‘I get it,’ I say, patting her back a little awkwardly. ‘It’s not easy to stand up to your best friend.’

‘But you did!’ Izzy insists. ‘Anyway, Abir’s not my best friend any more . . . not after that,’ she says with certainty, and she fills me in on what happened after I left.

No one really said anything; they just carried on being their mean selves. Izzy made an excuse to go home, and hasn’t spoken to the others since.

‘I just wanted to say thank you,’ Charlotte adds, after Izzy is done. ‘It was so brave of you.’ Gini nods in silent agreement. ‘I don’t . . . I don’t mind how I look. Not usually. It’s just when . . .’

‘People point it out to you?’

She smiles. ‘Exactly.’

I understand that. I’ve never really had a problem with how I look either. I’ve always liked my imperfections because they make me . . . well . . . me. But when someone points them out to you as if they’re something bad, you can’t help but think that maybe they’re right.

Soon after that talk turns to Mum, and I give them a quick update. Mum’s moving her arms now, and she’s off the ventilator properly. Everything’s going to be OK.

While we talk, Lady’s head darts back and forth between us, watching the conversation. Her tongue lolls, like she’s smiling. I have all the confirmation I need: she can understand English.

Dad comes home soon after and, without missing a beat, offers us a second hot chocolate. We all gratefully accept before getting into a heated debate about the best Studio Ghibli films.

‘I had no idea you watched them!’ I say. Finding people who love them as much as I do feels as special as finding a rare dragon’s egg.

Izzy and I are Team My Neighbor Totoro, while Charlotte and Gini prefer Howl’s Moving Castle.

‘You have to come over to my house,’ Gini says passionately. ‘We can watch them all back to back.’

‘Gini’s house is amazing,’ Charlotte says. ‘Her parents have a film room with a projector in it!’

Dad interrupts our conversation with a special treat: cheese and Marmite toasties.

‘Your dad’s cool,’ Charlotte says when he leaves.

‘The coolest,’ I agree.

My laptop goes off, a notification from Fairy Hunters. It’s instantly recognizable to anyone who plays, and sounds just like a windchime.

‘No way!’ Gini says, jumping up and down on my bed excitedly, spilling breadcrumbs everywhere. ‘You play Fairy Hunters too?’ She looks from me to Charlotte. ‘Where have you been all our lives?’ Charlotte looks equally as delighted.

‘You both play it?’

The three of us jump around in glee for a few minutes, until we catch Izzy’s confused expression.

‘Oh no.’ Gini shakes her head. ‘Show her, someone, please.’ She covers her face, as if horrified.