Page 2

“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 a family 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 of The City and the Pillar by 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.

“Mum, Dad, I’m going out for a bit,” I say to my parents who are relaxing on the decking.

I jump down the steps and definitely do not head towards the lake.

I can’t think of anything worse than showing off my knees to be ridiculed.

Instead I walk towards the reception building.

I want to know if there’s anywhere I can get a daily newspaper from.

The receptionist gives me a map of the camp and highlights a couple of small shops on site that have a newsagent’s section.

I follow her directions and buy a copy of The Guardian .

I take my time walking back to the cabin, and decide to explore the other buildings on the way.

I might as well find out which is our dining hall among the vast spaces.

The back door to one of the halls is open and I stop at the sound of Max’s voice wafting out.

I creep a little closer, staying in the shadows.

Max is standing bullishly in the centre of a group of employees.

“It’s changeover day, so we’ll have a number of people who won’t know how we operate at first. But we have three thousand holidaymakers on site, so you be polite and you watch your manners.

They’ll be expecting a good time, so you show them a great time— all of them, including the ugly ones.

You serve them, you agree with them, dance with them, make them feel like they’re getting the best Poplins treatment. Am I clear?”

There’s a general murmur of assent as he finishes and a few people get up to move. Then I hear a noise from across the dining hall and I press myself further into the shadows whilst craning my neck to see.

About a dozen employees walk towards the group, only a few of them dressed in blue Poplins blazers.

I suppress a gasp as I see they’re spearheaded by the most gorgeous man I’ve ever seen.

He’s not in a blazer, and he walks defiantly, as if he doesn’t care one bit.

His tight black trousers hug his legs and accentuate a sway in his hips I can barely tear my eyes from.

His black T-shirt is skin tight and shows off defined muscles and bulging biceps.

His dark hair is slicked back from his chiseled features and curls slightly at his neck, and I watch transfixed as he leads the group up to where Max is glaring at him. He looks every inch the bad boy, exceedingly dangerous, and I want to learn everything I can about him.