Oh God. Why hadn’t he said that back to her? The memory haunts him over and over. He replays it a million different ways. Sometimes he takes her hand and runs. Sometimes he goes down the tunnel with her, but always, always he says, ‘I love you,’ back to her because those words, he really, really felt them.

Connor’s breath had escaped his mouth in a tiny white cloud. He wrapped his arms around his chest and stamped his feet.

‘You okay, babe?’ he shouted down the hole. ‘She must be freezing. We should bring her up before she gets hypothermia.’

Tyler checked his watch. ‘Chill. She’s only got three minutes left.’

‘I’m fine.’ Hailey’s faint reply echoed towards them. Connor was still annoyed that Tyler had pressured Hailey into this, disappointed with himself for allowing it to happen, but amongst his simmering anger was a pride that Hailey hadn’t shown any fear as she was lowered down the hole, her eyes locked on to his.

‘Okay. Let’s get her up,’ Tyler said. ‘Well done, Hailey.’

Now, Connor pauses in his story. Fiddles with the neck of his T-shirt, all the time avoiding Mr Marshall’s eye. That should have been the end of the events that night. They should all have gone back to the dorm and slept. As Tyler said to Hailey, it should have been all over.

But it wasn’t.

He takes a deep breath and continues to talk.

Chapter Sixty

Aidan

This is the only room he hasn’t been into in her house and Aidan is certain Connor will be inside it. The key is stiff in the lock, it squeaks as Aidan twists it. His palm is slippery as he turns the handle.

‘Wait.’ Her fingers enclose his arm before he can push the door open. ‘Don’t judge me,’ she implores. He’s never heard her sound so… desolate and this amplifies the fear that’s already squirming around his stomach.

His mouth is dry. It’s hard to swallow as he steps inside the room.

The curtains are drawn, blocking out all the light except a thin vertical strip where the material doesn’t quite meet.

His fingers fumble around the wall until he finds a switch and bright, electric light fills the room.

For a second he can’t move. He’s shocked.

Angry.

Scared.

Everything.

His eyes drawn to one thing only. In a mound in the corner of the room.

‘My God. What have you done?’ He rushes inside.

‘Please.’ She’s right behind him. ‘I know I’ve done a terrible thing but… don’t tell anyone.’

He picks up a top from the pile on the floor.

A top he recognizes.

‘What have you done?’ he asks again as he turns to her. It is only then he notices what else is in the room.

Who else is in the room.

Chapter Sixty-One

Connor