Sometimes

Chapter eight

    I took another tense step as the group in front stepped out of the queue.  They were mumbling something about it taking forever and I had to agree with them.  If it was up to me, I’d have left ages ago.  I glanced down at my watch to see that it was nearing half nine.  We’d got off the bus forty five minutes ago.  A sudden gust of wind sent a shiver down my spine and I turned around to keep my hair out of my eyes.  The queue was stretching far down the road and I pitied the people at the back.  God knows how long they’d be waiting to get in. 

    I was about to face the front of the queue again when I felt Cassie’s grip on my arm tighten and hot breath in my ear.

    “Oh my God,” she hissed.  “You’ll never guess who’s standing just in front of us.”

My stomach knotted itself and I whirled around in the direction of the club, only to wish that I’d stayed facing the other way.

    “Harriet?  I didn’t know you came here!”

I screwed my eyes shut, but an elbow in the ribs from Cassie forced them back open again.  “Hey, Brandon.  How are you?”

Brandon’s face showed pure joy.  He looked like he couldn’t believe his luck.  “I’m great thanks,” he replied through a huge smile.  “You?”

I nodded with a sideways glance at Cassie.  “Yeah, I’m okay.  Bit cold.”

    “It’s freezing, isn’t it?” Cassie said.

    “You should have worn a coat then,” I said, eyeing her thin cardigan.

Cassie frowned for a brief moment.  “Yeah, I suppose.  Still, we’ll be inside soon.  Ooh!  What have you come as Brandon?”

    “I was going to come as a footballer, but then I thought why not come as a rugby player instead,” he replied.  “You know, for a change.”

Very daring.  My eyes fell on his navy blue shirt.  A club logo was stitched on the sleeves that were barely concealing his bulky arms and most of his legs were exposed due to the fact that he was wearing a pair of ridiculously short shorts.  I didn’t know much about sport, but I was sure that rugby players didn’t have that much on show.  It was embarrassing and I could feel myself fighting back a blush.

    “What have you come as, Harriet?” he asked.

I snapped my gaze up from staring at the massive amount of hair on his legs.  “Myself,” I replied bluntly.  “I don’t really do fancy dress.”

    “She’s a spoil sport,” Cassie said.  “I, however, have come as a rag doll.”  She beamed and pointed at the short chequered dress she was wearing.  She’d teamed it with knee length white socks and ballet shoes.  

    “Is that why you’re wearing so much blusher?” I quipped. 

Cassie scowled at me before turning to Brandon.  I wasn’t in a mood with Cassie.  I just wished that Brandon would bugger off.  He was making going home even more tempting.

    “Who are you here with?” Cassie asked Brandon.

    “A few of my team mates, actually, although they’ve already gone in,” he answered.  “We’re celebrating our biggest win of the season so far.”  A smug smile worked its way onto his face.  “I scored a hat trick actually and man of the match.”

I bit my lip to keep myself from telling him that I couldn’t care less if he’d single-handedly beaten the opposing team.

    “I’ll introduce you if you want?”  His voice was bright.