‘Nope,’ I reply, trying to remember my left from my right. ‘But it looks like Lauren is!’
Kate looks over to see Lauren absolutely nailing the line dance, complete with whooping and hollering. She laughs and crashes into me again, almost falling, but I catch her.
‘I lied,’ I tell her, grinning. ‘I’m having the best time ever.’
An hour later and we’re all taking a break. Unfortunately for Lauren, William Schofield has turned up and the next dance is couples only.
‘Why does god hate me?’ Lauren grumbles, watching him unenthusiastically drag himself over. ‘I hope he’s at least showered.’
Kate and I take our places, ready for the main dance that’s been drilled into us for the past two weeks. ‘Step into Christmas’ begins to play.
It starts off a tad wobbly, with both of us trying to keep up with the beat. But by the time I’ve spun Kate around for the first time, laughter takes over and we just go with it. We two step, grapevine, make lasso arms and generally look like fools, which I think was the sole intention of whoever organised this event. Weirdly enough, Lauren and William are also laughing and not at each other. It’s rather unnerving.
I feel almost giddy on the walk home and far more dishevelled than I was going in. My shirt is now hanging loose, my hair a mess and my boots have rubbed blisters into my heels. Kate looks just as pretty as she always does. She’s babbling on about Lauren and William when I decide to do something either extremely brave or really, really stupid.
‘Would you like to go out with me?’ I ask. God, voice, please don’t crack. Not now.
‘Sure, where?’ she replies. ‘Not that café in Bakewell again, though– the owner hates anyone under fifty.’
‘No, I mean, like out out. As in, on a date?’
She stops walking. ‘Me? But I thought you liked Jenny Parker?’
‘Jenny? No. Why would you think that?’
I see Kate’s cheeks begin to redden. ‘It’s just Lauren saw you passing notes and I know she’s been to your house and—’
I snort. ‘Mum’s teaching her piano. She was passing me a cheque to give to her.’
‘Well, I feel like an idiot,’ Kate confesses. ‘I just. . . I never thought that you liked me in that way.’
‘I do,’ I respond. ‘I think you’re really nice.’Really nice? Jesus, Ed, Mr Renton in physics is really nice! Say something else.‘Hot,’ I blurt out. ‘I think you’re hot.’ Fuck, now I’m blushing. If she says no, I’m never doing this again. With anyone. Ever.
Thankfully, her face breaks into a huge smile. ‘I think you’re hot, too.’
She leans in to kiss me and I swear I’ve never felt so excited andterrified at the same time. Her lips are really soft. Wait, is this a yes?
A few seconds later she stops suddenly.
‘Sorry, did I do something?’
‘Ed, um. . . is that your gun?’
She pulls back a little and I follow her gaze down towards my jeans.
‘Yes!’ I exclaim, moving my gun holster back to the side. ‘Awkward!’
She takes my hand and we walk home laughing, reaching Kate’s house first.
‘Can I ask you something?’ she says, getting her keys from her bag.
‘Sure.’
‘That wasn’t your gun, was it?’
I scrunch up my face. ‘Um. . . no. Sorry.’
‘Good to know,’ she replies, before launching herself on me again.
