Sometimes

Chapter twenty-nine

    It was only when I was breathing hard into my pillow that I realised how stupid my plan was.  Everyone who knew me knew that I wasn’t the type of person to waste time in bed, even on a Sunday.  I’d been up since seven this morning.  I couldn’t sleep with Leanne and Sonny on my mind.  It had been like trying to sleep through a rock concert.  Impossible if you didn’t have ear plugs or, in my case, a plausible way to make everything end up okay. 

    There hadn’t been a knock for a while but the floorboard sounded, making me jump out of my skin, alerting me to the fact that someone was still there.  I kept imagining the door handle lowering and Sonny’s face staring into the room.  If he saw me under the covers, he was sure to ask what was wrong and I couldn’t have him thinking anything was the matter, even though there was something keeping me from acting like everything was okay.  Everything wasn’t okay.  I dug my nails into my legs and decided to wait him out.

    It was half an hour before I decided it was safe to peek out from under the covers. My arms and legs were stiff from where I’d been lying tense, not wanting to give away my position.  It wasn’t like Sonny had actually bothered to check on me after getting no response, but my resolve to keep from talking to him had won over all common sense.  My feet hit the floor tentatively and, when I was sure that my footsteps weren’t going to alert anyone to my whereabouts, I tip-toed across my room.  I grabbed my gym bag with eager hands and peered inside, glad that I was sensible enough to re-pack clean clothes and towels after I got home from each dance class, but suddenly wary that the gig might have made me forget.  My eyes landed on fresh towels and I breathed out a sigh of relief.  Fabric softener clung to my nose as I zipped the bag shut and reached for my hoody.  I slipped it over my head expertly, having had the last three years to perfect the action without messing up my hair too much, and slung the bag over my shoulder.  Standing up straight, I headed for the door. 

    My heart was in my mouth as I descended the stairs two at time, trying to be as stealth as I could, but also trying to hurry.  The quicker I was, the sooner I could be out of the house and away from Leanne and Sonny.  I just wished there was a way that I could drag Aiden along with me, but I didn’t want the others asking questions and I didn’t want to ruin his afternoon bonding with the band either.  It sounded like they were having a blast on the other side of the lounge door as I slipped on my battered Converse and shrugged my bag further onto my shoulder.  I paused for a second, wondering if I was being too melodramatic, running away from my problems.  I held my breath as I tried to shake the worries from my head, pressing down on the handle of the front door.  Not so much as a tiny squeak sounded as I slipped from the hallway and shut the door behind me.  It closed with a snick sound and I hurried across the garden, pausing when I got to where Aiden’s bike was propped up against the wheelie bin. 

    I bit my lip, knowing I probably shouldn’t do what I was about to do, but it was too late.  My hands were already gripping the handle bars.  Glancing behind me in case someone was watching from the lounge window, I jumped onto the bike with as much grace as an elephant, before pedaling in the direction of the community centre as quickly as I could.  I’d have to text Aiden later, telling him where his bike had gone.  The way I saw it, if he couldn’t actually help me in person, this was the next best thing.

    I was sweating buckets by the time I reached the haven of the community centre.  It was muggy out, making my hair frizz and my t-shirt cling to my arms beneath my hoody.  My bag had hit my knees every time I’d drove the bike onwards and my legs were aching from pedaling up the biggest hill in town, but at least I was free.  I wheeled the bike behind the generator at the back of the building afraid that, without a lock, it would go missing.  I’d hid from my swimming teacher with Leanne here when Mum had been trying to encourage us to be the next big sports stars back when I was seven.  It hadn’t lasted long, with Leanne deciding to learn the guitar instead and me much preferring dance.  The thought of dancing sent an excited chill up my spin and I almost ran back to the main doors.  Once I was inside the foyer, I made my way over to where Mrs. Abington was sitting behind the front desk, reading a dog eared copy of some book.  She offered me a bright smile when she saw me, laying her book down on the counter.