BAILE (Where We Come Home)

Chapter 4 A Proud Irish Girl

I awoke at five in the morning. April softly sang in Gaelic as she practiced for her tournament in our dorm room. She kicked her right leg up, almost touching her nose as she skipped through her routine.

I squeezed my eyes shut, cramming my head beneath my pillow in an attempt to fall back to sleep.

"You skanks better be up when I get back!" April ordered before leaving the room, slamming the door loudly behind her.

I heard Charlotte roll out of her bed with a thump as she hit the floor. "Isla." She called.

I pulled the downer over my head.

"Isla." She approached. "Get up."

"I'm dead." I replied.

"You are not leaving me alone, I need the support." She tiredly tugged at the covers.

"I bet if we leave now we can swim to Scotland, I know all the hiding places, she'd never find us there."

With one quick tug she pulled the covers of me.

I screamed like a newborn baby.

"You're such a baby." Charlotte remarked.

Working at a snail's pace I somehow managed to pull on a pair of black jeans and an emerald green sweater. I couldn't be bothered with my hair so I tied it into a messy bun on top of my head. I glanced at the shower, suddenly thinking of Alick's kiss. I shook my head, pushing the thought away as I laced up my ankle boots by my bed.

Charlotte followed me out the door in a white hoodie, jeans and converses, her platinum blonde hair blending with her outfit. I bit my cheek against the cold breeze outside as we trekked toward the town below.

"I think I'll go with Joe."

I turned to her. "Why?"

She shrugged. "We talk occasionally, it's not like he's a complete stranger."

"Yeah well I don't talk to Harry." I folded my arms over my chest.

"You don't talk to any guys."

"I talk to Alick." I paused. "I used to anyway." I mumbled.

"He'll come around." She softened her tone, attempting to reassure me. "Anyway, Harry doesn't seem half bad."

I chuckled. "He's a bit of a tosser."

"It's one night, once its over everything will be normal again."

"I hope so."

It was a short walk through town before we entered the studio, we entered the dressing room to see girls running left right and center, pinning wigs, dabbing makeup and tightening shoes.

We found April in the corner fixing up the finishing touches to her caked face before the LED lit mirror. She gave us a red-lipped smile before setting her red wig on her head. I watched with fascination as she struck hundreds of pins in her hair, tugging at the ringlets and adjusting her tiara.

"You look beautiful." I complimented.

"Thanks Isla." She flashed me a pearly white grin.

"Five minutes." A woman with a clipboard announced before exiting the room.

April let out a deep breath before standing up, her green, white and gold dress sparkling under the lights. She pinned on her number before her mother joined us.

"Ready dear?" April's mother looked so beautiful with her waist length red hair and flawless skin.

"Always." April replied calmly, but I knew her well enough to know that she was always nervous before a performance. Very nervous.