The girl tells me her name is Macy. Her dress is black, strappy and shows off her curvy figure. When I ask why she’s here tonight, Macy says her friend is seeing one of the barmen and he put them on the guest list, but not as VIPs. I tell her it’s better out here anyway. Macy introduces me to her friends, who seem as nice as she is. After we’ve all danced together for a little while, I’m invited to join the group for a drink at their table across the room.

I glance over at our VIP area. No change to the seating arrangement, and Faith and Poppy don’t seem especially bothered I’ve not returned – Faith doesn’t like to dance and she’s used to me, when I’m drunk, wandering off to make new friends who do.

In any event, there’s nobody over there looking about and worrying where I’ve got to.

‘Macy, I’d be delighted,’ I say.

Several cocktails later – called ‘Dirty Biker’, I’ve no idea what went in the drinks but they were potent and went down smoothly – I excuse myself to head back to my friends.

I’m more inebriated than when I left to sober myself up with a wander.

On the other side of the ropes, the area is crammed full – and if I’m not mistaken, with some properly famous people. Pretty sure I see Stormzy at the bar.

Whether it’s the booze – or the attention my hefty cleavage attracted out there on the dance floor – I’m feeling bold enough to want to follow up with Harry about our earlier… whatever it was. At the very least, I’d like to know what the devil he was playing at. Striding towards our table – despite the wobbly ankle boots, I’m pretty sure I stride – it’s a wasted effort. When I navigate my way through the crowd, only Faith and Poppy are sitting here.

‘Where’s Harry?’ I ask. My words come out more slurry than they started inside my head.

‘Gone,’ Faith replies, not slurring at all.

I look around. ‘What about Bin and Bap?’

‘You mean Bip and Ban? I think they left too.’

‘With Harry?’

Faith doesn’t answer.

‘Yes, my angel,’ Poppy says. ‘They left with Harry. Did you have fun dancing?’

My disappointment that Harry has left with Bin and Bap – Bin and Bip – Bip and whoever he was with – surely shows on my face. ‘Um, yes. I met some nice girls.’

‘Yes, Faith went and checked on you.’

‘Darling, do you want some water?’ Faith asks me.

I tell Faith I want a cigarette.

‘You can’t smoke in here.’

‘I’m going to the bathroom.’

‘You can’t smoke in there either.’

Is Faith annoyed with me? ‘I’m going to pee. Back in a bit.’