Sometimes

Chapter thirty-six

I just want to say a massive thank you to everyone who's stuck with 'Sometimes' until the end.  This is only the first draft so I've yet to make changes before I even think of sending it off anywhere, but every single comment and vote means so much.  It spurs me on to be a better writer and to carry on thinking up new story ideas.  Thank you so much!

The song on the side is 'I feel like dancin'' by All Time Low, which is the song that Harriet dances to at the contest. It's a favourite song of mine and the image of them all dancing to it is hilarious :)

The hall where the dance contest was being held was a hive of activity.  People with clipboards were whizzing back and forth between all the groups of people dotted around the outsides of the huge room.  The middle of the floor has been cordoned off and inside someone was dancing to a song with lots of violins, while the judges looked on encouragingly.  I just hoped they’d still be interested by the time it was my turn on the floor.

    The contest had been entered by so many people, so Maddi had told me when I’d caught up with her when I’d first arrived, that it was taking longer than normal to get through all of the acts.  The groups had gone this morning, then the under tens, and the under sixteen’s were on now.  The sixteen to eighteen year old category, which I was in, was up next. 

    All the waiting around was doing nothing for my nerves, but having Aiden’s hand in mine was working wonders.  I offered him a smile from the next seat.

    “Aww, look at my two lovely girls.”  I noticed Mum’s eyes our hands before she looked to where Leanne and Sonny were sitting opposite us.  Leanne rolled her eyes at Mum.  “Both with strapping boys.”

I felt myself cringe.    Oh God.  Strapping.  Seriously?

I knew Leanne was making a gagging motion behind her hand and Sonny and Aiden were both giving Mum winning smiles.  I felt sick, too.

    “Why don’t you go and get me a drink, Mum,” I said, although it sounded more like a demand than a request. 

Mum nodded.  “Of course,” she replied, getting up from her chair and straightening out her skirt.  “I’ll be back in a jiffy.”

    Dad had gone off to buy a program and got distracted somewhere.  I’d last spotted him over by the fire exit, talking to a guy who looked vaguely familiar.  A work colleague probably.

    “Well done, Harri,” Leanne said.  “If you hadn’t gotten rid of her so tactfully, then I’d have been left with no choice but to banish her to the other side of the room.”

Sonny tutted.  “She’s only being nice, Le-le.”

Leanne shook her head.  “She’s my mum.  She can’t comment on how fit you are.  It’s just wrong.  Isn’t that right, Harri?

I nodded hard, almost shaking my fringe free from where I’d clipped it back with five or so hair slides.  “It’s embarrassing.”

    “She’s being nice,” Aiden said, joining in.  “I think she’s cool.”

I knew Sonny and Aiden were only disagreeing with Leanne and I to wind us up, but it was working.

    “Whatever,” I replied, turning to see the mocking smile Aiden was giving me.  “You’ll see how cool she is when she starts with the interrogations.”

Aiden cocked an eyebrow warily.  “Interrogations?”

    “Oh yeah.” 

I looked at Leanne to see her nodding sagely.  “She can be quite intense.”