Page 2 of Dance Dirty With Me

It makes me jump and Billy chuckles.

“You’ll soon get used to it.”

My mum has reclaimed Dad from Max’s clutches and they’re walking behind us.

“We should go to the dance class, Jake. I can’t remember the last time we danced together. Lisa and Baby can learn too.”

“I’m here to relax,” Dad grumbles.

“There’ll still be plenty of time for that.”

Billy stops outside a small wooden cabin, though looking round it’s larger than some of the others we’ve passed. It has three steps up to a covered deck set with a few comfortable looking chairs. There’s a door with a window on either side. Billy unlocks the door and carries some cases in. I can see there’s a small hall with a door to each side, and beyond that a larger space with a table, chairs, and a sofa.

“Here you go, sir, ma’am,” he says re-emerging and handing over the key to my dad. “You’ll be eating in dining hall one, breakfast is at eight, lunch at one, and dinner is at six-thirty, but don’t worry, you’ll be reminded.”

He gives me a grin as he points out the tannoy post not ten yards from our cabin. I try not to shudder at the thought of it going off again, and as if it senses my discomfort it crackles.

Don’t forget the first heats of our annual beauty contest start tomorrow.

What’s worse than the loud voice eight feet high in the air, is the squeal my sister gives close enough to almost pierce my ear drum.

“Mummy, did you hear that, a beauty contest, I have to enter. Help me, please. I need to decide what to wear and I want to make sure I look perfect. Oh, I didn’t bring the coral shoes, they would have worked better with the yellow sundress.”

“But you brought ten pairs.” My mum tries to placate her but allows herself to be dragged into the cabin anyway.

“And there I was thinking this holiday would be restful.” Dad rolls his eyes and I smile at him, though I don’t know why he thought Lisa would act differently.

He picks up the remaining cases and starts up the steps. I sigh and follow him. It’s not looking like much fun so far.

“Step left two, three, four, and right two, three, four.” The elegant blonde-haired woman calls, and I shuffle left and right with very little idea of what I’m doing.

I look daggers at my sister, but she’s too busy flouncing about and doesn’t see it. I’d planned to stay in the cabin and read, maybe sit out on the decking. People watching but not interacting. But no, my sister makes some comment about how I’m always reading, as if there’s something wrong with that, and I get hauled along to a dance lesson.

I’ve got nothing against dancing as an activity—apart from the fact I’m not very good at it—but it’s very much an activity for couples. Men and women more specifically, and that does not appeal to me. I’d much rather dance with a man, but that’s not allowed. Not in public anyway. I know there are certain places you can go where men dance with other men, but I’ve never been. It’s certainly not going to be here at afamily holiday camp. And who would want to dance with me anyway? I’m aware I barely look my eighteen years.

“Sorry!” I mutter to the poor old lady to my left who’s foot I’ve just stepped on... again.

“Find a partner!” The lady calls and makes a beeline for my dad, which I suppose is a blessing as my mum whirls me around and I’m not left looking lost on the sidelines or having to step on the toes of whoever is unlucky enough to be left with me.

My mum doesn’t seem to mind that I have no clue what I’m doing, she’s just enjoying herself, and when my dad does come over to us he looks happy too. I leave them dancing together and escape back to the cabin, where I lie down on my bed and manage to fit in a few pages ofThe City and the Pillarby Gore Vidal before they reappear.

“Are you hiding in here already?” Lisa asks as she opens the door to the tiny room I’m forced to share with her while we’re here.

“Don’t I get to relax on this holiday too?” I sigh and turn the page, hoping she gets the message.

“You should try new things, mix more with people, Baby.” She plonks herself down on the other narrow bed. “Get out in the sun, you might even lose that pale look you have. You might even have fun.”

I snap my book shut, knowing I’m not going to get any more peace to be able to read while she’s here.

“Fine, I will go out,” I announce, hoisting myself off the bed. “I want to get a newspaper anyway.

“Urgh, is that all you care about?”

“We might be on holiday, but the world still exists around us, and I like to know what’s going on. Having an interest in world events is important.” I know she doesn’t understand and thinks it doesn’t affect her, which is proven by her next words.

“They’re having a knobbly knees competition down by the boating lake,” she says to my retreating back. “You’ll win for sure.”

I shut the door on her laughter.

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