‘Project,’ Will says, less casually than he intended. ‘For school.’

Danny laughs. ‘Relax, little bro. Hardly worried about you and her, am I?’

‘Been playing some old tunes,’ April says.

‘Talented boy, our Will,’ Danny says, slapping his brother’s arse.

Will laughs, but it’s clear enough that Danny is riled about April being here with him – his words have jagged edges.

Danny stands between them, playing with the mixer and scratching records badly, as though he imagines he could be a superstar DJ if only he were to give the pursuit a little of his attention.

‘Will’s been showing me how to mix,’ April says.

Danny stands behind her, reaching round and kneading her breasts through her shirt. She wriggles a little and slaps at his hands – playfully or not, it’s hard to tell.

‘Sorry,’ Danny said. ‘I thought you said, “Squeeze my stuff.” That’s what you said, right?’

‘I said, Will’s been showing me how to mix. How does that sound like “Squeeze my stuff?”’

‘Shit, my mistake!’ Danny’s grinding his crotch against the back of her skirt now. ‘What else’s he shown you? His teddy bears?’ He winks at Will, turning April round and pointing at the gathering of threadbare soft toys keeping watch over the room from the top of Will’s wardrobe.

‘They’re really sweet,’ April says, smiling at Will.

Danny noisily nuzzles the back of her neck and jabs her earlobe with the tip of his tongue.

Turning a deep red, Will shuts down the decks.

‘Join me in the shower for five minutes, yeah?’ Danny says to April.

‘We kinda got stuff to do,’ she says.

‘Come on. Live a little.’

‘I’m good here.’

Danny’s still smirking. ‘Geeks,’ he says, irritation burning through his jokey tone – the sound of a man who believes he should have control over a room but hasn’t.

April looks at Will and mouths the word sorry.

‘Look, I think I’m gonna go home. I guess we’re kind of done here. You reckon, Will?’

Will shrugs. ‘Think so.’

Why can’t she just tell Danny to fuck off? he’s thinking. Why does she let him do what he wants to her, have his hands all over her, uninvited? But then, why can’t he tell Danny to do one? Why are they both trying so hard to avoid upsetting him?

‘Sticking the shower on now,’ Danny says, releasing his grip on April’s hips, a semi lolling in his tracksuit bottoms. ‘Join me in two, yeah?’

‘I’ll –’

‘You should, you know. Could do with scrubbing up a bit downstairs.’

April reddens. ‘Shut up. No, I don’t.’ She giggles as she says it.

Danny winks at Will. ‘She does,’ he says in a stage whisper. He waves his hand in front of his nose. ‘All a bit prawn cocktaily down there, innit?’

‘No, it isn’t,’ she says, looking at the floor.