‘Yeah, I can imagine. You’ve really inspired me. In fact, the old me would have never had the guts to talk to you that day at the cinema. My whole life was fated to turn out very differently initially, but then—’

‘Evie?’

Evie’s entire spine rippled with goosebumps. That voice.

She turned around to find Ben standing just behind her. He wore the black coat his mum had bought him two Chanukahs ago, which made Evie want to reach out and hug him. Evie straightened her own blazer, pleased she’d made an extra effort getting ready that morning.

‘Ben, what are you doing here?’

‘Just a quick networking coffee,’ he said, then leaned in conspiratorially. ‘Are you at your internship? Josie mentioned you’d started,’ Ben whispered loudly, looking approvingly at Florence.

‘Yeah. Sorry. Florence, this is Ben. Ben, Florence.’ The two of them shook hands, big smiles on their faces.

‘Haven’t heard from you in a while, Evie,’ Ben said, which she knew meant, Why are you screening my calls?

Evie, Florence and Ben stepped forward with the moving line. Did they really have to do this here? Now? In front of Florence, her extremely newly appointed boss. ‘Yeah. I’m sorry about that. I’ve been really busy. I’ll give you a call soon.’

Ben looked at her cynically. There was so much left unsaid between them.

‘Oh, damn it. I forgot the crisps. Can’t go an afternoon without them. Will you hold my spot?’ Florence said hastily, ducking out of the line. Evie nodded, fairly certain Florence just wanted to escape the tension that had erupted in the middle of her quick lunch break.

‘You okay?’ Ben asked quietly. The queue moved forward again and they both shuffled along with it. Evie had no idea whether Ben meant after her break up, after the year she’d had, or just whether she was coping in general.

‘Yeah,’ Evie said. ‘Strangely, I’ve never been more okay.’

‘That’s not strange.’

Evie looked at him curiously.

‘I knew as soon as you started to believe in yourself, nothing could stop you,’ Ben said, looking serious.

They edged forward again, so Evie was at the front of the line. Florence pushed in beside her and they swiftly placed their food on the counter. The cashier scanned their purchases, and placed them all in a paper bag, which Florence quickly paid for before Evie could pull out her wallet.

‘It’s your first day,’ Florence replied when Evie protested. ‘So, shall we eat at our desks? I’ve got a conference call in half an hour which I’d really like you to listen in to.’ Florence was already sashaying towards the door.

‘Sure. I’ll see you around, Ben.’

‘Call me,’ he replied. ‘We should grab a cuppa before class.’