Page 23 of Not Strictly Ballroom

“I’m sorry,” I say, as I straighten up, trying to regain my composure and wiping the tears from my face.

“Hey.” Nick catches me. “Please stop apologising. I led you on, but you do things to me, Darcy. Even a look from you can have me sporting a semi, and I’ve been close to the boiling point for so long. In truth, I used you.”

“Oh, I think I was very willing to do that,” I reply with a smile.

“Do you think the bus has gone?” I ask, and Nick looks at his watch, cursing slightly, but then he shrugs. “I’ll walk home.” He gives a little grimace as he adjusts himself in his trousers.

“Um, is that going to be uncomfortable?” I ask.

“A little.” He gives a rueful smile. “But I’m thinking of it as keeping the memory for a bit longer. It was the effect of watching you touching yourself that sent me over the edge, D. I’d like to watch you properly. I want to see you. Would you do that for me?”

“I’d like that.” I swallow. Yes, I could put on a show for him.

We eventually make our way back down to the road.

“Do you want to go out next weekend, Saturday night?” Nick asks before he leaves. It’s a bank holiday so the dance school won’t be open on Sunday or Monday. I reply that I’d love to, and after a quick kiss as we are in a very public space, even though there aren’t many people about, he sets off down the street to walk home.

“So, can you help me?” I ask Claire as I dig my hand into the bowl of popcorn that sits between us. I want her help, and when I asked her earlier, she invited me over to her apartment to watch a movie. Not something that we’ve done for a while. Too long, really.

“Let me get this straight. You want my help to get Mum and Dad out of the house so you and Nick can?—”

“Claire!”

“Well, why else would you need some private time?” She waggles her eyebrows.

“Will you help me or not?” I ask, resolutely ignoring her question.

“Not until you tell me what you and Nick will be getting up to.”

Really, sisters are the worst.

“Urgh, please don’t make me say it.” I can hear the whine in my voice. “Please, just help your little brother.”

For that, I get the expected eye roll. She smirks at me and reaches across to grab a handful of popcorn.

“I might let you off.” She pops a kernel into her mouth. “If you admit I was right.” She takes another piece. “Tell me you’ve been in love with Nick forever. Tell me all it needed was your big sister to nudge you in the right direction.”

I scoff. “I was already halfway there myself.”

“Nonsense. You needed me to show you the way.”

“I was doing just fine,” I protest.

“Rubbish. You were acting like a moody teenager who couldn’t accept what was in front of his face.”

“Was not.”

“Admit it. Tell me you needed my help.”

“Never!” I smirk back.

“Tell me or you won’t get my help, unless you own up that you want Nick alone for se?—”

I don’t hear anymore as I jam my fingers in my ears, stick my head down and start singing very loudly, “Lalalala.”

Eventually I look up and she’s just sitting, feeding popcorn into her mouth, grinning at me.

“Okay, you were right, and I couldn’t see that I liked Nick,” I concede.

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