‘OK, OK,’ I say. ‘I’m a corpse.’ I roll my eyes and go perfectly still.

‘Ah, ah, ah, ah … stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive,’ Kellen sings as he puts his hands together on my chest and presses down in time with the words. ‘The Bee Gees!’

I can’t help laughing. ‘OK …’ I watch him intently, his skin glowing under the dappling sunlight, the branches of the trees swaying above him.

‘I’m being gentle,’ he continues. ‘But, in an emergency, don’t be afraid to put some real pressure on.’ He pushes a little harder so I can feel his whole bodyweight. ‘You’re better off breaking a rib than having them die on you.’

‘And then what?’ I say, meeting his eyes.

‘Then …’ he says, hesitating as he stares back down at me.

‘Yeah?’

‘And then …’ He clears his throat. ‘Then you give them the kiss of life.’

‘The kiss of life?’

‘… Yeah.’

I swallow hard.

Neither of us say anything.

‘But obviously I’m not going to do that!’ Kellen finally breaks the silence.

‘Obviously!’ I laugh nervously. ‘Not that I’d let you!’

‘You should be so lucky!’

He climbs off me.

There’s another awkward pause.

‘Just don’t stop, Zach. Whatever you do. Even if you think they’re gone, don’t stop until the ambulance gets there. That’s the most important part.’

‘Thanks,’ I say.

It’s actually shocking that I didn’t know any of this.

‘I really appreciate the lesson.’

‘Course,’ he says, then gestures back to the car. ‘So where to now?’

‘I thought you wanted to streak down the high street?’

‘Only if you’ll do it with me.’

‘You’re not serious!’

‘I’m one hundred per cent serious.’

I laugh at that. ‘How about we keep our clothes on and just go for iced coffee?’

‘Sounds boring,’ he teases. ‘But sure, I could do with the energy boost.’

We climb back into the car, and Kellen hums along to the music with that sweet voice as he clumsily tries to start it again. I catch myself staring at him.

What are you doing, Zach? Snap out of it …

The engine comes alive, and he looks up with a huge smile, the sun shining on his face. When we set off once more, he glances over at me from time to time as we roll through the woodland. And I don’t know if it’s just this messed-up situation we’re in, or if it’s something more than that, but it’s, like, for just a moment, I see him in a different light.

‘Kellen?’

I don’t even know what I’m going to say.

‘Yeah?’

‘I just wanted to, um …’

‘Yeah?’

‘It’s just –’

And that’s when it happens.

I feel the seat belt slam against my chest as we hit something full speed.

5

‘Prom night, baby!’

You have to be fucking kidding me.