“Who’s Maddie Ziegler?” asks Doug.
“The dancer in Sia’s videos,” Jessalyn replies.
“Jessa’s right,” Lin muses. “That performance was genuinely terrifying. So we definitely have to make it very clear what we want them to do.”
“I can do that,” says Jessalyn, and everyone nods.
“Great, thanks. Kieran, have you got the sound system sorted?”
“Yep,” he says. “All arranged with Jonesy.”
“You’ve got so much done.” I smile. I look at the to-do list on the desk in front of me and Lin. “I’ll deal with the wood delivery on Friday. Then I can make sure everything is dropped off in the right place and not just dumped outside the school like last year. Remember?”
“Oh, God yes,” Camille groans. “And then we had to move it all ourselves. I got a splinter.”
“I got about ten,” says Lin.
“So, who’s meeting the fire brigade?” Jessalyn asks suddenly, straightening up a bit.
“Ruby and me, obviously,” Lin says with a waggle of her eyebrows.
“No fair!” Jessa exclaims, but she looks like she’s about to laugh, really.
“That’s the advantage of being in charge,” Kieran says. “You can take all the coolest jobs for yourselves. Not that I see the attraction of a meeting with the emergency services, personally.”
“Never seenChicago Fire? Seriously, Kieran, ‘emergency services’ has nothing to it. Those guys arehot!” Jessalyn replies.
Everyone laughs.
At this moment, I’m so happy to be back, I feel like I’m dreaming.
When James and I get home, there’s not a single coat on the hooks.
“Ember?” I call out.
No reply.
“I think we’re alone,” I say to James with a frown as we slip off our shoes and head into the kitchen.
“It’s almost like you have a problem with being alone with me. I don’t know if I should be concerned.”
I dart a thin smile at him, then head over to the sink to wash my hands. “It’s not that. I’m worried about Ember. She’s been out so much lately, and she’s making a massive secret of where she goes. When she normally tells us everything.”
James comes over to me and runs his hands under the warm water. There’s a thoughtful crease between his brows. “She seems really happy to me.”
I pause and try to find the words to express my thoughts andfeelings. “I can’t really describe it, but my gut tells me there’s something up with her. And I can generally trust my gut instincts.”
“Have you tried talking to her about it?”
I shrug awkwardly. “We’ve had so many fights about Maxton Hall in the last few months, and I realized that she thinks I’m treating her like a child. But I didn’t mean to. I want us to be friends who can tell each other everything. Especially seeing as I’ll be moving out soon.”
“Just try it. Maybe she’s waiting for you to ask her first.”
“Mm,” I say. I open the fridge and glance inside. “You’re probably right.”
James pats my shoulder and gives it a squeeze.
“There’s a bit of risotto left. Is that OK for you?” I ask him, and feel him nod as he moves closer. His hair tickles my cheek. He’s so close that I can feel his chest against my back.
