‘Friday!’ Harry said, turning back towards his school. ‘I’ve got lessons Friday. But you know what? I don’t care. I’ll bunk off and drive up to see you. Are you OK? Are you happy?’

Charlie laughed noisily. ‘Of course I’m happy, dumbass. But don’t bunk school. They’re driving me and another inmate in a transit bus. Just as likely won’t get there until two or three in the afternoon. Let me settle in, and you can drive up Saturday.’

‘Makes sense,’ Harry said, imagining a day with Charlie. ‘All the hours we spent on the phone, I kinda forget that we’ve only met properly once.’

‘You visited me four times.’

‘Yeah, but in that dingy little room full of screaming kids … Only thing is, I can’t stay late because I can’t drive after sunset until I’ve had my licence for a year.’

‘Any more crashes?’ Charlie asked cheekily.

‘My driving’s OK,’ Harry said. ‘I just clipped that kerb coming out of the filling station. And then the cop pulled me over cos I was driving home with my fender hanging off.’

‘You can laugh at me when I start drivers’ ed next year,’ Charlie said. ‘But God knows how I’ll ever afford a car.’

‘So how’s everyone been about you getting out?’

‘They had a girl with SNor arrive on block C on Sunday,’ Charlie said. ‘So we’re officially back on full quarantine. Only allowed to eat and use the toilet in our cells, and no close contact with other inmates. But a few of my girls have snuck in my cell for goodbyes and I’ve started giving my toiletries and stuff away. But you can’t be over-the-top happy cos there’s noobs who just arrived and are broken hearted. And bitches doing life who’ll batter you if you rub in that you’re getting out.’

‘I actually need to go,’ Harry said. ‘It’ll be dark soon, and I’m still at school.’

‘Detention?’ Charlie asked.

‘Worse: editorial meeting for the school news website.’

‘Life must be sooooo hard at your ten-thousand-dollar-per-term school,’ Charlie teased. ‘But, seriously, I have no idea how I’d have survived if you weren’t around, Harry. Can’t wait to hug the hell out of you on Saturday.’

‘Day after tomorrow,’ Harry said, saying the words like he didn’t believe them before cracking a big smile. ‘Let me know if there’s anything you need me to pick up.’

Harry smiled up at the sky as he dropped his phone back in his pocket. Probably past sunset, but home is only a ten-minute drive and there’s no bus out here …

Anita came running in the other direction, now carrying her art project in a plastic tube almost as tall as she was.

‘Got there just before the caretaker locked up,’ she huffed breathlessly. ‘What are you looking so cheerful about?’