Spring really has begun to sprung outside. Blossom covers all the paths and roads as it gently falls off of trees in the wind. Birds have started tweeting louder in the early morning waking me up on the few occasions where Erin doesn't. The sun's rays are warmer leading to weather where you know longer feel like you need a coat with you anymore.

The days are looking beautiful.

But they're not.

In school the main focus is now on the exams that are starting in only a couple of weeks' time. I've been getting into school earlier than what I normally would do in order to be able to revise for my exams. Each day I have a different focus and I actually manage to get quite lot of work done.

When I'm not studying for my exams I'm either looking after Erin or calming Laura down who is beginning to panic about the fashion show. Every day there is always a new problem; there are not enough costumes for the models, the lights aren't working correctly, what if nobody shows up? All week I've been trying to convince her, along with the help from others, that nothing will go wrong. No matter what we say, nothing convinces her.

After having a hectic week like that, I decide that it would actually be nice to spend some time outside, away from the stuffy indoors. I change Erin into a denim dress that has yellow ducks along the bottom of it and some white tights before putting a jacket on her. It is a lot harder to change her now than before because she is constantly wiggling around everywhere even though she still hasn't started crawling.

Once she is changed, I put her in her pushchair and leave the house. I push the pushchair in the direction of the park, knowing that it will look beautiful at this time of the year.

When the two of us arrive I am not disappointed. Some of the trees have already full of green leaves where as some are pink with blossom. Flowers have started to bloom again, lighting the park up in array of colours. Even Erin seems impressed with it all because her eyes widen as she sees all of the colours.

"Do you like it?" I bend down and ask her which only causes her to laugh in response. "I'll take that as a yes," I say before planting a kiss on her forehead.

"It is you," I then hear a voice behind me say so I stand up to see who it is.

"Do you live here?" I ask Jack who is now stood facing me with his head cocked to one side.

"No, do you?" he asks me back.

"What are you doing here?" I question him, wondering briefly if I was supposed to meet him and forgot.

"Came out to enjoy the sun. I saw you walking through the clearing but I wasn't actually sure if it was you. I only saw you from behind," he comments as if I am supposed to care.

"That is a great story. Is there anything you want?" I snap at him.

Instantly afterwards I feel bad because there is no reason for me to be acting this way. I try and shake it off and start again.

"Sorry for being rude. You just caught me off-guard. Let's sit down," I say to him and we both sit down on a bench.

I take Erin out of her seat before saying anything else to Jack. I wrap a thin blanket around her to make sure she stays warm.

"I'm guessing she's your baby?" Jack asks me as if it wasn't obvious enough.

"How did you figure that one out?" I joke back with him.

Erin studies Jack with her eyes, unsure of what she thinks of him. There are moments where she leans forward as if she is trying to get a better look at him but then quickly she leans back against me.

"She looks like you," Jack comments after a few minutes.

"You think? I can never see it. I'm useless at trying to see who babies look like," I tell him, stroking Erin's hair as I do so.

"Yeah, to start off she has your hair. There's not much of it but the hair she does have is so blonde like yours. She looks like she has your nose and mouth as well. Not your eyes though," he tells me as he studies Erin in return.

"I thought she did have my eyes because we both have blue eyes," I tell Jack in return, confused by his observation.

"The shade might be the same but not the shape,"

"Oh," is all I say, unsure of else there is to be said. "Did you ever sign up for the fashion show?" I ask him, deciding to change the subject.

"Actually I did although that Laura, is that her name, is driving me mad. She wants everything so precise. I'll be glad when it's all finished tomorrow," I am surprised by his answer as I never expected that he would sign up for the show.

"I think we all we be glad then," I tell him as I think back to the numerous phone calls I've had with Laura over the week.

The two of us just talk on the bench for a while, mainly talking about school. Jack thinks he is ready for all of his exams which make me feel even worse about my own. I ask him about his brother's printing business but he doesn't go into much detail. A few times Jack had to kick a football back over to a group of kids who kept accidently kicking it our way.

"Are you selling?" someone comes over and asks Jack out of the blue, breaking up our conversation.

I look at the person who is asking. He's really thin and his skin almost looks grey. His cheekbones are really defined and when he opens his mouth I notice that he has quite a few teeth missing and the ones that he does have look rotten.

"I don't know what you're on about," Jack replies very cooly to the man in front of us.

"You do. You sold me 'em last time. I remember the jacket," the man says, pointing to Jack's jacket as if that makes the point any clearer.

