Harry stumbled to the shower, crying as he stripped off. The water washed blood off his neck. After his previous encounter with Man Bun, he’d had nightmares and spent days jolting at every strange noise. This time he was more angry than fearful, thinking how pathetic he must have looked, cross-legged at the garage door and too puny to stick up for himself.

Harry hated his skinny limbs and blotchy red skin. He hated his D in math, his Saturday detention, Queensbridge Academy and being too chicken to put his arm round Charlie’s back when they’d strolled the Swallow Park lakes.

Dad said I could live with him now he’s back in London. But I’d lose Matt, and Kirsten, and Vegas Local. And didn’t someone famous say running away just moves your problems to a different place?

The fancy house had CCTV, but Harry wasn’t surprised when he logged into the monitoring app on his phone and got a green SYSTEM INTERRUPT – DRIVE MISSING screen. He knew he ought to be studying for tomorrow’s math quiz, but could barely understand it even when there weren’t six other thoughts screaming for attention.

So Harry froze on his bed, staring at a cobweb on the ceiling. He tried to calm his breathing, but thoughts fluttered between wishing he’d never existed, wracking his brains trying to think of ways to destroy the Janssens and visions of beautiful girls who’d never go near him.

Harry’s cell was next to him on the bed, ringing, but he didn’t feel like talking to anyone and only weakened on the fifth ring, answering without looking at the display.

‘Yeah,’ Harry said, a touch surly, predicting Matt or Charlie and not feeling strong enough for either of them.

‘Hiya, Harry,’ a woman said brightly. He didn’t recognise the voice, but it had a quality that was eerily familiar. ‘This is Fawn Janssen.’

Harry shot up and got this creepy feeling, like his bedroom walls were about to get hauled up, revealing a studio audience that was laughing at him.

‘Need a favour,’ Fawn said. ‘Been having a spot of bad publicity …’

‘It’s too late to take the story down,’ Harry said warily.

‘You sound scared of something, Harry,’ Fawn teased. ‘And I’m not dumb – I’m not asking you to undo the undoable.’

Harry wanted to tell her to get screwed and cut the call. Just thinking what she’d done to Charlie made him sick.

‘What are you after?’

‘Good publicity,’ Fawn said. ‘JJ’s at our house, resting after his operation. I thought Vegas Local could run a nice puff piece, where you come along and interview us.’

‘I can put that on the home page, but nobody will read it,’ Harry said bluntly. ‘I’ve run hundreds of different stories on Vegas Local and I know what doesn’t click with the punters.’