If the sun had been out in force we’d have been dry in minutes. As it is, the humidity will keep us damp for a while yet. Sam says it’s cool for us to get in the car still damp so we climb back in.

Bruises have begun to bloom brightly on all of us. We’ll all have pretty body art tomorrow.

‘So what’s the story?’ Rhi sits forwards between our seats and checks our faces.

I chew on my lip. ‘You and me were swimming all afternoon. I guess we all … got in … a fight?’

Rhi giggles. ‘Do ya really wanna send our mob after Sam? They’d kill im!’

‘Not if I started it!’

Sam opens his mouth to protest but Rhi lifts a finger and shushes him. ‘You’re such a goody-goody, no one would believe you started a fight so it’d end up all Sam’s fault. This is why you suck at lying – we need something close to the truth. Why can’t we just say that the Potters started it?’

Sam shakes his head. ‘The only way they’ll keep their mouths shut is if we do. If we let it out that they did this, they’ll have Tace charged with assault, and you know whose side the cops’ll take.’

We go silent for a bit.

‘Okay, Plan B,’ Rhi crows. ‘Sam, you were out lookin to go for a swim. Tace, you and me were off doin our thing when we got charged by a bull. We got marked up trying to get away from it.’

We’re that desperate I think her idea sounds decent.

‘I guess … if we maybe had to crawl through barbed wire. And if I fell face first. But what about Sam’s face and bruises?’

‘Most of those are on his back and that right?’

‘And his arms.’

‘Right, so if he doesn’t go swimming or take his shirt off, then we only have to explain the bruises we can see. Sorry Sam.’ Rhi gives his shoulder a sympathetic pat. Not swimming in this weather is pure torture.

He shakes his head at us. ‘You don’t need to worry about me.’

‘What do you mean?’ Rhi asks.

‘It won’t matter if I show up like this.’ He says it like it’s nothing, but he won’t look at us.

Rhi’s eyes go wide. She opens her mouth and I am terrified about what’s going to come out.

‘Alright Sam, if you’re sure?’ I beat her to it, but I still feel bad. It’s like we’re only worrying about ourselves when he’s the one that has taken the worst of it.