Protectively, I hold Erin closer to my chest, placing her head in the nook of the shoulder.

"Honestly I have no idea what you're on about. Now will you please leave us alone?" Jack asks although his tone sounds more like a command.

The strange man begins to saunter off at a pace so we can hear him swear as he does so.

"I think I should go," I tell Jack as I hastily fasten Erin back into her pushchair.

"Okay. I guess I will see you tomorrow at the fashion show?" he asks so I nod at him, too busy sorting Erin out to answer.

As quick as I can, I leave the park, not wanting to be in it a minute longer than necessary. Only when I get home to I finally relax after being spooked out by the man talking to Jack. It felt like he really did know him.

Erin soon begins crying as she realises that she has almost missed her lunch so I feed her and then change her nappy afterwards. She sleeps in my arms once she is content and I feel better as I get back into my normal routine.

I enjoy the quiet but only for a few minutes because my phone begins to ring and I see Laura's name pop up.

"What?" I ask her, knowing it will have something to do with the show.

"Katie Lancaster has dropped out last minute. She was going to help dress the models and now I'm a person down. Can you help?" she asks, her voice practically begging me.

"Why can't they dress themselves?" I ask.

"Because this way is quicker. Will you help?"

"I guess but I'll have to bring Erin with me because Cory is working in the morning but don't worry he will be there in the afternoon to watch the show," I tell her, hoping the thought of me taking the baby will put her off.

"That's fine; can you be here by eleven?"

"That should be fine," I tell her and then she just hangs up on me. "Bye then," I say down my phone even though no one is there.

By eleven o'clock the next day, I am standing outside of school wondering what I have gotten myself into. It is strange to be in school on a Sunday, everything seems so quiet. Walking through the main entrance of the school I see that there is nobody around, not even someone managing the school's reception. I don't see a single soul as I walk down the corridor towards the performing arts studio, where it has been decided that is where the models will change.

As I get closer I begin to hear the sounds of people talking. Or shouting in Laura's case. Her voice is definitely the loudest.

I am suddenly engulfed in noise as I walk through the door. There are more people here than what I was expecting. Lots of people are running around with clothes in their arms, throwing the at people in what looks to be the least organised way.

"Finally you made it," Laura greets me from behind.

"It's only five past," I tell her finding it ironic as usually she is the one who is late to everything.

"And I told you to be here for eleven. Anyway you'll be dressing Maddie. I thought you would prefer her rather than dressing someone you have never spoken to before," she tells me.

"Thanks," I say to her wondering what I should do next.

"We're about to start the final dress rehearsal so if you wouldn't mind going over and helping Maddie now. At least that way you will know the timings," Laura instructs me.

I push Erin's pushchair around the room as I search for Maddie, ignoring the looks that I am getting off of some of my classmates. Eventually I find her in the corner of the room, texting on her phone.

"Hey," I get her attention which causes her to smile at me.

"I can't believe she roped you into this," Maddie says at the same time as she bends down to greet Erin.

"I can. Apparently you can't get changed yourself?" I joke with her.

"Right everyone, I want all models in their first outfit in two minutes then we will begin!" Laura shouts at everyone in the room.

I move Erin's pushchair so that it is against the wall, out of the way but so that she is still facing me and turn towards Maddie.

"Which is your first outfit?" I ask her.

"This one here," she points to a simple black dress and a pearl necklace.

I pull a separating curtain around us so that she can get changed. Funnily enough Maddie doesn't need any help getting changed but I do fasten the necklace for her. She then leaves the 'dressing room' and makes her way to the makeshift runway that has been created outside.

Even from inside the performing arts studio I hear the music pumping loud from outside. Taylors Swift's ...Ready For It echoes around the studio as the models practise walking up and down. Before the song has even finished, Maddie is back in the studio ready to get changed into her next outfit.

This outfit is a little more complex than the first. She has a floaty, red blouse with matching red heels. The blouse is then tucked into her high-wasted denim jeans and the look is finished off with gold-chained necklace.

"Who's old clothes were these?" I mutter to myself as I help Maddie pull the slightly to small jeans up for her.

"No idea. I only have one more outfit left and that is for the finale so you can have a break for a couple of minutes," she tells me.

"Great," I say enthusiastically cause I can't wait to be done with this.

"We'll probably be doing this again after lunch though," Maddie says, looking just as exhausted as I feel. "Right that's my cue. I'm on after this song," she says as That's What I Like starts playing.

