Never a Perfect Moment (6 page)

ELEVEN

There was a burst of applause. People in the room were standing up around their tables, clapping hard as Rhi and Brody took their final bows, smiling and waving, and prepared to leave the stage.

When Polly looked back at the bar, Lila and the bartender had disappeared.

“Lila?”

Polly pushed through the guests, hunting for Lila's distinctive feathered headpiece.

I practically ordered Josh to find Lila,
she thought in an agony of shame.
Now Josh is embarrassed and Lila's mad with me.
She'd pushed Josh and Lila further apart than ever.

When would she learn to stop meddling in other people's lives?

The disco had started up again, a thumping tune that cleared the tables and got everyone on the dance floor. Polly spotted Eve dancing by the stage, surrounded by girls.

“Polly!” Eve waved. “Come and meet my new friends Pip, Louise and Nan.”

Pip and Louise were both blonde and small and looked like they were an item. Very tall and striking and apparently on her own, raven-haired Nan was wearing a slim red column dress that made her skin look like beautiful marble.

“We love your dress,” said Pip, stroking the feathers on Polly's hemline enviously.

“Gorgeous,” Louise agreed.

“Dance with us,” Eve coaxed, holding out her hands to Polly.

Nan was looking at Polly in a distinctly unwelcoming way.

Oh my gosh,
Polly realized.
Nan thinks I'm with Eve!
If she hadn't been so worried about Lila, it would have been funny.

“Thanks, but I have to go and find Ollie,” she said.

“Don't chase him, Polly,” Eve said, twirling around her. Nan seemed to relax at the word “him”. “If he's keen, he'll come to you. Take it from me, I'm an expert.”

Another tune burst from the decks. With a shout of happy recognition, the energy in the marquee went up several degrees. As Eve whirled away into the heart of the dance floor, Polly felt a hand slip into hers.

“Hey, gorgeous,” said Ollie, pulling her close. “I thought I'd lost you.” He looked questioningly at her and she willed him silently not to bring up last night.

“Dance?” he asked, for the second time.

Polly sighed in relief and smiled her assent. She wasn't quite ready to talk about her conflicted feelings with Ollie yet, but she could at least dance with him. Maybe it wasn't such a bad thing that Ollie didn't overthink everything the way she did.

Ollie was an enthusiastic dancer. Polly found it hard not to giggle as he bounced around the floor, punching the air and singing along to the words.

“Channelling Tigger?” she teased.

“Cheeky,” said Ollie. “Come here.”

He reached out his arms. Polly had dreamed about a moment just like this.

A movement over Ollie's shoulder distracted her. A face was peeking through by the tent flaps.

Max.

Polly hunted for Rhi in the crowd. There she was, over by the edge of the stage, standing close to Brody.
Very
close to Brody. Brody had his arm loosely around Rhi's waist, and was whispering something in her ear that was making her laugh. If they could be left alone for just a short while longer, Polly felt confident Rhi and Brody could get it together. At last, Rhi would have a boyfriend that she deserved.

Max can't see Rhi with Brody
, Polly thought.
It'll ruin everything.

Polly looked at Ollie, standing there with his arms reaching towards her. She sighed.

“Just give me a second,” she said. “OK?”

Polly's eyes were trained on Max as she bore down on him.

“Hi, Max!” she said brightly, making sure that she was standing directly between Max and any view he might have of Rhi and Brody together by the stage. “What are you doing here?”

“Looking for Rhi,” said Max, peering over Polly's shoulder. “She said she'd be finished with this by eleven. Have you seen her?”

Polly seized Max by the arm and marched him out of the tent. “Sorry, she already left.”

Max frowned. “But she said—”

“You know how these things go,” Polly prattled on a little nervously. She prayed that Rhi and Brody weren't about to appear through the tent flaps hand in hand. “She sang a great set, but she was pretty tired when it was over. She, uh, said to tell you she'd see you tomorrow.”

Max's eyes were fixed on two girls kissing in the shadows outside the marquee. “Is this, like, a lesbian wedding or something?”

“Yes,” said Polly. When would Max get the hint? “See you tomorrow, OK?”

Max obediently turned round and headed for the street. There was still a puzzled look on his face. Polly breathed a sigh of relief.

“Now what?”

