‘Why did you deny it then?’ I say. He doesn’t answer that. ‘So that’s what this is? You could be enjoying prom, but instead you’re trying to ruin mine? It’s pathetic.’

‘I’ll tell you what’s pathetic,’ he spits, getting uncomfortably close. ‘You thinking you have a chance with Cam. That is why you’re out here, right?’

‘That’s none of your business,’ I say, pushing past him.

‘He’s my brother,’ he says. ‘Of course it’s my business. If you think he’s into you, you’re delusional. You do realize he tells me everything, right?’

‘Whatever,’ I say. I keep walking, trying to seem unbothered. But I am bothered. What did Cameron say about me?

‘Know your place!’ he calls after me. ‘You’re just like Kellen. A pair of gold-digging nobodies. You’ll go after literally anyone with money.’

‘Excuse me?’ I spin back round to face him. I know I shouldn’t let him get a rise out of me, but I’m so tired of his bullshit. Him and Tiffany are made for each other. ‘That’s all you rich kids think about, isn’t it? I couldn’t care less about your stupid money.’

‘That’s what they all say.’ He laughs. ‘I don’t care about money. But the truth is you only pretend you don’t care because you don’t have any.’

‘Fuck you,’ I snap, squaring up to him so we’re face to face.

‘Fuck me?’ He smirks. ‘You’d like that, wouldn’t you? Had a wank over my pics yet? If you squint hard enough, you can pretend I’m Cameron.’

I think about taking a swing at him.

‘Go on,’ Ethan says, nodding down at his body suggestively. ‘Have a feel. It’s the closest you’ll ever get.’ He grabs my hand and presses it to his chest.

‘Get off me!’ I yell, pushing him, the first firework screeching up into the night sky.

But I push harder than I mean to. It feels like it happens in slow motion. He loses his balance and stumbles off the edge of the jetty. The blood-red explosions of the fireworks reflect in the black of the lake as he disappears beneath the surface.

Fuck. I didn’t mean to do that.

Though maybe he deserved it. He definitely deserved it.

But he doesn’t surface.

‘Zach!’ a voice yells. Cameron is running up to me. ‘What are you doing?!’

‘Huh?’ I say, disorientated. ‘I don’t know – he started it.’

‘He can’t swim!’ Cameron says, pulling off his suit jacket.

‘What? But he’s on the rowing team …’

‘Move!’ He pushes me aside. I’ve never heard him sound so serious. He takes a deep breath, dives in and disappears beneath the water.

I look on helplessly, the sound of the explosions overhead growing louder.