Short Story Competition Winner 2005
'Odi'
by
Pablo Stewart
I been into dancing since I tried it at school, since six years old. First ballet, then I discovered afro-latin. I love it. When the music's thumping and I'm moving it's like perfect, everything is together, all one, the place to be. I'm lucky, me-mum says, to be good at something I love so much. She always thinks everyone else is lucky apart from herself.
I looked up at the clock, six minutes.
-You're nervous as a kitten, child. Come over here.
I leaned against his knee. He steadied me with a massive hand, stroking my back over the thin material of the leotard, under my track top. His hand was warm.
Mrs Odi went out to work, all smart suits, Odi stayed home, cleaned the house. When I was nine last year, I changed school, mum worked longer and I came home on my own. Odi helped baby-sit and did my tea and that's when it started.
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