We reach the treeline and he sprints out into the open, heading for the hill. Blue bandanas appear to try and stop him, but he ducks and dives and manages to stay just beyond their reach. Out of breath, I give up chasing him, doubling over as I watch Josh barrelling down the hill, Hawthorn’s red flag trailing in the wind behind him. It’s Josh against Owen now, two best friends pitted against each other. Whatever happens, I’m seeing this as a win.

And that’s when Ethan ruins it. Coming in fast from the left, he trips Josh and sends him toppling forward, and, just as he snatches back the Hawthorn flag, I see him stamp down on Josh’s ankle. The yelp of pain from Josh is so harrowing it makes everyone stop in their tracks. I look for Madzikanda, she wouldn’t let him get away with that, but she’s way over the other side of the playing field. She didn’t see anything.

I glance back at Owen, but he’s also stopped in his tracks, a look of worry falling over him as he stares in Josh’s direction. He’s so close to scoring, just a few metres away.

‘Fuck this,’ he says, throwing the flag to the ground and running back to his friend.

‘And that’s time!’ Madzikanda blows her whistle. ‘We have ourselves a tie!’

‘Any news on Josh?’ I say as Cameron pushes into the locker room behind me. I didn’t feel the need to avoid being in here with him today. I don’t feel as awkward as I did before. That was just a few loops ago now, but so much has changed since then.

‘Miraculously, nothing’s broken,’ he says. ‘Though I swear I heard something snap.’

‘Me too,’ I say, recalling the sound of that ungodly yelp. ‘And your brother?’

‘They’ve let him off with a warning,’ Cameron says sourly. ‘I think Madzikanda suspected foul play, but he swears that it was an accident, and Harrington actually believes him.’

‘Or chooses to believe him,’ I say.

‘Exactly.’ He sighs. ‘I quit the twinstagram, though.’

‘Really?’

‘Really, Zach. I don’t want anything to do with it any more. I’ve been thinking about quitting for a while, and after seeing what Ethan did to Josh today? I don’t know why I let myself be attached to him for so long.’ He pauses and reaches into his pocket. ‘And look.’ He shows me his phone. ‘I started my own account.’

I take the phone and look at the profile. There’s just one picture of him smiling. Under his own name. No mention of being a twin.

‘But what about all your followers?’ I say, looking at the big fat 0 that shows he doesn’t have a single one.

‘They’ll come,’ he says. ‘Or they won’t. Who cares? I must admit that I don’t like seeing that zero, though. Do you think you could fix it for me? Be my first follower?’