Polly spun round, her hand on her heart. “Ollie! You gave me the fright of my life! What are you doing, sneaking up on me like that?”

“I followed you,” Ollie said. He was looking hurt. “I wanted to know what was so important that it took you away.” He gazed after Max's disappearing back. “So what were you doing out here talking to Max when you're supposed to be dancing with me?”

“It was Rhi and Brody,” Polly explained. “I had to get Max out of the way before he saw them together.”

“Rhi and Brody?” Ollie repeated. “Rhi's going out with Max, Polly. What's Brody got to do with this?”

“Max isn't right for Rhi,” Polly said in a rush. “He's a cheat and a liar. I want her to be happy. She and Brody are perfect for each other.”

Ollie was beginning to frown now. “Max is my friend, Polly,” he said. “I know he's a handful, but what gives you the right to meddle in his life?”

Polly was determined that Ollie should understand. “I want Rhi to be happy. She's had too much sadness in her life, Ollie. Doesn't she deserve someone better than Max?”

His eyes sparked. He looked angry. “First you have to be there for Eve. Then you have to set up Lila and Josh. And now you're sabotaging Max and Rhi's relationship?”

It didn't sound too good when Ollie put it like that, Polly realized. Maybe he wasn't the only insensitive one.

“They're my friends,” she said feebly. “I'm just trying to take care of them.”

Ollie's expression softened. “Someone should take care of you for a change.”

His face was very close out here in the moonlight. Polly felt a little breathless.

“Are you volunteering for the job?” she asked.

Ollie pulled her closer. “If you'll have me,” he said. “Yes.”

A strain of music floated out of the marquee, into the dark gardens of Heartwell Manor.

“Can we have that dance now?” Ollie said.

Polly laid her head on Ollie's chest, snuggling into him. He folded his arms around her back. The music was dreamy, almost otherworldly, spilling into the warm night around them. As if it were being played for them alone.

“I always loved this song,” Ollie murmured, his lips close to Polly's ear.

“Me too,” Polly whispered back.

Ollie's lips were trailing from her ear across her cheek now. Little warm kisses, one after the other. Polly's skin tingled all over.

Nothing else matters
, she thought.
Ollie's going to kiss me
…

There was a clattering sound, the crunch of shoes on gravel. Polly jerked back, her mouth inches from Ollie's.

“There you are, Polly!” said Eve, putting her hands on her hips. “I've been looking
everywhere
for you.”

TWELVE

“Come on,” said Eve briskly. “You're needed.”

Polly's face was aflame. She wanted the ground to swallow her up. Couldn't Eve see that she'd interrupted a really important moment? Didn't Eve feel any embarrassment at all?

“Hey,” Ollie said indignantly. “We're busy here, Eve. Do you mind?”

“Sorry, Ollie, but this can't wait.” Eve seemed completely unembarrassed. “It's really important that Polly comes right now. You two can talk later.”

“I'd better go,” Polly muttered to Ollie.

Ollie looked resigned. He kissed her cheek and let go of her hand. “Go on then. But you owe me a date
and
a moonlit dance now. And I plan to collect very soon.”

“Come
on
,” said Eve.

She dragged Polly back into the marquee, through the dancing guests, past the half-eaten cake and around the side of the stage until they reached the catering area where Eve finally dropped Polly's arm.

“Eve, what are you doing?” Polly hissed furiously, rubbing at her wrist. “What is so important that you had to do that?”

“I was saving you from yourself.” Eve spun Polly round and wagged a finger in her face. “What did I tell you about chasing Ollie?”

Polly was struggling to hold it together. This was feeling distinctly surreal. “What? I wasn't chasing him, Eve. He came after
me
. He—”

“Was about to kiss you, I know.” Eve looked exasperated. “Haven't you heard a word I've said to you about boys? You have to take things
slowly
.”

Polly took a very deep breath. “Is anyone bleeding? Or dying? Or crying?”

“Not yet,” said Eve significantly.

That was it? Eve had dragged Polly away from the most romantic moment of her life to save her from Ollie?

You needed saving,
said the little voice in Polly's head.
You're not right together.

But for once, Polly was too frustrated to listen.

“Eve, that was completely out of order! What Ollie and I were about to do is none of your business!”

