‘But that’s just three hundred each a month!’

‘Two, if we get someone else in.’

Tara turns away and looks at her image in the mirror. Moving closer to the glass, she sweeps lipstick across her lips. Her green eyes are sparkling bright at the thought of us finally getting our own place to live. It’s something we always talked about but it’s so expensive to rent in Dublin. And with neither of us working we thought the dream would be a long time in the making. But here we are. After just one year in college our wish is coming true.

I know how Tara feels. I was blown away too, unable to believe my luck when my dad asked if we’d be interested in renting the place. The only condition attached is that my name doesn’t appear on the lease. The man who owns it is a client of Dad’s and it might cause trouble down the line. He suggested we put Tara’s name on it.

‘This is crazy, Faye,’ she says, clasping her hands with excitement. ‘Do you know when we can move in?’

‘I presume as soon as we want. He’s not looking for a deposit and my dad says he’ll pay the first month’s rent to give us a start.’

‘What?’

I nod, then squeal, unable to keep the excitement locked up any longer. I’m so happy to be telling Tara this news, to be the one who found us a place.

‘No Faye, he can’t pay for me.’

‘Why not? He has loads of money.’

Tara’s smile disappears. ‘That’s not the point, I’ll ask my own dad.’

‘But…’ I stop. I don’t want this to be one of those moments when our different backgrounds become a thing. Like when my parents invited Tara on holiday with us two years ago but then she couldn’t come because the fare to Barbados was out of her parents’ reach.

Or the time my mam offered some of my old clothes to Tara. I still can’t believe she did that. I was so embarrassed. I couldn’t believe the words coming out of Mam’s mouth as she stood in the bedroom pointing to a pile of clothes on a chair in the corner of the room. I continued talking as if I hadn’t heard her but I could tell Tara couldn’t wait to get out of my house.

‘Sure, Tara.’ I stand and walk to the window and look out into the garden to see if Tara’s dad’s car is there. ‘He’s not home, though. What about your mam?’