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Silence.
She carried on, looping round the far side until she was back in the crowd. No sign.
She rooted herself to the spot. Surveying the sea of partygoers.
Just breathe.
Holly closed her eyes, taking a few deep breaths. She was aware she probably looked like an absolute weirdo, but regaining composure was the most important thing right now.
When she opened them, Alison’s smug face was coming her way.
Every muscle tensed, a wave of raw fury surging through Holly.
‘Jen’ll get you at the stage now,’ she said with a wink as she passed.
Holly couldn’t move.
Part of her wanted to grab Alison and rip her head off. Another part wanted to throw up. The biggest chunk wanted to bawl her eyes out.
She chose to ignore it all and willed her legs to move, thundering towards the stage.
She couldn’t let Mum and Dad down. If she failed to show for the winner’s reveal it would make them a laughing stock. Talk of the town for all the wrong reasons.
All too quickly she was near the stage. Holly choked back the tears and pulled herself together, hoping the thin thread that held her pieces in place didn’t snap before she could get this part of the evening over.
Her breathing was ragged, her mind a mess. But she had to do this.
A switch flicked in her brain and she mustered her best smile as she passed through the door of the marque. Jen stood with Chloe, looking slightly flustered, but what was new?
‘Hols, there you are.’ Jen’s face twisted with concern. ‘You okay?’
She went to take Holly’s hand and she snatched it back, her jaw set. ‘I’m grand.’
Jen’s next question was cut off by Annie’s arrival. Her eyes never wavered from Holly’s, though. Confusion rippled over her features, followed by hurt, then what Holly could only assume was guilt.
‘Right, we all ready?’ Annie asked with a clap as she addressed the four couples. ‘If we can all line up on stage, two on either side of me, that would be brilliant.’ Nods of approval all round. ‘Right, on with the show.’
Annie disappeared up the two small steps and behind the speakers. Whoops and cheers erupted from the crowd.
‘What’s wrong?’ Jen shout-whispered into Holly’s ear.
She ignored her. If she spoke, the tears would tumble out.
‘Holly.’
She held Jen’s stare and watched as her green eyes misted. Holly clenched her jaw. This would be over soon, and then she could go home.
Jen looked to the stage, then to Holly. But there was no time to linger, Annie was calling them up.
Holly took a final deep breath and prayed her mask stayed put.
Chloe looked over her shoulder, her smile a mile wide, only for it to fall when she saw the tension between Jen and Holly. ‘You okay?’ she mouthed to Holly.
Holly shook her head.
Jen shrugged.
There wasn’t anything that could be done. They had to go on stage.
