Page 21 of Lovers' Dance

BOOM.

The explosion of confetti sounded like some sort of light artillery ejecting a small cannon. Confetti rained down on us and people cheered as more of the canisters went off. We bowed and curtsied to the applause, laughing in delight.

“Bollocks,” Lisa yelled. I jerked around, gaze going to where she pointed. And my stomach fell to my feet.

“Leg it,” Liam shouted. I turned around, eyes wide with apprehension, as Dante leaped over to the pile of our stuff and started tossing our bags over.

Frigging cops were coming. I knew this was a bad idea. I caught my bag, screaming at Dante I’d see him at the meet point. Then I was off, with Lisa and Brianna right behind me. We still had our masks on, bags banging on our backs as we raced towards the Mall. Lisa was laughing loudly, so was Brianna as our feet flew over the ground. We must have made quite a sight, from our high buns down to our ballet shoes. The black tutus with sparkling rhinestones we wore over our leotards was icing on the cake.

I twisted around and, yes, there was a copper giving chase. “Run. He’s gaining on us.”

We ran faster, screaming like lunatics. It was crazy fun, adrenaline pumping through my veins as we tried to dodge passersby. People were stopping to watch three ballerinas running like gazelles and laughing breathlessly. The copper was getting further away when I turned back to check, but he wasn’t giving up. Damn, they normally stopped giving chase relatively quick. The only conclusion I came to was the fact we’d been in front of the palace, setting off those stupid canisters of confetti. It had sounded like a small rocket.

“Split up,” Lisa yelled. “See you two at the meet point.” She diverted to the left and raced away with her tutu bobbing madly around her.

Brianna slung her arm around me as we ran. “Don’t get caught.” She slipped away with a wave and I continued running like a madwoman.

“Matt,” Nathan called sharply. “Are those…look?”

Matt twisted around in his seat and caught sight of three ballerinas racing down the Mall with a bobby in pursuit.

“Do you think it’s her?” he asked, wondering if he’d get a ticket for attempting an illegal U-turn, or worse. He slowed down, much to the consternation of the car behind him. Matt watched as the girls suddenly split up. “Bollocks.”

“Indeed,” Nathan said in disbelief. “Wait. That’s her. She’s taken off the mask.”

Matt twisted around again trying to catch a glimpse of her, but all he could see was the flash of a sparkly tutu racing away in the opposite direction. He suddenly sped up. There was a space he could make a daring turn, and he did.

“Are you mad?” Nathan cursed as he was flung into his door. Matt stayed silent, face set with determination while other drivers tooted their horns in anger. In minutes, he saw the cop running through the crowd of people walking about. Matt checked he was well within the speed limit, so he gave it a little more petrol. There she was, running like the wind, mask clasped tightly to her chest as she held the shoulder strap of a large knapsack that bobbed every step she took. Matt checked his rear view mirror, the cop was nowhere to be seen. His window rolled down and he tooted the horn as he drove alongside her. She didn’t pay attention, too focused on running in those ballet shoes. Matt was surprised she hadn’t hurt her feet running on the hard concrete.

“DuMont,” he shouted out his window, and she turned in surprise.

I pulled my mask off. It was biting into my face as I ran as fast as possible. Oh man, if I got arrested Aunt Cleo would never let me forget it. The cop was still chasing me. Why me? Because you’re black, my mind supplied nastily. I ignored the immediate knee jerk reaction, certain the cop hadn’t seen whether I was black or white. We’d taken off so fast he couldn’t have known.

“DuMont.”

I stopped, turning in surprise at the voice. The voice. Matt’s voice. Sure enough, it was him, grinning at me from inside a black car with tinted windows.

“Matt,” I gasped in shock.

“Get in, poppet,” he ordered, grey eyes crinkling at the edges as his grin widened. I glanced behind me. Had the cop given up? I skipped up to the car, the door handle was in the wrong place. Opening from the middle of the vehicle. Weird. I pushed the unimportant thought out of my mind and tossed my bag inside, before getting in myself.

“Oh my God. What are you doing here?” I said, out of breath as I closed the door and slid over the leather upholstery, pushing a briefcase out of my way. “You’re the best knight ever.” I wriggled over to his side and flung my arms around his neck, taking no notice of the headrest.

“Thank you. Can you let go off me, please? It’s a bit difficult to drive with you cutting off my air supply.”

“Sorry,” I gushed, then noticed the blonde man staring at me with horrified fascination. “Hi, I’m his poppet.”

Matt chuckled and sent me a sideways smile. I couldn’t believe it. What a coincidence.

“Nathan Walthamstow.” The blonde held a hand out. I shook it vigorously, hyped up from evading the policeman. I spun around on the seat peering out the back.

“Do you mind telling me why you were running away from the police?” Matt queried.

I could detect the slightest hint of reproach in his voice as I faced frontward and made myself comfortable in the back seat.

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