuckles away, as he raises this thought with her.
"You betcha Jonathan..." Kayleigh winks her eye flirtatiously but it doesn't quite register with John as he's mostly concentrating on the road. She tries again a moment or two later when the car comes to a stop at traffic lights.
"What you doing?" John asks. He can't help smiling to himself. He always felt honored to be the VIP recipient of one of her playful eye winks.
"What? Can't give a girlfriend like me, give her lovely handsome boyfriend a 'thank you' wink...wink now and again. Anyway I don't see anything wrong with this." Kayleigh states the facts with a straightforward answer. She thinks John needs to relax and enjoy her flirty facial expressions more.
They arrived for work around 8:45am, 15 minutes earlier than they would normally do. John stretches his legs once he's parked the car it's usual spot.
"Frig-a-dig... look it's Stink Ray over there..." The couple noticed the fishmonger wasn't wearing his uniform, in fact he was wearing an old fashioned, movie-esque clothes. It suddenly clicks with Kayleigh who he exactly was dressed up as that morning. "Why's he dressed as Oliver Hardy?"
"Stan Laurel not Oliver Hardy, Kayleigh." John corrects her. He's forgotten how often he's had corrected before.
"Oh I always assumed the funny haired one was Oliver Hardy. Mind you I still always get Ant and Dec mixed up" Kayleigh admits. John is on the verge of responding but he's then rendered speechless temporarily. Christ how can anyone still struggle to tell which one's Ant and which one's Dec? He questions this certain thought.
John looks relieved as he gets out of the car moments later after he had watched Ray finally entering through the staff entrance. "Do you think he saw us?" Kayleigh asks.
"Of course he saw us. Well at least I think he did unless he didn't see us and he's concentrating on getting himself in character. I feel sorry for who will be Oliver Hardy to his Stan Laurel." John wasn't sure as to why some of the team were dressed up as movie stars and popstars. Dave had told him it was Comic Relief clothing unless he had another surprise up his sleeve.
Kayleigh got out the car eventually and took in the view of the car park. There had been an impressive work done with the market stalls and also with what appeared to be a dunk tank/machine in the corner of the car park. Kayleigh smiles cunningly as soon as she gets struck by an absolute genius of an idea.
"What you smiling about?" John asks when he catches her smiling away. He's curious to find out what the reason behind her scheming smile is about.
"I can't reveal yet but you'll know soon enough Jonathan...I promise." Kayleigh is keeping tight lipped. John hopes whatever it is, that it won't result in her landing in the shithouse with Dave.
They enter the building together and soon come face to face with Rachel, who looks as if she's intending to ensnare Mr Redmond one way or another from Kayleigh. She believed Kayleigh didn't deserve to be with Mr Redmond. It should be her being treated like a princess and worshipped for the grounds she walked on by the Store's Assistant Manager instead.
"Rachel's looking our way..." John informs Kayleigh. "Don't look." Kayleigh ignores his warning and glances over her shoulder to give Rachel the deadliest of death stares. She knows Rachel is clearly up to no good and she fully intends to put an end to the blond fatale's plans once and for all. Now was the time to put her plan into action against her Geordie colleague.
End of Chapter
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