‘So you made this?’ Bec asks.

‘Yes, I made it.’ The sarcasm is thick in his voice. ‘I’m actually not going to study computer science at all. I’m going to secretly run off and become a tailor.’

‘Really?’ Bec says, oblivious.

‘No!’ He laughs. ‘Of course I didn’t make it, Bec. You think I’ve been hiding a sewing machine under mine and Zach’s bunkbed and working away in the middle of the night?’

‘Well, I don’t know! Everyone knows Zach’s a heavy sleeper!’

It’s true. Before Chase moved in, the fire alarm went off and we all had to evacuate. The headcount came up one person short because I was still upstairs dreaming about having a sleepover with all seven members of BTS. I wish I was joking, but that’s actually what my dream was about. I was kinda miffed when I instead woke up to a frantic Mr Harrington.

Chase takes the garment from Bec and holds it up against his body. ‘I sent it to a family friend who works in fashion. They weren’t sure about cutting up Mum’s dress without asking her, but I think it works, right? I just hope she’s OK with it … She’s either gonna be really touched or really, really angry …’

‘Why would she be angry?’ I say. ‘You made something special, something even better. And this is like … super Chinese, right? She’ll love it.’

‘Yeah, it’s super Chinese,’ Chase says, mocking me. ‘You sound like an idiot, Zach.’

Bec laughs at that. ‘It’s Hanfu, right?’

‘Exactly,’ he says, starting to get changed. ‘I’m actually impressed you know that.’

‘You showed us some outfits a while back,’ Bec says. ‘Right after you transitioned.’

I think I do sort of remember that.

‘Always said you’d love to be able to wear them one day. But you were worried about somehow being disrespectful.’

Chase smiles. ‘I’m glad you remembered,’ he says, adjusting the outfit. It really does look incredible on him. ‘Though I am still worried about it being perceived as disrespectful. I just hope Mum likes it. I’m kinda nervous about showing her.’

‘Don’t be,’ Bec says. ‘She’s lucky to have a son like you. Anyone else would have sold the dress and bought themselves an outfit on ASOS. This is … something else.’

‘Thanks,’ Chase says with a smile.

‘Uh-huh.’ Bec is now busying herself with her own outfit. In a second, she strips down to her underwear – in front of us because apparently we’re that close. I never realized before, but she’s got a set of abs to rival Cameron’s. ‘Could you give me a hand?’

‘Sure,’ I say, helping her into her sparkling black dress and zipping her up.

‘Thanks, Zach, you’re a peach,’ she says, stepping into her shoes. ‘What do you think?’ She puts on a matching feathered mask and spins round so we can get a good look at her. ‘Obviously we need some make-up, and I need to sort out this hair …’