‘Do you have any idea where they’re going?’ I say to Owen.

‘Not a clue.’ He shrugs. ‘But let’s try to stay out of Tiffany’s way, eh?’

‘Yeah,’ I say. ‘Let’s.’

Tiffany is on Ethan’s phone by the time we get back inside. She’s logged him out of his Instagram and is now using the phone as if it’s hers. I doubt he had any say in the matter.

‘Everything is going so well,’ I say, finding Miss Madzikanda in the middle of the hall. ‘Kellen has split with his trashy boyfriend, Cameron is actually flirting with me, everyone got a pizza party –’

‘You crashed my car …’

I laugh. ‘Apart from that bit,’ I say. ‘It maybe feels like we’ve solved it?’

‘You’d better not have solved it,’ she says. ‘If you think I can actually afford all those pizzas on a teacher’s salary, then you are deeply mistaken.’

‘I’m sure we can find a way to pay for them!’

‘And for my car?’ she retorts with ample side-eye.

‘I just don’t know what else there is to fix.’

‘Well,’ she says, ‘if there’s one thing I’ve learned from all this, it’s that when it’s the end, you’ll know it’s the end. Is that how it feels right now?’

‘Maybe?’

‘So that’s a no then.’

‘Ah, come on, it can’t be that cut and dried.’

‘I’m just saying be careful. There’s still time for everything to go pear-shaped.’

‘Yeah, yeah,’ I say. I think Madzikanda has got this whole thing wrong. I’m not really listening any more anyway. I’ve spotted Cameron over by the punchbowl. ‘You better start figuring out a payment plan for those pizzas!’ I call, slipping away from her.

‘Hey, Zach!’ Cameron lights up as I approach him. ‘I’ve been looking for you.’

‘So you keep saying.’ I smile. ‘I think I know why too. It’s what your friends said earlier … about your crush, right?’

‘Kinda. How’d you know?’ He’s blushing again. He looks so cute when he blushes.

‘Well,’ I say, taking a step closer, ‘maybe I can make it a bit easier for you?’

‘Oh yeah?’ he says, perking up a little.

‘Yeah,’ I say, holding eye contact. ‘I’ve wanted to say something for a while, but never built up the courage. I have now, though.’

Cameron swallows. ‘What do you mean?’

‘I mean … I like you,’ I say. ‘I really like you.’

‘You do?’

‘Yeah,’ I say.

‘Zach …’

‘It’s OK, you don’t have to say anything.’

‘No, I kinda really do …’

‘Huh?’

‘Zach, I … Fuck, this is awkward.’

I look at him blankly. ‘Why is it awkward?’

‘I think you’re a great guy, I really do,’ he continues. ‘But the crush I was talking about … isn’t on you.’

‘What?’ I say.