Elle talks over me instead of answering my question. ‘Can we play one of your mum’s games?’ she asks, while Izzy and Abir finish off the rest of the biscuits and chat about their weekend plans.

I think about how Mum always takes us to coffee shops and makes up conversations the people across from us could be having. She invents funny voices and stories on the spot, while me and Elle laugh so hard we usually end up spilling our drinks.

But today, because I can tell something’s bothering Elle, I decide to take the lead, mimicking some of the older students who hang around in groups after school. I do different film and TV impersonations for their voices. I’m halfway through an impression of Dobby from Harry Potter when Elle’s whole body turns stiff. Izzy and Abir, who had joined us after Elle explained the game, stop and turn.

I turn too and see a few boys from our year have approached us, including Matty Chung, the boy Elle fancies, and his best mates Jonnie and David. I whip my head towards her, but I can barely see her since she’s buried her face in her hair.

‘Hi, Elle.’ Matty grins, and Jonnie laughs, while David nudges him.

At first I thought it was a coincidence, but now it seems like they’ve planned this. Especially as Elle hops off the wall and walks towards him, her face as red as her hair.

They disappear behind the bike sheds without another word.

What’s going on?

‘Was that an impression of Dobby?’ David smiles. ‘It was really good!’

I nod awkwardly. I’d hoped they hadn’t heard.

David’s about to say something else when Abir interrupts. ‘Don’t mind Saff,’ she says, except she’s looking at Jonnie, not David. ‘She can be a bit of a weirdo.’

I look at her a little confused, because I’m pretty sure she was laughing just moments ago.

Jonnie turns to me and looks at me like I’m a piece of gum under his shoe. ‘You look a bit like Dobby actually,’ he says, pulling his eyelids open with his finger and thumb to make his eyes look exaggeratedly big.

His words are like a wizard’s spell, and I shrink to the size of a flower.

Abir forces a giggle, like his joke was funny. David purses his lips, and Izzy frowns, but there’s no Elle to stand up for me like usual.

I know now why she asked us to come here. And I know why she was whispering to Abir and acting all strange. But what I don’t know is why she didn’t tell me.