‘Sorry, what did you just say?’

‘That I used to hide out there.’

‘Before that, about owing your life to the place?’

‘Yeah, I’m a weirdo, aren’t I? Who owes their fucking life to a library?’

‘I suppose.’

‘You look like you’ve seen a ghost, Will.’

A coincidence, Will thinks. It has to be. Yes, those were the words Nain used, almost to the letter. Exactly to the letter, in fact. But it’s a coincidence. Of course it is.

‘Will?’

‘It’s …’

April pats at the stones next to her. ‘Sit down.’

Will slowly comes closer and takes a seat. ‘You ever told anyone else how you owe your life to that library?’

‘Erm, don’t imagine I have. Bit of a dramatic statement, innit? Just spent a lot of time in there. They were safe walls, those. Look at them now.’

Will nods, silently ordering himself to shut up about it.

‘Gimme your number,’ April says. ‘I can shout you next time we’re going somewhere to get pics.’

Her phone feels like a priceless artefact in his hand. His fingers shake as he taps his number in. This isn’t an exchange of numbers in the loaded sense, he knows that, but still he feels unable to ask for hers.

‘What books you into?’ Will asks, close enough now he no longer needs to raise his voice to compete with the weather.

‘Depends what mood I’m in. If I want something crazy or absurd, you’ll find me in non-fiction. If I want a hit of absolute truth, I’ll find a decent novel.’

‘I like what you did there. Favourite book, though?’

‘So hard to choose. I’d say Plath’s Bell Jar but I don’t want to be a walking cliché.’

Will laughs and nods and pretends to understand what she means.

‘So, maybe Geek Love. Heard of it?’

‘Don’t think so.’

‘Will, it’s nuts! It’s a proper celebration of weirdos. Weirdos doing dirty things to each other. What’s not to like? And here’s the best bit: as of this moment, I own a copy.’

‘How so?’

‘Cos I must’ve borrowed it ten times, and now there’s nowhere to take it back to.’

Will laughs. ‘I’ve got some Laurie Lee of theirs, too.’

‘There’s a man who can write. You can smell the words, can’t you?’

Will nods as yet more sirens race through the town.

‘Wanna swap?’ April asks. ‘Read Geek Love, I’ll have a go on your Laurie.’

‘So why did you spend so much time in there?’

‘Bad year, Will. Doesn’t matter.’

‘How come you left your old school?’

‘What have you heard? Have people been saying stuff?’

‘Not heard anything.’

‘I just wanted the first-class education that only ECS can offer.’

‘Now I know there’s a story.’

‘It’s a shit story. I fucked up bad.’

‘Sounds interesting.’