The pillow hits me before the windscreen does. I snatch it out of Chase’s hand and throw it back at him. ‘I swear to God, if you hit me with this one more time …’

‘All right, chill!’ He laughs, holding his hands up in surrender.

I reach up to touch my face, checking for injuries, but I seem to be completely fine. So Kellen must be OK too, right? Right?

‘Kellen!’ I shout, jumping out of bed. I don’t even bother to put on clothes. I run up the stairs two at a time, in nothing but my underwear. ‘Kellen! Are you OK? Kellen?!’

‘Zach!’ He appears at his door. He’s still touching his face as if checking for injuries. He looks me over too. ‘What the hell happened?’

‘We hit something,’ I say.

‘But there was nothing in the road.’

‘I know,’ I reply. ‘It was like … an invisible barrier or something?’

‘An invisible barrier,’ Kellen echoes. ‘That’s insane.’

‘All of this is insane! That doesn’t mean it’s not real.’

‘What are you two talking about?’ Rhys asks, appearing behind Kellen, towel wrapped round his waist and frankly ludicrous abs on display.

Kellen waves him away. ‘Just go back to bed.’

‘Not until you tell me what’s going on.’

‘All right, fine! I’ll tell you exactly what’s going on!’ Kellen snaps. ‘We’re breaking up, OK? That’s what’s going on.’

He slams the door in Rhys’s face, and, even though I know this isn’t the first time he’s dumped him, it’s a shock to see it happen in real time.

‘Come on,’ he says, taking my hand and quickly leading me down the corridor. Rhys starts yelling after us, but Kellen doesn’t even flinch. It’s like he doesn’t hear him.

‘Do you not think that was a bit harsh?’ I say, once we find a quiet corner.

Kellen’s eyes go wide. ‘So you’re taking his side now?’

‘No,’ I say. ‘It’s just that –’

‘It doesn’t matter, Zach! We’re just going to go round again tomorrow.’

‘I don’t believe that. Not forever. There has to be a way to break the cycle. There’s always a way out! We should try stealing the car again.’

‘What’s the point?’ Kellen says with a shrug. ‘It didn’t work the first time.’

‘Well, that’s just Tom and Jerry logic,’ I say.

Kellen gives me a confused look. ‘Tom and Jerry logic?’

‘The cat and mouse!’

Kellen rolls his eyes. ‘I know who they are, Zach … But what in the fuck is Tom and Jerry logic? What is it with you and cartoons?’