I turn my attention to Erin who is quietly sat watching everything so I sit down next to her as I wait for Maddie to return.

"I'll let you out to play soon. Laura would kill us both if I let you out now," I tell her.

I lean forward to kiss her on the cheek which is something she then returns by opening her mouth as wide as she can then pressing it against my cheek, saliva drooling down both of us.

"Thanks darling," I say just as the song changes again to Power by Little Mix.

I start getting the next outfit ready for Maddie. It looks like someone's old prom dress. It's a high-low cut dress, meaning that Maddie can show off the long legs that she has. The top half of the dress is made out of lace with an illusion neckline whereas the bottom half is more of a silky material. It is such a beautiful deep blue colour as well.

She returns again just before the song finishes so I help get changed. Before she is fully changed though Erin starts crying.

"You go comfort her. I should be able to put this dress on by myself," Maddie tells me which I am thankful for.

I undo the straps on the pushchair and lift Erin into my arms which calms her down slightly.

"I'll feed you soon," I tell Erin which makes no difference to her.

A few minutes later Maddie looks at me telling me that it her next cue which leaves just Erin and I in the makeshift dressing room. The song changes again to what I assume is the finale one – something by Katy Perry but not a song I am familiar with.

I practically jump up in glee when the song finishes and the room is filled up with people again.

"Great work everyone. Take an hour for lunch and be back here for half past one," Laura instructs us all.

"When did she get so bossy?" Maddie asks under her breath at me.

"I have no idea. Anyway I need to feed this one and I'm starving myself," I tell her so we make our way to the sixth form common room where it is quitter.

The hour seems to fly by with only just enough time for me to eat my own sandwich. We're soon back in the performing arts studio going through another rehearsal. This time it is easier as I know what Maddie is wearing and when and I begin to understand why Laura wants someone to be there to help them change. I let Erin sit on the floor this time and watch us while she plays with some of her toys.

"Hey you," I turn around suddenly and I see Cory standing behind me.

"Did you finish work early?" I ask him as he pulls me in for a hug.

"Yeah, it's been quiet so they let me go early,"

"Great, you're on babysitting duty then. Also you shouldn't be on this side of the room. This is the girl's side. That side is the boys," I tease him before drawing him into a kiss.

"I'll take her outside for a bit. How long is there left of this rehersal?" he asks, picking up Erin as he does.

"Half an hour maybe," I tell him.

"I'll be back then," Cory say and then leaves the room with Erin.

Maddie comes back from the runway so I help her change before she goes back out again. This happens again one more time before the rehearsal has finished.

"We will end there for now. The next time you are walking down that runway it will be for the actual show," Laura informs the room before walking over to Maddie and me.

Cory soon enters the room again and sits down on the floor with us. Erin is now fast asleep in his arms which is a cute sight to see.

The four of us spend the next couple of hours just talking, waiting the show to start. About an hour before the show stars, the models begin applying makeup and styling their hair. The room begins to buzz with a mixture of nerves and excitement as the show draws closer and closer. Before we know it, Cory is leaving us to find a seat in the audience (with Erin) and the models are being put in their first outfit.

I give Maddie a brief hug before she leaves the room and soon enough the opening beat to ...Ready For It starts playing and the show has begun.

For the third time I go through the routine of helping Maddie get changed into each outfit until finally the show has ended. The modes all go on stage for a final bow while Laura tells the audience that all the money from today's show is going towards a childhood cancer charity. A round of applause follows and then the studio is flooded with people again.

"The last order I have for everyone is to follow me to my house for the after party!" Laura shouts at us all, her voice full of excitement.

My mum kindly volunteers to look after Erin for an hour or two so that both Cory and I can for a bit.

By the time we have arrived, the party is in full spring with the music turned up on full volume and people dancing all over the furniture. I see a few familiar faces in the crowd, including Jack's which is a surprise. The two of soon find Adam and Maddie in a corner while Laura is in the middle of the dance floor.

Adam tells us that he enjoyed the show but is glad that it is over, something that I think we all feel the same about. Hopefully the calmer version of Laura will reappear now that the fashion show is over.

At some point during the party, Laura drags both Maddie and I onto the dance floor with her. For the briefest moment I forget about everything, forget about my responsibilities, forget about the exams, and forget everything as if I didn't have a care in the world. I soon snapped out of that though I remembered that is no longer my life.

But I'm starting to realise that is no longer a bad thing.