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“I guess he won’t be joining us on the world tour,” I whispered to her. She shook her head, still smiling, and then pushed herself to her feet, holding her hand out to help me up.

To anyone else, this was just a song. To Bee, this was a huge achievement.

A few years ago, she had been caught up in a fire, thanks to her fuckwit of an uncle. It left her with burns up and down her back, and a few that crept along her neck. They were the biggest source of her discomfort and the biggest knock to her confidence. So singing this song, which was no doubt a huge reminder of that night, was a step none of us could have seen coming.

“Bee, you absolute fucking sensation!” I shouted at her when we were both on our feet, the song was over and the crowd was clapping.

“Vienna, language!” Heather snapped back.

“I never told her to kick anything! What do you want from me, woman?”

“I want you to stop your swearing around impressionable young ladies!”

“Is this flirting, Heather? Is that what this is? Are you trying to establish dominance over me?” I winked at her, causing her to scowl.

As everyone rushed towards Bee, I pulled away slightly, giving her the moment she deserved. Her time to shine.

And then, as was my curse these days, my thoughts wandered back toher, and I couldn’t help but think of another time I’d been pulled up for dancing—another room, another crowd, another version of me that didn’t feel quite so far away.

Chapter 11

Luke

Before

Fourteen Years Old

“Why the fuck are you so excited?” Dante asked me, practically grabbing the back of my jacket to stop me stampeding through the entire younger classes in my race to get to assembly.

The corridor outside the hall buzzed with noise as hundreds of students shuffled forward, the smell of floor polish already drifting out from the assembly hall. I was about to knock at least half of them out of my way if it meant I got my prime-time seat.

“It’s Friday, my friend. And you know what Friday means.”

“No?” he said, a frown on his face. “Other than it’s nearly time to get the hell out of here.”

“You’re missing one crucial detail, Dante,” I said, punching his cheek and then grasping his face with both hands. “What happens in assemblies on a Friday?”

“I die of boredom? Laura cries because of the… Oh, no,” he hissed, the penny finally dropping.

“Oh, fucking yes! It’s singing day, Dante. And my audience deserves the best of my performances.”

“Please don’t,” he practically begged, dragging his feet behind me. I ignored him, linking arms with one of our female classmates.

“Are you ready for this, Diana?” I asked her, beaming what felt like a manic smile into her face. “Lord of the Dance, here I effing come!”

“Luke!” our teacher hissed, pointing his stubby finger in our direction. “Luke, you get down from there, right this instant!”

“Dance, then, wherever you may be,”I belted out, pretending I hadn’t heard him.

Fair enough, I was standing on the benches, screaming at the top of my lungs, and had fallen off not once but twice, and currently had all the first years absolutely terrified, but this was mymoment!In my defence, the wooden benches had been wobbling and creaking loudly from the moment I stood on them.

I could see why Mr Hodges was pissed off, but one does not simply sing alongto Lord of the Dancefor fuck's sake! This song demanded adance! It was right there in the title.

“Luke, you will spend the entire month serving after school detention if you do not desist with this tomfoolery and get down,immediately.”

“Oooh, serving during after school detention. Did you hear that, Luke? He wants to service you,” Trent laughed, jumping to his feet and joining in with my dancing.

“I can hardly blame him. Look at the way these hips move! Who wouldn’t want to be serviced by—What the fuck!” I hissedas Mr Hodges grabbed the back of my collar and yanked me down to my seat.