One Night Only (102 page)

Poll
y
an
d
T
es
s
wer
e
stil
l
havin
g
som
e
sor
t
o
f
sibling-
bondin
g
sessio
n
o
n
th
e
danc
e
floo
r
afte
r
thei
r
karaoke debu
t
whic
h
actuall
y
wasn
’
t
to
o
ba
d
al
l
thing
s
considered
.

The
y
wer
e
dancin
g
thei
r
heart
s
out
,
huggin
g
eac
h
other lot
s
an
d
givin
g
th
e
karaok
e
gu
y
stric
t
instruction
s
a
s
to wha
t
t
o
pla
y
i
n
betwee
n
th
e
sta
g
boy
s
an
d
other
s
taking thei
r
tur
n
o
n
th
e
mike
.

Rut
h
ha
d
slippe
d
a
kitt
y
behin
d
th
e
ba
r
s
o
tha
t
eac
h
of th
e
girl
s
coul
d
orde
r
thei
r
ow
n
drink
s
a
s
the
y
like
d
and
sh
e
ha
d
tippe
d
th
e
barma
n
a
health
y
fift
y
qui
d
t
o
look afte
r
i
t
honestl
y
.
Sh
e
didn
’
t
reall
y
giv
e
a
shi
t
i
f
h
e
di
d
or not
.
The
y
wer
e
al
l
s
o
pisse
d
no
w
tha
t
sh
e
didn
’
t
reall
y
care an
d
the
y
hardl
y
neede
d
an
y
mor
e
alcohol
.

“
I
don
’
t
drink,
”
sai
d
th
e
gu
y
wh
o
wa
s
insistin
g
on strikin
g
u
p
conversation
.
“No
t
an
y
more.
”

H
e
ha
d
joine
d
he
r
onl
y
minute
s
ag
o
a
t
a
ver
y
dodgy tim
e
whe
n
sh
e
though
t
th
e
pavemen
t
wa
s
movin
g
righ
t
up t
o
mee
t
he
r
.

“Really?
”
sai
d
Ruth
.
“A
t
thi
s
presen
t
momen
t
i
n
time,
I
can
’
t
sa
y
I
blam
e
you
.
I
f
yo
u
ha
d
aske
d
m
e
hal
f
a
n
hour ag
o
I
woul
d
hav
e
calle
d
yo
u
a
freak
,
bu
t
righ
t
no
w
I
can onl
y
b
e
ver
y
,
ver
y
jealou
s
becaus
e
I
reall
y
wis
h
I
wa
s
more sobe
r
.
O
h
God
,
o
h
God
,
o
h
God!
”
He
r
stomac
h
heaved int
o
a
ver
y
nea
r
miss
.

“
I
use
d
t
o
drin
k
a
lot,
”
sai
d
M
r
Chatterbox
.
H
e
was
suckin
g
no
w
o
n
a
mentho
l
cigarette
.

Rut
h
wa
s
goin
g
t
o
as
k
hi
m
no
t
t
o
smok
e
bu
t
the
n
it wa
s
a
publi
c
stree
t
an
d
i
t
wasn
’
t
hi
s
faul
t
sh
e
wa
s
pissed
a
s
a
far
t
an
d
abou
t
t
o
vomi
t
ring
s
roun
d
he
r
.

“Really?
”
sh
e
sai
d
again
.
I
t
wa
s
al
l
sh
e
coul
d
muste
r
.
Sh
e
wa
s
listening
,
sh
e
reall
y
was
,
bu
t
sh
e
couldn
’
t
really
offe
r
a
lo
t
t
o
th
e
conversation
.
Besides
,
sh
e
wa
s
doin
g
him
a
favou
r
b
y
concentratin
g
o
n
no
t
pukin
g
he
r
ver
y
curried
ric
e
al
l
ove
r
him
.

“
I
ha
d
som
e
ba
d
times,
”
h
e
said
.
“Reall
y
,
reall
y
lo
w
.
Can
’
t
b
eliev
e
i
t
no
w
.
It
’
s
funn
y
ho
w
whe
n
yo
u
loo
k
bac
k
.
.
.
you
kno
w
,
m
y
m
a
kicke
d
m
e
ou
t
o
f
th
e
hous
e
an
d
everything
.
I
ha
d
nowher
e
t
o
go
.
I
sofa-surfe
d
fo
r
a
whil
e
wit
h
som
e
mates
bu
t
soo
n
the
y
go
t
pisse
d
of
f
an
d
i
f
i
t
wasn
’
t
fo
r
Ber
t
saving
me
,
I
don
’
t
kno
w
wher
e
I’
d
b
e
righ
t
no
w
.
”