Page 9 of Not Strictly Ballroom

“You know how important this is to her.” I try to stand up for Mum, at least a little.

“I know, but it doesn’t give her the right to try to organise us into making it happen by whatever means necessary.”

I smile in response as I agree with her.

“I’m going now. Want to walk me to the bus stop?” she asks, and I sit up. Some fresh air might help.

“Sure.”

I grab my jacket, as there’s still too much of a bite in the spring air to go without, and we use the balcony to exit to ground level.

As we walk along the parade of shops, I see that another one of them has shut—the vape shop. The windows are boarded up, and a sign’s been erected. It says it’s “Under Development,” by the same company that’s on the hoarding on the waste ground.

“Have you seen this?” I ask Claire, but she shrugs.

“Things change all the time. It’s about time someone did this area up.” I guess it doesn’t affect her where she lives. I dismiss it. I have enough to worry about right now.

“So, what’s happening with you and Nick?” She springs the question on me out of nowhere.

“Um, nothing.” I don’t know where she’s going with this, and as I’m also confused, I decide to go for a casual response.

“Hmm, it didn’t look like nothing,” she drops in.

“We were just dancing,” I offer. Well, it is the truth.

“I didn’t see any dancing,” she says slyly. “I saw you looking at him like he was a long, cool drink on a hot summer’s day.”

“What? No!” Whatever she’s implying is definitely not a thing. I’m not sure what did happen, but it wasn’t that. Because that . . . that implies I fancy my best friend and it certainly isn’t anything like that. I ignore the hollowing sensation in my stomach that her words invoke. It’s not happening.

I hope she drops it, but then, she is my sister, and she has the tenacity of a tiger whose jaws have locked onto their prey.

“Are you and Nick . . . ?” She just leaves the sentence hanging, unfinished and heavy with suggestion.

“No, no, and no.” Now I’m nearly shouting at her. We reach the bus stop and thankfully there’s no one else waiting. She smirks at me.

“You know,” she says softly. “I had my money on you and Nick getting together long before this. It’s about time.”

“That is so not happening. Why would you even think that?” I’m saying the words, but my insides are churning in uncertainty.

“Oh, I’m sure you’ve been in love with him since you were sixteen.”

“You’re ridiculous,” I spit out, and because I don’t want to hear any more, I walk away and leave her at the bus stop.

Whatever she says isn’t true. I am not even into guys. Absolutely not.

Oh God, a dreadful notion surges through me. Does he think I looked at him like that? Does he think I fancy him? I know Nick is good looking, that’s a given, and he is lovely and charming. He could have anyone he wanted—and probably does. Does he think that I want that from him? That’s so messed up. He’s my best friend. Okay, there have been a couple of strange moments lately, but surely that’s just the stress I’m under right now. But if he thought that, then no wonder he couldn’t get out of there fast enough. I’ve scared him off. I walk home with heavy steps, wondering how to make right the things I’ve messed up between us.

I pace my room for the umpteenth time. I feel cooped up in here, but I don’t know what to do with myself. I’d spent some time with my gran, but I wasn’t good company. Everything inside feels discordant, like a puzzle where the pieces have been fitted together incorrectly. I cannot be having these feelings about my best friend. It’s not fair to him. There must be something wrong with me.

Perhaps it’s because I haven’t been with anyone for a while. Perhaps all I need is some dick. Pent-up sexual frustration, and I focus on my best friend. It’s sick, really. It’s been a long time since I’ve been out and had a hook-up. That’s what I need to get this out of my system.

I pick up my phone and punch out a message to Riley, one of my friends I met through going to the club. He and his boyfriend Kieran are probably my closest friends, apart from Darcy.

Nick: Are you guys going to be at Brazen tonight?

I wait a few minutes for a reply.

Riley: OMG! Nick, is that you? I thought you’d fallen off the face of the planet

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