“But it
is
my business,” Eve corrected. “You're my friend. Friends watch out for each other. And you were about to make the biggest mistake of your life. You have to play it cooler than this, Polly. It's coming across as needy and, frankly, unattractive.”

Polly felt as if she had been punched in the stomach. Was she coming across as needy? Eve had dated far more boys than Polly, so maybe she did know what she was talking about. Polly felt sick at the thought that Ollie might think she was desperate or unattractive.

“I'm telling you this for your own good,” said Eve, linking arms with Polly. “Ollie's going to be even keener now. I promise you. Let's go home. You look exhausted. I'm sure waitressing can't be good for you.”

Polly did feel pretty exhausted, now she came to think about it.
It's good for my bank balance, though
, she thought numbly.
Not a problem Eve will ever have to worry about.

“Great work,” said Mr Gupta happily, handing Polly a crinkling brown envelope full of banknotes. “This has been a very good event. Not a hitch. The brides look so happy, don't they?”

Polly glanced at the brides, dancing cheek to cheek on the dance floor in a world of their own.

“This is why I am in the wedding business,” said Mr Gupta. There was a misty look in his eye. “To witness such moments is a privilege. Life would be too hard without love.”

Polly fetched her coat and said goodbye to the others, thinking about what Mr Gupta had said. She couldn't imagine life without love. Love was the only thing that made it all worthwhile. Would she lose Ollie by doing what Eve told her? She liked Ollie, she always had. And she knew that he liked her too. But it felt like every time they met up something went wrong. It should have been simple but she couldn't stop the thoughts in her head. She second-guessed him and herself until she didn't know what to do.

Eve was waiting for her outside the doors of the hotel. So was Paulo, Eve's driver, the door to the car open and waiting.

I guess there are perks to having a friend like Eve
, Polly thought, glad to settle into the plush interior of the car.
Even when she insists on ruining my life.

“Some of those girls were getting really flirty with me at the party, don't you think?” Eve looked pleased with herself as Paulo pulled away from the hotel. She lowered her voice. “Nan in particular. Of course I'm not ready for any of that just yet, but it's good to know that I haven't lost my touch just because the scenery has changed.”

Eve chattered on about the wedding as they drove. The dresses, the music, the brides. Polly let it flow over her like water.

At the front door, Polly's phone buzzed. She took her phone out of her pocket.

Next Friday? No interruptions this time xx

Polly stared at the message. Maybe Eve was right. Pushing Ollie away seemed to be making him keener.

Her fingers automatically started typing a reply.

Yes! I promise that—

Eve plucked the phone from Polly's hands before she could finish typing and slipped it into her own handbag.

“Don't answer him yet,” she said. “Let him stew.”

Polly opened the front door slowly, letting Eve into the house first. These games felt all wrong. They weren't her at all.

Halfway up the stairs, Eve swung round and clapped her hands. “You know something? All the music and dancing tonight has given me the most
fabulous
idea. Why don't we all go away for the weekend?”

“All of us?” said Polly. “The boys too?”

Eve pulled a face. “No
way
, they would only make trouble. Girls only. With all the awful business with Ryan and the papers, we could really use a break from dreary old Heartside. What about camping at the Funky Fox? It's on next weekend. I'm sure I can get us tickets.”

Polly felt excited. She'd always wanted to check out the Funky Fox. Great bands always headlined the festival, which came to the hills just outside Heartside every year, and she'd heard the vintage clothes stalls were second to
none
.

“The Funky Fox sold out months ago!” Polly protested.

Eve waved the problem aside like an irritating fly. “You can always get tickets if you have the money. Leave it to me. We'll camp out, and have a fire, and eat marshmallows, and dance until we drop. We can go there straight after school on Friday and stay until Sunday night. What do you think?”

Polly wavered. Going to the Funky Fox with the girls on Friday meant that she would have to turn down Ollie's date. Her stomach lurched with disappointment.

“Don't give me that moon face, Polly,” Eve said. “You need time to chill out and forget about boys. Just us and the music. Don't you think it would be great?”

Polly pictured the music, and the atmosphere, and the great views up on Hilltop Farm where the Funky Fox took place. She hadn't been camping in years. It would be fun, she knew. And her friends needed a break. She should be there for them.

Ollie would have to wait.