One Plus One

Chapter Eight

"Where the hell have you been?" Lily said in hushed tones as I ran in.

"Just leave it."

"No, Marlie. Tell me where you've been."

"With Harry." I bit back.

Her eyes widened, with worry more than anything else. She stood with her mouth agape as if trying to speak, but no words came out.

"Marlie, can I talk to you please?" the choreographer, Craig asked.

I knew what was coming. My heart sunk at the thought. He was going to drop me from the showcase. I was almost crying already and he hadn't even said anything to me yet.

"Marlie, is everything ok at home?"

"Things have just been a bit up in the air."

"If I didn't know you as well as I do, you know you would be out that door right now. This has got to stop. I can't have you turning up this late."

"I know, I know and I'm going to stay tonight to make it up."

Craig seemed shocked that I'd picked my own punishment. If anything, I'd said it to keep me away from Harry. He was becoming a distraction. I took off my shoes and threw them to the front before walking away to join everyone. Lily's eyes were still intently focused on me. She was not happy. She held her hands on her hips, biting her bottom lip and staring at me. I diverted my attention from her to the front but even in the mirror I could see she was burning a hole in the side of my head. It wasn't until Craig snapped her out of it that she finally looked away.

At the end once everyone had left, Lily hung behind. She stood awkwardly waiting for me to say something. I looked up to her and raised my eyebrows at her, not knowing what she wanted me to say.

"Marlie, I know I said it would be good to be with Harry but I spoke to some people."

"Ok. And what did these people have to say?"

Lily suddenly became restless. She shifted her weight on her feet and picked at the pink nail varnish on her fingers.

"They just said he'd use you. He might seem nice but he's really not, Marlie."

She couldn't maintain eye contact with me. Her hazel eyes seemed to find the floor rather than my face. She began to pick at a loose piece of cotton on her top. Her strange behaviour was making me anxious, a knot of nerves making themselves known in my stomach. Lily was withholding information from me.

"Lily, there's something you're not telling me."

"I shouldn't have said anything. It doesn't matter."

"Yes it does. Tell me."

"Just promise me, you won't go near another guy while you're with him."

"Of course I won't."

Lily seemed on edge still. She broke a small smile with my answer before picking up her bag to leave.

"Oh, I'm having a sleepover tonight, if you want to come."

"Yeah, sure." I replied.

Lily then turned, taking a deep breath before exiting. I watched her in the doorway, she was mumbling to herself, shaking her head. When she was out of sight, my mind went into overdrive. I needed to know what she knew about Harry. I was already letting him into my life more than I thought I would. If there was something that would get me out of trouble, if I was in any to begin with, surely she owed it to me to tell me.

*****

Once I had a shower, I began my walk home, not feeling as refreshed as usual. Lily's unspoken words were playing endlessly with my thoughts. The hour I spent walking home seemed to take a lot longer as my brain taxed itself, thinking of possible things that Lily could know. My inner detective was interrupted by a buzzing in my pocket.