Page 28 of Not Strictly Ballroom

“And I don’t think there’ll be any problems,” I continue, turning enough so he can see me wink as I place my hand on my chest. “Because I know for a fact that your dad adores me.”

He laughs and bumps his shoulder into me. I bump him back, pleased to have him smiling again.

I look round at the stunning vista before me. The Peak National Park is one of the most beautiful places in the country and I forget it’s right on my doorstep.

Riley had picked us up from my house and driven us to the reservoir visitor’s centre. As far as the road goes.

Nick is standing beside me, also looking out over the view from Derwent Dam, and I give him a small nudge with my arm, receiving one of his widest smiles in return.

“Isn’t it amazing?” he says, and I have to agree. I inhale deeply, breathing in the clear air. The midday sun is warming, promising a perfect afternoon.

“Are you two going to stand there gawping or are you coming?” We turn so see Riley and Kieran further along the path.

“Come on, there’s still a way to go,” Nick says, and starts off in their direction. I take another look at the view down the valley and follow them. The path takes us round another reservoir and then we follow a small river. I’m not sure where we’re going, but I am aware I haven’t seen anyone else for a while.

“Where is this place?” I ask.

Riley, who’s leading us, stops and turns round at my question. The path has been climbing steadily for a while and he’s a little out of breath. Kieran is still bouncing around and Nick looks fine. I feel alright too, as dancing keeps me pretty fit.

“It’s still about a mile away,” Riley explains.

“Wow, that’s so far.” Still, I hadn’t expected it to be such a long distance from the car park.

“Oh, wait until you see it,” Kieran says excitedly. “It’s totally worth the walk. Not only because it’s lovely, but also because almost no one bothers to walk it, so we’ll probably have it to ourselves.”

Kieran wasn’t exaggerating when, fifteen minutes later, after following what now looks like a large stream, we come to a crossing of large stones. Kieran points out the pool beyond. It’s not large, probably ten metres in diameter, but it looks deep. The path next to it rises, creating an overhang.

“Made it.” Riley unshoulders the rucksack he’s been carrying and folds himself onto the ground, lying on his back, his knees bent. “Just give me a minute,” he chuckles, panting.

Kieran throws himself down next to him. He grabs the bag and rummages around in it, pulling out four bottles of water and handing them round.

“Do you want a swim first, before some food?” Nick asks as he opens the water and drinks half of it down.

“Sure.” I’m warm, so cooling down first would be welcome. Nick grins and strips down to his swim shorts. I drink in his broad back and slim legs, his beautiful ass. I’ve seen him shirtless before, when he’s getting changed after dancing. I’ve touched most parts of him, in hugs and dancing holds. I’ve felt his lean, hard muscles beneath his shirt. But somehow, this is different. This time, I want to play my fingers across his strong chest. Let my fingers follow the fall and rise of definition in his perfect abs. It’s like I'm seeing him for the first time. No, not the first—he’s still “familiar Nick,” but the angle has changed. I haven’t moved, still staring at Nick. He catches me looking, gives me the widest grin possible, and opens his arms wide.

“Come on,” he shouts, walking backwards towards the lip of the overhang. Then he spins round and leaps off the top. I rush to the edge, not knowing if he’s alright. I thought it was just a shallow pool, but a few seconds later he bobs to the surface, laughing and shaking water from his long blond fringe. I can’t get my own clothes off fast enough and follow him in.

The water is cold. I lose my breath with the shock of it, and rise out of the water, gasping. Nick is there, concern written on his face.

“I’m fine,” I croak, still fighting to draw air into my lungs. He rubs my back and soon I’m able to take steady breaths.

“Sorry, that was, erm, much colder than I’d expected.”

His hand gently pushes away the hair that got plastered to my face in the plunge. The gesture, so seemingly normal before, is now achingly intimate.

“You’ve never been wild swimming before?”

“Never,” I admit.

“Not even in the sea?”

“We never had time.” The only occasion I’d ever been to a seaside town was for a dance competition, and we didn’t get time to enjoy the seaside as well. A cloud drifts across my memories, that maybe I’d missed out on a few things in my childhood. I realise I wouldn’t be the dancer I am if I hadn’t have worked hard, but I can’t help feeling an ache at missing something I never had the chance to have. It would have been nice to have run barefoot in the sand—just once.

“We’ll make time.” Nick’s promise pulls me to the present, and I barely get the chance to say “thank you, I’d like that,” when we’re caught in the spray of a form landing in the water next to us. I see Kieran’s red hair before the rest of him emerges. He shakes his curls like a dog, flinging water over us both.

Laughing, Nick flicks water back at him, and I join in until I can barely see and there’s water flying all over. Riley jumps in and we all receive another drenching. He swims over to rescue Kieran as we’re still dousing him with water. Nick is the first to get a dunking, but I manage to swim out of his reach just in time, and I hide behind Nick, who has resurfaced.

We carry on playing like this for a while. Dunking and soaking each other. Taking it in turns, throwing each other up out of the water to perform backflips. Something in my chest eases. My thoughts of not being accepted by Nick’s friends are blown away on a breeze.

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