“You look very neat.” I grinned at him and he raised his brows.
“Yeah, thanks.” He examined me and smirked. My eyes glanced at Missy who was crawling towards us. Her berry coloured hair was fading. Chloe was following behind and I smiled at her. She was dressed in a mid length black dress and looked very sultry.
“I thought I told you to dye your hair?” I held back my laugh and shrugged at Missy’s expression.
“You’ve got roots for days babe.” I patted her shoulder and made my way to join the rest of the lads down the stairs. I finally get to lay my eyes on her again.
Holt - Friday
Rihanna's Needed Me was pulsing through my room as we got ready together. Nancy was sitting in front of my mirror curling her hair and Soph had decided that she should wear hers up. It was a meticulous bun on the top of her head. I smiled to myself as I concentrated on placing mascara on my eyelashes and deep red on my lips.
“Do you know what you’re wearing?” Nancy piped up and I pouted as I glanced at my wardrobe.
“No idea? Something black probably.” She nodded and I laughed as Soph stood on my bed, she was dancing, well grinding. I laughed at her and pushed her slightly. She screamed it was so high pitched it made my ears ring. My mum walked in the room.
“You girls are all so loud!” The track had changed to work and I chuckled as my mum, dressed in a short black dress and heels tried her hardest to dance. I definitely don’t get my moves from her. We all shared a look and laughed. “I’m going there now to get a seat? I’ll meet you there okay?” I nodded at her and kissed her cheek. This was probably one of the first gigs she would have ever seen because she was always working. Nance and Soph were always there and that’s the way I liked it. I pulled out a long black dress with a slit either side and pulled it over my head, wriggling into it and Soph whistled.
“You look beaut.” She winked at me and I smiled, I let my waves down and winked at Nancy who was wearing a khaki coloured tight little number. Soph twirled around and began to pose in her wrapped shirt looking grey dress.
“You nervous?” Nancy messed with my hair as I glanced in the mirror.
“Kind of. You’ll see why?” I blushed red and turned to face my inquisitive best friends. Her face said that she was dying to dig deeper but she surprised me by keeping her mouth shut.
“Come on then! I need a drink!” Soph hauled herself up and pulled us all to join her for the short walk across the beach.
When we arrived Alfie smiled and pointed towards the front. I smiled to myself and felt a warm hand run across my waist. I shot around to see Conway, he looked smart and pristine. He had never touched me before tonight and I wondered why the sudden change of heart. I laughed awkwardly as I placed my hand on his shoulder. I felt an overwhelming sense to hug him. I now knew that he was okay and was back from wherever his business venture took him.
“What are you singing for us tonight?” I touched the side of my nose and watched as he smiled. It was bleak and I watched as he placed his arm around the blonde that stood next to him. Her figure was like something off an instagram post. Her black dress was classy, it hugged her tightly in the right places and a pang of jealousy moved through me. My mouth almost hit the floor when she turned around to face me.
“This is my sister Chloe.” Your what!? The Chloe from my high school days? I gulped down the lump that was growing larger in my throat and forced my smile. Her mud brown eyes reflected the look of mine. Of shock. She reached and touched my shoulder.
“He said you’re good. So did Alf so you must be good.” Embarrassed didn’t cut how I was feeling. I stood pondering which words I was going to come out with next.
“Thanks,” I glanced at Conway, his big brown eyes grew darker as his eyes explored me. He shared his eye colour with his sister. I pointed towards the stage which had a piano set up and he nodded as if he’d approved me to leave. My chest thudded, I could hear it in my ears. How the fuck am I supposed to sing now?! I shook my head as I made my way towards the stage. Nobody ever really listened. I just sat down and played through a list of songs whilst people drank and had conversations with their loved ones. I placed my fingers over the keys and stretched my neck from side to side. I closed my eyes and didn’t quite know what to play first. The lighting here was dim and I could just about make out silhouettes of people. My nerves had never been so bad. My fingers started to strum the song ‘At Last’ by Etta James along the keys and almost instantly the room went silent. I smiled as my eyes closed and I began to sing. This was the song that reminded me of him. Harvey and Grace’s first dance and ours too. The memory of him swaying me from side to side swept through my head as I sang it through. I opened my eyes momentarily before I closed them again. I heard Nancy and Soph whistle and some other lower voices shouted as it ended. I’d never been anywhere that had gone into uprawr when I’d finished a song. I felt my face fill
