Page 23 of Who The Hell Are You?

Unaware of my turmoil, he laughs and pulls me into him, bringing me to a stop outside of Space Cowboy. The hot pink neon lights glow like a welcoming beacon, the cowboy sign switching back and forth to a cowboy, then to his assless chaps with a wink. Whilst looking like an overly excited strip club, which it ain't, the line of young students and barely clad men are dressed straight out of the early two thousands. It's a dance club by night, but by day it's an all inclusive queer bar that usually hosts a bunch of events.

One girl even looks like the Lizzie Mcguire cartoon and another a bratz doll, which Lilia is already fangirling over and bounces to that section in the line. Teddy and I know a few others dotted along, but luckily we're also friendly with the bouncer who throws Teddy a wink and crooks his finger.

Finally dropping back down to earth from my inappropriate thoughts, it's my turn to squeeze Cass closer to me. “Ready for some dancing?”

“I don't think you realise what you're in for.” He laughs. His friends join our group forming by the door, and Teddy gives the bouncer a kiss on the cheek before grabbing wrist bands, moving inside. The rugby guys get a once over, but Rowley eagerly follows him inside and I throw him a wink too before dragging Cass along with me.

“Woah, this is insane.” Emery whistles, taking in the eccentric club. The entire place is washed in neon lighting, alien themed decor mixed with the wild west. Pink cacti sculptures turn into tables, mirror balls spin and there are masked cowboy dancers on the back wall in cast iron cages. They're all hot, and the guys gawk when they all turn to show assless chaps. They all have tiny thongs on too.

Teddy is delighted, mischief gleaming in his eyes as he throws his arm over Grace and smirks. “Everyone grab a wristband and let's get drunk!”

The wristbands get passed around and we all crowd the bar, which is a few steps up to another level. You can see the entire dance floor and DJ booth from here, and there's a few little tables with seats that our jackets get thrown across. Emery and Lilia drape themselves on the back of a two seater, whilst Harris gets their drinks.

“Want a drink?” Cass steps closer so that his breath tickles my ear.

“Please! Anything you're having.”

“Rum and coke? Or a cocktail?”

Well the little gay inside me rolls over and shows his belly. “Cocktail–surprise me.”

After giving me a warm smile, he leans against the bar to order and I step closer to the railing, where Teddy is casting his eyes over the crowd.

“I give them five minutes before a guy hits on one of them and they run.” He smirks and I just roll my eyes.

“I know you're trying to push their buttons, but they all seem really cool.”

“We’ll see won't we. If they can't hit it to some Kesha, who even are they?”

A confusing wave of protectiveness for Cass and his friends makes me want to argue with him, but Harris's deep chuckle from behind me makes me jump. I didn't even know he was standing that close, passing Emery and his sister a pink cocktail with tassels and even a cocktail umbrella.

“I want to protest you’re wrong, but you'll see in maybe five seconds.”

Kesha’s song comes to an end and the DJ transitions smoothly into another noughties banger, which immediately has Em sitting up like the hackles on a dog. Lilia flails to down her drink, before slamming it on the table and throwing herself towards the dance floor.

It’s an old R&B classic, causing bodies to press together, couples grinding and everyone seems to dip.

“Em hurry your fat ass up!”

He gasps, throwing off his denim jacket to reveal a very tight white t-shirt and both arms covered in delicate lined tattoos in soft colours. Along with his lighter hair and willowy figure, it's these finer details which makes him stand out against his two other friends. He's different, like his sister–I think like me. Cass said he was an artist, they'd waited for him to go to university, but he hadn't said how he'd fit on the farm when they left.

“I have a rugby butt, it's not fat!” He chimes, practically diving into Harris. “Are we dancing big man?”

Harris waves him off, his smile for him softening. “Nah, I'm good just watching.”

“Suit yourself.” He winks before launching himself down the stairs after Lilia, who already is dipping her hips in a way that seems so natural. Her brother slides in beside her and they both flex their arms out, leg dipping in some sort of routine.

“Dear lord, no.” Teddy gasps, which makes the creases next to Harris’s eyes flare.

“Dear lord, yes.”

“They have choreo! It’s like Ross and Monica.”

They've found the perfect spot on the dance floor with space, as both of them twirl in sync, dipping into each other and start to laugh.

Taking a sip of his beer, Harris nods to the siblings. “Lilia's in a dance troop, but Casper's mum paid for them all to go to dance classes over summers, when they'd moved in. She wanted Lil to have some normality, like other girls in the village.”

My heart couldn’t squeeze more.