‘Come on, Connor. This is our last trip together. Soon we’ll be out in the real world, university, jobs, we might not see much of each other. Let’s have some fun while we can. Ryan?’

Ryan shrugged. ‘Dunno. Risky when my dad is here supervising but… Yeah, I guess. If Connor’s in?’

Connor’s heart and head raged. He wanted to be alone with his girlfriend but he didn’t want to let down his mates and Tyler was right, this might be the last time they were away together.

‘What do you have in mind?’

‘A surprise. Meet outside in an hour.’

‘Outside. But we’re supposed to remain on the premises.’ Connor didn’t want to get on the wrong side of Mr Marshall.

‘They can’t keep track of everybody with so many different places we can go. Besides, Marshall will never expect anyone to defy him. What do you say? I’ve got it all planned out. A dare a night.’

The trip was Monday to Friday. Four nights. Three friends. And Hailey. They wouldn’t expect her to take part, and as Connor thought that, he realized that was what he felt: expectation. Don’t let your mates down. Don’t act scared. Weak. It was stupid, this need to impress Ryan and Tyler, and unnecessary. If he said no there’d be some gentle ribbing but they wouldn’t really care.

He looked at Hailey, she shrugged. ‘It’s up to you.’

Did girls feel the same? Did they push each other to their limits? They’d probably think this was ridiculous. Immature. And it was all of those things, but something else too.

A rush.

They met an hour later.

‘I’ve checked where everyone is. Marshall is standing to attention in the corner of the games room like the fun sponge he is,’ Tyler informed them.

‘He’s not that bad,’ said Hailey.

‘And my dad?’ Ryan asked.

‘He’s in the quiet room with Miss Webb.’

‘Playing Scrabble?’

‘No. They’re… you know, chatting. Let’s go.’

Tyler did the first dare; it was only fair. It was crazy hurtling down the zip wire without any safety equipment, in the dark, the lights from their phones casting the dimmest of glows but Tyler’s euphoria was infectious. The buzz Connor got watching him must only have been a fraction of the hot adrenaline coursing through Tyler’s veins. Even Hailey was on a high as they stumbled back to the centre, feet falling into potholes. They’d snuck back in through the fire exit Tyler had propped open afterwards and swaggered back to their dorms carrying their coats and a sense of achievement. They were brave. Defiant. Untouchable.

They were fucking, fucking stupid kids, but they didn’t deserve what happened.

Nobody deserved that.

I know.